This pumpkin spice latte pie celebrates the perfect match that is pumpkin and espresso. To ensure the pie is equally about the coffee as it is the pumpkin and spice, I use a triple threat of coffee-infused dairy, espresso powder, and brewed coffee to inject a well-rounded and potent espresso kick into the custard. Using just espresso powder can be overly harsh and bitter; brewed espresso/coffee typically isn’t strong enough to make an impression on its own. So I prefer to steep my cream and milk with whole coffee beans to establish a solid baseline flavor, then use espresso powder and brewed espresso to adjust the strength.

But I encourage you to choose your own level of coffee forward-ness in this pie: before adding espresso powder and raw eggs, taste the custard and adjust to your liking. If you’re more of a latte drinker, you may want to not add any powder or just a touch. If you lean towards espresso shots or black coffee, add more to taste.

Baker’s notes:

The whole coffee beans will absorb some of the dairy during steeping, so I start with 15% more dairy to account for loss. Measure the amount after steeping and top up as necessary — every batch will yield a slightly different amount due to different coffee bean size/shapes, how well pans are scraped out, etc.
To avoid cracks in your pie, use the spoon bouncing technique to rid your custard of any errant air bubbles (see an example in my Instagram reels). Note: if you’re doing this once the filling is in the crust, don’t bang the pan to avoid cracking your crust! These bubbles can rise to the surface during baking and cause little fissures. Also, don’t overbake the pie! Take the pie out when there’s still a wobble in the center — it will continue to bake and set as it cools.
Make sure to allow time for your pie to completely cool and chill. I like baking my pumpkin pies a day ahead of serving; the spices meld a little and the custard firms to the texture I prefer.
You can find a more classic version of pumpkin pie (along with my favorite pie crust recipe) in my cookbook!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Pie

Makes one 9″ pie | Adapted from Baked to Order

Ingredients:

For the coffee-infused dairy (start the night before baking the pie):

200g heavy cream (35%), plus more as needed
145g whole milk
42g (1/2 c) whole coffee beans, preferably espresso roast

For the pumpkin spice latte pie:

425g pure pumpkin puree (one full 15 oz can)
150g (3/4 c) light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
300g coffee-infused dairy, cold
1/2-2 tsp espresso powder (to taste)
15g freshly brewed strong coffee or espresso (optional, or substitute bourbon)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, cold
1 large egg yolk, cold
One par-baked 9″ pie crust (regular or graham cracker; homemade or store-bought)

For serving:

Softly whipped cream, lightly sweetened
Freshly grated nutmeg or finely ground coffee, for garnish

Method:

Make the coffee-infused dairy: In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and milk. Heat on medium-low until steaming, then remove from heat. Stir in the whole coffee beans, cover, and refrigerate overnight (or up to 24 hours).

When done infusing, strain out the coffee beans with a fine mesh sieve. Measure out 300g infused dairy (top up with more heavy cream, if you’re a little short). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the pumpkin spice latte pie: Preheat the oven to 350F with a rack in the middle. Place a baking stone or sheet pan in the oven while it preheats; baking the pie on this preheated surface helps ensure a crisp bottom crust.

In a medium saucepan, combine the pumpkin puree, sugar, spices, and salt. Bring to a sputtering simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently with a heatproof spatula to avoid scorching. Continue to simmer the pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly, until thick and shiny, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the coffee-infused dairy until smooth. Taste and add espresso powder until you reach your desired coffee strength (2 tsp will give you an intense coffee kick; start with 1/2 tsp if you want something more subtle). Whisk in the brewed coffee, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk. Strain the mixture into a medium bowl using a spatula to press the solids through the strainer — this takes a little time and effort but ensures a silky-smooth texture.

Place the par-baked pie crust on a foil-lined sheet pan. Re-whisk the filling mixture and scrape it into the crust. Bounce a spoon across the top of the pie to encourage any air bubbles to rise to the surface and pop. Continue bouncing until no more bubbles appear.

