How to Make Costco’s Famous Pumpkin Pie Recipe at Home

When I’m baking for the holidays, I always like to have fresh baked goods around. These are some of my family's favorites:

• Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls
• Mini Brownie Bites
• Coconut Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

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Why Costco’s Pumpkin Pie is So Famous

Costco is known for its pumpkin pie because of its incredible taste and thick consistency. It was developed over 30 years ago by Sue McConnaha, Costco’s VP of bakery operations.

The Best Pumpkin For Costco's Pumpkin Pie

My copycat Costco pumpkin pie recipe can be made with either canned pumpkin or fresh pumpkin. I've tested it both ways and find that canned pumpkin pies are slightly firmer and fresh pumkin are slightly more flavorful.

My favorite canned pumpkin is Libby's Pumpkin Puree. It's my go-to option for a smooth, creamy texture.

The secret to Costco’s filling is freshly cooked and cooled Dickinson's Pumpkin. Try cooking your own if you want the most similar pie to Costco’s version.

How to Prepare Your Own Pumpkin for Pie Filling

Sweet varieties of baking pumpkins like Sugar Pie or Dickinson pumpkins are the best for baking.

1.  Look for a small, sweet variety of baking pumpkins.
2. Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast it in the oven at 375°F for 45-60 minutes, or until tender.
3. Once the pumpkin is cool, scoop out the flesh and puree it in a food processor until smooth. Pat or drain any excess liquid to avoid a watery filling.

Tip: You can freeze any extra pumpkin puree in an airtight container for future baking projects.

Once your homemade pumpkin puree is ready, simply use it in place of the canned pumpkin in the recipe. Your pie will have an even richer, fresher pumpkin flavor.

How to Make Costco’s Famous Pumpkin Pie at Home

This guide shows you how to make a creamy Costco-style pumpkin pie with a flaky crust and smooth filling.

Make the Pie Crust

You can make this pie crust from scratch, which gives the best flavor and texture. But if you prefer a shortcut, you can use a ready-made deep-dish crust. A homemade crust will always taste better, but both options work.

To make the crust from scratch, start by adding flour, salt, and cold butter pieces to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with small pea-sized bits of butter. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Drizzle ice-cold water over the top and gently stir until the dough starts to come together. Press it into a ball, flatten it into one disk, wrap it well, and refrigerate it. Chilling helps the dough relax and makes it easier to roll out later.

If you want to learn more about making pie dough ahead of time, you can read my full tutorial here.

Prepare the Pan for This Costco Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Use a 10 inch pie plate to get that classic oversized Costco look. If you don’t have a 10 inch pan, use a deep-dish plate. The filling makes a large pie, so you need a pan with enough room. Roll out the chilled dough, fit it into the pan, trim the edges, and crimp the rim. Place the crust back in the fridge to keep the butter cold.

Par Bake the Pie Crust

Pumpkin pie is a custard, which means the filling is moist. To keep the crust crisp, you need to par bake it.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the cold crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the weights and parchment, then bake a few more minutes until the bottom looks dry.

Mix the Filling for a Creamy Costco Pumpkin Pie Recipe

While the crust cools, mix the filling. In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree with sugar and spices. Add the three eggs. Most pumpkin pies call for 2 eggs, but the extra egg makes the filling richer and helps it set.

Instead of evaporated milk, this recipe uses sweetened condensed milk. It creates a smooth, custard-like filling that tastes close to the Costco version.

Whisk everything together until the mixture is smooth and silky.

Fill the Crust and Bake the Pie

Place the par baked crust on a baking sheet. Pour the pumpkin filling into the warm crust, filling it almost to the top. Bake until the edges are set and the center still has a small jiggle.

Cool, Chill, and Slice the Pie Cleanly

Let the pie cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. Then chill it for several hours or overnight. Chilling helps the custard set and makes slicing much easier.

To cut clean slices, dip a sharp knife in hot water and wipe it dry between each cut. Cut straight down through the crust and filling. Wipe the blade between slices so the edges stay neat. Use a pie server to lift each piece gently from the pan.

Costco Style Pumpkin Pie (With All Butter Crust)

This Costco Pumpkin Pie recipe delivers the same creamy texture and flaky crust as the famous dessert, so you can enjoy it without ever leaving home!

4.50 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Equipment

• Food Processor
• 10-Inch Deep Dish Pie Plate
• Rolling Pin
• Pie Weights or Dried Beans

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Ingredients

All Butter Pie Dough Ingredients

• ▢ 2½ cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sugar
• ▢ 1 cup cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
• ▢ ½ cup ice cold water you may not need all of it

Pumpkin Pie Filling

• ▢ 1 can 15 ounces pumpkin puree
• ▢ 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or substitute 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice for all the spices combined)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ginger
• ▢ ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cloves
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Add the flour, salt, and sugar to a food processor. Pulse once or twice. Add the cold butter cubes. Pulse until the mixture looks crumbly with small pea-size bits of butter. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Drizzle in the ice water a little at a time. Stir gently until the dough starts to come together. It should look shaggy, not wet. Press the dough into one large disk. Wrap it and chill it for at least 1 hour.
• Lightly flour your counter. Roll the dough into a 13 to 14 inch circle. Fit it into a 10 inch pie plate. If you don’t have a 10 inch plate, use a deep-dish pan so the filling fits. Trim and crimp the edges. Place the crust in the fridge while you heat the oven.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the cold crust with parchment paper. Fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights. Bake a few more minutes until the bottom looks dry and set. Let the crust cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, sugar, spices, salt and the eggs. Whisk until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk. Whisk again until the filling is silky.
• Place the par baked crust on a baking sheet. Pour the filling into the warm crust. Bake until the edges are set and the center has a gentle jiggle. If the crust browns too fast, cover the edges with foil. The pie may puff as it bakes, then settle as it cools.
• Let the pie cool on a wire rack until room temperature. Chill for several hours or overnight. Chilling helps the custard finish setting so the slices hold their shape.
• Use a sharp knife. Dip it in warm water and wipe it dry between cuts. Lift each slice with a pie server. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Notes

• A 10 inch pie plate gives you the classic Costco size. If you don’t have one, use a deep-dish pan so the filling fits. 
• Par baking the crust at 350 degrees for 20 minutes keeps the bottom crisp and prevents sogginess.
• Always cool the pie fully and chill it before slicing. This is the key to clean, neat slices.
• The pie tastes even better the next day as the spices settle and the custard firms up.

Your New Go To Pie for the Holiday Season

If this is your first time baking a Costco-style pumpkin pie, get ready for rave reviews from family and friends. Last year, I made this pie for a large family gathering, and it got so many compliments! My family said it had the most creamy texture and was the best pumpkin pie they had ever tasted! Who knows, this year I may make one just for myself and eat the whole pie!

Let me know how yours turns out in the comments below!