Pumpkin Dream Pie: The 50s classic no-bake dessert recipe, plus a bonus gingersnap crust to try - Click Americana (2024)

FAQs

How to upgrade Costco pumpkin pie? ›

Drizzle it with warm caramel sauce.

Caramel sauce is the instant upgrade that will make your pie feel truly indulgent. Whether you make your own or go for store-bought, heat the sauce and drizzle it warm over the pie just before serving.

Why Is My Pumpkin Pie Weeping? Another common problem that occurs when baking pumpkin pie is when you notice water on the top of the pie or leaking out from the filling. Why this happens: Either the pie was overbaked, or it was placed in the fridge before cooling completely.

For better pumpkin pie, refrigerate the filling overnight

Any “sharp edges” disappear, and you're left with a smooth meld of complementary flavors.

Most recipes for the pumpkin custard ask for both white and brown sugar or molasses. The molasses and brown sugar will make the pie darker brown. Also some canned pumpkin flesh can be darker.

How Costco Keeps Its Pumpkin Pie So Cheap. In their book, David and Susan disclose that Costco's pumpkin pies are only semi-homemade, which helps cut down on costs.

The pumpkin pie will keep in the fridge for three to four days. When you have a giant pumpkin pie like I do and not a ton of room in your refrigerator, you may want to look to the freezer instead. Pumpkin pie is easy to freeze and it tastes just as great after it thaws.

Add a Layer. You can create a barrier between the filling and the dough by adding an ingredient that won't change the flavor of the pie—or that will improve the flavor of the pie. Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven.

Those cracks you see in your pie are the result of overcooked eggs, eggs that have tightened up so much, in an uneven way, that they've created fissures in the filling. Usually you'll notice cracks around the edge of the pie first, which makes sense; the edges cook more quickly than the interior.

Allow the Pie to Cool Completely

A still-warm pie doesn't hold its shape well when served, and that may explain why your perfectly baked pie turned into a mushy mess on a plate. During the pie's cooling period, between 1 and 2 hours at room temperature, the filling continues to bake and firm up.

Blind bake the crust.

To help avoid this, partially bake the crust before adding the filling (i.e., “blind bake” the crust). If you've never done this before, don't worry — it's easy. Just roll out the crust and fit it into the pan.

Can I leave pumpkin pie on the counter overnight to cool? ›

Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees F, what the USDA refers to as the "Danger Zone." It's the eggs and dairy in homemade pumpkin pie that make it susceptible to spoil after 2 hours unless it's refrigerated.

While a wobbly, runny pie is a telltale sign that a pumpkin pie is undercooked, an overcooked pumpkin pie is a bit harder to spot. When you've overcooked a pumpkin pie, you may see: The filling separating from the crust. The filling has visible cracks.

Pies with too much evaporated milk formed blisters on top.

Though the interior of the filling had a great, creamy texture. The flavor was ever-so-slightly muted and had a hint of milkiness to it.

Eggs: Two eggs add moisture and act as a binding agent, which means they help hold the pumpkin pie filling together. Pumpkin: Of course, you'll need a can of Libby's pure pumpkin. Evaporated milk: A can of evaporated milk lends richness and helps thicken the pie filling.

Eggs set up the pumpkin pie filling. They give the filling its rich, luxurious texture. Heavy cream. Heavy cream makes pumpkin pie silky smooth.

Wedge method: Begin by cutting a small triangle-shaped piece out of the pie. Then, continue cutting triangular wedges until the whole pie is sliced. This method is perfect for those who enjoy varying slice sizes.

The textures of both Costco's and Safeway's pumpkin pies were very good. However, I thought Safeway's pumpkin pie had an edge over Costco's famed dessert because of its flavor. Though Costco's pie was really good and a great deal, in comparison to Safeway's, it was just a bit dull.

It should serve at least 12 people. Possibly more.

Taking a look behind the scenes at the creation of Costco's pumpkin pie shows the sheer scale of the operation — 1.2 million cans of pumpkin puree are used to create enough pies for the holiday season, from September through to December.