Image 1 of 2
Image 2 of 2
From 1796 onward, pumpkin pie evolved from early colonial puddings into a true custard pie baked in a wheat crust, with standardized recipes appearing by the late 18th century. During the 1800s, it became closely tied to American identity and especially to Thanksgiving, thanks in part to writers like Sarah Josepha Hale and the establishment of Thanksgiving as a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. By the late 1800s, pumpkin pie had become the official Thanksgiving dessert across the U.S. In the early 20th century, canned pumpkin and evaporated milk—popularized by brands like Libby’s—made pumpkin pie easy to prepare and cemented the modern recipe.
Ida’s original pumpkin pie recipe from her grandmother from the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 remains a Thanksgiving staple and has inspired a new generation of foods and traditions in our household and hopefully in yours, too.
