Decadent Caramel Cream Pie with Spicy Gingersnap Pecan Crust: Your New Favorite Fall Dessert
As the leaves begin to turn and the air grows crisp, our thoughts often drift to the comforting flavors of fall. And what embodies the essence of autumn more perfectly than a beautifully baked pie? While classics like apple and pumpkin hold a special place in our hearts, there’s always room for something new, something extraordinary, something that marries familiar comfort with an exciting twist. This Caramel Cream Pie with a Gingersnap Pecan Crust is precisely that: a sublime creation that promises to become a cherished addition to your holiday dessert table, especially for Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and for many of us, that means weeks of dreaming about pie. We ponder apple pies, pumpkin pies, nutty pies, fruity pies, and of course, those lusciously creamy pies that simply melt in your mouth. With so many delightful options, how does one even begin to choose a pie (or two, or three!) for the most anticipated feast of the year?
While I certainly have my annual staples, like my go-to mile-high apple pie and my beloved classic pumpkin pie, I always love to introduce something fresh, fun, and perhaps a little different to the dessert lineup. This particular creamy caramel pie, featuring its distinctive gingersnap pecan crust, is a recipe I perfected a few years ago. Its unique blend of flavors and textures instantly elevated it to a contender for yearly inclusion, and I’m convinced it deserves a starring role on our dessert table again this year. It’s truly a showstopper, both in taste and appearance.
The Magic of the Gingersnap Pecan Crust
What makes this pie truly stand out begins right at the base: the crust. Forget the traditional pastry crust; we’re diving into something far more intriguing and simple to prepare. This pie starts with a blend of crunchy gingersnap cookies and buttery pecans, finely processed into crumbs. The gingersnaps bring a delightful warmth and spice, a signature flavor of the fall season, that perfectly complements the rich, deep caramel. The pecans add a wonderful nutty depth and a satisfying crunch, creating a textural contrast that elevates every bite. Bound together with a touch of sugar and melted butter, this crust bakes up golden and fragrant, providing an irresistible foundation for the creamy filling.
The Heart of the Pie: Creamy Homemade Caramel Pudding
The star of this dessert, without a doubt, is the incredibly smooth and flavorful homemade caramel pudding. Making caramel from scratch might sound intimidating, but it’s a rewarding process that yields a depth of flavor store-bought versions simply can’t match. The golden, amber caramel is cooked to perfection, then transformed into a luscious pudding with the addition of whole milk, cornstarch for thickening, and a hint of vanilla and salt to balance the sweetness. The result is a silky, rich caramel base that’s utterly divine on its own.
But we don’t stop there. Once the caramel pudding has cooled, a generous amount of freshly whipped cream is gently folded in. This crucial step is what transforms a rich pudding into a light and airy cream pie filling. The whipped cream adds a wonderful fluffiness, making each forkful feel like a cloud of caramel bliss. This harmonious blend of homemade caramel, creamy pudding, and delicate whipped cream is what truly sets this pie apart, creating a dessert that is both decadent and surprisingly light on the palate.
The combination of the spiced, nutty crust and the ethereal caramel filling is, quite frankly, a match made in heaven. Every bite offers a delightful interplay of textures and tastes: the crisp, spicy-sweet crust giving way to the cool, creamy, profoundly caramel filling. And when topped with another layer of fluffy whipped cream and a sprinkle of chopped pecans? It’s nothing short of amazing – a creamy dream come true for any dessert lover. From now on, other cream pies may just pale in comparison to this masterpiece.
Expert Tips for a Flawless Cream Pie
Cream pies, while incredibly delicious, can sometimes be a bit tricky to slice into those perfect, Instagram-worthy wedges. But fear not! With a few simple tricks, you can achieve beautiful, clean slices every single time, ensuring your decadent caramel cream pie looks as good as it tastes. The key lies in patience and a little bit of technique.
Baking Tip: How to Slice a Cream Pie Like a Pro
Getting neat and clean slices from a cream pie can be especially challenging, but these tips will help you serve up picture-perfect pieces:
- Chill the pie completely according to recipe instructions. This is perhaps the most critical step. Whenever possible, I highly recommend making your cream pies a day in advance. Allowing the pie to chill overnight ensures the filling is as firm and set as possible, making it much easier to cut without squishing or smearing. A well-chilled pie holds its shape beautifully.
- Use a sharp, hot knife. Before each cut, dip your knife into a tall glass of hot water for 15-30 seconds. The heat helps the blade glide through the creamy filling and the crisp crust with ease, preventing it from sticking. After warming, quickly wipe the knife dry before making your slice.
