Spices– Pumpkin puree has natural sweetness but is pretty bland without some added sweeteners and spices. Dark brown sugar contains molasses, so it adds deeper caramelized flavor to the filling. The spice combo is critical! This recipe has warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and a surprise addition of freshly ground black pepper.
Crust– The texture is dependent on the type of fat used like butter or shortening, and how you incorporate it into the flour to create your dough. This classic pumpkin pie recipe calls for a more flaky pie crust, and the combination of butter and shortening gives the edges the sturdiness and tender/flaky texture it needs.
The secret ingredient in this recipe for a flaky pie crust is vodka! The alcohol hydrates the flour and reduces the amount of gluten formation since it’s 60% water. Once baked the vodka evaporates and a tender pie crust remains. You don’t want the dough to be dry or too sticky, but it should shape nicely into a ball and be easily rolled out once chilled. You can add more flour as needed to reduce any stickiness.
I always find that I have some extra crust, so I like to make some leaves or shapes to decorate the top of the pie, and who doesn’t love a little more crust?
I blind baked the pie crust, meaning pre-baked the dough for 10 minutes so that the bottom crust is not raw or soggy when cooked with the custard. The pumpkin pie sliced effortlessly and the crust is light and delicate.
