Want to know what the first Pumpkin pie looked like? You might be shocked! It doesn’t have any crust on! So embarrassing. 

I recently shared all about pumpkin history, and everyone was curious about how I made my interpretation of the first known version of pumpkin pie, so I promised I would share. 

It’s very different from what we enjoy today, but it is fascinating to see how it all started. If you want to know a full history, visit my post all about pumpkin pie history by clicking below :

For now, let me show you how it’s made. It’s remarkably simple, you just need to start by cleaning the seeds out of a baking pumpkin, then set that aside as you make the custard filling. 

Pour a cup of heavy cream in a small mixing sauce pan and add vanilla bean powder (or extract if you don’t have powder), salt, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, then warm it to just under a boil (around 180°). Remove it from the heat and lightly whisk a whole egg and two egg yolks with honey. Then, slowly add a spoonful at a time of the hot spiced cream, tempering the eggs so they don’t get too hot too quickly, whisking the whole time until they are combined. 

Now, just pour the custard into the cavity of your pumpkin. Avoid completely filling the pumpkin, leave an inch or so space for the custard to rise as it bakes for about an hour. I used a small pumpkin, but don’t be surprised if yours takes longer if it’s bigger. 

That’s it! I recommend letting it cool fully before serving, and it does lack a bit of texture, so I sprinkled chopped pecans on top of each serving. 

Early colonists had so many limitations, including limit access to ovens, or flour, or even baking dishes, so I think it’s a remarkably clever, and as much as I still love modern pumpkin pie, you have to respect the ingenuity and resourcefulness it takes to create something like this. And the presentation is striking, isn’t it? 

So, what do you think of pumpkin pie in its earliest form? Would you try it? If you do, you absolutely have to let me know your thoughts.