We Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October, and it's almost that time of year again! I'm starting to gather my favourite Thanksgiving recipes together so that I'm ready to make our traditional meal which always includes turkey, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, and - of course - a delicious pumpkin pie. This year, I thought it would be fun to put a unique spin on our traditional pumpkin pie. I have strong German roots, and we seem to put a crumb topping (or "struesel") on almost everything. Streusel adds such a great flavour and crunch to so many desserts! What could be better than topping some pumpkin pie with a crumbly pecan topping? I couldn't think of anything more delicious for a Fall dessert! Let me show you how to make this tasty pumpkin pie with nutty streusel. I think it will be our new family Thanksgiving fave!
Thanksgiving up in Canada is celebrated a little differently from our American friends. Not only do we celebrate our holiday in October rather than November, our focus is a bit simpler - we're here for the friends, the family and the good food.
A recent survey conducted by Carnation® revealed that 52% of Canadians feel that Thanksgiving isn’t complete until a pumpkin pie is on the table. In addition to this, 67% say that for pumpkin pie to be delicious, it needs to be rich and creamy.
Thanks to Carnation® Evaporated Milk, this pumpkin tart with nutty streusel recipe that I concocted has a creamy & decadent pumpkin pie taste. I've put my own twist on Carnation’s Classic Pumpkin Pie recipe by using a thin and sweet tart pastry base and a crunchy and flavourful crumb topping.
One of the things I love about Carnation® Evaporated Milk is that you can keep it in your pantry year-round! It's a fabulous alternative to cream to make your desserts (or even savoury dishes like Creamy Butternut Squash Soup) taste so rich and creamy.
You can find the always-so-delicious Carnation® Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe here on CarnationMilk.ca, or keep reading to learn how to make my interesting spin on this yummy dessert!
To make this pumpkin tart with nutty streusel, you'll first need to prepare the tart crust. I experimented with a couple of different sweet shortcrust recipes and techniques until I finally found the perfect ingredients and method for my shortcrust pastry.
To make this sweet shortcrust, mix together 2 cups of flour, ½ cup of icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon into a medium sized bowl. Then, cut 1 cup of cold butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.
Add two eggs and 1 tablespoon of milk into the pastry mixture, and work the dough together with your hands quickly until it forms a ball. Handle it as little as you can to keep the pastry from getting too chewy. Wrap the pastry in some plastic wrap, and chill it in your fridge for at least an hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkin filling and the streusel topping.
To make the filling, mix together 1 cup of brown sugar with 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon cloves and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Crack 3 eggs into the bowl and add 1 ½ cups of canned pumpkin puree. Stir in 1 can of Carnation® Evaporated Milk and blend everything well.
To make the nutty streusel topping, mix together 1 cup flour, ¼ cup crushed pecans and ¼ cup brown sugar in a medium sized bowl. Cut in ½ cup cold butter with a pastry cutter, and then continue to crumble the butter into the mixture with your hands until you reach a crumbly consistency.
To bake the tart shells, cut the chilled dough in half. Roll out each half into a circle, and place it gently over a greased tart pan. Press the dough into the tart pan, and cut off the excess. Prick the bottom of the crust several times with a fork. Place some commercial grade plastic wrap or parchment paper over the dough, pour some rice or pie weights over that, and then cover the rice or pie weights with the extra plastic wrap or parchment paper. This is a really important step that will keep your pastry from puffing up and shrinking down the sides of your tart pans! Pop your tart pans in the oven, and bake the tart shells at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Once your tart shells are baked and slightly cooled, pour the prepared pumpkin pie filling into the tart shells. Top the tart with the prepared streusel topping. Sprinkle some extra crushed pecans onto the streusel if desired. Bake the tarts at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes, and then turn the oven down to 375 degrees F and bake for another 35 - 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each tart comes out clean.
Once out of the oven, let your tarts cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting.
Serve with fresh whipped cream and enjoy!
Here's the printable recipe for my Pumpkin Tart with Nutty Streusel:
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups canned pumpkin puree
- 1 can Carnation® Evaporated Milk
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ cup crushed pecans
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup butter
- To make the sweet shortcrust, mix together 2 cups of flour, ½ cup of icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon into a medium sized bowl. Then, cut 1 cup of cold butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.
- Add two eggs and 1 tablespoon of milk into the pastry mixture, and work the dough together into your hands quickly until it forms a ball. Handle it as little as you can to keep the pastry from getting too chewy. Wrap the pastry in some plastic wrap, and chill it in your fridge for at least an hour.
- To make the filling, mix together 1 cup of brown sugar with 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon cloves and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Beat in 3 eggs and 1 ½ cups of canned pumpkin puree. Stir in 1 can of Carnation® Evaporated Milk and blend well.
- To make the nutty streusel topping, mix together 1 cup flour, ¼ cup crushed pecans and ¼ cup brown sugar in a medium sized bowl. Cut in ½ cup cold butter with a pastry cutter, and then continue to crumble the butter into the mixture with your hands until you reach a crumbly consistency.
- To bake the tart shells, cut the chilled dough in half. Roll out each half into a circle, and place it gently over a greased tart pan. Press the dough into the tart pan, and cut off the excess. Place some plastic wrap over the dough, pour some rice or pie weights over that, and then cover the rice or pie weights with the extra plastic wrap. This is a really important step that will keep your pastry from puffing up and shrinking down the sides of your tart pan! Pop your tart pans in the oven, and bake the tart shells at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
- Once your tart shells are baked and slightly cooled, pour the prepared pumpkin pie filling into the tart shells. Top the tart with the prepared streusel topping. Sprinkle some extra crushed pecans onto the streusel if desired. Bake the tarts at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes, and then turn the oven down to 375 degrees F and bake for another 35 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the tart comes out clean.
