She Strengthens

The Ultimate Pumpkin Pie Recipe

A Twist on the Classic

Pastry chef Boris Portnoy shares his unique approach to pumpkin pie, encouraging experimentation with spices to suit your personal taste. This recipe yields a deliciously spicy pie, but feel free to adjust the heat level to your liking.

Game Plan

This recipe makes enough pie dough for two crusts and 1/2 cup of spice mix. Store the extra dough and spice mix in the freezer for up to a month.

Ingredients

For the pumpkin purée:

• 1 (5-pound) pumpkin

For the pie crust:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (8 ounces), at room temperature
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for dusting the work surface
• 1/4 cup cornstarch, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

For the spice mix:

• 1 (1-1/2-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise pod
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon juniper berries
• 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup dried lemon peel
• 1/4 cup dried orange peel

For the pumpkin filling:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

For the walnut–brown sugar topping:

• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Pinch fine salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), cut into 4 pieces and chilled
• 3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Instructions

Pumpkin Purée

Heat your oven to 200°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Wrap the pumpkin in foil and bake until very soft, 6 to 8 hours. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl, discarding the seeds and skin. Process the pumpkin in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes. You’ll need 2 cups of purée.

Pie Crust

Place the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Gradually add the flour, cornstarch, and salt, mixing until the dough just comes together, about 1 minute. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Spice Mix

Toast the cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, coriander, juniper berries, Sichuan peppercorns, and cardamom seeds in a small frying pan over medium heat, shaking occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool completely, then grind into a fine powder in a spice or coffee grinder. Mix with ground ginger and citrus peels.

Pumpkin Filling

Heat your oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until the yolks are broken up. Add the condensed milk, 2 cups of the pumpkin purée, and 2 3/4 teaspoons of the spice mix, whisking until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and bake until set, about 50 to 60 minutes.

Walnut–Brown Sugar Topping

Heat your oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Mix the brown sugar, flour, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until reduced to pea-size pieces. Add the walnuts and toss with your fingers to combine. Squeeze clumps of the mixture between your fingers to form irregularly shaped pieces about the size of a cashew. Bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle evenly over the pie.

Enjoy Your Delicious Pumpkin Pie!