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Milk Bar Hilly's Pumpkin Caramel Pie Recipe

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4.2 from 42 reviews

This Milk Bar Hilly's Pumpkin Caramel Pie is a decadent dessert featuring a homemade pie crust filled with a spiced pumpkin white chocolate ganache, rich salted caramel, fresh sweetened whipped cream, and a crunchy homemade streusel topping. Inspired by NYC's famous Milk Bar, this pie combines creamy textures and warm autumn flavors with a perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness.

  • Total Time: 8 hours 50 minutes
  • Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

Pumpkin Ganache:

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans Pumpkin Puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling or mix)
  • 1 1/4 cups Heavy Cream
  • 1/3 cup Corn Syrup (scant)
  • 5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 12 to 16 ounces White Chocolate (2 to 2 1/2 cups high-quality white chocolate)
  • 3 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Chewy Salted Caramel:

  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
  • 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup
  • 1 teaspoon Salt (up to 2 teaspoons to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Pie Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups Flour
  • 12 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 1/2 cup Fine Ground Cornmeal
  • 1 Tablespoon White Sugar (heaping)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup Ice Cold Water
  • 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

Streusel Topping:

  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Rolled Oats
  • 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom
  • Pinch of Salt

Fresh Whipped Cream:

  • 2 cups Heavy Cream
  • 3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  1. Prepare Pumpkin Ganache: Spread the pumpkin puree on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast at 325°F for 20-30 minutes until reduced to about 2 cups, with a darker color. Cool before use. In a bowl, place white chocolate. Heat cream, corn syrup, and butter until boiling, then pour over white chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Add roasted pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, then blend with an immersion or countertop blender until smooth and silky. Store in fridge up to 2 days; reheat gently to pour.
  2. Make Salted Caramel: Keep heavy cream and butter cold. In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, and corn syrup; heat over medium stirring until sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring, swirling to avoid crystallization, brushing sides if needed. When golden brown, remove from heat. Add butter one tablespoon at a time, whisking until incorporated, then slowly add cream whisking quickly. Stir in vanilla and salt. Cool to room temperature, refrigerate until fully chilled. Store up to 2 days; reheat gently to pour.
  3. Prepare Pie Crust: Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add cold butter cubes and mix with hands until coated and mixture is a coarse meal with some butter chunks remaining. Mix apple cider vinegar and ice water; add gradually until dough holds when pressed but remains crumbly. Form dough into a disc, wrap, and chill at least 30 minutes. Roll dough with flour dusted on surface and rolling pin into a rectangle, fold in thirds like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, and repeat. Roll out to circle wider than your pie tin, transfer carefully and fit into tin. Fold excess dough under and crimp edges. Chill again. Blind bake at 350°F: line crust with foil/parchment and weights, bake 30-35 minutes, tent edges if browning too fast. Remove weights and prick bottom crust; bake 15-20 minutes more until golden. Cool 1 hour before filling. Store pre-baked crust refrigerated or freeze unbaked up to 1 month.
  4. Make Streusel Topping: Mix flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and butter by hand until loose crumb forms. Spread on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until golden. Store airtight at room temperature for up to one week.
  5. Prepare Fresh Whipped Cream: When serving, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
  6. Assemble Pie: Pour room temperature caramel into pre-baked pie crust and refrigerate 20-25 minutes to set. Pour pumpkin ganache over caramel and spread evenly. Cover and refrigerate overnight (minimum 8 hours) until ganache is firm. Serve chilled topped with whipped cream and streusel. Store leftovers refrigerated.

Notes

  • Refer to the blog FAQ section for common questions and troubleshooting.
  • For convenience, store-bought caramel sauce (such as Trader Joe's or Mrs. Richardson's) can replace homemade caramel; dulce de leche provides a thicker option.
  • Use a store-bought deep dish pie crust if pressed for time; homemade crusts provide best texture and flavor.
  • Slightly reduce the white chocolate to 12 ounces if you want less sweetness, ensuring pumpkin puree is well roasted to help the pie set.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/milk-bar-hillys-pumpkin-caramel-pie-recipe/