- Repeat after each cut. For truly clean edges on every slice, it’s essential to repeat the hot-knife process (dip, wipe dry) before making each subsequent cut. This prevents residue from one slice from transferring to the next and keeps the blade effortlessly sharp.
- Run your knife through a few times. When making a cut, gently saw back and forth a couple of times, ensuring you’ve cut all the way through the bottom crust. A firm, complete cut through the crust is vital for a clean release.
- Clean the knife. After slicing the entire pie, or as needed, wipe the knife thoroughly to remove any clinging filling. This attention to detail will ensure your pie presentation is impeccable.
Essential Tools for Your Baking Adventure
To make this stunning Caramel Cream Pie, having the right tools can make all the difference. From preparing the gingersnap pecan crust to crafting the velvety caramel pudding, these items will ensure a smooth and enjoyable baking process:
- Food Processor: Indispensable for creating fine, even crumbs from your gingersnap cookies and pecans for the crust.
- 9-inch Pie Dish: A classic ceramic or glass pie dish works wonderfully for baking the crust and chilling the pie.
- Heavy-Bottomed Saucepan: Crucial for making the homemade caramel, as it distributes heat evenly and prevents burning.
- Whisk: Essential for whisking the pudding ingredients until smooth and for continuously stirring the caramel.
- Electric Mixer (Stand or Handheld): Perfect for whipping the heavy cream to soft peaks, both for folding into the filling and for the final topping.
- Rubber Spatula: Great for folding the whipped cream into the cooled caramel pudding and for scraping down the sides of bowls.
- Fine-Mesh Sieve (Optional): If you want an extra-smooth pudding, you can press the cooked caramel pudding through a sieve before chilling.
Having these tools ready will streamline your pie-making process, allowing you to focus on the delicious outcome.
Shop tools for this recipe
Caramel Cream Pie with Pecan Gingersnap Crust
12
slices
20 minutes
30 minutes
6 hours
6 hours
50 minutes
Pin Recipe
Leave a Review
Ingredients
For the crust:
-
5 ounces
gingersnap cookies (140 grams, about 20) -
½ cup
pecans (57 grams) -
2 tablespoons
light or dark sugar -
Pinch
of salt -
3 tablespoons
unsalted butter , melted
For the filling:
-
1 cup
granulated sugar (200 grams) -
4 cups
whole milk (1 quart, 950 ml), divided -
⅓ cup
cornstarch (40 grams) -
2 teaspoons
vanilla extract -
¼ teaspoon
salt -
1 cup
heavy whipping cream (250 ml)
For the topping:
-
1 cup
heavy whipping cream (250 ml) -
¼ cup
powdered sugar (30 grams) -
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract -
Chopped pecans , for garnish
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch pie dish.
-
In food processor, pulse cookies and pecans until reduced to crumbs. In medium bowl, combine cookie and nut mixture with sugar, salt and butter. Press into prepared pie dish and bake until crust is golden, 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely.
-
To make filling, whisk together 1/2 cup milk with cornstarch. Set aside.
-
In heavy bottomed saucepan, place sugar over medium heat. Let sugar melt and caramelize, swirling pan if necessary to make sure it caramelizes evenly. Keep close watch to make sure it doesn’t burn.
-
When sugar has completely caramelized, remove from heat and slowly pour in remaining 3 1/2 cups of milk, whisk whisking constantly. Caramel will bubble and steam violently at beginning. Once all milk has been added, return pan to medium heat and whisk to dissolve any caramel that may have hardened. Boil for a few minutes until slightly thickened.
-
Slowly whisk in milk and cornstarch mixture, vanilla and salt and stir until pudding is thickened.
-
Remove from heat and cool over an ice water bath to room temperature. Alternately, refrigerate for 1 hour.
-
In bowl of electric mixer, beat heavy cream to soft peaks, and then fold it into cooled caramel mixture. Pour into pie crust and chill for 2 hours or more before serving. For cleanest slices, let the pie chill completely for at least 6 hours (I like to make mine the night before serving).
-
To serve, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Spread on top of pie and top with chopped pecans.
Calories: 387kcal
,
Carbohydrates: 39g
,
Protein: 4g
,
Fat: 24g
,
Saturated Fat: 13g
,
Cholesterol: 70mg
,
Sodium: 159mg
,
Potassium: 195mg
,
Fiber: 1g
,
Sugar: 28g
,
Vitamin A: 802IU
,
Vitamin C: 1mg
,
Calcium: 132mg
,
Iron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe?
I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.
This recipe was originally published in October 2014 in partnership with Go Bold With Butter, and has been updated for clarity and enhanced instructions.