Marion’s Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Introduction

Marion’s Best Pumpkin Pie is a warmly spiced, creamy dessert perfect for cozy gatherings. Featuring a flaky sweetcrust pastry and a beautifully braided rim, this pie combines tradition with a touch of elegance. Serve it chilled with whipped cream for a classic finish.

Ingredients

• 1 egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
• baking weights or raw rice, for blind baking
• whipped cream, to serve
• 2-minute sweetcrust pastry:
• 2½ cups cake flour, plus extra for dusting
• 5 tsp icing sugar mixture (confectioners sugar)
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 250g (9 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• ⅓ cup ice-cold water
• spray oil, for greasing
• Spiced pumpkin filling:
• 1kg (2 lb 3 oz) Japanese (Kent) or butternut pumpkin
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 500ml (17 fl oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 2½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ whole nutmeg, finely grated (or ½ tsp ground nutmeg)
• 1½ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 6 eggs

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Line a large baking dish with greaseproof paper.
2. Step 2: Peel and seed the pumpkin, then cut into 4cm (1.5”) pieces. Place in the lined dish, drizzle with vegetable oil, and toss to coat. Spread evenly, cover tightly with foil, and roast for 35-40 minutes until tender. Remove and set aside to cool. Keep the oven on.
3. Step 3: To make the pastry, combine flour, icing sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse 20-30 seconds until a breadcrumb texture forms. With the processor running on medium, drizzle in cold water until a loose dough forms.
4. Step 4: Turn dough onto floured surface and press together. Divide into two parts: one larger portion for the pie crust and one-third for the decorative braid. Wrap the larger portion in cling film and chill for at least 1 hour.
5. Step 5: For the braid, trace a 28cm (11”) pie dish circle and a 23cm (9”) inner circle on greaseproof paper to create a ring template. Flip the paper and place on a tray or board for freezing.
6. Step 6: Roll three walnut-sized dough pieces into half-centimeter ropes. Form a braid starting in the middle on the ring template, then attach more ropes until the circular braid is complete. Freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. Step 7: Roll out chilled pastry on a floured surface to about 3mm (⅛”) thickness. Transfer it gently to an oiled 28cm (11”) pie dish, fixing any cracks. Trim excess and chill base for 30 minutes.
8. Step 8: Brush the pie crust rim with egg wash. Carefully place the braid on top. Line with baking paper, fill with baking weights or raw rice, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove weights and paper, then bake an additional 15 minutes until golden.
9. Step 9: Blend the cooled roasted pumpkin with brown sugar, condensed milk, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until smooth. Strain through a sieve into a large bowl. Whisk eggs lightly one at a time, adding gradually to the pumpkin mixture to avoid air incorporation.
10. Step 10: Reduce oven temperature to 125°C (260°F). Pour the filling into the baked pie crust. Brush the braided rim with remaining egg wash. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes until filling is set around edges and slightly wobbly in the center.
11. Step 11: Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled with whipped cream.

Tips & Variations

• Use cake flour for a tender, flaky crust, but all-purpose flour will work as a substitute.
• To avoid cracks in the filling, add eggs gradually and whisk lightly to minimize air bubbles.
• Try garnishing with toasted pecans or a drizzle of maple syrup for extra flavor.

Storage

Store the pumpkin pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a low oven if desired, but it is best served chilled. For longer storage, freeze the baked pie wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use canned pumpkin instead of fresh?

Fresh pumpkin is recommended for the best texture and flavor, but canned pumpkin puree can be used in a pinch. Adjust spices to taste and reduce any added liquid to maintain the right filling consistency.

How do I prevent the pastry edges from burning?

If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil or use a pie crust shield halfway through baking to protect the delicate crust while the filling cooks through.

