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I have a confession: Pumpkin pie is my favorite part of Thanksgiving. I look forward to it all year long. It’s not the turkey, it’s not the stuffing, it’s not the green bean casserole…. For me, it’s all about that pumpkin pie. But even so, sometimes the ratio of filling to crust is just not quite right. That’s why I often turn to Pumpkin Pie like this, in slab form. It’s the perfect filling to crust ratio and it’s the best way to serve pie to a big ol’ crowd. (There’s a lot to go around!)
What Ingredients Do You Need for Pumpkin Slab Pie?
Well, all the usual things you need for regular Pumpkin Pie! You’ll need:
- Pumpkin puree. (Not pumpkin pie filling!)
- Eggs.
- Sweetened condensed milk.
- Brown sugar.
- Pumpkin pie spice.
- Vanilla.
- Pie crusts. Three of them.
Why do you need three pie crusts? You need three because you’re going to stack them and roll them out, and that’s the amount of dough it’s going to take to cover that big sheet pan. If you’re using store-bought, get three of the rolled variety, if you’re making your own, make enough for three single-crust pies.
How Do You Make Pumpkin Slab Pie?
It’s as easy as pie! To start, you’ll want to roll out the pie crust until it’s a rectangle that’s larger than the sheet pan. Then, simply line the sheet pan with the pie dough, tuck in the overhang, and crimp the edges. (Just like you would with a round pie.)
You’ll want to par-bake the crust to prevent a soggy bottom. I like to do this by lining the crust with foil and then filling it with dried beans. Give it about 20 minutes in the oven and then remove that foil and the beans (or pie weights) and give it about five minutes more uncovered in the oven. By then it should be a nice golden brown.
I love pumpkin pie because the filling is just a matter of whisking a few things together. While the pie crust rests, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla and pour it into the par-baked crust.
Since the filling is shallower, it takes much less time in the oven than a traditional pumpkin pie. It’ll be set in about 30 minutes. You’re also less likely to see cracks or issues with the custard setting here. You are still very likely to see this disappear pretty quick when you set it out, though!
Pumpkin Slab Pie
Yield(s): Serves 12
10m prep time
50m cook time
30m inactive
Diet: Vegetarian
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 3 9-inch pie crusts
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 (15 oz each) cans pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Whipped cream, for serving
Preparation
- Let pie crusts come to room temperature so they are soft. On a lightly floured surface, stack pie crusts on top of each other and roll into a large rectangle, roughly 17x22 inches.
- Transfer to a 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet and press the dough into the bottom and sides of the baking sheet. Fold dough edges under, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Crimp or flute as desired.
- Place in freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Line piecrust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are lightly brown, 18-20 minutes. Remove paper or foil and weights and return crust to oven just until the center has baked, 4-5 minutes.
- Let cool on a wire rack while you make the filling. Reduce oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Pour into pie crust and bake until set, about 30 minutes.
- Let cool completely before serving. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Southern Living.