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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.

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 (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

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