- Once out of the oven, let your tarts cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Serve with fresh whipped cream and enjoy!
If you make a pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving, we’d love to see it! Use the hashtag #CarnationPumpkinPie to share your creation on social media.
Now it's time to win a prize pack to make your own pie this Thanksgiving!
This prize pack features must have tools and ingredients to help create the perfect Pumpkin Pie. Valued at $150 it includes: the Carnation® Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe, Carnation® Evaporated Milk, a premium pie dish and rolling pin, a pastry prep board, a red pie server and a silicone piecrust shield. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win. Good luck!
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Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Carnation. As always, all of the ideas and opinions here are my own. I only recommend companies that I use and love myself.
Amy Heffernan
Sure will be! My mothers recipe!!! Thanks!
Heather
What a nice change from regular Pumpkin pie. The streusel looks delish!
Glogirl
I probably won't make pumpkin pie but maybe apple as we have lots of apples from our own trees.
Candice
I won't be making it this year, but it will be at Thanksgiving for me to eat!! LOVE pumpkin pie and excited to try it with streusel sometime soon
Rachel
I'll be making pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving this year. I actually made a pumpkin pie with a streusel top last year and it was a hit.
maria
I just usually end up buying it, one less thing to worry about.
Jackie M
Yes I will be! I will probably try your receipe because I like streusel! Never had pumpkin pie with streusel!
Monique L.S.
I will not make a pumpkin pie, but I might purchase one.
Tara Betterley
I will be making a pumpkin and apple pie this year for Thanksgiving. It would be the holiday if it wasn't there!
angela m
Yes I will probably making Pumpkin pie . Just plain pumpkin pie
Karla Sceviour
no,I wont be making pumpkin pie,nobody will eat it! I will make a blueberry pie!
Tammy Dalley
I always make pumpkin pie the whole family loves it!
Julie-Lynne McCann
we love cheesecake, so I am hoping to make pumpkin cheese cake
ivy pluchinsky
We will be making pumpkin pie this year, my moms recipe which is a classic one with whipping cream on top of course.
Jenness M
I won't be making it but I will be eating my moms!
Judy Cowan
Yes I will be making pumpkin pie, I have a recipe for a Maple Pumpkin Pie that I want to try out.
Josh S
of course! Thanksgiving just isn't the same without pumpkin pie!
Melinda
I will be making pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!
Jenn
I will be making a classic pumpkin pie!
Lisa
I am hoping that I will be able to make a pumpkin pie this year for Thanksgiving. If I am, I think I am going to try to make a classic traditional pumpkin pie.
Sarah De Diego
I will not be making pumpkin pie, however, my Mom will! She should own shares in Carnatian she uses it so much and buys it by the case.
Besos, Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo
Andrea Amy
I make a traditional pumpkin pie, nothing fancy, nothing extra added in. Just your basic run of the mill pumpkin pie. That is what the kids like, so I don't see a point in messing with perfection 🙂 Yours looks wonderful, but I'm sticking with tradition again this year!
Deanna Bolton
I will be making traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving! 🙂 I'am going to try and make the Pumpkin Tart with Nutty Streusel too! 😀
Jenny Major
I will be making a pumpkin
nicolthepickle
I will, I made one already because I wanted to, I think I might try a brownie bottom pumpkin Pie.
Jasen H
I will not be making pumpkin pie this year. Going to be making a nice Apple Pie instead.
Jonnie
No pumpkin pie this year. I am going with apple crisp instead.
Wendy hutton
I will be making pumpkin pie just the classic recipe
Maria
I will be making pumpkin pie and pecan pie
Florence C
Not making pumpkin pie. Apple and coconut cream pie.
Wanda Tracey
I will be making pumpkin pies this Thanksgiving! The feast would not be complete without them.I am
going to make the Maple Syrup Carnation Milk Pumpkin Pies this time.I always use the Carnation Milk
in mine but have never tried them with the maple syrup. 🙂
Rebby Roberts
I'll be making pumpkin pie tarts!!
Lushka Smith
I'll be making a pumpkin pie from a recipe from Canadian Living that I have been using for years.
Shelly
Hi Christina, I see the recipe notes it makes 2 tarts... is that just for the base or there will be enough wet ingredients as well for 2....im making this for sure. I have 2 dinners to attend, so if this yield 2...even better!!! love pumpkin pie! thanks for this great spin :0
Christina Dennis
The recipe is for two tarts! 🙂
Caryn Coates
I will be making Pumpkin Pie this year for Thanksgiving
Krista M
Not Pumpkin Pie this year but Pumpkin Cheesecake for a change!
Petra
Your pumpkin pie with a twist sounds delicious. Pecan nuts is one of my favorites! Thank you for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday! 🙂
Calypso in the Country
This looks amazing and so perfect for Thanksgiving! Thanks for joining us at Best of the Weekend. You were one of my features this week! I will also be pinning and sharing on Instagram stories this weekend. Thanks again for joining us and have a wonderful weekend!
Shelley
Sarah - The DIY Mommy
Thanks so much!
Kerryanne
Sounds so delicious Christina. Thank you for sharing your Thanksgiving recipe at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I'm delighted to be featuring this recipe at tonight's party and pinning too.
Hugs,
Kerryanne