Description
This Jack Skellington-Inspired Pumpkin Caramel Pie is a festive and delicious dessert perfect for Halloween or autumn celebrations. With a rich pumpkin and spice filling swirled with thick caramel sauce and topped with a creative jack-o’-lantern crust design, it brings both spooky charm and comforting flavors to your table.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Filling
- 1 15–oz. can pumpkin purée
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. ginger
- 1 14–oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 large eggs
Pie
- 1 double pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 cup thick caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) to prepare for baking the pie.
- Prepare Filling: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the pumpkin purée, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sweetened condensed milk. Whisk continuously until mixture is fully combined and warmed. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Then whisk in the eggs thoroughly to complete the filling.
- Assemble Pie Base: Unroll one pie crust into an 8-inch pie plate, ensuring it fits snugly. Pour the prepared pumpkin filling into the crust, smoothing the surface slightly.
- Add Caramel Swirl: Spoon the thick caramel sauce over the pumpkin filling. Using a spoon or butter knife, gently swirl the caramel into the filling to create a marbled effect without fully blending them together.
- Top Crust and Design: Cover the pie with the remaining pie crust, trimming any excess dough from edges. Using a toothpick, sketch Jack Skellington’s face on the top crust. Then carefully cut out the design with a sharp knife—cut the stitches before the mouth line for easier slicing. Crimp the pie edges to seal.
- Bake Pie: Bake the pie at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes to set the crust. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), cover the top with aluminum foil to protect the design and prevent burning, and bake for an additional 38 to 40 minutes until the filling is set and crust is golden.
- Cool and Serve: Let the pie cool completely before serving to allow the filling to firm up and the flavors to meld.
Notes
- Using thick caramel sauce rather than thinner caramel makes swirling easier and prevents it from sinking into the filling.
- Ensure the filling has cooled slightly before adding eggs to prevent the eggs from curdling.
- Cutting the Jack Skellington design with a toothpick first allows more accurate and safer carving with a knife.
- Covering the pie with foil halfway through baking keeps the crust edges from burning and helps maintain a pale, striking design on the top.
- The pie is best served at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of pie)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
