My Pecan Pumpkin Pie is creamy, dreamy, crunchy, decadent, and guaranteed to make you the hero at your Thanksgiving dinner. This easy pie is made with a food processor crust for a fast and simple pie anyone can whip up. Serve it with my Honey & Rum Whipped Cream for the win!
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What are the 3 P's of the perfect dessert? Pecan. Pumpkin. Pie.
This easy and decadent Pecan Pumpkin Pie is 100% made from scratch, with love, and SO MUCH BETTER THAN A FROZEN PIE. The easy food processor crust makes this pie a breeze for anyone, even if baking isn't necessarily your forte.
How a "not a baker" girl started making annual Pumpkin pies
I LOVE pumpkin pie, and honestly, it's in the same "Why don't we eat this all year?" category as canned cranberry sauce for me. When done well, it's a beautifully spiced, creamy, custardy slice of heaven. Top it with a big dollop of whipped cream, slide me my glass of wine and get out of my way.
To give you the full story, I am IN NO WAY a baker. I have the patience of a flea, and yet, I have been making pumpkin pie for my family and extended family for years now. That's how much I love a homemade pumpkin pie (ain't nobody got time for Mrs. Smith, sorry not sorry). But my dedication only goes so far.
What goes into the Pecan Pumpkin Pie?
To make the pie filling, you will need:
- A 15 oz can of pumpkin puree. Be sure to grab puree, not pie filling, which had additives and sugar in it.
- Some light or dark brown sugar. This is really a matter of preference. I have used both and have been happy with the results.
- Ground cinnamon.
- Fresh grated ginger. I use fresh ginger for this recipe, not ground. If you have leftover, it stores well in the freezer for future recipes! It gives a nice zing and freshness to the custard.
- Fresh grated nutmeg. Splurge on the whole, which is much more flavorful than the pre-ground.
- A pinch of salt, to balance the sweetness.
- Pure vanilla extract.
- Dark/spiced rum, such as Kraken.
- 3 beaten large eggs.
- Some heavy cream. If you've got some leftover, make some Honey and Rum Whipped Cream to serve with the pie!
Making the crust
To make the easy food processor crust for the Pecan Pumpkin Pie, you'll need:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour.
- A bit of salt and ground cinnamon.
- Some fresh grated nutmeg. Fresh grated is SO MCH more flavorful than the pre-ground stuff. And you can grate easily with a microplane or hand grater as you go so it stays fresh tasting. I love The Spice Hunter's whole nutmeg.
- Dark or light brown sugar. This adds a richer flavor and a bit of sweetness to the crust.
- ¾ cup cold butter ( a stick and a half), cut into small pieces. I like to cube it up by slicing in half lengthwise, then into 4 long strips then cutting into small cubes.
- 6-10 tbsp ice water. You want the water very cold. You can do this by placing it in the freezer to chill, or by adding a few ice cubes to the water and letting it sit for about 5 minutes.
Baking the Pie
After quickly making the crust int eh food processor, you'll shape it into a flat disk, wrap it, and refrigerate it for at least one hour, or up to overnight.
PWhen ready to bake, preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on a floured board until about ¼” thick. Roll dough onto rolling pin and transfer to a 9” deep-dish glass or metal pie pan greased with butter, pressing lightly with your fingers into pan and crimping edges. Press outer edge of crust with a fork to make small indentations, or shape with hands.
Adding the filling
Slowly pour pumpkin filling into center of pie crust. If you see any bubbles in the custard, you can gently remove them with the back of a spoon.
When ready to bake, carefully place the pie pan onto a large cookie sheet, and transfer to preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.
The Pecan Topping
To make the pecan topping for the pie, you will need:
- Light corn syrup. Light corn syrup is a clear syrup made that is made by extracting the sugars from cornstarch, which may or may not include a touch of vanilla flavoring. This clear, thick syrup will serve as the basis of the "candied" pecan topping for the pie.
