Pumpkin-Pecan Pie
Submitted by auntloni
Pumpkin pecan pie combines spiced pumpkin custard with a broiled brown sugar pecan crumble topping. The best of both Thanksgiving pies in one slice, with five warm spices.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
60 minREADY
85 minCan’t choose between pumpkin pie and pecan pie at Thanksgiving? This one gives you both. A warmly spiced pumpkin custard filling baked until set, then crowned with a broiled brown sugar and pecan crumble that bubbles and caramelizes on top.
Five spices go into this filling: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. That’s more complex than most pumpkin pie recipes, and each spice brings something different. The cinnamon is warm and familiar, ginger adds bite, nutmeg brings earthy sweetness, allspice rounds things out, and cloves add a sharp, almost peppery edge.
The two-temperature bake is important. Fifteen minutes at high heat sets the crust and the edges of the custard quickly, then the lower temperature lets the center cook through gently without cracking. Test with a knife halfway between center and edge. The center should still jiggle slightly.
The pecan topping goes on after the pie has cooled. Butter, packed brown sugar, and chopped pecans get blended with a pastry cutter into a crumbly streusel, sprinkled over the top, then broiled for just 1 to 1 ½ minutes until the sugar bubbles. Watch it like a hawk. Broilers turn caramel into carbon in seconds.
Pro Tips
- Bake on the lowest rack for the crispest bottom crust. Soggy-bottom pumpkin pie is a common problem, and rack position fixes it.
- Let the pie cool completely before adding the pecan topping. Warm custard will melt the butter and make the topping soggy.
- Cornstarch in the filling gives a firmer set than flour, which means cleaner slices.
- Refrigerate after the topping cools. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Variations
- Bourbon pecan topping: Add 1 tablespoon bourbon to the crumble for a boozy, caramel depth.
- Maple pumpkin: Replace ¼ cup of the sugar with maple syrup for a more autumnal sweetness.
- Gingersnap crust: Swap the pastry shell for a crushed gingersnap cookie crust to double down on the ginger flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the pumpkin, sugar, cornstarch, spices and salt in a bowl mixing and mix well.
Add the eggs and evaporated milk.
Beat until smooth, using a wire whisk.
Pour into the unbaked pie shell.
Bake on the lowest rack of a preheated 425 Degrees F. oven for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350℉ (180℃). and bake for an additional 45 minutes or until a knife inserted halfway between the center and edge comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.
Prepare the Crunchy Pecan Topping and sprinkle evenly over the cooled pie then place the pie under the broiler flame (5-inches from the heat source) until the mixture begins to bubble, about 1 to 1½ minutes.
Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Refrigerate until serving.
Cruncy Pecan Topping:
Place the softened butter, brown sugar, and pecans in a bowl and mix until crumbly with a pastry blender.
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