Perfect Pumpkin Pie Tips From Marie Callender's

STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — Jim Cottle from Marie Callender's visited the KCAL9 studios Monday to show viewers how to make the perfect pumpkin pie at home for the holidays.

Tips for the Perfect Pumpkin Pie

• Start with a great crust. It must be flakey like Marie Callender's and have the right ratio of flour to shortening. You can also find the Marie Callender's crust, which is the next best thing to our fresh-made crust, in your grocer's freezer.

• Use quality pumpkin.

• The spices that you use make a huge difference. We use a high-end cinnamon (Saigon), high heat dry milk, cornstarch, and pumpkin spices in our dry mix.

• Make your filling a day ahead of using it. This allows all of the ingredients to blend together and improves the flavor.

• Use ice cold water and cold, whole eggs.

• Use a rubber spatula when making the filling, and again just prior to using to stir the product. Do not use a wire whip. You do not want to add air into the filling. This could produce air bubbles, which may rise to the surface of the pie.

• Bake the pie the day you are going to eat it to ensure freshness.

• And if you don't want to be stuck in the kitchen making your own pies this holiday season, then simply visit a Marie Callender's restaurant and take-home one of your favorite pies.