The famous Milk Bar Pumpkin Pie is unforgettable! If you have never heard of Milk Bar bakery, it's located in NYC, and its pumpkin ganache pie is one of its most impressive offerings. It combines a classic homemade pumpkin pie with caramel sauce, whipped topping, and a crispy streusel. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
It took me a minute to perfect Hilly's pumpkin pie recipe, and my version comes so close. The only difference is that I use a thick store-bought caramel sauce and store-bought pie crust. You can absolutely make those things yourself, but I promise that the pie still tastes heavenly with those shortcuts.
Try another creative take on classic pumpkin pie, like praline pumpkin pie and bar pumpkin pie.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's great for parties: This Milk Bar pumpkin caramel pie is a hit at parties and special occasions. Prepare to impress your guests and everyone asking you to share the recipe.
- It's make-ahead friendly: Since each layer needs to be baked or chilled, it's one of my favorite desserts to make in advance. Plus, it's even better the second day!
- It's worth the wait: You'll notice there are quite a few steps to put this pumpkin pie together, but I promise that it's worth the wait and the effort.
Ingredients
This is a totally unique and delicious recipe! Below are all the key ingredients needed to make this pumpkin pie happen.
- Pie crust: I like to go with a store-bought refrigerated pie crust when I'm short on time. This recipe for homemade pie crust is super easy if you want to make it ahead of time instead.
- Pumpkin puree: Ensure that you grab pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. You'll need pure canned pumpkin for this recipe to turn out perfectly.
- Caramel sauce: You'll need a very thick, rich caramel sauce. I toss the crust and caramel in the fridge to chill to ensure it has set, but you can't use a variety that's more like a syrup topping, or it won't work.
- White chocolate chips: These go right into the pumpkin pie filling to add richness and extra sweetness.
- Corn syrup: I add a little light corn syrup to the pumpkin layer for balance, smooth texture, and stability, so it holds up when chilled.
- Oats: The streusel topping's main ingredient is old-fashioned oats. They get perfectly crunchy in the oven without feeling too soft and chewy.
- Butter: Softened butter is perfect for the topping because it mixes with the other ingredients to create a soft mixture that bakes up so well. I recommend unsalted butter because you will add extra salt.
- Cardamom: This adds a subtle warmth and complexity to the crumble topping. Leave it out if you're not a fan of its flavor.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Salted caramel: Add some flaky sea salt to the caramel sauce and on top of the finished pie to give each bite a salted caramel flavor.
- Dark chocolate: Swap the white chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips for a slightly bitter cocoa flavor in the filling.
- Maple: Add maple extract to the pumpkin layer and replace some brown sugar in the topping with maple sugar. Additionally, you may drizzle pure maple syrup on top before serving.
How to Make Milk Bar Pumpkin Pie
Here are the steps needed for this Milk Bar pumpkin pie recipe. Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees F to bake the crust, and then reduce the heat to 325 degrees F for the pumpkin puree and the streusel.
Step 1: Roll and poke the crust. Roll out the refrigerated pie crust over the pie pan and then carefully poke holes in the bottom with a fork.
Step 2: Add weights and bake. Place a piece of parchment paper onto the pie crust and add pie weights to the bottom. Bake it for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Roast the pumpkin. Grab a sheet pan and line it with parchment. Then, spread the pumpkin puree with a silicone spatula and stick it in the oven for 20-30 minutes to darken and reduce.
Step 4: Add caramel to the crust and chill. Now, grab your caramel sauce and spread it over the bottom of the pie crust, and then stick it in the fridge to chill while you finish up the filling.
Step 5: Heat the butter and cream. Combine the butter and heavy cream, and get them warm (almost bubbling) and stir until the butter is melted.
Step 6: Add corn syrup and white chocolate. Pour in the corn syrup and stir in the white chocolate chips until they are melted and combined.
Step 7: Prepare the pumpkin filling. Once the pumpkin has cooked and cooled slightly, add it to the chocolate mixture along with the pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir it until it's nice and smooth.
Step 8: Add it to the pie. Spread the pumpkin mixture over the top of the caramel layer and put it back in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Quick tip: After the hour has passed, spread the Cool Whip on top and put it back in the fridge for a few more hours (or even overnight).
