Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie Recipe

Introduction

Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie is a decadent dessert that layers rich pumpkin ganache over a salted caramel base, all nestled in a tender, flaky crust. This pie combines warm spices, creamy textures, and a buttery streusel for a perfect autumn treat that’s sure to impress your guests.

Ingredients

• 2 (15-ounce) cans Pumpkin Puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling or mix)
• 1 1/4 cups Heavy Cream (for ganache)
• 1/3 cup Corn Syrup (scant)
• 5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (for ganache)
• 12 to 16 ounces White Chocolate (2 to 2 1/2 cups, high-quality)
• 3 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt (for ganache)
• 1 cup White Sugar (for caramel)
• 1/3 cup Heavy Cream (for caramel)
• 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (for caramel)
• 1/4 cup Water (for caramel)
• 2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup (for caramel)
• 1 teaspoon Salt (up to 2 teaspoons, to taste, for caramel)
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (for caramel)
• 1 1/2 cups Flour (for crust)
• 12 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (for crust)
• 1/2 cup Fine Ground Cornmeal (for crust)
• 1 Tablespoon White Sugar (heaping, for crust)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt (for crust)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup Ice Cold Water (for crust)
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar (for crust)
• 1/2 cup Flour (for streusel)
• 1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar (for streusel)
• 1/3 cup Rolled Oats (for streusel)
• 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (for streusel)
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon (for streusel)
• 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom (for streusel)
• Pinch of Salt (for streusel)
• 2 cups Heavy Cream (for whipped cream)
• 3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar (for whipped cream)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pumpkin Ganache – Spread both cans of pumpkin puree on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast at 325°F (163°C) for 20–30 minutes until the color darkens by two shades and the puree reduces to about 2 cups. Let cool.
2. Step 2: Place white chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl. In a small pot, bring cream, corn syrup, and butter to a boil. Pour hot mixture over the chocolate, cover, and let sit for 1 minute.
3. Step 3: Add roasted pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to the chocolate mixture. Blend with an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth and silky. Store in the fridge and gently reheat before use.
4. Step 4: Salted Caramel – Keep cream and butter cold. In a saucepan, combine water, white sugar, and corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then avoid stirring and swirl pan gently. Use a wet pastry brush to prevent crystallization.
5. Step 5: When mixture turns golden, swirl often to brown evenly. Remove from heat just before burning. Off heat, whisk in butter one tablespoon at a time until foamy, then gradually whisk in cream, followed by vanilla and salt. Cool and refrigerate.
6. Step 6: Pie Crust – Mix flour, ground cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Add cold butter chunks and toss until coated. Break butter into coarse pieces about the size of blueberries. If needed, chill dough.
7. Step 7: Combine apple cider vinegar and ice water. Add one tablespoon at a time to dry mix, tossing until dough holds together but remains crumbly and not sticky. Form a disc, wrap, and chill at least 30 minutes.
8. Step 8: Roll dough on a floured surface into a rectangle, fold like a letter twice, rotate, and repeat rolling and folding until smooth. Roll final dough into a circle larger than your pie tin. Drape into tin, fold excess under, and crimp edges.
9. Step 9: Chill crust again. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Blind bake crust lined with foil/parchment and weights for 30–35 minutes, tent edges if browning too quickly. Remove weights and prick base, then bake another 15–20 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
10. Step 10: Streusel – Combine flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and butter. Mix with hands until crumbly. Spread on parchment-lined sheet and bake at 325°F (163°C) for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until golden brown. Cool.
11. Step 11: Fresh Whipped Cream – Just before serving, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
12. Step 12: Assemble Pie – Pour room-temperature caramel into cooled crust, cover base evenly, and chill for 20–25 minutes to firm. Pour pumpkin ganache over caramel and spread quickly to cover.
13. Step 13: Refrigerate pie overnight (minimum 8 hours) until ganache is firm but not sticky. Serve cold topped with whipped cream and streusel.

Tips & Variations

• Use high-quality white chocolate for a smoother, richer ganache.
• Roast the pumpkin longer if it hasn’t reduced enough to intensify flavor.
• Be cautious not to burn the caramel; it’s better to stop cooking early than too late.
• For gluten-free crust, substitute the flour with an appropriate blend and omit cornmeal if desired.
• Streusel can be prepared up to a week ahead and stored airtight at room temperature.

Storage

Store the assembled pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the caramel or ganache components gently in short bursts in the microwave if needed before assembling. Leftover pie is best served cold, and the whipped cream should be prepared fresh for best texture.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

No, this recipe requires plain pumpkin puree for the best texture and flavor. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugars and spices that will alter the final taste.

How do I prevent the crust from shrinking when baking?

