Pumpkin pie with ginger pastry

Pumpkin pie recipe

The perfect winter dessert, this easy pumpkin pie recipe is filled with sweet pumpkin combined with warming spices, which can also be enjoyed in the pie’s ginger pie crust. Pumpkin pie recipes are very popular, especially in the US where no Thanksgiving table is complete without the spiced golden filling and flaky crust. And there are countless variations on the classic pumpkin pie recipe: from using different types of pumpkin, spices and cream toppings, to pumpkin pies with a crumble or cheesecake twist. Here we take the classic pumpkin pie recipe and level up the spices - think ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon - plus, to top it off, we serve it with a crunchy pepita praline.

Ingredients guide: what you’ll need to make pumpkin pie

Just as in the beloved American pumpkin pie recipe, we’re using pumpkin puree, but we’re making ours from scratch. You’ll need 1 1/2 cup (375g) of mashed pumpkin and to make it sweet and creamy, you’ll need 2 eggs, 1/2 cup (110g) brown sugar, 1/2 cup (125ml) evaporated milk, 2 tbs maple syrup and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste. Then there are the spices which will give the filling a wonderful warmth: 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg.
For the ginger pastry, you’ll need 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour. To add sweetness to the pastry, use 1/4 cup (40g) icing sugar mixture and 1 tbs brown sugar. You’ll also need 1 tsp ground ginger, 125g chilled butter, 1 egg yolk and 1 tbs chilled water.
And for the ultimate sweet finish - the pepita praline - you’ll need 1/4 cup (50g) pepitas, also known as pumpkin seeds, and 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar.

Now you’re all set to make the best pumpkin pie recipe to wow the crowd.

How to make the pumpkin pie crust

You’ll need to allow time for the ginger pastry dough to rest so it’s best to make it first. Place the flour, icing sugar, brown sugar, butter and ginger in a food processor and process until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and chilled water and process again until the dough comes together. No food processor? No worries - simply add the dry ingredients in a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips then stir in the egg and water and mix with your hands until a dough forms. Then turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until it’s smooth - be careful not to overwork the dough or you’ll end up with tough pastry. Shape the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap before resting it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

To prepare the pastry for baking, preheat the oven to 200°C. Once the dough is rested, remove it from the fridge and roll it out on a clean work surface - you’ll want a lightly floured surface so the dough doesn’t stick. Roll it out until you have a 3mm-thick disc then use that to line a 24cm fluted tart tin with a removable base. Use a small sharp knife to trim any excess pastry from the sides then place the lined tin in the fridge to rest for 15 minutes. Resting the pastry in the fridge will help it from shrinking in the oven when it’s baking. Then it’s time to blind-bake the pastry - this ensures the pastry is crisp and dry, and you don’t get a soggy pastry when you add the wet filling. Line the pastry case with baking paper and weight it down with baking weights or uncooked rice. Bake it in the oven for 10 minutes then remove the weights and baking paper and bake for another 10 minutes or until it’s light golden.

How to make the pumpkin pie filling

Reduce your oven to 160°C. To make sure the mashed pumpkin is as smooth as possible, push it through a fine sieve and into a bowl. Then add the eggs, sugar, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Stir the ingredients until they’re combined and the mixture is smooth, then push the mixture through a fine sieve and into a large jug so it’s super smooth. Pour the mixture into the pastry case in the tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until it’s set. You can tell it’s set when you give the tin a gentle shake and the filling wobbles a little. Allow the pie to cool down slightly before placing it in the fridge to chill.

Give the pie a crunchy sweet filling by making the pepita praline. Simply line a baking tray with foil that’s greased a little and spread the pepitas on the tray. Then combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook over a low heat for about 3 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat up to medium and cook for another 5 minutes without stirring until the toffee is golden brown then remove from the heat. Carefully pour the toffee over the pepitas - it’s going to be hot - then set it aside to cool for 20 minutes. Coarsely chop the praline and scatter it over the pumpkin pie. Serve with whipped cream and some extra cinnamon sprinkled on top if you like.

Now get cooking

Enjoy this pumpkin pie cheesecake with figs and salted caramel for a twist on the classic pie. And for another sweet dish starring pumpkin, try this pumpkin and blueberry pie pancakes. For more warming pumpkin recipes to enjoy in the cooler months, check out our collection of 10 warming pumpkin recipes to get you through winter.  And for more desserts to impress, head to our dessert recipes collection.