Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie Recipe

Introduction

Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie is a luscious blend of creamy pumpkin ganache layered over a rich salted caramel base, all nestled in a tender homemade crust. This dessert combines cozy fall spices with indulgent textures, making it a standout for any occasion. Perfect for pumpkin lovers craving something a little extra special.

Ingredients

• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Spread the pumpkin puree evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 20–30 minutes until it darkens by two shades and reduces to about 2 cups (500g). Allow it to cool.
2. Step 2: Place the white chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl. In a small pot, bring 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, corn syrup, and 5 tablespoons butter to a boil. Pour this hot mixture over the white chocolate, covering it completely, and let it sit for one minute.
3. Step 3: Add the roasted pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the chocolate mixture. Blend thoroughly until smooth and silky using an immersion blender or a regular blender. Refrigerate the ganache; reheat gently before using.
4. Step 4: For the salted caramel, combine water, 1 cup white sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Stir gently over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then allow to bubble without stirring. Swirl the pan occasionally and brush down sides to prevent crystallization.
5. Step 5: When the mixture is a rich golden brown, remove from heat. Whisk in 6 tablespoons cold butter one tablespoon at a time, then slowly stir in 1/3 cup heavy cream, followed by vanilla and salt. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready.
6. Step 6: To make the pie crust, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add cold butter and toss until coated. Break down butter chunks until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized pieces of butter.
7. Step 7: Combine ice water and apple cider vinegar, then add one tablespoon at a time to the dry ingredients, tossing until dough holds together but remains crumbly. Shape into a disc, wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
8. Step 8: Roll chilled dough into a rectangle, fold like a letter, rotate, and repeat to develop layers. Then roll out into a circle two inches wider than your pie tin. Transfer to pie tin without stretching, fold excess dough under, and crimp edges.
9. Step 9: Chill the crust while preheating oven to 350°F (177°C). Blind bake with weights for 30–35 minutes, tenting edges as needed. Remove weights, prick the bottom, and bake another 15–20 minutes until golden. Cool completely before filling.
10. Step 10: For the streusel topping, mix flour, brown sugar, oats, butter, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt until crumbly. Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden. Store airtight if not using immediately.
11. Step 11: Whip 2 cups heavy cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
12. Step 12: To assemble, pour room temperature caramel into the cooled pie crust and chill until firm, about 20–25 minutes. Pour pumpkin ganache over caramel and smooth to cover.
13. Step 13: Refrigerate the pie covered overnight (at least 8 hours) until ganache is firm and solidified.
14. Step 14: Serve cold, topped with fresh whipped cream and streusel for a perfect finishing touch.

Tips & Variations

• Use high-quality white chocolate for a smoother, richer ganache.
• Roast the pumpkin puree slowly to intensify flavor and reduce water content for a thicker ganache.
• Carefully monitor caramel to avoid burning; it develops quickly once golden.
• Try adding a pinch of cayenne to the caramel for a subtle spicy kick.
• Streusel can be customized with nuts or seeds for extra texture.

Storage

Store the pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The ganache and caramel fillings are best served chilled. Reheat caramel and ganache gently in the microwave in short bursts if preparing ahead. Leftover whipped cream should be used within 1 day for best texture.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use canned pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

No, use pure pumpkin puree only. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugars and spices that will alter the flavor and texture of the ganache.

How do I prevent the pie crust from getting soggy?

Blind baking the crust fully before adding the fillings helps keep it crisp. Allow caramel to chill and set first to create a barrier, then add the ganache on top.

Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 149 reviews

Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie is a decadent autumn-inspired dessert combining a smooth roasted pumpkin ganache with a rich salted caramel base, all nestled in a flaky, buttery pie crust. Topped with a crunchy cinnamon-cardamom streusel and fresh whipped cream, this pie offers a perfect balance of creamy, sweet, and spicy flavors ideal for seasonal celebrations or cozy dessert occasions.

• Author: Marco
• Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 1 9-inch pie (8 slices) 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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 (cold)
• 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (cold, cut into tablespoons)
• 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

• 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 Puree: Spread both cans of pumpkin puree on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast at 325°F for 20-30 minutes until reduced to about 2 cups and darkened by two shades. Allow to cool.
2. Make Pumpkin Ganache: 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 white chocolate, cover, and let sit 1 minute. Add roasted pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, then blend using an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth and silky. Refrigerate and reheat before use.
3. Prepare Salted Caramel: Keep cold heavy cream and butter nearby. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine water, white sugar, and corn syrup, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring until mixture turns golden brown, swirling pan occasionally. Remove from heat; carefully whisk in butter one tablespoon at a time, then slowly whisk in cream, vanilla, and salt. Cool completely and refrigerate.
4. Make Pie Crust Dough: Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Toss in cold butter and work with fingers to create coarse mixture with small butter chunks. Mix apple cider vinegar with ice water and add gradually until dough holds together but remains crumbly. Form into disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
5. Roll and Shape Dough: Lightly flour work surface and rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle, fold like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, and repeat. Roll into a circle 2 inches larger than pie tin diameter. Transfer dough to pie tin without stretching, fold excess under, and crimp edges. Chill again.
6. Blind Bake Pie Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line crust with foil and fill with weights. Bake 30-35 minutes until edges lightly browned; remove weights and prick the bottom. Continue baking 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool 1 hour before filling.
7. Prepare Streusel: Mix streusel ingredients by hand until coarse crumbs form. Spread on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 325°F for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.
8. Make Fresh Whipped Cream: Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form just before serving.
9. Assemble the Pie: Pour room temperature caramel into cooled pie crust and chill for 20-25 minutes until firm. Top caramel with pumpkin ganache and spread evenly. Refrigerate pie covered overnight (minimum 8 hours) until ganache is firm.
10. Serve: Serve pie cold from refrigerator, topped with fresh whipped cream and streusel.

Notes

• Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling or mix, for best flavor.
• Roasting pumpkin puree intensifies flavor and reduces moisture for a richer ganache.
• Keep cream and butter cold for easier incorporation in caramel.
• Swirling the sugar syrup without stirring helps prevent crystallization in caramel.
• If butter in dough melts during mixing, chill the dough before proceeding.
• Blind baking ensures a crisp pie crust that won’t get soggy with moist fillings.
• Streusel can be made ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
• Ganache and caramel can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and reheated gently before assembly.
• Pie should be refrigerated and served cold to maintain texture and flavors.

Keywords: pumpkin pie, caramel pie, Milk Bar recipe, pumpkin ganache, salted caramel, streusel topping, pumpkin spice dessert, fall dessert, Thanksgiving pie