Why it works: Pumpkin and cinnamon are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 3% of all ingredient pairs, and 1,744 recipes mention both. Both carry 1-octen-3-ol, which smells mushroom, earthy. The science ↓
The recipe
8 wedgesIngredients
Contains: egg, milk, wheat (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)
Directions
Prepare the crust
Prick pastry shell with a fork.
Bake in 450°F oven for 8 minutes.
Make the filling
Stir together pumpkin, egg, milk, sweetener, sugar, and seasonings.
Pour mixture into partially baked pie shell.
Bake in 350°F oven for 50 minutes or until center is almost set.
Cool and serve
Cool slightly and refrigerate.
Cut into 8 wedges and serve each with 2 tablespoons light vanilla ice cream.
This recipe comes from the Recipes Wiki on Fandom and is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Our formatting and summaries are shared under the same licence.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
-
Pumpkin + cinnamontop 3% of all pairsAroma overlaplowMentioned together1,744 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
-
Cinnamon + nutmegtop 1% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together11,917 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Cinnamon + clovetop 1% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together14,027 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).
-
Cinnamon + gingertop 1% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together6,380 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Ginger + clovetop 1% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together5,171 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Pumpkin
- Provides the bulk, flavor and moisture of the custard filling.
- Eggs
- Set the custard as they cook, giving the filling its structure and firm slice.
- Low-fat milk
- Adds liquid and softness to the custard, helping it bake smooth.
- Brown sugar
- Adds sweetness and a molasses note that complements the spices.
The step that matters
Bake until the center is almost set. Eggs keep setting as the pie cools. Pulling it when the center is still slightly wobbly prevents a cracked, rubbery or weeping custard.
Flavor stand-ins for the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pumpkin, egg, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger):
- Cardamombetter flavor fit
- Clovethe original
- Allspiceabout as good a flavor fit
Fit is the average pairing score against pumpkin, egg, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes. This compares flavor only: it does not check the job the ingredient does in the dish (bulk, moisture, acidity, structure).
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
More pumpkin pie recipes
You might also like
Illustration
Illustration
Illustration
IllustrationThe Sunday pairing: one pairing, the chemistry behind it, and how to cook it. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account for sign-in; Pro adds the full results and chemistry.