Marion’s Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe

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Marion’s Best Pumpkin Pie is a classic dessert featuring a flaky two-minute sweetcrust pastry filled with a smooth and spiced pumpkin filling. The pie is beautifully adorned with a decorative braided crust for an impressive presentation, and the rich flavors of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg create a warm, comforting taste perfect for autumn or holiday gatherings. Served chilled and with whipped cream, this pie combines ease and elegance in every slice.

• Author: mia
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours
• Yield: 1 28cm (11 inch) pie, serves 8 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Western

Ingredients

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Egg Wash and Toppings

• 1 egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
• Whipped cream, to serve

Pastry

• 2½ cups cake flour, plus extra for dusting
• 5 tsp icing sugar mixture (confectioners sugar)
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 250g (9 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• ⅓ cup ice-cold water
• Spray oil, for greasing
• Baking weights or raw rice, for blind baking

Spiced Pumpkin Filling

• 1kg (2 lb 3 oz) Japanese (Kent) or butternut pumpkin
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 500ml (17 fl oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 2½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ whole nutmeg, finely grated (or ½ tsp ground nutmeg)
• 1½ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 6 eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat and Prepare Pumpkin: Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Line a large baking dish with greaseproof paper, remove pumpkin skin and seeds, cut into 4cm pieces, toss with oil, spread in dish, cover with foil, and roast for 35-40 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool.
2. Make Pastry Dough: Combine flour, icing sugar, salt, and chilled butter in food processor. Pulse to breadcrumb texture, then slowly add cold water while blending until a loose dough forms.
3. Divide and Chill Dough: Press dough together, divide into two portions (one-third for braid), shape remainder into thick disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Prepare Braid Template: Use greaseproof paper to trace a 28cm pie dish circle, then a smaller 23cm circle inside to form a ring template. Flip paper over and place on tray or board suitable for freezer or fridge.
5. Form Pastry Braid: Roll walnut-sized dough portions into ropes about 0.5cm thick, form braid starting from middle, place on ring template, continue braiding until ring completed. Freeze 15 minutes or refrigerate 30 minutes to firm up.
6. Roll and Chill Pie Crust: Roll remaining dough on floured surface to 3mm thickness. Transfer to sprayed 28cm pie dish carefully shaped to fit, trim excess, and chill for 30 minutes.
7. Blind Bake Pie Crust: Brush pie crust rim with egg wash, carefully place braided ring on top as decoration. Line pastry with baking paper and fill with baking weights or raw rice. Bake at 170°C for 30 minutes, remove weights and paper, then bake an additional 15 minutes until golden brown.
8. Prepare Pumpkin Filling: Place cooled cooked pumpkin, brown sugar, condensed milk, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in food processor. Blend on high until smooth. Strain mixture through sieve into bowl to remove lumps.
9. Add Eggs Gradually: Lightly whisk one egg at a time before incorporating into pumpkin mixture gently to avoid air incorporation. Repeat for all 6 eggs until combined.
10. Fill and Bake Pumpkin Pie: Reduce oven to 125°C (260°F). Pour filling into baked pie crust. Brush braided crust with remaining egg wash. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes until edges are set and center is slightly wobbly.
11. Cool and Serve: Allow pie to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled with whipped cream.

Notes

• The cake flour used in the pastry ensures a tender, flaky crust; you can substitute with all-purpose flour if necessary but cake flour is preferred.
• Keeping the pastry cool throughout handling helps maintain its flakiness and prevents shrinking.
• Blind baking with weights prevents the crust from bubbling and shrinking, ensuring a perfectly shaped shell.
• Adding eggs gradually while mixing filling helps prevent air pockets that could cause cracks during baking.
• Allowing the pie to cool overnight in the fridge improves flavor and texture, making slicing cleaner and the filling firmer.
• If Japanese or butternut pumpkins are unavailable, use a similar sweet and dense pumpkin variety for best results.

Keywords: pumpkin pie, sweetcrust pastry, baked dessert, autumn dessert, spiced pumpkin, holiday baking, decorative pastry braid