Step 9: Mix the topping. Combine all of the ingredients for the streusel topping until it creates a loose dough.
Step 10: Bake it. Sprinkle it over a lined sheet pan and bake it for 15 minutes or until golden.
Step 11: Cool it. Allow the topping to cool completely.
Step 12: Finish the pie. Sprinkle the topping over the whipped topping layer and serve!
Recipe Tips
- Refrigeration directions: Tightly cover the top of the pumpkin pie with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You may also place it in an airtight container.
- Chill the layers to keep them thick: Don't skip these steps because they are super important. Allow each layer plenty of time to firm up. Sometimes, I'll prepare it the night before and then make the streusel topping just before serving.
- Use a stable whipped cream: When regular whipped cream sits at room temperature, it melts easily. So, I prefer to use Cool Whip in this recipe. If you enjoy homemade whipped cream, bloom 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin in 2 tablespoons of water, gently melt it, cool it, and then add it as you whip the cream!
Another dessert with a warm, spiced flavor, like this caramel pumpkin pie, is the butterscotch cinnamon pie.
Serving Suggestions
- Why not take this dessert over the top with a scoop of ice cream? You can use any variety you like, but I love this sprinkles ice cream.
- For an even crunchier topping, sprinkle some candied walnuts or crushed butter toffee pretzels on top of the pumpkin caramel pie.
- Keep with the theme and enjoy a hot, pumpkin beverage like a classic pumpkin spice latte or a pumpkin chai latte.
Recipe FAQs
You may, I just use a thick caramel like dulce de leche. If you make it yourself, use less cream and let it reduce a little longer, or swap some of the cream for sweetened condensed milk.
Of course! I love to prepare it 1-2 days ahead because it requires some time to chill in the fridge, as well as baking time for the crust and pumpkin puree. Performing those tasks in advance makes it easier to finish up the last few steps before serving.
This Milk Bar pumpkin pie doesn't freeze well. The layers meld together as the pie thaws and become a little runny. It's way better eaten within 4 days of preparing it!
More Delicious Pie Recipes
Do you like pie recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Milk Bar Pumpkin Pie
Equipment
- baking sheets
Ingredients
For the Pie
- 1 premade pie crust
- 3 cans (15 oz) pumpkin puree
- 2 cups thick caramel sauce
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups whipped topping
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Streusel Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bake the crust. Bake your pie crust according to package instructions. My package instructed me to preheat my oven to 425, roll the pie crust over my pie pan, poke the bottom with a fork, and bake for 10 minutes. I also used parchment and a layer of pie weights to prevent the crust from bubbling up.
- Prepare the oven. Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the pumpkin. Use a rubber spatula to spread the pumpkin puree onto the baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes until it has slightly reduced and the color darkens. Set to the side to cool completely. (You'll be left with about 1 ½ cups).
- Chill the caramel. While the pumpkin is cooking, pour the caramel into the bottom of the pie crust then spread it evenly and place it in the refrigerator to firm.
- Prepare the white chocolate. In a small saucepan over low heat, add the butter, heavy cream, and corn syrup. Allow the butter to melt but not bubble. In a large heat safe bowl add the white chocolate to the cream mixture and set it aside to allow it to melt briefly. Whisk until the mixture is completely smooth and there are no more lumps of white chocolate.
- Mix in pumpkin and spice. Add the roasted pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to the bowl and whisk until everything is well incorporated.
- Start layering. Allow to cool completely before pouring the mixture over the caramel layer in the pie dish. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Add the whipped cream. Once chilled, spread the whipped topping over the pumpkin filling and chill another 3-4 hours (or up to overnight).
- Make the streusel. While you wait, make the streusel. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, butter, cinnamon, ground cardamom, and salt, and mix until you have a shaggy loose dough.
- Bake. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until it's golden. Once baked, set it aside to cool.
- Serve. As soon as your pie has set, remove it from the refrigerator, top with the streusel, and serve chilled.
Notes
- Skip freezing this pumpkin pie and use it within 4 days of making it for the best texture and flavor.
- Ensure that you chill each of the layers for plenty of time to ensure they remain distinct, and the pie is firm when you slice it.
- Prepare this pie 1-2 days ahead if you plan to serve it for a special occasion!
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