Pumpkin Apple Pie with Walnut Crust

Pumpkin Apple Pie is the best of both worlds! Pumpkin pie and apple pie merged together in a pecan crust with streusel topping. The perfect holiday dessert!

angled shot of slice of pumpkin apple pie on plate with whipped cream


 

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Apple Pie

A showstopping pie that is full of the best fall flavors- what’s not to love?

  • Best of both flavors – Can’t decide between a pumpkin or apple dessert? Now you don’t have to!
  • Perfect for holidays – With the decorated crust and fall flavors, this pie is always a winner during the holidays.
  • Simplify things – No time to make a pie crust? No problem! Just use a store bought crust- but make sure it’s the deepest you can find.

What You’ll Need From The Store

You might have most of these pumpkin apple pie ingredients already on hand, but can easily find the rest at your local grocery store.

Pie Crust

Of course you have the option to ditch the homemade crust (we all know I am lazy baker), but this one is truly delicious and if I can make it, so can you! Swap out for store bought, if you want

  • Flour – All purpose flour acts as the binder for this crust. It holds everything together. I haven’t tried using alternative flours, but let us know if you do.
  • Pecans – You can use either pecans or walnuts in the crust! Both give it a delicious, nutty flavor.
  • Unsalted butter – Unlike most recipes, you want this to be chilled instead of softened. The pockets of butter is what helps create the flaky crust.
  • Salt – If you used salted butter above, make sure to omit this. Because no one likes a salty pie crust!
  • Brown sugar – I like my pie crust to have an element of sweet. Not too much, but just enough for flavor.
  • Heavy cream – This helps to achieve the perfect pie crust consistency. You can also use whole milk.
pie crust in pie plate

Pumpkin Filling

  • Pumpkin puree -Make sure not to use pumpkin pie filling. Filling is already mixed with spices and will be too sweet. You can also make homemade pumpkin puree.
  • Pumpkin pie spice – Generally speaking, pumpkin pie spice contains cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves. Fragrant and delicious, you’ll find nearly every food item, and even some non-food items, all the sudden become pumpkin pie flavored.
  • Sugar – Pumpkin on it’s own is not sweet at all, so we need regular granulated sugar for the sweet element of this perfect pumpkin pie recipe.
  • Salt – You can use Kosher salt or any other coarse salt. If you use a fine salt, cut volume in half because all salts are not the same.
  • Egg – When baking, I always prefer to use room temperature eggs. They mix into the batter better and get a better rise.
  • Evaporated milk – This helps to give the filling recipe a creamy texture. I prefer using this instead of heavy cream for the filling.
  • Vanilla – If you’ve never tried making your own, you should! It adds warmth and flavor to this pumpkin apple pie.
overhead shot of apple pie filling ingredients

Apple Filling

  • Apples – We need these cored, peeled and thinly sliced. Granny smith apples are the best apples to use for this apple pie filling. They’re perfectly tart and not too sweet. Although you can use any kind of apples you want like pink lady, honey crisp, golden delicious or red delicious apples. Just be aware you won’t get that tart flavor.
  • Lemon juice – This both prevents the apples from browning too quickly while also adding some zesty flavor to the pie.
  • Apple butter – This is my secret ingredient! Unexpected and adds another dimension of flavor to this pie.
  • Ground cinnamon – This helps to add that warmth and flavor that is iconic when thinking of apple pie.
  • Sugar – Because we are using tart apples for this pie recipe, we need an element of sweet. Granulated white sugar will work perfectly.
  • Flour – All purpose flour is all you need here. This helps to hold the pie filling together.
overhead shot of pumpkin apple pie ingredients

Streusel

The crunchy sugary topping is also option, but what gives this pie its unique flavor and texture.

  • Salted butter – You can also use unsalted butter, just make sure to add a pinch of salt to the streusel.
  • Sugars – I like to use a combination of both white sugar and brown sugar for both flavor and sweetness.
  • Flour – This is what helps to give that perfectly crumbly texture.
  • Pumpkin pie spice – Alternatively, you can use apple pie spice or just plain cinnamon to give this streusel some pizazz.
streusel in food processor

Best Apples for Pie

Not all apples are created equal! These are my favorites to use for this Pumpkin Apple Pie, or any pie for that matter.

