Pecan-Crusted Pumpkin Pie with a silky spiced pumpkin filling and topped with cream and roughly-chopped pecans, the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving, but also throughout the Harvest season. It's incredibly easy to make with a few simple ingredients, and it's a failproof recipe for sure.
If you like the classic pumpkin pie, you will absolutely love this pumpkin pie with a twist - the filling follows the traditional pumpkin pie recipe, being made with pumpkin puree, eggs, milk, sugar and spices, but instead of the regular pastry crust, it uses digestive biscuits/Graham crackers and pecans.
We all know how pastry can go wrong sometimes, and no one like a pie with a soggy bottom, no matter how delicious the filling is. So this pecan crust solves the issue of a pastry crust that could go wrong.
I do have a pumpkin pie recipe that uses traditional pastry crust in my Pumpkin Pie with Condensed Milk, and the crust is actually really nice - you can use that for this recipe too, or you can keep the pecan crust and use the pumpkin pie filling made with condensed milk instead.
No matter what you choose to use, I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed - the pumpkin pie will be the showstopper without a doubt! How doesn't like a good pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving?!
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Ingredients used to make the pecan crust
- digestive biscuits - or Graham crackers in the US
- melted butter - for binding all the ingredients together
- pecans - roasted
Ingredients used to make the pumpkin pie filling
- pumpkin puree - I used canned pumpkin puree, but you can use roasted pumpkin that you can puree yourself too
- eggs - at room temperature
- granulated sugar - it adds more sweetness to the filling
- light brown sugar - it adds a deeper colour and flavour
- milk - I used full-fat milk
- mixed spice and cinnamon - or pumpkin pie spice in the US
- cream -for topping the pie - optional
Easy swaps
Full-fat milk can be swapped for evaporated milk or semi-skimmed milk if you want a lighter version. Alternatively, it can used any plant-based milk too.
Light brown sugar can be replaced with dark brown sugar for a deeper, more caramel-like flavour.
I did not used any sugar for the crust, so feel free to add some if you like a sweeter pumpkin pie, I think the digestive biscuits are sweet enough for my taste tough.
Step-by-step photos and instructions to make the crust
- in a food processor, add the digestive biscuits/graham crackers and pecans and blitz until you can a crumb-like texture
- add the melted butter and blitz again to incorporate
- transfer the mixture to a pie/quiche tin and press it down well onto the bottom and sides of the tin
- bake in the preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes
Step-by-step photos and instructions to make the pumpkin pie filling
- add the pumpkin puree, eggs, milk, spices and sugars to a large mixing bowl, and use a hand mixer to mix everything well
- pour the mixture into the crust tin
- bake at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 45 minutes until the filling is set
- remove it from the oven and cool it down completely before topping with cream and chopped pecans
Expert tips
The pecan crust will shrink slightly in the oven, but not to worry, that's absolutely fine. Just make sure that when you press the pecan mixture onto the sides of the tin before baking, you go all the way to the top.
Press the crust firmly otherwise it can fall apart, we need a good crust for the filling to be poured into. It is crucial to prebake the crust before adding the filling to it - not to worry, it will not burn when the filling stays in the oven for the extra 45 minutes.
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Pecan-Crusted Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
For the crust
- 250 g digestive biscuits (Graham crackers - 3 cups)
- 125 g melted butter (½ cup)
- 50 g roasted pecans ( plus extra for topping the pie)
For the filling
- 1 tin pumpkin puree (425 g, 15 oz)
- 2 eggs
- 250 ml full-fat milk (1 cup)
- 50 g light brown sugar (¼ cup)
- 100 g granulated sugar (½ cup)
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice ( pumpkin pie spice)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 125 ml whipped cream for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit).
- Add the digestive biscuits and pecans to a blender or food processor and blitz to a breadcrumb-like texture.
- Add the melted butter and blitz again to incorporate.
- Transfer the mixture to a flan/quiche tin and use the back of a spoon to press the mixture down very well onto the bottom and sides of the tin.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- For the filling, add all the ingredients apart from the cream and extra pecans to a large mixing bowl.
- Use a hand mixer to beat everything well to a smooth consistency.
- Pour the mixture onto the baked crust.
- Decrease the temperature to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) and bake the pie for 45 minutes until the filling is set.
- Remove it from the oven and leave it to cool down completely.
- Top with piped cream and roughly-chopped pecans.
Video
Notes
- The pecan crust will shrink slightly in the oven, but not to worry, that's absolutely fine. Just make sure that when you press the pecan mixture onto the sides of the tin before baking, you go all the way to the top.
- Press the crust firmly otherwise it can fall apart, we need a good crust for the filling to be poured into. It is crucial to prebake the crust before adding the filling to it - not to worry, it will not burn when the filling stays in the oven for the extra 45 minutes.
Nutrition
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