Congratulations, you now have the perfect base for your pie. But here’s the shocking truth: canned pumpkin is actually perfectly fine and often more consistent. Yes, I said it. Your grandmother will be furious, but canned pumpkin is made from a specific variety (the Dickinson pumpkin) that’s bred for pie. Your hard-won fresh purée might be a little stringy or watery.
But you didn’t do all this work to use a can, did you? Of course not. You are a warrior. Your pie will taste like victory, elbow grease, and the faint echo of your own terrified laughter. So go ahead, mix in your sugar, spices, eggs, and cream—and bake that glorious gourd into a memory.
And if all else fails, remember: pumpkin pie is basically squash custard. You can’t ruin it. You can only humble it.
