Bay Caramel Candied Pecan Pumpkin Pie
Perfectly set pumpkin custard is topped with a sweet and herbaceous caramel sauce, and a layer of sweet and crunchy pecans on top of that. This pecan pumpkin pie is my upgrade to a classic pumpkin pie, which has always missed the mark for me a little. Cut yourself a slice and watch the bay leaf caramel ooze out onto the miso pumpkin custard and the buttery, crumbly crust. The candied pecans add just the right amount of nutty crunch to elevate this vegan pumpkin pie to the next level. Heads up that this decadent pie is pretty sweet, so you may want to start with a small slice.
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The History of Pumpkin Pie
Plump, round, orange pumpkins have been domesticated in the Americas for thousands of years. When Europeans first travelled to the Americas in the 1500’s, pumpkins were one of the first food crops they brought back. England had a thriving pie culture at the time (as they still do), and quickly incorporated the sweet and plentiful pumpkin into their pastries. In the 1600’s pumpkin pies were eaten and written about in various forms across England, France, and the budding New England. Some of these pies are almost recognizable to what we call pumpkin pie today. One “pie” recipe written in New England at that time featured a custard with apples boiled in a hollowed-out pumpkin directly on the fire- no crust needed. Maybe it was the paleo version?
While I believe many of us know that our modern tale of Thanksgiving is told through some really thick rose-colored lenses, pumpkins and pumpkin pie do hold a really interesting place in American history. Pumpkin pie remained a New England dish for years, and in the 1800’s abolitionists like Sarah Hale spoke glowingly about the northern pumpkin farms in contrast to the slave-worked southern plantations. The same group of abolitionists were pushing the celebration of Thanksgiving as a national holiday, and one item always featured on the Thanksgiving table was a pumpkin pie. New Englanders had been celebrating Thanksgiving for years, but the first national Thanksgiving came about in 1863 at the end of the civil war. Lincoln hoped the day would help bring together a fragmented nation. It didn’t really work. Southern states resisted the celebration, feeling resentful of Yankee culture being pushed on them. It was referred to as a repugnant holiday, with many southern states moving their Thanksgivings to a different day in protest, or refusing to acknowledge the day at all. This continued for decades after the end of the civil war. This tension meant that while Thanksgiving had been nationally recognized, it wasn’t written into federal law until 1941.
To get back to our pie- pumpkin pie remained a New England dish for years. Southern states would make sweet potato pie, a dish brought to them by enslaved Black Americans. To this day sweet potato pie remains popular in the South, and is especially favored by Black Americans. It wasn’t until the marketing of canned pumpkin pie filling in the 1940s that the pumpkin pie went from a Yankee tradition to an American one.
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Curious about the Recipe Process? Check out this video!
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Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Pie Tips and Tricks
- This pie contains a lot of elements, but most of them can be easily made ahead of time. The pie dough is best if allowed to chill for at least a few hours, but can also be frozen for much longer if wanted. The caramel and candied nuts can also be made several days in advance. The custard could also be made in advance, although I would recommend not more than a day or so.
- If you want to save yourself a step or two, you can often buy candied pecans (make sure there are no egg whites) and pre-made pie crust (look for butter and lard).
- We used canned pumpkin puree for this recipe. If you are using fresh, one 4 lb. pumpkin is roughly equal to one can.
- I included my pie crust recipe that makes enough crust for a covered pie, or two bottom shells. This recipe only needs one bottom shell, so feel free to half the recipe. However I find it helpful to just make the full pie crust recipe and save the other half for my next pie. You can always freeze it for longer storage.
- Vegan cream alternatives (like this one) are recommended for the caramel sauce (with the bonus that you can use some of the leftover cream to make a whipped cream like we did!). You can also use coconut cream- scoop the solid parts out of the can and use that. However coconut cream will give your caramel a coconut flavor- nothing wrong with that as long as you like coconut!
- For best results, make this pie the night before serving so everything has time to set and chill.
Bay Caramel Candied Pecan Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup unsalted vegan butter
- 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup oatmilk
- 1/4 cup neutral-flavored oil
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp miso paste
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/3 cup coconut cream or plant-based cream
- 4 bay leaves
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted plant-based butter cut into smaller pieces (butter sticks or those meant for baking recommended)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
- Start by making the crust. Add a cup and a half of flour to your food processor, along with the salt and sugar. Pulse to combine. Cut the vegan butter into pieces, and add to the food processor. Process into a smooth paste. And the remaining cup of flour and pulse a few times to incorporate (do not process as much as you had with the previous batch of flour). Transfer to a mixing bowl, and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of water. Use a silicone spatula to press the water into the dough, adding more water a tablespoon at a time if needed. The dough is ready when you are able to take a small handful, push together, and it sticks. Divide the dough into two even pieces, shape them into round discs, cover in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Once the dough is chilled, take one crust from the fridge and place it between two pieces of wax paper. Rolling from the center to the edges, roll the dough into an 11-inch circle. Transfer to a 9 inch pie tin. Gently press the dough into the tin, and trim off any excess. Preheat the oven to 400F (200), and place a layer of parchment paper covered with baking beads (or dried beans) into the pie crust. Blind bake for 10 minute and remove from the oven.
- Spread the canned pumpkin out on a silicone mat on a baking sheet into an even layer. With the oven still at 400F, add the baking sheet and let cook for 20 minutes to reduce the water content in the canned pumpkin. Remove from the oven, and add to a blender along with the other ingredients for the pumpkin custard. Puree until smooth.
- Lower oven heat to 375F (190C). Transfer pumpkin custard into par-baked crust, and use a spatula to smooth evenly. Bake for around 50 minutes, until the filling is set and the crust is lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- While the pie is baking, start on the caramel. Heat your vegan cream in a saucepan until just scalding. Remove from the heat, add the bay leaves, and allow to fully cool. Next heat the sugar with about a tablespoon of water. Stir together, and then place on a medium heat. Do not stir again until you add the plant-based butter, instead you can lift the pan slightly and swirl the liquid to mix. Heat the sugar for around 10 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't burn, until it turns a honey-amber color.
- Remove from the heat and add the plant-based butter. Whisk well until the butter is melted. Remove the bay leaves from the cream, and add the cream to your caramel along with a pinch of salt. Stir to combine the cream. I like to put it back on the heat for about a minute just to help everything combine. Transfer to a heat proof bowl, let cool, and place in the fridge until needed. It will thicken as it cools.
- Next make your candied pecans. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone mat (or parchment paper). Melt the sugar along with the cinnamon in a saucepan- a teaspoon or so of water will help it melt more easily. Once fully melted, add the chopped pecans and mix to coat fully. Transfer to the prepared baking tray and allow to cool fully. Once cooled, place in a bag and use a rolling pin to crush the nuts into small pieces.
- To assemble the pie, pour 1/2 of the caramel over the top of the pumpkin pie and smooth. Top with the candied nuts, spread out evenly, and drizzle with some of the remaining caramel. Chill before serving.
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