Pie Pumpkins

Jill Wellington / pixabay.com / 2015 / CC0 1.0

Pie pumpkins are pumpkins that are good for making pumpkin pies from.

Most tend to have orange rinds but this is a category of pumpkin, not a variety, so rind colour can vary by exact variety.

Pie pumpkin sizes

Pie pumpkins generally will be between 1 3/4 to 4 1/2 kg (4 to 10 pounds), and be far smaller than pumpkins preferred for carving. Large pumpkins are bad for pies. The larger a pumpkin is, the more the flavour is spread out over more flesh, weakening the flavour. It also means that the flesh needs to store a lot of water, making it watery, as well as coarse and stringy. Instead, for pies, you want flesh that is finely-textured.

Pie pumpkins have dry flesh

These pumpkins will have dry (i.e. starchy, not watery), sweet flesh with good, pronounced flavour and sweetness. At the beginning of the harvest season, they may perhaps be too dry even for pie, but if left longer, some of the starch will convert to water and sugar, making them better for pies.

Less water in them means better pumpkin pies (which are a custard, and a watery custard won’t set.) It also means that you don’t have go through the step of trying to simmer the water out to end up with more flesh in the end to work with — more work which doesn’t always translate into more flavour.

Pie pumpkins. ©Denzil Green / 2005.

Cooking Tips

For every 500 g (1 pound) of whole pie pumpkin that you start off with, you will end up with about 1 cup / 8 oz / 250 g of pumpkin purée to work with in pies.

A size of 1.8 kg to 2.7 kg (4 to 6 pounds) yields enough flesh to make one pie from.

To process a pumpkin for pies, see the entry on pumpkin purée.

Language Notes

Sometimes referred to as “Sweet Pumpkins.”

Varieties of pie pumpkins

Amish Pie Pumpkins

Amish Pie Pumpkins have pale orange rind, with moderate ribs showing as the pumpkins develop.Inside, they have dense, moist, sweet, pale orange flesh, with flesh walls up to 5 inches (13 cm) thick. The pumpkins grows up to 80 pounds (36 kg) in...

Autumn Gold Pumpkins

Autumn Gold Pumpkins have a deep orange rind, with slight ribbing. The skin colour develops before the pumpkin is fully ripe, making it good as an ornamental in areas that have early frost. They grow to be about 8 inches (20 cm) wide and tall,...

Baby Bear Pumpkins

Baby Bear Pumpkins have rich orange coloured rind, with a handle about 3 inches (7 1/2 cm) long. The pumpkins grow to be 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm) wide and 3 1/2 to 4 inches (9 to 10 cm) tall, weighing 1 1/2 to 2 pounds (700 to 900g.) They have...

Baby Pam Pumpkins

Baby Pam Pumpkins have rich orange rind with moderate ribbing. The pumpkins have a sturdy, tan-coloured handle that is large for its size. The pumpkins will be round, and uniformly-sized, 5 inches (13 cm) wide and tall, and weigh between 2 to 3 pounds...

Buckskin Pumpkins

Buckskin Pumpkins are acorn-shaped, with tan-coloured rind. Inside, they have finely-textured, deep orange flesh. They average 10 pounds (4 4 ½ kg) in weight. Cooking Tips They are good for pie, and are used by some commercial processors for ...

Bushkin Pumpkins

Bushkin Pumpkins have orange rind and almost hulless, good tasting seeds. The pumpkins will weigh 8 to 10 pounds (3 1/2 to 4 1/2 kg.) Good for pies. Bush-type plant that spreads 6 feet (1.8 metres.) Open-pollinated, but a Protected Variety...

Casper Pumpkins

Casper pumpkins have smooth, white rind with a bluish tinge at times, though less so than many other white varieties, with a tan coloured handle.They grow to be 45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 inches) wide by 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 inches) tall, and weigh...

Cheese Pumpkins

Cheese Pumpkins get their name because their flatter shape makes them look a bit like wheels of cheese. Compared to the big Hallowe'en pumpkins, they have a lighter-orange (sometimes tan or buff coloured) skin, and inside are sweeter and not as stringy....

Chelsey Pumpkins

Chelsey Pumpkins are often used by commercial processors for tinned pumpkin. Hybrid pumpkin.

