With Halloween only days away, and pumpkins on my mind, I’m preparing my Thanksgiving menu!
This is no an ordinary pumpkin pie, my friends.
This is the yummiest pumpkin pie ever!
It’s delightfully smooth and incredibly rich . . . and the flavor is beyond belief!
Am I building up the hype here too much? And I’m not even done!
When the salty caramel joins up with the pumpkin and its accompanying spice blend, look out! The flavor is incredible. It’s just as simple as that!
And quite frankly, I could live on the pecan crust alone — it’s like a candy bar in and of itself!
While this is certainly not a Martha Stewart-looking pie, you will be the hit of any party you bring this to! Thanksgiving or not! (And FYI, I like a rustic look ;-).)
And by the way, today is National Pumpkin Day!
P.S. If it matters to you, this pie is 100% gluten-free!
- 2-1/2 cups whole roasted salted pecans (about 12-ounces)
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 recipe Salted Spiced Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon each; cinnamon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 2 eggs
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
-
Grind the pecans in a food processor with the blade attachment -- do not over mix or it will become pecan butter. You can also use a knife to finely chop the nuts.
-
Add the ground pecans to a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and melted butter.
-
Pour the pecan mixture into a 10-inch pie plate. Gently use your hands to press it evenly onto the bottom and sides.
-
Bake the crust in the preheated 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes. It will have "fallen" a bit. Use a large metal spoon to gently re-shape the crust. (You may have to do this a couple of times as it cools.) Set aside.
-
Make sure the oven is still set to 350 degrees F.
-
Warm the Salted, Spiced Caramel Sauce on the stove, until it's pourable.
-
In a small to medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, vanilla and spices.
-
Then in a tiny bowl, combine the milk and cornstarch, and stir until it's smooth. Add this, along with the eggs to the pumpkin mixture. Mix until all of the ingredients are incorporated and it's a very smooth consistency.
-
Now mix the caramel with the pumpkin mixture until it's smooth. Then, pour this into the prepared pecan crust.
-
Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated 350 degree F oven until the filling is set, about 30 to 40 minutes. It will still be slightly jiggly when it's done and it might be cracked on top -- that's okay! (During the cooking process, if the edges of the crust are becoming too dark, lay a sheet of foil over the pie.)
-
Let the pie cool for at least 2 hours before serving.
-
Serve warm.
The Salted, Spiced Caramel Sauce is not included in the prep time. It takes about 30 minutes and can be made up to a few days ahead. Simply warm it on the stove when you're ready to use it.
This pie doesn't slice in pretty, perfect slices -- no one will care because it's so delicious. Be sure it's still warm when you cut into it, so the crust doesn't stick to the bottom. If you make it a day ahead, you can leave it out overnight and warm it slightly the next day. And if any crust remains the pan after slicing, use a spoon to eat it!
So yummy looking! Love the creativity of this one. I like the rustic look, too! Great photos! 🙂
This ain’t Granny’s pumpkin pie!
This looks amazing! I may make this for christmas. And I love your forks!
Thank you, Trudy. The forks belonged to my grandmother — I love them, too! 🙂
Oh my, that looks simply divine… messy and all.
Thank you, Cathy! Happy Thanksgiving!