Print

Wholesome Classic Pumpkin Pie with Salted Pecan Crust

wholesome classic pumpkin pie with salted pecan crust - featured image
Print Recipe

A classic pumpkin pie with a nutty, buttery salted pecan crust that eliminates the need for rolling and blind baking. The filling is creamy, perfectly spiced, and not too sweet, making it a crowd-pleasing dessert for any fall gathering.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups pecan halves (raw)
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 2–3 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (100% pure pumpkin)
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup pecan halves, toasted (optional topping)
  • Flaky sea salt, like Maldon (optional topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Make the crust: In a food processor, combine pecan halves, flour, brown sugar, and fine sea salt. Pulse 8-10 times until pecans are finely ground and mixture resembles coarse meal.
  3. Add cold butter cubes to the pecan-flour mixture. Pulse 10-12 times until butter is cut in and mixture looks like damp sand.
  4. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Pulse 3-4 times until dough starts to clump. If dry, add remaining water 1 teaspoon at a time, pulsing after each addition. Do not over-process.
  5. Press crumbly dough into prepared pie plate, using fingers and a flat-bottomed measuring cup to press firmly and evenly into bottom and up sides. Ensure consistent thickness.
  6. Chill crust in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes while making filling.
  7. Optional blind bake: Line chilled crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then remove paper and weights.
  8. Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, heavy cream, maple syrup, and brown sugar until smooth.
  9. Whisk in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk until completely combined and silky.
  10. Pour filling into crust (it will fill almost to the brim). Place pie on a baking sheet.
  11. Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes. Edges should be set, center should have a slight jiggle (like Jell-O). If crust edges brown too quickly, tent with foil after 25 minutes.
  12. Cool completely on a cooling rack, about 2 hours. Filling will continue to set as it cools.
  13. Once cool, arrange toasted pecan halves around edge of pie if desired. Just before serving, sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

Notes

For best results, use cold butter and room temperature eggs. The pie is better the next day—make ahead and refrigerate. Add flaky salt topping just before serving. For a dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream with full-fat canned coconut milk and use vegan butter. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The crust can be made with walnuts or almonds instead of pecans.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin pie, pecan crust, salted pecan, Thanksgiving dessert, fall baking, no-roll crust, holiday pie, pumpkin dessert

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/wholesome-classic-pumpkin-pie-with-salted-pecan-crust/