Smooth and perfectly-spiced pumpkin custard filling infused with luscious eggnog and baked in a golden flakey pie crust!
Ok, so I know that it’s only been a week since I shared my Eggnog Mocha Pie, but when eggnog is only available for a short spurt of time, you MUST take advantage. And for those of you who might not care for chocolate or mochas, then maybe this next pie recipe is the one for you.
It combines the creamy richness of eggnog with the comforting fall flavor of pumpkin. AND it would also be the perfect pie to accompany your Thanksgiving feast this coming Thursday…
This Eggnog Pumpkin Pie is the makeover that pumpkin pie has been waiting for! Who knew that simply adding a little eggnog to pumpkin pie would make such a delectable difference?? When you blend these two holiday flavors, you get the most heavenly experience in one bite.
Why You’ll Love This Eggnog Pumpkin Pie
- A New Spin on a Holiday Classic – You always see pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving, but you never see an EGGNOG pumpkin pie! This new rendition is bound to attract a lot of attention.
- Super Simple Recipe – Although the crust might require a little more effort, the filling comes together in under 5 minutes. You could also skip the homemade crust for store-bought. I won’t judge you!
- Perfect to Make Ahead – This pie requires refrigeration overnight (or at least 8 hours) to set up properly. That makes it the perfect make-ahead dessert, so you don’t have to mess with it on the day of your holiday gathering.
What You’ll Need
Pumpkin – Duh!! You can either use homemade or canned pumpkin puree. Just make sure that the label says 100% pure pumpkin, and NOT pumpkin pie filling. I typically use canned pumpkin since it’s way more convenient and the perfect amount for most pumpkin pie recipes. However, if you’re feeling extra Martha Stewarty, you can head on over to my Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie recipe, where I provide instructions on how to make your own pumpkin puree!
Eggnog – This is the second star ingredient of the show, so make sure that the eggnog you use is the good stuff. None of that low-fat, low-cal stuff. Any brand will suffice! Just make sure that it’s FULL FAT. Not only will this affect the overall flavor, but it’ll help the pie set up.
Brown AND Granulated Sugar – I like to use a combination of brown and granulated sugar. Granulated, or “white” sugar, adds sweetness, but the brown sugar brings a more complex, caramel-like flavor that you can’t get from granulated sugar alone. I’ve found that a mix of the two give this pie just the perfect blend of sweetness.
Spices – The pie filling contains a spice blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. These four spices really enhance the flavor of both the pumpkin and eggnog. You could also substitute 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice for the ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Still add the teaspoon of cinnamon though.
Eggs – Pumpkin pie is considered a custard pie, so it relies on eggs to bind the pie filling together as well as to set the pie filling. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature. This will ensure that they incorporate into your pie filling evenly.
Do I HAVE to Make a Crust?
As someone who despises making traditional pie crusts (they’re so darn finicky!), I’ll be the first to say that no, you do NOT have to make a pie crust. You can definitely use a ready-made pie crust from the store to save you on time.
If you don’t care for the store-bought pie crusts, you also have the option of making a graham cracker crust. Or even better…a BISCOFF cookie crust!! If this is more your jam, head on over to my Biscoff Pumpkin Pie to get the recipe for the most scrumptious Biscoff crust. And while you’re at it, make the pie as well!
How do I know if the pie is done baking?
This can be a little tricky, but you’ll want the filling to be puffed and slightly jiggly in the center when gently shaken. The filling should be set at least two inches from the crust. If you want, you can test with an instant-read thermometer by sticking it into the center of the pie. If it reads 175°F, the pie is done.
Eggnog Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
Crust:
- 3 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon sour cream
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
Filling:
- 15 ounces pumpkin pure (homemade or canned)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups eggnog
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger*
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg*
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves*
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- In a small bowl, combine the water and sour cream; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir the flour, sugar and salt together. Scatter the shortening over the flour, then use a cheese grater to grate the butter on top. Using a fork or a pastry blender, cut the mixture together until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the sour cream mixture and use a stiff rubber spatula to stir and press the dough together until it forms one big mound. If dough is still too dry and doesn’t hold together, add another tablespoon of water.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a 5-inch disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 425ºF. Roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle and fit into a greased 9-inch pie plate. Trim, fold, and crimp the edge of the dough.
- Press a sheet of aluminum foil into the bottom and up the sides of the pie crust. Fill foil with pie weights. I used uncooked dried beans. Uncooked rice also works.
- Place pie plate onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove pie crust from the oven and carefully lift the aluminum foil (with the dried beans or rice) out of the pie. Allow to cool slightly while you make the filling.
Make the Filling:
- Reduce oven heat to 350ºF. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, both sugars, eggs, eggnog, salt, and spices together until smooth and combined. Try not to over-mix! Pour filling into the crust. Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until filling is set around the edges and center jiggles only slightly.
- When the pie is done baking, remove pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving.