Pumpkin Pie with Crunchy Pumpkin Seed Crust
- Minutes to Prepare:
- Minutes to Cook:
- Number of Servings: 8
Ingredients
Crust:1 tablespoon light butter4 sheets plain or honey graham crackers1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons raw, unsalted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)1/2 teaspoon cinnamonFilling:4 ounces Neufchatel cream cheese, softened1/3 cup brown sugar, packed1 teaspoon vanilla1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree1/4 cup 2% evaporated milk1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 egg1 egg white
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the pepitas in a dry saute pan that has been set over low heat.
Toast the seeds until they start to pop.
Add cinnamon to the pan and toss until the seeds start to turn light brown.
Place on a plate to cool.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of seeds for garnish.
Once the seeds have cooled, grind them in a food processor until they are the texture of sand.
Add the graham crackers and pulse until the mixture is finely ground.
Add the butter and pulse a few times just to combine.
Spray an 8 inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour the crust mixture into the pie plate and press over the bottom and up the sides of the plate.
Bake for 8 minutes, then allow to cool slightly.
Place the cream cheese in the food processor and process for 1-2 minutes, until it's smooth.
Then add the brown sugar and process 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth.
Add the pumpkin, vanilla, milk, and pumpkin pie spice to the mixture and process for 1 minute.
Add the egg and egg white, then pulse to combine.
Pour the filling into the cooled crust, and bake for 25 minutes.
The center will be somewhat jiggly.
Remove from the oven to cool.
Once cool, garnish with the 2 tablespoons reserved pepitas.
Makes 8 servings.
Place the pepitas in a dry saute pan that has been set over low heat.
Toast the seeds until they start to pop.
Add cinnamon to the pan and toss until the seeds start to turn light brown.
Place on a plate to cool.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of seeds for garnish.
Once the seeds have cooled, grind them in a food processor until they are the texture of sand.
Add the graham crackers and pulse until the mixture is finely ground.
Add the butter and pulse a few times just to combine.
Spray an 8 inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour the crust mixture into the pie plate and press over the bottom and up the sides of the plate.
Bake for 8 minutes, then allow to cool slightly.
Place the cream cheese in the food processor and process for 1-2 minutes, until it's smooth.
Then add the brown sugar and process 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth.
Add the pumpkin, vanilla, milk, and pumpkin pie spice to the mixture and process for 1 minute.
Add the egg and egg white, then pulse to combine.
Pour the filling into the cooled crust, and bake for 25 minutes.
The center will be somewhat jiggly.
Remove from the oven to cool.
Once cool, garnish with the 2 tablespoons reserved pepitas.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 168.1
- Total Fat: 7.2 g
- Cholesterol: 35.1 mg
- Sodium: 133.1 mg
- Total Carbs: 24.6 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 4.8 g
Member Reviews
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LONGLEANNLANKY
This was really delish. I did add a bit more brown sugar. Only as I was makng a double batch for the holiday crowd.
I will definitely be making this again.
Also, I added pecans in place of pepitas, and ritz crackers instead of graham. The texture and the flavour of the pumpkin pie was perfect - 11/20/11
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CHARLEDIA
I made this today and liked it very much. I used graham crackers and put in more brown sugar, but it doesn't really need the additional sugar. You could use a coffee grinder for the pumpkin seeds if you don't have a processor, other stuff, you can mix by hand. Health food store has raw peeled seeds - 3/19/12
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CD12463350
I am going to try this pie but I am on a "Cardio Diet" (no fat, no sugar, no taste). I am going to try to replace most of the sugar with Splenda and use Eggbeaters for egg & egg white. I guess that would be the equivalent of 2 eggs. I wil have to use canned evap. skim milk too. ak - 10/22/12