- 1 egg white, beaten. Make sure to vigorously beat the egg white by hand with a wire whisk, or with an electric mixer, until thick and fluffy.
- A touch of pure vanilla extract, to give the pecans a good flavor.
- Dark or light brown sugar.
- Pecan halves, or chopped pecans.
- Melted butter, for flavor and richness.
To make the topping, whip the egg white in a bowl until nice and thick and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients, and stir well.
Topping the pie
You'll bake the pie first for 1 hour, to partially set the custard. This will ensure the pecan topping sits on top, rather than sinking into the pie.
After the pie has cooled slightly, using your fingers, loosely arrange the pecan topping evenly across the top of the pie, transfer back into the oven, and bake an additional 30-40 minutes, or until set. You can arrange the pecans in a pretty pattern, or scatter them loosely and gently over the top.
Tools for a good pie
A deep dish glass or ceramic pie dish.
An electric mixer, or wire whisk and a steady hand for beating the egg white. My vote? Electric mixer.
A food processor, for easy crust making.
A rolling pin.
A whisk, for combining the pumpkin pie custard.
A few mixing bowls. One large bowl for the pumpkin custard, and a smaller mixing bowl for the pecan topping.
Storing the Pie
Let the pie cool completely to room temperature before storing. This will take several hours, so plan accordingly. Once the pie is cooled, wrap with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to eat. I like to make my pie a day or 2 ahead so it has time to chill before serving.
The pie will last 4-5 days covered in the refrigerator.
Serving the Pecan Pumpkin Pie
The only way to make this Pecan Pumpkin Pie any better is to serve it with my Honey & Rum Whipped Cream. Trust me, it's worth the VERY MINIMAL effort to make your own whipped cream rather than go with the can. You can't spray mine directly into your mouth, but that's why they invented spoons.
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If you make my Pecan Pumpkin Pie, please be sure to leave me a comment! I would love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Lastly, if you make the recipe and love it, please tag me on Instagram! I love to see your photos!
Need more dessert recipes?
Why not try my Pineapple Cinnamon Cheese Danish
Blackberry Lime Cheesecake Bars
Chocolate Pistachio Cookie Bars!
Pecan Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- dash of fresh grated nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- ¾ cup cold butter ( a stick and a half), cut into small pieces
- 6-10 tablespoon ice water
Pie Filling
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon dark rum, such as Kraken
- 3 beaten eggs
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
Pecan Topping
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1 egg white, beaten
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups pecan halves
- 2 tbs melted butter
Instructions
- Make the crust. Add dry ingredients and chopped butter (cut butter in half lengthwise and then across in ¼” sections) to food processor and gently pulse, until small crumbs form and butter is well incorporated. Add cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and pulse (about 20 quick pulses) until dough comes together into loosely formed clumps. Remove dough from food processor, shape into a ball and place into a food storage bag or wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour (can be done a day in advance). 2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all pumpkin filling ingredient in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. 3. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on a floured board until about ¼” thick. Roll dough onto rolling pin and transfer to a 9” deep-dish glass or metal pie pan greased with butter, pressing lightly with your fingers into pan and crimping edges. Press outer edge of crust with a fork to make small indentations. 4. Slowly pour pumpkin filling into center of pie crust, and place the pie pan onto a large cookie sheet. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.5. While pie is baking, combine pecan topping ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. 6. After 1 hour, remove pie from oven and allow to cool enough to handle top, about 10 minutes. 7. After pie has cooled slightly, using your fingers, loosely arrange the pecan topping evenly across the top of the pie, transfer back into the oven, and bake an additional 30-40 minutes, or until set (when done, pie should jiggle slightly, but not appear too loose or wet). 8. Allow pie to cool several hours, then cover and transfer to refrigerator to chill.
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Cat says
I made this for thanksgiving yesterday after seeing it on foodgawker a few weeks ago and it’s the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever had. Thanks for the recipe, truly outstanding pie!!