Our Most Clicked Thanksgiving Recipe Last Year

It's a daunting task to pick your holiday menu. Each year Allrecipes publishes scores of new recipes, not to mention our tried-and-true Thanksgiving staples. This year we published "Nothing But the Classics", a full package of taste tests of our top Thanksgiving dishes to help you pick the best of the best when it comes to your menu. If you're still homing in your spread, allow me to put one more recipe on your radar: our most clicked Thanksgiving recipe from last year.

Our Most Clicked Thanksgiving Recipe from Last Year

Drum roll please...the Thanksgiving recipe you all turned to most last year was none other than our Perfect Pumpkin Pie. Sorry to the main attraction, turkey, and all your favorite side dishes but dessert takes the cake—or rather, pie—this time. This recipe was not only our most clicked recipe last Thanksgiving, but it's also our top-rated pumpkin pie recipe of all time, beating out a whopping 130+ other recipes. So what makes our Perfect Pumpkin Pie so, well, perfect?

The recipe originated with Eagle Brand, the company best known for its condensed milk (one of the eight ingredients called for in this recipe). On that note: do not use evaporated milk here—the condensed milk is what gives this pumpkin pie its sweetness in lieu of sugar. It's a straightforward recipe with no surprise ingredients, fancy techniques, or bells and whistles, but if the thousands of 5-star reviews are to be believed, sometimes simple really is best.

The custard filling comes together in one bowl in minutes, and bakes in under an hour. Plus, to avoid the Thanksgiving frenzy and fight over oven space day-of, this pie can be made up to four days ahead of time. Just be sure cool it completely before storage and store it the fridge, since the custard filling contains eggs.

Allrecipes culinary producer and test kitchen expert Nicole McLaughlin says, “This is not only the perfect pumpkin pie recipe, but it might be the easiest one you make all year.”

Tips for Our Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Since there are only a handful of ingredients in this pie, make sure to use the best quality ingredients, especially when it comes to the pumpkin. You can opt to roast and purée your own pumpkin (just make sure you use the right kind!), or go with the top pick in our canned pumpkin taste test: Libby's pumpkin.

As for the spices, Nicole McLaughlin recommends using the spices you have rather than purchasing a pumpkin spice blend from the store. It will save you money, and ultimately you can tweak how much of each spice you put in to suit your personal preferences! For my family, my dad hates nutmeg, so I cut down on that one. Some reviewers add cloves for even more wintry spice. Personally, I like to add in a little ground cardamom as well as black pepper.

Finally, when it comes to pie crust, you can absolutely go for semi-homemade, but if you do be sure to consult our taste test of the best store-bought pie crusts first. If you make your own, my recommendation is an all-butter pie crust like this top rated, four-ingredient recipe. The buttery, flaky crust adds richness and a shatteringly crisp texture that perfectly complement the pumpkin filling.

If you're using homemade pie dough, I recommend par-baking (also known as blind baking) the crust for about 10 to 15 minutes before filling to ensure the pie crust gets nice and crispy as your custard cooks through, so you never have the dreaded soggy bottom crust.

Still debating whether this pie deserves a spot on your spread this Thanksgiving? I couldn't possibly quote all of the 2900+ 5-star reviews but perhaps this review from community member Darlene Walsh will seal the deal for you: "'Best pumpkin pie recipe I’ve had in my life'…that is what all my guests said after eating my Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. Hard to share this recipe but I sure did.”