Pecan Pumpkin Pie
intro
Silky spiced pumpkin custard in a flaky buttery crust, topped with caramelized crunchy pecans. This iconic fall dessert balances warm spice, rich nuttiness, and velvety sweetness for holiday tables.
Ingredients
Steps
Roll Out Pie Crust
Lightly flour the beech wood pastry board. Unwrap the chilled 250g pie dough disk, and use the stainless steel rolling pin to roll it into an even 12-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick. Gently lift the rolled dough and drape it into the 9-inch fluted aluminum pie plate, pressing it firmly against the bottom and sides. Trim excess dough to leave a 1-inch overhang, then fold the overhang under and crimp the edge decoratively. Chill the lined pie plate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes while preheating the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Blind Bake the Crust
Remove the chilled lined pie plate from the refrigerator. Line the crust with a sheet of parchment paper, and fill it with the stainless steel chain pie weights to prevent dough puffing or shrinking. Bake on the middle oven rack for 15 minutes, until edges are pale golden. Carefully lift out the parchment and weights, then bake the empty crust for 5 additional minutes to set the bottom and prevent sogginess. Transfer to the counter to cool slightly, leaving the oven set to 375°F.
Mix Pumpkin Custard
In the medium stainless steel mixing bowl, combine 1 ¾ cups pumpkin puree, 2 lightly beaten large eggs, ½ cup heavy cream, ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Use the stainless steel wire whisk to stir until completely smooth, with no visible lumps of spice or streaks of egg remaining.
Par-Bake Pumpkin Base
Place the slightly cooled blind-baked crust on a rimmed baking sheet for easy handling. Pour the smooth pumpkin custard into the crust, using the matte taupe silicone spatula to scrape every last bit of custard from the bowl. Bake for 30 minutes at 375°F, until the outer 2 inches of custard are fully set, but the central 2 inches remain slightly jiggly like Jell-O.
Make Pecan Topping
While the pumpkin base par-bakes, use the small stainless steel mixing bowl to prepare the pecan topping. Whisk together 1 whole large egg + 1 egg yolk, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light corn syrup, 2 tablespoons cooled melted unsalted butter, remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon, remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla, and remaining ¼ teaspoon sea salt until completely smooth. Fold in 1 ½ cups pecan halves, stirring to coat every nut evenly in the sweet syrup.
Top and Finish Baking
Carefully pull the oven rack out with the par-baked pie resting on it. Spoon the pecan topping evenly over the partially set pumpkin custard, spreading gently with the small offset metal spatula to create a uniform layer of nuts. Bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the pecan topping is deep golden and bubbly, and the custard is fully set with only a tiny, slow wobble in the very center.
Cool Pie Fully
Transfer the baked pie to the chrome wire cooling rack set on the counter, and let it cool completely for 2 full hours at room temperature. Do not slice early, as the custard needs time to set fully; for extra clean slices, chill the pie for 1 additional hour after room-temperature cooling. Serve slices with a small dollop of whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.
Tips
2.Wait to add the pecan topping until the pumpkin base has par-baked for 30 minutes: if added to raw custard, the heavy nut and syrup mixture will sink into the pumpkin layer, creating a muddled texture instead of distinct, clean layers of smooth custard and crunchy pecan top.
3.Resist the urge to slice the pie warm: the custard continues to set as it cools over 2 hours, and cutting into a hot or warm pie will result in runny, messy slices that do not hold their shape. For perfectly clean cuts, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between each slice.
Made this for our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were begging for the recipe! The pecan crunch on top of the smooth pumpkin filling is SUCH a perfect combo, way better than the plain pumpkin pie I usually make. 10/10 will be my go-to every Thanksgiving from now on.
Solid recipe, medium difficulty was no joke though! I messed up the pecan topping the first time because I didn’t let the butter cool enough, but the end result still slapped. Brought it to my friend’s Friendsgiving and it was gone in 15 minutes.
Meal prepped this for my family’s post-hike dinner get together and it held up perfectly! The spice balance is spot on, not too much clove or nutmeg like some pumpkin pies I’ve tried. The pecan layer adds such a nice textural contrast, SO good.
OMG my kids loved this! I was worried the pecans would be too crunchy for my picky 7 year old but he asked for a second slice before he even finished his first. Only note is I wish the cook time was a little shorter, I was scrambling to get it done before our Sunday dinner.
Game changer! I’ve made pecan pie and pumpkin pie separate for years and never thought to combine them? The only swap I made was using dark corn syrup instead of light for the pecan layer and it came out chef’s kiss. Brought it to my office potluck and everyone raved.
Took me a little longer than the 1 hour 15 minutes cook time noted — my oven runs a little cold so I added 10 extra minutes, but it came out perfect. The crust didn’t get soggy at all which is usually my biggest issue with pumpkin pies. Will make again for sure.
I swapped the condensed milk for coconut condensed milk and used a vegan butter crust and it still came out amazing! My non-vegan roomie had two slices and didn’t even notice it was dairy free. So stoked to have a Thanksgiving dessert I can actually eat this year.
Wait, is anyone else’s pecan layer sliding off the top when they slice it? I followed the recipe exactly, let it cool for the full two hours like it said, but when I cut into it the pecan part just separated from the pumpkin filling. Tasted amazing, just looked a little messy when I served it.
Made this for my husband’s birthday dinner since pecan pie and pumpkin pie are his two favorites. Let me tell you, this thing was a showstopper! I added a little extra cinnamon and a dollop of bourbon whipped cream on top, highly recommend that add-on.
Medium difficulty is so accurate! I’m a pretty new baker and I was nervous this would be too much, but the step by step instructions were super easy to follow. My only oops was burning the edge of my crust a little, I should have put foil around it like the note said, oops!
Made this for our post-surf beach potluck a couple days ago, and even a little sandy from the wind it was still the best thing on the table. I used fresh roasted sugar pumpkin instead of canned and WOW, that next level flavor is unmatched. 10/10, making it for Christmas too.