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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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Find it online: https://frommamamaya.com/milk-bar-hillys-pumpkin-caramel-pie-recipe/