This high altitude tested pecan praline pumpkin pie is a delicious combination of two Thanksgiving desserts in one stunning pie. If you can’t decide between a creamy pumpkin pie or a nutty pecan pie, then you can have both by making your pumpkin pie with pecan topping.
You might also love these sweet potato biscoff pie bars, mini pumpkin hand pies, and fudgy brownie pie.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Creamy, Nutty, Crunchy. Personally, I love pumpkin pie with something crunchy for textural contrast, like the crumble topping on my pumpkin bourbon crumble pie. Today’s recipe is similar, using the same pumpkin pie filling, but with crunchy caramelized pecans on top instead of streusel topping.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude. However, today’s pecan praline pumpkin pie will work at sea level, too, without adjustments.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Crust
- All Butter Pie Dough. Since you only need a single pie crust, you can either make half the pie dough recipe, or wrap and freeze the other half of the dough for another pie.
Pumpkin Filling
- Canned Pumpkin. You need plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk. Sweetens the pumpkin filling, and makes it rich and creamy.
- Eggs. Thickens and emulsifies the filling, so it essentially bakes into a pumpkin custard.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Spices. A blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt adds flavor and warmth.
Pecan Topping
- Pecans. If you don’t have pecans, you can easily use walnuts instead.
- Brown Sugar. Use light or dark brown sugar to add sweetness.
- Dark Corn Syrup. Coats the pecans, helping the brown sugar to stick and melt. You can also use pure maple syrup, honey, or golden syrup.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
Instructions
Crust
- Prepare 1/2 recipe pie dough (for 1 single pie crust), as instructed. Roll the pie dough out into a circle, and fit it into your pie pan. Fold under the rough edges and crimp the edges. Freeze in the pan for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Lightly prick the bottom of the frozen crust with a fork, fit a piece of parchment paper into the crust, and fill the paper with dried beans or pie weights.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and remove the paper and dried beans. Return the pan to the oven, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until a light golden color.
- Set the crust aside, and lower the oven temperature to 375 F.
Pumpkin Filling
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together all of the filling ingredients until smooth.
- Pour the filling into the hot crust. Bake the pie at 375 F for 35-40 minutes, until the edges of the filling are slightly puffed and set, but the center is still wobbly.
Pecan Topping
- In a bowl, combine the pecans with the brown sugar, corn syrup, salt and vanilla.
- Gently scatter the pecan topping over the pumpkin filling.
- Return the pie to the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350 F, and bake for 15 more minutes.
- Set the pie on a cooling rack to cool for several hours at room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours until completely cooled and set before serving.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of pumpkin should I use?
You should use plain, canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. You could also roast and puree your own pumpkin, but make sure you use a sweet sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin, not field pumpkins intended for carving rather than eating.
Can I use pumpkin pie spice?
Absolutely. If you have pumpkin pie spice, just use it instead of the blend of spices I use.
Is there a substitute for the sweetened condensed milk?
You can replace the sweetened condensed milk with 1 cup of heavy whipping cream or half and half + 3/4 cup light brown sugar.
Will this recipe work with a store bought pie crust?
Yes, you can use a pre-made frozen or refrigerated crust, and follow the instructions for pre-baking.
How should I store the leftover pie?
This pecan praline pumpkin pie is still great leftover, and is best eaten within 2-3 days. It should be kept in the refrigerator, loosely covered.
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Pecan Praline Pumpkin Pie
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Deep Dish Pie Pan
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ recipe for All Butter Pie Dough (a single pie crust)
Pumpkin Filling
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
Pecan Topping
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 tbsp dark corn syrup (can also substitute pure maple syrup, honey or golden syrup)
- â…› tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust
- Prepare 1/2 recipe pie dough (for 1 single pie crust), as instructed. Roll the pie dough out into a circle, and fit it into your pie pan. Fold under the rough edges and crimp the edges. Freeze in the pan for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Lightly prick the bottom of the frozen crust with a fork, fit a piece of parchment paper into the crust, and fill the paper with dried beans or pie weights.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and remove the paper and dried beans. Return the pan to the oven, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until a light golden color.
- Set the crust aside, and lower the oven temperature to 375 F.
Pumpkin Filling
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together all of the filling ingredients until smooth.
- Pour the filling into the hot crust. Bake the pie at 375 F for 35-40 minutes, until the edges of the filling are slightly puffed and set, but the center is still wobbly.
Pecan Topping
- In a bowl, combine the pecans with the brown sugar, corn syrup, salt and vanilla.
- Gently scatter the pecan topping over the pumpkin filling.
- Return the pie to the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350 F, and bake for 15 more minutes.
- Set the pie on a cooling rack to cool for several hours at room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours until completely cooled and set before serving.
I would love to make some of your recipes but it seems these are all high altitude recipes. Do you have recipes for normal (sea level) altitude?
Please see my FAQs: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/baking-faqs/
Hi Heather, I have a pumpkin pie recipe that uses evaporated milk – just wondering if using sweetened condensed makes it super sweet?
No, it’s not too sweet. When recipes use sweetened condensed milk, they don’t usually call for any additional sugar in the filling. If it uses evaporated milk, then sugar needs to be added.