Fluffy Pumpkin Pie From Julia Child’s Aunt Helen, Via Julia Moskin Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Bake

by: Food52

October7,2021

5

3 Ratings

  • Prep time 50 minutes
  • Cook time 45 minutes
  • makes 2 pies

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Author Notes

"This recipe was published in Parade in November 1982, when Julia Child was writing a recipe column for the magazine. As all cooks (and writers) know, Thanksgiving is an adventure and a challenge: how to come up with fresh ideas that keep the dish on the right side of tradition? In this pie, Mrs. Child’s addition of molasses, extra spices, and especially bourbon breathes new life into the filling. If you like your desserts on the spicy side, add an extra tablespoon of molasses and a pinch of black pepper." —Julia Moskin
Food52

Test Kitchen Notes

Recipe excerpted with permission from The Essential New York Times Cookbook: The Recipes of Record by Amanda Hesser, published by ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; 10th Anniversary edition. © 2021. —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

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Fluffy Pumpkin Pie From Julia Child’s Aunt Helen, Via JuliaMoskin

Ingredients
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans (3½ cups) pumpkin purée
  • 1 cuplight brown sugar
  • 1 cupplus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoonsmolasses
  • 3 tablespoonsbourbon or dark rum (optional)
  • 3 teaspoonsground cinnamon
  • 3 teaspoonsground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoonground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoonground cloves
  • 1 cupheavy cream
  • 3/4 cupwhole milk, more as needed
  • 2 unbaked 9-inch pie shells, or one 11-inch pie shell (see recipe)
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 450°F and place a rack in center of oven. Separate the eggs and set aside.
  2. Using a mixer, blender, or large bowl, blend the pumpkin, both sugars, 1 teaspoon salt, molasses, bourbon or rum (if using), cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, egg yolks, cream, and milk until smooth. Add more milk, a tablespoon at a time, if the mixture is stiff: It should be a soft purée.
  3. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until foaming. Whip in a pinch of salt, then gradually whip in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until shiny white peaks form. Beat a quarter of the whites thoroughly into the pumpkin mixture; gently fold in the rest.
  4. Immediately ladle the filling into the shells, filling to just below the rim of the pan. Place in the oven and bake just until the rim of the crust begins to turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until a tester inserted into the filling 2 inches from the rim comes out clean. (The center should still be a bit wet; it will cook more as it cools.) If the rim of the crust starts to get too brown, cover it with aluminum foil.
  5. Immediately turn the oven off, leave the door ajar (stick in a wooden spoon to hold it open, if necessary), and let sit 20 to 30 minutes more as the oven cools; this will prevent the filling from turning watery. Serve warm, or let cool, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let the pie come to room temperature before serving.

Tags:

  • Pie
  • French
  • Cinnamon
  • Molasses
  • Rum
  • Ginger
  • Pumpkin
  • Nutmeg
  • Bake
  • Dessert

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5 Reviews

Alana November 24, 2023

This was absolutely fabulous. I made it in a graham cracker crust which was perfect combination. I added slightly more molasses and bourbon but did not add the extra water because I was using pumpkin puree from scratch which tends to be a little wetter. Absolutely fantastic.

Alana November 24, 2023

Oops, I meant to say that I did not add the extra milk because the liquid volume was enough for the consistency because I used homemade pumpkin puree.

Nb53 November 23, 2021

Made two pies today! Best pumpkin pie recipe ever. Thank you for sharing this . The molasses and bourbon are the secret to making this one over the top.

christina November 12, 2021

This pumpkin pie was delicious. I love the addition of molasses. I usually make my pumpkin pie with the Cooks illustrated recipe.

I have a couple of concerns. The pie crust did turn golden but the filling did not fully stay together. When I did cut a slice. I actually cooked it longer Then than what was called for. Maybe my pie dish was too deep so therefore the feeling was too deep.
I am going to make it again because I love the filling so much but this time I may try to par bake the crust. I would love to know anyone else’s thoughts on this. It just seems weird not to par bake a pumpkin pie crust a single crust pie.

Laura October 29, 2021

Saw this recipe in an article in Bloomberg, but the spices they listed didn't seem like enough. Glad I checked Food52 for the recipe as there must've been a typo: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-29/a-julia-child-pumpkin-pie-recipe-to-delight-the-tiktok-crowd?sref=vtkGmu16
Look forward to trying this!!

Fluffy Pumpkin Pie From Julia Child’s Aunt Helen, Via Julia Moskin Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

When making pumpkin pie Why is it important to let the filling sit overnight before baking? ›

Refrigeration Is The Secret To A More Flavorsome Pie

As your bowl of pumpkin pie filling sits in the fridge overnight, it allows time for the spices to undergo blooming.

What's the difference between canned pumpkin pie filling and pumpkin puree? ›

They are the same product. Both canned pumpkin puree and pie filling are useful, shelf-stable ingredients that can help speed up your kitchen prep time. Just remember that puree is unsweetened, while pie filling contains sugar and spices. This will help you choose the right pumpkin product for your recipes.

