Preheat and prep the crust. Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges. For a crispier bottom, chill the crust in the fridge for 15 minutes while you mix the filling.

Mix the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. This helps distribute the spices evenly.

Whisk the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, evaporated milk, and vanilla until smooth and well combined.

Combine and smooth. Add the sugar-spice mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until silky. The filling should be pourable but not watery.

Fill the crust. Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust. If you have extra filling, don’t overfill—leave a little space under the edge of the crust to prevent overflow.

Bake hot, then lower the temperature. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 35–45 minutes, until the center is mostly set with a slight wobble.

Check doneness. Insert a knife near the center; it should come out mostly clean, or use an instant-read thermometer—target 175°F (80°C) in the center.

Cool completely. Place the pie on a wire rack and let it cool for at least 3 hours. This allows the custard to fully set and makes slicing clean and easy.

Serve and garnish. Top with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, or add a few chopped candied pecans for texture. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.