  • Red Delicious
  • Granny Smith
  • Idared
  • Pink Pearl
  • Ginger Gold
  • Golden Delicious
  • Jazz
  • Jonagold
  • Pink Lady

How to Make Pumpkin Apple Pie

Making this pie is a labor of love, but the end result is more than worth it!

Pie Crust

  1. Prepare oven and pie plate. Preheat the oven and have a deep 9-inch pie plate ready.
  2. Make pie crust dough. In a small food processor, blend the pecans to a paste. Add the flour, butter, salt, brown sugar and heavy cream. Pulse until combined and formed into a crumbly mixture. Slowly add the chilled water until a dough is formed.
  3. Chill dough. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and form into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
  4. Roll out dough and add to pie plate. Return the dough to a floured surface or silicone mat. Roll it out into a large circle. Roll the dough up on a rolling pin to easily lay it into a deep dish pie plate.
  5. Form scalloped rim and make decorations. Using your fingers gently press the pie crust into all crevices. Using a your thumb and forefingers, pinch together edges to form a scalloped rim. If making a decorative crust using cut-outs, cut off excess and re-roll into a ball, roll it out and cut into leaf shapes (or any desired shape), cover with a damp towel and set aside.
  6. Blind bake crust. Place pie weights on the inside or pierce generously with a fork to prevent bubbling. Bake the crust until very lightly browned. Remove and set aside to cool. 

Pumpkin Filling

  1. Combine filling ingredients. In a large mixing bowl combine the pumpkin puree with the pumpkin pie spice, sugar, salt, egg, evaporated milk, melted butter and vanilla until no streaks remain. Cover and chill until ready to use.
pumpkin pie mixture in bowl

Apple Filling

  1. Slice apples. Combine the lemon juice and ice water in a large bowl. Using a mandolin slicer or very sharp knife, slice the apples into very thin slices. Immediately toss them into the prepared bowl of ice water.
  2. Combine apple butter, cinnamon, sugar and flour. In a small bowl combine the apple butter, cinnamon, sugar and flour. 
  3. Top apples with apple butter mixture. Drain the apple slices, patting dry and spread them out into a thin layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the apple butter mixture over top, spreading it around with your hands.
  4. Make streusel. In a food processor or using a pastry cutter, combine the butter, both sugars, flour and pumpkin pie spice until a crumbly mixture forms. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Assemble the Pie

  1. Add apple mixture to crust. Layer the apple slices into the bottom of the cooked pie crust in an even layer. Discard any apple butter mixture remaining in the bowl.
  2. Top with pumpkin filling. Pour the pumpkin filling on top of the apple slices.
  3. Bake. The pie will not be fully cooked at this time. Use a pie crust saver to prevent browning on crust. 
  4. Top with streusel and decorative pieces. Remove the pie from the oven and top evenly with the streusel. If you choose to make decorative pieces using the pie crust discard and cookie cutters, add them now.
  5. Bake again. Bake until pie crust pieces and streusel are lightly browned and the center is no longer jiggly.
  6. Remove and allow to set. Remove the pie from the oven and allow to set. Serve with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.

Storage and Freezing

How to Store Pumpkin Apple Pie

Store this chilled, please! You can serve it warm, room temperature or cold, but store it in the fridge. It should last about 5 days in the refrigerator, covered. If it lasts that long…

Can I Freeze Pumpkin Apple Pie?

Technically, yes, you can freeze this pie, however there is still a lot of moisture in the pumpkin layer and sometimes it thaws to be a little mushy, especially the crust.

overhead shot of sliced pumpkin apple pie

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prevent my crust from burning?

This one is tricky, but your best option for a crust that is golden is to use a crust saver or gently lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top without letting it touch and mar the top.

Can I use canned apple pie filling?

I suppose you can, but I haven’t tried it out. If you do, please come back and leave a comment telling us how it went!

Can I use brown sugar instead of white sugar?

