Description
A caramel-kissed spin on a classic, Hilly’s Pumpkin Pie layers silky pumpkin custard with homemade caramel and finishes it off with a buttery streusel topping. Each slice brings out the cozy warmth of autumn spices along with a sweet, toasty crunch. It’s the perfect dessert for special gatherings or whenever you crave a festive, comforting treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pumpkin Caramel Filling:
- 2 cups pumpkin puree (freshly roasted or canned)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar, divided
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Pie Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 5–6 tablespoons ice water
For the Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup chilled unsalted butter, diced
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the Pumpkin (Optional): If using fresh pumpkin, preheat oven to 400°F. Halve and seed a sugar pumpkin, roast cut-side down for ~35–40 minutes, then scoop and puree.
- Caramel Base: In a saucepan, stir granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, and ¼ cup water over medium heat until dissolved. Let the mixture turn amber, then whisk in butter, cream, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Combine with Pumpkin: In a bowl, whisk pumpkin puree with remaining brown sugar and pumpkin spice. Gradually add warm caramel, stirring gently to blend.
- Temper Eggs: Whisk eggs in a separate bowl; add a small amount of warm pumpkin-caramel mixture to the eggs. Fold tempered eggs into the main filling.
- Make the Crust: Blend flour and salt. Cut in cold butter until crumbly, then add ice water until dough just comes together. Chill for 30 minutes, roll out, and press into a 9-inch pie dish.
- Fill and Bake: Pour pumpkin-caramel filling into crust. Bake at 350°F for ~45–50 minutes, or until edges are set.
- Streusel: Mix flour, brown sugar, salt, and diced butter until crumbly; add pecans if desired. After 30 minutes of baking, sprinkle streusel on top, then bake for the remaining 15–20 minutes.
- Cool and Serve: Let the pie cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. Serve with whipped cream or extra caramel drizzle.
Notes
- Blind baking the crust (10 minutes at 375°F) helps avoid a soggy bottom.
- Tempering the eggs is crucial to prevent them from scrambling in the warm filling.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Nutritional values are approximate and vary with brands and ingredient substitutions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: Hilly's Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Caramel Pie, Streusel Pumpkin Pie, Holiday Dessert