Make sure the dough is well chilled before rolling and after fitting it into the pie tin. Blind baking with weights also helps maintain the shape and prevents shrinking.

Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie Recipe

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4.5 from 89 reviews

Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie is a luscious and decadent dessert featuring a rich roasted pumpkin ganache layered over a buttery salted caramel in a crisp, flaky pie crust. Topped with a crunchy spiced streusel and fresh whipped cream, this pie combines the classic flavors of pumpkin spice with smooth white chocolate and homemade caramel for an irresistible treat perfect for fall or holiday gatherings.

• Author: Maya
• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes plus overnight chilling
• Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie, serves 8-10 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

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Pumpkin Ganache

• 2 (15-ounce) cans pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling or mix)
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup corn syrup (scant)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 to 16 ounces white chocolate (2 to 2 1/2 cups high-quality white chocolate)
• 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Salted Caramel

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into tablespoons, kept cold)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt (up to 2 teaspoons to taste)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pie Crust

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold, cut into tablespoons)
• 1/2 cup fine ground cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon white sugar (heaping)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup ice cold water
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Streusel Topping

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• Pinch of salt

Fresh Whipped Cream

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Roast Pumpkin: Spread both cans of pumpkin puree on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in a 325°F oven for 20-30 minutes until the color darkens by two shades and the mixture reduces to approximately 2 cups (500g). Let cool before using.
2. Make Pumpkin Ganache: Place white chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl. In a small pot, bring heavy cream, corn syrup, and butter to a boil. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate, covering all pieces. Let sit for 1 minute, then add roasted pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Blend with an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth and silky. Refrigerate if making ahead and gently reheat to a pourable consistency before use.
3. Prepare Salted Caramel: Keep the heavy cream and cold butter separate and chilled. In a medium saucepan, combine water, white sugar, and corn syrup. Stir to dissolve sugar and heat over medium until the mixture is clear and bubbling. Swirl the pan to avoid crystallization, brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush as needed. When the mixture turns a rich golden brown, remove from heat. Carefully whisk in butter one tablespoon at a time, then slowly stream in cream, whisking rapidly. Add vanilla and salt, whisk well. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate until firm. Reheat gently before filling.
4. Make Pie Crust: Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut cold butter into the flour mixture and toss to coat. Break butter into coarse pieces about the size of blueberries with your fingers. If the butter softens, chill the dough for 15 minutes. Mix vinegar and ice water, adding one tablespoon at a time to the dry ingredients until dough holds together but remains crumbly and not sticky. Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Roll out dough into a rectangle, fold like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, and repeat rolling and folding for cohesion. Roll finally into a circle at least 2 inches larger than pie tin base. Transfer dough to pie tin, drape gently, fold excess under and crimp edges. Chill the crust in the fridge.
5. Blind Bake Pie Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line pie crust with foil or parchment and fill with weights. Tent edges with foil if needed. Bake for 30-35 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Remove weights, prick base with a fork, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked through. Cool at least 1 hour before filling. Pie crust can be made ahead, pre-baked and refrigerated or frozen.
6. Make Streusel: Mix flour, brown sugar, oats, butter, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a medium bowl with hands until a loose crumb forms and no dry spots remain. Spread on parchment-lined sheet pan and bake at 325°F for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until golden brown. Store at room temperature in an airtight container if made ahead.
7. Whip Fresh Cream: Just before serving, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form.
8. Assemble Pie: Pour room temperature salted caramel into the cooled pre-baked pie crust, spreading to cover the base evenly. Chill in refrigerator for 20-25 minutes to set the caramel. Pour pumpkin ganache over the caramel layer and spread quickly to cover fully. Refrigerate covered overnight (minimum 8 hours) until ganache is firm and solid. Serve chilled topped with fresh whipped cream and streusel.
9. Storage: Keep the assembled pie refrigerated. Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Notes

• Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling which contains added sugars and spices.
• Roasting the pumpkin reduces moisture and intensifies flavor, crucial for a silky ganache.
• Keep butter and cream cold when making caramel for best emulsification.
• Brushing pan edges with water prevents sugar crystallization when making caramel.
• Blind baking the crust prevents sogginess from the wet filling layers.
• The dough may be crumbly but will hold after folding and resting.
• Ganache and caramel can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and refrigerated.
• Streusel adds a crunchy texture contrast; do not skip.
• Reheat ganache and caramel gently to maintain pourable consistency without overheating.
• Serve pie cold straight from the fridge for best texture and flavor.

Keywords: Pumpkin Pie, Caramel Pie, Milk Bar, Pumpkin Ganache, Salted Caramel, Streusel Topping, Fall Dessert, Holiday Pie