Best Pumpkin Seed Piecrust Recipes

PUMPKIN PIE WITH PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the pie dough to a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork and line with foil and pie weights or dried beans. Bake until golden around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake until the bottom is dry, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the half-and-half, 2/3 cup sugar, the eggs and pie spice in a medium bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin. Pour the filling into the crust.
• Bake the pie until the center is just slightly jiggly but not loose, about 1 hour. Transfer to the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Line a baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray. Cook the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan a few times, until the mixture is light brown, about 5 minutes. (Brush down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.) Stir in the pepitas (the mixture will be thick and sticky). Stir in the salt and cook, stirring, until the mixture thins and turns dark brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth out any clumps. Let the brittle cool completely.
• Beat the heavy cream in a medium bowl with a mixer on medium speed until medium peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Top the pie with the whipped cream; break up the brittle and sprinkle on top.

CRISPY, CRUNCHY PUMPKIN SEEDS

Steps:

• Separate seeds from pulp and rinse under warm water. Pick out remaining pulp. Shake off excess water, place on a towel, and roll up. Let dry in a warm location for 2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil.
• Mix dry pumpkin seeds and melted butter together in a bowl. Sprinkle on garlic salt, onion salt, and paprika. Spread on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and crisp, stirring halfway through, about 45 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container, but they taste amazing warm, too.

PUMPKIN PIE WITH SPICED CRUST

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and allspice in a food processor to combine. Add the butter; pulse several times until it looks like coarse meal. Add the vinegar and 1/4 cup ice water; pulse a few more times until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap; press into a disk and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate, pressing the dough into the bottom and up the side. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp with your fingers or a fork. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Put a baking sheet on the middle oven rack and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line the crust with foil, then fill with pie weights or dried beans. Transfer to the hot baking sheet and bake until lightly golden around the edge, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the crust is golden all over, about 10 more minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely; leave the baking sheet in the oven.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Pour into the cooled crust and return to the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake until set around the edge but the center still jiggles slightly, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to the rack and let cool completely.
• Make the whipped cream: Beat the heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the pie with the whipped cream.

PUMPKIN PIE SEEDS

Steps:

• Place pumpkin seeds, water, and salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium; boil seeds for 10 minutes. Drain seeds but do not rinse. Pat seeds dry with paper towels and spread out onto a work surface or a baking sheet for 30 minutes to dry.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Melt butter in a large microwave-safe bowl until melted, about 1 minute. Toss seeds in the melted butter and mix in 1 tablespoon sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom; toss again to coat seeds thoroughly with spices. Spread seeds out onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until toasted and crunchy, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir several times during baking. Sprinkle toasted seeds with 1 tablespoon sugar or as desired; cool before serving.

GINGER PUMPKIN PIE WITH PUMPKIN SEED CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and toast for 5 to 8 minutes, until you hear them start to pop.
• Chop 1/2 cup of the pumpkin seeds by pulsing in a food processor. Mix with the graham cracker crumbs, ground ginger and granulated sugar. Stir in the melted butter. Pat this mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch pie pan and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Bake the crust for 15 minutes and remove from oven. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
• Mix the pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolks, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Stir in the crystallized ginger and mix until smooth. Pour into the baked graham-cracker crust and bake about an hour, until the filling is set.
• Remove pie from oven and scatter remaining pumpkin seeds on top. Cool to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE, PECAN, AND PUMPKIN SEED PIE WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• Make the crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse gingersnaps, pecans, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until dough sticks together when pressed. Transfer to pie pan and press evenly into bottom and up sides with a flat measuring cup. Bake crust until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Make the filling:
• Spread pecans and pumpkin seeds on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in 350°F oven until warmed through and lightly fragrant, 5 minutes; let cool.
• Meanwhile, heat butter, chocolate, and cream in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), stirring, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until frothy. Whisk in salt and 1/4 cup molasses until smooth, then slowly add chocolate mixture, whisking constantly, until combined. Stir in half of toasted pecans and pumpkin seeds. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Arrange remaining pecans and pumpkin seeds evenly over filling.
• Bake pie until filling is set around the edges but jiggles slightly in the center when shaken, 25-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1 Tbsp. molasses and 1 tsp. water in a small bowl.
• Remove pie from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Using pastry brush, immediately brush surface with molasses mixture to glaze; let cool before serving.
• Do Ahead
• Pie can be made 1 day ahead; store at room temperature.