Pumpkin pie is a traditional North American sweet dessert, eaten during the fall and early winter especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The pumpkin is a symbol of harvest time and featured also at Halloween.

The pie consists of a pumpkin-based custard, ranging in color from orange to brown, baked in a single pie shell, rarely with a top crust, which technically makes it a tart. The pie is generally flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.

This pie is often made from canned pumpkin or packaged pumpkin pie filling (spices included); this is a seasonal product available in bakeries and grocery stores, although it is possible to find year-round.

The holiday carol “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays” makes a reference to homemade pumpkin pie being looked forward to by a man returning to his family’s home in Pennsylvania. “Sleigh Ride”, another popular Christmas song, also mentions sitting around a fire after being out in the snow and eating pumpkin pie. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” contains the lyric, “Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie / And we’ll do some carolling”.

Many companies produce seasonal pumpkin pie flavored products such as ice cream, coffee, cheesecake, pancakes and beer. Several breweries produce a seasonal pumpkin ale. All over the United States, it is traditional to serve pumpkin pie after Thanksgiving dinner.