Praline Pumpkin Pie

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With a buttery, flaky crust, perfectly spiced pumpkin pie filling, and crunchy pecan praline topping, this Praline Pumpkin Pie takes basic pumpkin pie to a whole new level. It’s easy to make and perfect for the holidays!

Why You’ll Love This Pecan Praline Pumpkin Pie

• Combo of two classic recipes. This is such a fun twist on pumpkin pie and a nice way to change it up. The pecan praline topping is crunchy and packs a caramel-y flavor from the brown sugar. I love a good pecan praline and this pie is a great way to enjoy both – so good!
• As easy as pumpkin pie. This recipe is almost exactly the same as my pumpkin pie recipe, with the addition of the praline topping. The process is the same too, the only added steps are combining the topping ingredients and adding them to the pie during baking.
• Perfect for the holidays. With the warm spices and crunchy topping, I can’t think of a pie more perfect for the holidays than this pecan praline pumpkin pie. It will definitely be on my Thanksgiving menu this year!
• Buttery, flaky crust. You can’t have a great pie without a great pie crust! This pie is baked in my all-butter pie crust recipe which ensures a buttery, flaky, and evenly baked crust. It’s so good!

Recipe Ingredients

Pecan praline pumpkin pie is made with my homemade pie crust and a combination of the ingredients for classic pumpkin pie and praline pecans. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Crust

• All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure it correctly. Any all-purpose flour works here but pie crust is a great time to splurge on a high quality flour.
• Salt – For added flavor.
• Unsalted butter – Cut into 1/2-inch cubes. It’s very important that the butter stays COLD so keep it refrigerated until ready to use.
• Ice water – Cold is key here too! You don’t want the butter to melt when you are working with the dough. Those little pockets of butter will melt during the baking process to give you flakey layers.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

• Pumpkin puree – I love Libby’s brand. I recommend canned puree over homemade puree, which can sometimes have too much moisture.
• Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large, and allow them to come to room temperature first. It is very important in this pie that they be room temperature.
• Light brown sugar – I’ve found that light brown sugar is the best option for this pie. Dark brown sugar adds too much of a molasse-y flavor while white granulated sugar does not add enough flavor.
• Spices – Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves add the classic pumpkin pie flavors to the recipe.
• Salt – Enhances the other flavors.
• Cornstarch – To thicken, help reduce the likelihood of cracking and maintain a smooth texture.
• Heavy whipping cream – It’s super important that the heavy whipping cream is at room temperature. Using cold ingredients in the pie filling can lead to cracking when it cools.
• Milk – The milk should also be at room temperature. I recommend 2% or whole milk.

Pecan Praline Topping

• Light brown sugar – Sweetens & helps to caramelize the topping.
• Heavy whipping cream – Adds a bit of creaminess to the topping. You could also replace it with additional butter.
• Unsalted butter – Adds great flavor to the topping.
• Chopped pecans
• Vanilla extract

How To Make Praline Pumpkin Pie

Making this pie is the same process as making a regular pumpkin pie, with the addition of topping the pie with the pecans in the final 10 minutes of baking. You can find the printable instructions in the recipe card below.

Make the crust

• Pulse the flour and butter. Pulse the flour and salt in a food processor 2-3 times. Add the cubed butter and process until a crumbly dough forms and all flour is coated, about 15 seconds. Add the remaining flour and pulse to evenly distribute. The consistency should look sandy, without a bunch of big pieces.
• Form the dough. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and use a rubber spatula to gently fold it all together. The crumbs should form larger clusters. If you pinch it together and it holds nicely, it’s ready. Otherwise, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and continue to press until the dough comes together.
• Chill. Pour the dough onto parchment paper and work until it comes together. Shape it into a disc then wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Shape the crust. When you’re ready to bake, roll the crust out between two pieces of parchment paper. Take the top paper off and use the bottom to drape it over a pie plate. Carefully remove it then shape the crust. “Dock” the crust by pricking it with a fork so that the steam can escape in the oven.
• Chill. Refrigerate the crust for 3-4 hours or freeze for an hour.

• Bake. Line the pie crust with parchment paper, pressing it flush against the crust. Fill with pie weights, rice, or beans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust begins to brown. At this point, it’s partially baked and ready for the filling. See my tutorial for blind baking pie crust, if you’d like.

Make the pie filling and topping

• Make the filling. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, and light brown sugar. Stir in the remaining filling ingredients.
• Bake. When the pie crust is done, preheat the oven to 375F. Pour the pie filling into the hot crust. Bake for 40 minutes. After 20 minutes, add a pie crust shield.
• Make the praline topping. While the pie is baking, stir all topping ingredients together until combined.

• Add the topping. After about 40 minutes of baking, while the filling is beginning to set but not completely done, crumble the pecan topping evenly over the pie. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until the pie is set but jiggly and the topping looks crisp.
• Cool. Cool the pie on a wire rack for 1-2 hours. Carefully cover and place in the fridge to finish cooling for 4-5 hours.

Tips for Success

• Use cold ingredients in the crust. It’s important that both the butter and the water are cold when making the crust. Pockets of butter are key to a flaky, buttery crust so you don’t want the butter to melt when you’re working with it.
• Use room temperature ingredients for the pie filling. Pay extra attention to the ingredients marked as “room temperature” as this is very important. Cold ingredients won’t blend into the filling as easily and they’re also the number one cause of cracks in this pumpkin pie.
• Add the topping when the pie begins to set. You want to remove the pie from the oven when there are about 10 minutes of baking left to add the topping. The pie should look like it’s beginning to set, so that the topping sits on top of the pie, rather than sinking into it.
• Cool slowly. Allow the pecan praline pumpkin pie to cool at room temperature for about an hour before transferring it to the fridge. This gives the filling time to set and also helps prevent cracks.

Proper Storage

• Refrigerator. Praline pumpkin pie can be made 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve. Just keep it in a pie carrier or covered tightly with plastic wrap. Leftovers will last for 3-4 days.
• Freezer. The pie can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Flash-freeze it for about an hour, then wrap it well with plastic wrap. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

More Holiday Pie Recipes

There are so many amazing pie recipes to choose from, but here are a few favorites.

• Caramel Turtle Pie
• Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Classic Pumpkin Pie
• Chocolate Cream Pie
• Homemade Apple Pie
• Salted Honey Pie

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