You can! It will give it a caramelized and slightly molasses flavor.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving might be my favorite holiday just for the FOOD! Here are some of my favorite recipes for Thanksgiving.

overhead shot of slice of pumpkin apple pie on plate with text overlay
overhead shot of sliced pumpkin apple pie

Pumpkin Apple Pie with Pecan Crust

4.24 from 13 votes
Pumpkin Apple Pie is the best of both worlds! Pumpkin pie and apple pie merged together in a pecan crust with streusel topping. The perfect holiday dessert!
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 2 hours 1 minute
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Pie Crust

Pumpkin Filling

Apple Filling

Streusel

Instructions

Pie Crust:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have a deep 9-inch pie plate ready.
  • In a small food processor, blend the pecans to a paste. Add the flour, butter, salt, brown sugar and heavy cream. Pulse until combined and formed into a crumbly mixture. Slowly add the chilled water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough is formed.
  • Turn the dough out on a floured surface and form into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
  • Return the dough to a floured surface or silicone mat. Roll it out into a large circle measuring 13 inches in diameter. Roll the dough up on a rolling pin to easily lay it into a deep dish pie plate.
  • Using your fingers gently press the pie crust into all crevices. Using a your thumb and forefingers, pinch together edges to form a scalloped rim. If making a decorative crust using cut-outs, cut off excess and re-roll into a ball, roll it out and cut into leaf shapes (or any desired shape), cover with a damp towel and set aside.
  • Place pie weights on the inside or pierce generously with a fork to prevent bubbling. Bake the crust for 14-16 minutes, or untul very lightly browned. Remove and set aside to cool. 

Pumpkin Filling:

  • In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the pumpkin puree with the pumpkin pie spice, sugar, salt, egg, evaporated milk, melted butter and vanilla until no streaks remain. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Apple Filling:

  • Combine the lemon juice and ice water in a large bowl. Using a mandoline slicer or very sharp knife, slice the apples into very thin slices. Aim for 1/8 of an inch or smaller. Immediately toss them into the prepared bowl of ice water. Set aside. 
  • In a small bowl combine the apple butter, cinnamon, sugar and flour. 
  • Drain the apple slices, patting dry and spread them out into a thin layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the apple butter mixture over top, spreading it around with your hands.

Streusel Topping:

  • In a food processor or using a pastry cutter, combine the butter, both sugars, flour and pumpkin pie spice until a crumbly mixture forms. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Assemble the Pie:

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Layer the apple slices into the bottom of the cooked pie crust in an even layer. Discard any apple butter mixture remaining in the bowl.
  • Pour the pumpkin filling on top of the apple slices.
  • Bake the pie for 40 minutes, the pie will not be fully cooked at this time. Use a pie crust saver to prevent browning on crust. 
  • Remove the pie from the oven and top evenly with the streusel. If you choose to make decorative pieces using the pie crust discard and cookie cutters, add them now. Brush them with 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cream mixture to achieve a glossy look and help them adhere.
  • Bake the pie for an additional 10-15 minutes or until pie crust pieces and streusel are lightly browned and the center is no longer jiggly.
  • Remove the pie from the oven and allow to set for 10 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.
  • If you have tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Video

Notes

If you want more decorative pieces on your pie crust, buy a pre-made crust at the store and use this to make the leaf cut-outs. The discard from the pie crust will yield limited pieces that are better for adding to a pinched crust rather than doing the whole thing, as pictured. 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 827 kcal, Carbohydrates: 100 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 45 g, Saturated Fat: 26 g, Cholesterol: 127 mg, Sodium: 432 mg, Potassium: 307 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 63 g, Vitamin A: 8435 IU, Vitamin C: 5.9 mg, Calcium: 97 mg, Iron: 3.1 mg
Author: Chef Jessica Anne
Calories: 827
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple pie, pumpkin pie
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
collage of pumpkin apple pie
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

4.24 from 13 votes (13 ratings without comment)

Join The Discussion

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. In the pumpkin filling, where it says 1 pumpkin spice. Is that 1 Tbsp of Pumpkin Spice? Thanks! I can’t wait to try your recipe!!

    1. Hi Holly! Thanks for catching that. It is one 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice. I’m updating it now!