Does your family look forward to pumpkin pie every holiday season? Ours would riot if we skipped a year but we do like to be extra so ours is a pumpkin pie with popcorn crunch. Clearly we’re obsessed with popcorn but hear us out when it comes to topping the pie with it. Unlike fruit pies, pumpkin pie is basically a custard and, even when baked, it has a soft, pillowy consistency. Yes, the crust adds a bit of crunch but we wanted more. We also dust the popcorn on top with our chocolate caramel seasoning because chocolate and pumpkin are a heavenly taste match.
So, is there any shame in just opening a can of pumpkin puree instead of buying a whole pumpkin, pulling out the stuffing, roasting it and pureeing it yourself? Nah. That’s a lot of work. You can, of course. But if doing all that will keep you from having pie then leave those pumpkins whole and put them around the house as decorations. Pass the can opener. Please skip the canned pumpkin pie filling, though. Ours is so easy to make that you don’t even need a mixer. Just a big bowl and a whisk is all it takes and the flavor will be so much better.
What are those pastry leaves, you ask? We think the dough for this crust should be rolled out fairly thin and that will leave you with a bit leftover. Yes, we did that on purpose because pie dough cookies are so good. We picked up one of those little leaf shaped mini cutters and made as many pie dough cookies as we could Dust them with a little sugar and bake before, with or after the pie. They’ll be a big hit.
To make the crust, add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt and cold butter to a food processor. Pulse until the dough resembles coarse crumbs. With the machine running, pour the ice water through the feed tube until a dough ball forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut a little less than 1/4 of the pie dough and set aside. Roll the remaining dough out thinly, on a well floured surface, until it's about 2" wider than your pie or tart pan. Note that we used a tart pan with a removable bottom but a regular pie plate will be fine. Place the dough inside the pan and crimp the edges.
Roll out the reserved dough and use a small leaf shaped cutter to make the pastry leaves. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of granulated sugar. These only need to bake for 15 - 20 minutes so you can put them on the baking sheet next to the pie but pull them when their done or bake them after the pie has baked and is cooling.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, unsweetened pumpkin puree, heavy cream, milk, all-purpose flour, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground nutmeg until smooth. Do not overfill.
Place on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the filling is set. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Top the pie with the popcorn, pastry leaves and chocolate caramel seasoning. Serve at room temperature and store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Recipe Note
Share your creations with us on Instagram! Tag you creation with #dellcovespices and we would love to give you a shout-out!
Leave a comment