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Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 100 reviews

Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie is a decadent dessert featuring a luscious pumpkin ganache layered over a chewy salted caramel base inside a buttery, flaky pie crust, topped with a crunchy spiced streusel and fresh whipped cream. This pie combines traditional fall flavors with a rich, creamy texture making it a perfect centerpiece for autumn gatherings or holiday celebrations.

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

CHEWY SALTED CARAMEL:

  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
  • 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 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
  • 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. Pumpkin Ganache Preparation: Spread both cans of pumpkin puree on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast at 325°F for about 20 to 30 minutes until the color darkens by two shades and the puree reduces to about 2 cups or 500g. Let cool. Place white chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. In a small pot, bring cream, corn syrup, and butter to a boil. Pour hot cream mixture over white chocolate to melt, let sit for 1 minute. Stir in roasted pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Blend with an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth and silky. Refrigerate if made ahead and reheat mildly before use.
  2. Salted Caramel Preparation: In a medium saucepan, combine water, white sugar, and corn syrup and stir to hydrate sugar. Cook over medium heat until clear and bubbling. Avoid stirring once bubbling by swirling the pan and brushing sides to prevent crystallization. When the mixture turns golden, swirl frequently to avoid burning. Remove from heat and add cold butter one tablespoon at a time, whisking well between additions as the mixture foams. Slowly whisk in cold cream, vanilla, and salt. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until firm. Reheat gently before use.
  3. Pie Crust Assembly and Blind Baking: Mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add cold butter pieces and toss to coat with flour. Break up butter until mixture resembles coarse meal with visible butter chunks. Chill if butter softens. Mix apple cider vinegar with ice water, add one tablespoon at a time to the flour mixture until dough forms a ball but remains slightly crumbly and not sticky. Form a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll dough into a rectangle, fold like a letter, rotate, and repeat rolling and folding. Finally, roll into a circle slightly larger than pie tin. Place dough in pie tin without stretching. Fold excess dough under and crimp edges. Chill again. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line crust with foil or parchment and fill with weights. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, tent edges with foil if browning too fast. Remove weights and prick bottom of crust with fork. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes until golden. Cool at least 1 hour.
  4. Streusel Topping: Combine flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and butter in a bowl. Mash and mix with hands until loose crumb forms with no dry spots. Spread evenly on parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until golden brown. Cool. Store airtight for up to a week.
  5. Fresh Whipped Cream: Just before serving, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
  6. Assembly: Pour room temperature caramel into pre-baked pie crust, spreading evenly. Chill the filled shell for 20 to 25 minutes until firm. Pour pumpkin ganache over caramel and spread quickly to cover all caramel. Refrigerate covered overnight (8 hours minimum) until ganache is firm and set. Serve cold with freshly whipped cream and streusel topping.

Notes

  • Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, for accurate flavor and texture.
  • White chocolate quality affects ganache flavor; use a high-quality brand.
  • For the pie crust, if dough becomes too hard, let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before rolling.
  • When caramelizing sugar, practice caution to avoid burning; it’s better to undercook slightly than overcook.
  • Pie crust can be baked in advance and stored in the refrigerator or pie dough frozen for up to one month.
  • Ganache and caramel can be made 1 to 2 days ahead and reheated gently as needed.
  • Use an offset spatula for smooth ganache spreading.
  • Tent edges of the pie crust with foil during baking to prevent over-browning.

Keywords: pumpkin pie, caramel pie, pumpkin ganache, salted caramel, streusel topping, fall dessert, holiday pie

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