This pumpkin pecan pie recipe means you no longer need to confront that damn Thanksgiving dilemma of pumpkin pie or pecan pie. In true egalitarian fashion, this unconventional godsend of a recipe ensures you can have both—and still make good on that promise you made yourself to only have a single slice.
Why Our Testers Loved This
Our testers were delighted to discover a “two-in-one pie” that allowed them to enjoy pumpkin and pecan pie together. They loved the “flaky and crisp” crust, custardy pumpkin filling, and crunchy pecan topping.
Notes on Ingredients
- Unsalted butter–If you need to substitute salted butter, don’t add extra salt to your pie crust.
- Pumpkin puree–Use canned pureed pumpkin here, not pumpkin pie filling. See the FAQ section for how to make pumpkin puree.
- Spices–You can substitute store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. You’ll need 1 generous teaspoon.
- Pecans–Chop your pecans into small bite-size pieces, to make it easier for everyone to enjoy the pie.
How to Make This Recipe
- Make the pie crust. Combine the flour and salt together, then cut in the butter and shortening, using your hands or a pastry cutter to distribute everything evenly. Stir in the vodka and enough water to make a dough that just comes together. Wrap and chill.
- Roll the pie dough. Roll out the dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate, then crimp the edges.
- Make the pumpkin filling. Preheat the oven. Beat the egg, then whisk in the pumpkin, spices, and salt. Pour into the pie filling and bake for 20 minutes.
- Make the pecan topping. Whisk the eggs and sugar together, then mix in the remaining ingredients.
- Bake the pumpkin pecan pie. Gently pour the pecan filling over the partially baked pumpkin filling, then continue to bake until cooked through. Cool slightly before serving.
FAQs
The crust can be made and frozen up to 3 months before using. You can even roll the pie crust and crimp it and freeze it directly in the pie plate. The cooked pie will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge, but it’s best served on the day it’s made.
Adding vodka allows the addition of more liquid that won’t cause gluten to bind. The result? A more tender, flaky pie crust that’s also easier to work with.
Definitely. To make homemade pumpkin puree, roast cubes or halves of fresh pumpkin until tender, dump into the food processor, and blitz until smooth.
A dollop of regular whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is great, or get creative and serve it with chai-spiced whipped cream, or spike your cream with a little bourbon or spiced rum.
Helpful Tips
- If your pie crust is browning too quickly, use a pie shield or a foil ring to cover the crust.
- Be very gentle when pouring the pecan layer onto the partially cooked pumpkin layer, as it’s easy to disturb the pumpkin layer.
- The pie can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Great Pie Recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Pumpkin Pecan Pie
Ingredients
For the pie crust
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
- 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
- 5 tablespoons shortening or lard, cold
- 1 tablespoon vodka, cold
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
For the pumpkin pie filling
- 1 extra-large egg
- 1/2 cup unsweetened canned or fresh pumpkin purée
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
For the pecan topping
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Make the pie crust
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut the butter and shortening into small pieces and add to the flour. Using your hands, crumble the butter and shortening or lard into the dough to combine until the pieces are no larger than peas.
- Add the vodka and ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you can gather the dough into a firm ball. It should be moist, but not wet.
- Pat the dough into a flattened round about 3/4 inch thick and then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Turn the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a round that’s slightly larger than a 9-inch (23-cm) pie dish and about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) thick. Gently lift the dough onto the pie dish and fit it in, pressing it into the edges and pinching together any tears.
- Trim off any long overhang from the edges, leaving a small overhang as the dough will shrink back, then press the tines of a fork lightly around the edges for decoration.
Make the pumpkin pie filling
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
- In a small bowl, beat the egg. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, 1/2 the egg (reserve the remaining 1/2 egg to add to some scrambled eggs in the morning), the milk, cream, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt.
- Add the pumpkin filling to the crust. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, transfer to the oven, and bake until just set, about 20 minutes.
Make the pecan topping
- While the pumpkin pie filling bakes, make the pecan filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined. Add the corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla, and salt and whisk to combine. Stir in the pecans.
Bake the pumpkin pecan pie
- After the pumpkin pie has baked for 20 minutes, pull out the oven rack with the pie, being careful not to disturb the pie any more than absolutely essential. The filling will still be a little jiggly. Hold the bowl of pecan pie filling close to the pie and gently pour the filling over the pumpkin pie filling. Push the oven rack back into place and bake until the pecan pie filling is almost set, about 30 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking until the crust is golden and the filling is no longer wiggly, about 15 minutes longer. Keep an eye on the pie and if you notice your crust beginning to brown too quickly in the middle of cooking, lightly cover the pie crust with a strip of foil that you crimp to fit around just the crust, being careful not to cover the filling.
- Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Shortcuts–Use a store-bought pie crust and/or swap in pumpkin pie spice for the spices in the pumpkin pie filling.
- Make-ahead–Make the pie crust up to 3 months in advance and freeze it until ready to use.
- Storage–The pie can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This pumpkin pecan pie is the answer to that eternal Thanksgiving dilemma: pumpkin pie or pecan pie? However, it’s entirely different from traditional pies. The pumpkin portion has a delicate, almost custardy texture. And the pecan topping is crunchy, not gloppy or chewy.
For me, it’s a perfect combination because I don’t like pumpkin pie. The crust is phenomenal—flaky and crisp. I will definitely make it my go-to pie crust for single-crust pies. My whole egg measurement for the pumpkin filling was 4 tablespoons. (I used 2 tablespoons and threw the rest away.)
This is a pie for the indecisive. No more do you have to choose between a slice of pumpkin or a slice of pecan. With this easy pumpkin pecan pie recipe you get both.
The flavors do go well together, but I will admit to taking a bit of pecan then scooping out a smidgen of pumpkin after, alternating each bite. Pie is my happy place and not having to choose what kind, well, that’s just icing on the cake. Or should I say a two-in-one pie.
Be very gentle when pouring in the pecan topping as it was very easy to upset the pumpkin pie filling. The middle of the pie didn’t end up with perfect layers because of this but it ended up fine. I did have to add a foil covering to the crust to keep it from overbrowning.
I would definitely chop the pecan pieces relatively small because the larger pieces made the pumpkin layer smoosh out when getting a bite with your fork.