What happened to cause the pumpkin pie to weep after it was baked? ›

Why Is My Pumpkin Pie Weeping? Another common problem that occurs when baking pumpkin pie is when you notice water on the top of the pie or leaking out from the filling. Why this happens: Either the pie was overbaked, or it was placed in the fridge before cooling completely.

Does Ina Garten have a pumpkin pie recipe? ›

Although she doesn't often stray from traditional flavors, her pumpkin pie recipe is actually pretty unique. The classic warm spices — cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg — are there, but what makes Ina's recipe special is the addition of orange zest and dark rum.

Does pie crust need to be prebaked for pumpkin pie? ›

For a guaranteed browned bottom, prebake the pie crust

You may want to cover the edges with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil, but the bottom will remain perfectly brown and crisp — not burned.

Should I blind bake pie crust for pumpkin pie? ›

Too many pumpkin pies have soggy crusts that never fully brown. To avoid this, recipes often call for blind baking your crust. That is, baking the empty crust before the filling is added. This gives the crust time to firm up and brown, time it typically doesn't get if the faster cooking filling is added first.

What happens if you use pumpkin pie mix instead of pumpkin puree? ›

Pumpkin pie mix can be used as a substitute for pure canned pumpkin in some recipes. However, since it is already sweetened and flavored, you'll need to make some adjustments. In most dessert recipes, leave out the pumpkin pie spice and cut down on the sugar since the pumpkin pie mix includes it.

Which canned pumpkin is best for pie? ›

Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin

In this taste test, our Test Kitchen pros found that the biggest name in the pumpkin game does, in fact, make the best canned pumpkin on the market. Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin is a favorite among our culinary crew.

Does homemade pumpkin puree taste better than canned? ›

Pumpkin Puree Taste Comparison:

Fresh: Squashy/pumpkiny, subtle almost herbaceous flavor. Regular Canned: Deep, slightly intense unique flavor. Organic Canned: More similar to the fresh stuff than the regular canned, but with more flavor than homemade.

Why is my pumpkin pie puffy? ›

Any oven setting over 350 degrees F is likely overdoing it for a pumpkin pie. Baking in a too-hot oven makes the custard puff up like a soufflé and then fall when it cools.

How do you keep the bottom of a pumpkin pie from getting soggy? ›

How to Prevent a Soggy Bottom Pie Crust
  1. Blind Bake the Crust.
  2. Choose the Right Rack in the Oven.
  3. Brush the Bottom with Corn Syrup or Egg White.
  4. Put the Pie on a Hot Cookie Sheet.
  5. Make a Thicker Crust.
  6. Add a Layer.
  7. Consider a Metal Pie Pan.
Mar 18, 2024

Why is my pumpkin pie still jiggly in the middle? ›

While a wobbly, runny pie is a telltale sign that a pumpkin pie is undercooked, an overcooked pumpkin pie is a bit harder to spot. When you've overcooked a pumpkin pie, you may see: The filling separating from the crust. The filling has visible cracks.

What is the difference between Libby's pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling? ›

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIBBY'S® PUMPKIN PIE MIX AND LIBBY'S® 100% PURE PUMPKIN? LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin is just that – pure pumpkin with nothing added – no salt, no sugar, no artificial flavorings, colorings or preservatives.

Does Patti Labelle make pumpkin pie? ›

Culinary Physics Blog: Exceptional food that worth a special journey. Distinctive dishes are precisely prepared, using fresh ingredients.

How do you make pumpkin pie spice Martha Stewart? ›

Ingredients
  1. 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon.
  2. 2 teaspoons ground ginger.
  3. 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
  4. 1 teaspoon ground allspice.
  5. ½ teaspoon ground cloves.
Sep 6, 2018

Does pie dough have to sit overnight? ›

What I recommend you do is completely chill your pie dough for 24 hours, so that the dough is chilled from the inside out. The entire disc of dough should be really hard and cold. I think of it this way: pie dough has a lot of butter in it.

Should pie filling be cold before baking? ›

Assemble and bake:

Fill pie: Bring filling to room temp, do not use fridge cold. (Note 9) Fill pie with filling (use it all, pack it in a level surface or have slight mound). Puff pastry lid: Partially thaw puff pastry (do not cut). Brush lip of pie crust base with egg, then top with puff pastry sheet.

How to prevent pumpkin pie filling from pulling away from crust? ›

The oven rack may be too close to the top heating element in the oven. This can cause filling to 'skin' and crack as it bakes and to settle slightly when cooling and pull away from the crust. Another possible reason is over-baking. Try reducing cooking time by 5 to 10 minutes.

Why do you have to leave pie filling to cool? ›

Cooling is crucial for thickeners like flour, cornstarch, and even the natural pectin found in the fruit to work their magic. The thickeners were activated in the oven, but the pie filling gels further with cooling.

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