Bake, cool, and serve the pie: Bake the pie for 35-45 minutes, or until the edges of the pie are set but the center still wobbles like set jello. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (I prefer my pumpkin pie cold so I like chilling at least 4 hours or overnight). Serve slices chilled or at room temperature with dollops of softly whipped cream and a grating of fresh nutmeg or some finely ground coffee, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Related recipes:

When it comes to pies, I’ve definitely been more on team sweet than team savory. But after watching Great British Bake Off and seeing those hand-raised hot water crusts, picnic pies, and pasties, I was itching to make some kind of savory pie. We ended up having a family Thanksmas dinner a bit early this year because a few of us are traveling over the holidays, so a fridge full of turkey leftovers presented the perfect opportunity for some pie-experimenting.

Pie fillings are quite adaptable; I think as long as you have the right consistency and amount, you can play around with the ingredients and flavorings. I really wanted to make a pot pie filling that didn’t contain milk or cream sort-of-not-really for health reasons (I’m lactose intolerant; I can handle butter and small amounts of dairy, but cream sauces generally don’t go over well). Originally I was going to use some leftover mashed potatoes for thickener, but someone ate them…so pureed squash it was! My family enjoyed this gravy, but if you prefer something more traditional you can sub some of the stock for whole milk or cream. Also, I know peas usually show up in these sort of pies but I am NOT a peas fan so none here! If you don’t have such aversions, feel free to stir some in with the sage at the very end.

I used this sourdough crust adapted from Maurizio (subbing buttermilk for the vinegar and omitting the sugar; I also added a few healthy grinds of black pepper and the leaves of one thyme sprig), and it was perfect for this — sturdy yet flaky and packed with flavor! If you’ve got starter on hand I definitely recommend this route, but if you don’t your favorite pie crust recipe will do nicely. I added a couple of turns to the pastry which gives it extra flake and makes it easier to roll out, IMO — also totally optional. The filling is the perfect amount for my deep-ish pie dish; if you use a normal pie plate you’ll probably have some leftover for a baby pie or to eat over rice.

A few notes:

See this post for some general pie baking tips.
I think the trick to avoiding a soggy bottom crust is starting with chilled pastry AND filling. If you add the filling when it’s still warm, you’ll melt the butter in the bottom crust and likely end up with goop. I also baked the pie on a preheated stone in the lower third of the oven the entire time. If you don’t have a stone, preheat a sheet pan in your oven and bake your pie on that.
A few weeks ago I made a small batch of apple jelly and have been using it as a secret flavor ingredient in stews and marinades — I love it! That being said, I know it’s not a common ingredient to have around; so you could probably substitute 1/4 c of apple juice or cider for stock for a similar effect.

Turkey and Sage Pot Pie

Makes one deepish 9-inch pie

Ingredients

1 recipe of your favorite double pie crust
3 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 c mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c flour
1/4 c butter
1 1/2 c turkey or chicken stock (I used low-sodium)
1/2 c squash puree
1 bay leaf
1 T apple jelly (optional, see notes above)
1/2 c leftover gravy
2 T finely minced fresh sage leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water or milk, for egg wash

Method

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper, and saute until carrots are slightly softened but not mushy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove vegetables from saucepan and set aside.
In the same saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour all at once, stirring constantly, and cook for 1-2 minutes until a golden paste forms. Slowly pour in the stock, stirring constantly to avoid clumping. When the gravy is slightly thickened, stir in the leftover gravy, squash, and optional jelly, followed by the bay leaf and mushrooms. Turn down to medium low and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until the mushrooms are mostly cooked. Add the reserved vegetables and turkey. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the turkey is heated through, then remove from the heat and stir in the sage. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until cooled completely (about an hour).
Preheat your oven to 400F with a rack (and baking stone, if you have one) in the bottom third of the oven.
While the filling is cooling, prepare the pie crusts. Roll out your bottom crust and transfer it to a greased pie plate. Trim crust so you have an overhang of about 1 inch. Cover with plastic and refrigerate while you roll out your top crust. Cut into strips for a lattice, if desired, or keep whole. Transfer to a sheet pan and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
When your filling is chilled and oven is ready, spoon the filling evenly into the bottom crust (remove the bay leaf). Top as desired (with a lattice or not), and crimp the edges to seal. Refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes, or until the pastry is firm.
When ready to bake your pie, gently brush the egg wash over the top, being careful not to drag the filling onto the crust. Cut a few steam vents in the top if baking a non-lattice pie. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375F and bake for another 30-45 minutes, rotating halfway through for even baking. The filling should be bubbling and the pastry golden brown. (Note: if your pastry is browning too quickly, tent with foil.) Allow to cool slightly before serving.