Cheyenne Bush Pumpkins

Cheyenne Bush Pumpkins are pie pumpkins. They will weigh 5 to 8 pounds (2.3 to 3 1/2 kg.) The plant is a compact bush-type, producing pumpkins ready to harvest 80 to 90 days after planting the seeds Because it produces such an early harvest,...

Cornfield Pumpkins

Cornfield Pumpkins grow to be 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) wide and 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) high, and will weigh 10 to 15 pounds (4 ½ kg to 7 kg.) They have strong handles. They can be used for pies or ornamental use. They are a good pumpkin ...

Cotton Candy Pumpkins

Cotton Candy Pumpkins have glossy white coloured rind, with slight ribbing, and strong handles. They will weigh 5 to 12 pounds (2.3 kg to 5 1/2 kg.) Inside, they have sweet white flesh, which can be used as a squash or in desserts. The pumpkins...

Dickinson Pumpkins

Dickinson Pumpkins are mostly round, with tan rind and sweet, coarse orange flesh. They grow to be 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) wide and 12 to 14 inches (30 to 36 cm) tall. The plant can cross-pollinate with butternut squash. They are used...

Early Autumn Pumpkins

Early Autumn Pumpkins are round, with yellow rind that ripens early to orange. They have moderate ribbing, and a green handle with no pricklies on it. They weigh up to 15 pounds (7 kg.) They can be used for pie or as an ornamental. 120 days...

Early Buckskin Pumpkins

Early Buckskin Pumpkins are an earlier ripening version of Buckskin Pumpkins. They are acorn-shaped, with buff-coloured rind. Inside, they have finely-textured, deep orange flesh. They average 10 pounds (4 ½ kg) in weight. They are good ...

Early Cheyenne Pie Pumpkins

Early Cheyenne Pie Pumpkins are small. They were developed, as the name indicates, to be ready to harvest early in the season, and for use in pies. Small size in pumpkins often indicates better flavour. History Notes Early Cheyenne Pie Pumpkins...

Eastern 7 X 7 Pumpkins

Eastern 7 X 7 Pumpkins are round. They grow to be 7 inches (18 cm) wide and the same tall. 115 days from seed. Good for pies, and ornamental use. History Notes Eastern 7 X 7 Pumpkins were developed by the Eastern States Farmers Exchange,...

Funny Face Pumpkins

Funny Face are uniformly-sized pumpkins, with bright orangey-yellow smooth rind, moderate ribbing, yellow flesh and firm handles. They grow 11 inches (28 cm) by 14 inches (36 cm), and will weigh 9 to 11 pounds (4 to 5 kg.) They can be used for...

Ghost-Rider Pumpkins

Ghost-Rider Pumpkins are round, with dark orange rind and a green handle. They have yellowish-orange flesh. They wil grow 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) wide and weigh 15 to 30 pounds (7 to 13 1/2 kg.) They can be used as an ornamental or for...

Gold Keeper Pumpkins

Gold Keeper Pumpkins have dark orange skin that is a bit rough with moderate ribbing, and yellowish-orange flesh. Their shape varies a good deal, and their weight ranges from 6 to 12 pounds (2.7 to 5 1/2 kg.) They are grown for commercial processing...

Golden Centennial Pumpkins

Golden Centennial Pumpkins are round, tending to oval. They will be 8 to 9 inches (20 to 23 cm) wide, with golden-orange rind, and thick flesh. Cooking Tips These are pie pumpkins. History Notes Golden Centennial Pumpkins were developed by the...

Howden Pumpkins

Howden are Jack-O-Lantern type pumpkins. They are somewhat tall, though occasionally round, with hard, rich orange skin with slight ribbing, and thick, firmly attached handles. They have a thick flesh wall, and thick, solid flesh. They will...

Howdens Field Pumpkins

Howdens Field are uniformly-sized, Jack-O'-Lantern type pumpkins, with a hard, moderately-ribbed, rich orange rind, and thick flesh walls. They will weigh 25 to 30 pounds (11 to 13 ½ kg.) Despite their size, they have good enough flavour to be ...

Hybrid Pam Pumpkins

Hybrid Pam Pumpkins have dark burnt orange rind, and a long, thick, green handle. They will weigh 5 to 7 pounds (2 1/4 to 3 kg.) These are good pumpkins for making pumpkin purée from. 90 days from seed. History Notes Hybrid Pam Pumpkins ...

Kentucky Field Pumpkins

Kentucky Field Pumpkins are usually somewhat squat, with smooth, dull orange-tan, hard rind that has slight ribbing. They have thick flesh walls, and at their centre, coarse yellow flesh. They will grow 10 to 18 inches (25 to 45 cm) wide and weigh...

Large Cheese Pumpkins

Large Cheese Pumpkins are squat, with a buff-coloured, hard rind with slight ribbing. They average 15 inches (38 cm) wide by 7 inches (18 cm) tall, and weigh 12 to 15 pounds (5 ½ to 6 ¾ kg.) They have sweet, orangish-yellow, finely-textured f...

Libby's Select Dickinson Pumpkins

It's a myth that the pumpkin in Libby's canned pumpkin is actually squash instead of pumpkin -- it is genuine pie pumpkin.

Long Island Cheese Pumpkins

Long Island Cheese Pumpkins are named for their place of origin, and their resemblance to old-fashioned cheese boxes. They have relatively sweet, deep-orange flesh which is good for pies.

Mammoth King Pumpkins

Mammoth King Pumpkins are slightly flattened. The rind is a mottled yellow and orange, with faint ribs. Inside, they have coarse, thick yellow to bright-orange flesh. They grow to be 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 cm) wide and weigh 50 to 100 pounds...

Mystic Plus Pumpkins

Mystic Plus Pumpkins are round, tending to tallish, with bright orange rind with moderate ribbing. They have firmly attached, dark green, very thick handles. They grow 8 inches (20 cm) wide by 6 inches (15 cm) tall, and weigh 7 to 8 pounds (3...

Pam Pumpkins

Pam Pumpkins have deep orange-coloured rind and firmly-attached handles.They will grow 6 inches (15 cm) wide and tall, and weigh between 4 to 7 pounds (1 3/4 to 3 kg.) They can be used for ornamental painting or for pie. 90 days from seed. These...

Small Sugar Pumpkins

Sugar pumpkins are edible pumpkins. Some people like to use them for pumpkin pies; other people feel there are better choices.

Snack Jack Pumpkins

Snack Jack Pumpkins are round, slightly tall, with bright orange rind with slight ribbing. They will weigh 2 to 2 1/2 pounds (around 1 kg), and have hull-less seeds. (Hull-less pumpkin seeds aren't really hull-less; they just have a very thin seedcoat...

Spookie Pumpkins

Spookie Pumpkins are round, with bright orange rind. They grow to be 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) wide, and weigh around 5 pounds (2 1/3 pounds.) They have good flavour for pies. 110 days from seed. History Notes Spookie Pumpkins were developed...

Spooktacular Pumpkins

Spooktacular Pumpkins have bright, deep-orange rind, with moderate ribbing and a firmly-attached tan handle. They grow to be 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm) wide, and weigh 3 to 4 pounds (1.4 to 1.8 kg.) The flesh is smooth and finely-textured, with...

Sugar Treat Pumpkins

Sugar Treat Pumpkins have bright orange rind. They grow on a hybrid, semi-bush plant. 100 days from seed. Cooking Tips Good for pies. History Notes Developed by Rupps Seed Company.

Touch of Autumn Pumpkins

Touch of Autumn Pumpkins have light orange rind, sometimes darker, with moderate ribbing and a long handle firmly attached. They grow to be about 6 inches (15 cm) wide and tall, and weigh 2 to 3 pounds (1 to 1 1/2 kg.) Inside, they have deep orange...

Trickster Pumpkins

Trickster Pumpkins are squat, with dark orange rind with moderate ribbing, and a long thin handle, firmly attached. They average about 6 inches (15 cm) wide and weigh 3 to 3 ½ pounds (1.3 to 1.5 kg.) These are pie pumpkins, but they can also ...

Virginia Mammoth Pumpkins

Virginia Mammoth Pumpkins are classified as "cheese pumpkins" because of their shape. They are actually a bit oval, though. These are large pumpkins, with thick flesh that can be used for pies or animal feed. Storage Hints Stores well. History...