Pumpkin Pie with Crunchy Pumpkin Seed Crust

Pumpkin Pie with Crunchy Pumpkin Seed Crust

4.1 of 5 (52)
member ratings
Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 8
  • 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

View full nutritional breakdown of Pumpkin Pie with Crunchy Pumpkin Seed Crust calories by ingredient


Introduction

This pie crust has a crunchy addition: pepitas, or shelled pumpkin seeds. They add a nice nutty flavor.

This pie crust has a crunchy addition: pepitas, or shelled pumpkin seeds. They add a nice nutty flavor.


Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients

    Crust:
    1 tablespoon light butter
    4 sheets plain or honey graham crackers
    1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons raw, unsalted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

    Filling:
    4 ounces Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
    1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
    1/4 cup 2% evaporated milk
    1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
    1 egg
    1 egg white

Tips

This pumpkin pie has all the familiar flavors you crave at the Thanksgiving Day table, but it's a little healthier. The typical slice of pumpkin pie has 230 calories and more than 10 grams of fat.

I used a food processor to make this recipe instead of a mixer. You can use whatever you have at home, but the food processor will produce a smoother filling, which makes for a silkier finished pie.


Directions

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.

Member Ratings For This Recipe


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    Incredible!
    10 of 10 people found this review helpful
    Fantastic! Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit :) - 11/25/10


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    Very Good
    6 of 7 people found this review helpful
    This looks great. I usually make my pumpkin pie graham-cracker type crust with gingersnaps, and will add the pepitas to that. Thanks! - 11/19/11


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    Bad
    6 of 16 people found this review helpful
    Too hard to make -- besides I love pumpkin pie. I make mine without a crust and can eat the whole pie for 300 calories so I could eat the whole thing in one day. I don't but it's great thinking about it. - 4/3/11


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    5 of 7 people found this review helpful
    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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    5 of 5 people found this review helpful
    This is a wonderful recipe!! S-o-o delicious! - 11/9/10


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    3 of 4 people found this review helpful
    You can get the shelled pumpkin seeds in the mexican isle of most grocercy stores. for a lot cheaper than you can get them from your health food stores (in Tx anyways). - 4/3/11


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    Good
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
    Pretty decent recipe, especially considering the calories! I made into mini-pies (made about 35). - 9/27/12


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    Incredible!
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
    Love this recipe. Made it many times and about to do it again! So excited! - 9/27/12


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    Very Good
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
    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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    Very Good
    2 of 4 people found this review helpful
    interesting I am NOT a huge pumpkin pie fan (I think I was forced to eat it as a kid ) but I do love pumpkin seeds - I will even eat them unshelled which probably isn't good for me. - 4/3/11


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    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I make this without grains (using ground almonds and walnuts as the graham cracker crumbs) and season it the same way. Very tast and full of healthy Omega 3 oils. - 10/1/18


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    Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    Not as sweet as your typical store bought version, which made it better imo. Couldn't find pepitas locally, so substituted pecans and it turned out well. - 11/23/12


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    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    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


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    Very Good
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    It was good but I had to cook it about an hour in order for the pumpkin to get done so the crust probably was a little burnt - 11/24/11


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    Very Good
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    Very good. If you are looking for a pie to bring to Aunt Sue's this is the one. It will set you apart from the Costco crowd. - 11/19/11


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    Good
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    This is treally tasty! - 11/19/11


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    Good
    1 of 3 people found this review helpful
    sounds great. Will be making this for the weekend company. - 4/4/11


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    1 of 4 people found this review helpful
    will try this - 4/3/11


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    Good
    1 of 2 people found this review helpful
    It's so good, that I'll bet you can't eat just one piece. I don't bake because of that.. LOL - 4/3/11


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    Very Good
    1 of 2 people found this review helpful
    I think the filling would be fantastic but the pumpkin seeds in the crust were a nonstarter - 11/10/10


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    very good - 1/11/21


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    Great for Thanksgiving - 11/28/20


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    Good
    yummy - 11/9/20


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    Interesting...thanks! - 11/4/20


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    Good
    Delicious Holiday recipe. - 11/4/20


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    O.K.
    Buy the Graham crackers already crushed, it is 2020 after all. Such an old recipe.... - 11/3/20


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    delicious - 10/23/20


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    :) - 10/23/20


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    This was so good. I love pumpkin pie!!! - 9/7/20


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    thanks - 1/22/20


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    really great. love pumpkin. - 11/26/19


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    Good
    Some people liked it, and others didn't . - 11/26/19


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    Sounds like an awesome pie. Thanks for sharing. - 11/12/19


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    Incredible!
    So tasty! - 5/17/19


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    Incredible!
    This was so good. My son just loved it. Made it for him when he was in town. - 1/29/19


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    interesting crust - 11/25/18


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    Very Good
    Was enjoyed. Was more work than expected. Love PENNYN2 Remarks - 11/24/18


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    Very Good
    A keeper! - 11/23/18


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    NICE - 9/25/18


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    Delicious! - 9/25/18


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    Incredible!
    awesome recipe - 9/25/18


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    I like that beat us but is it worth adding the extra fat? I guess one could lower the fat in the filling and Addmore pumpkin pie spice! - 11/30/17


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    Nice - 11/29/17


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    Very Good
    I prepared this for a community gathering for Thanksgiving! Received many positive comments on this dish! - 11/29/17


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    Excellent - 11/20/17


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    sounds like a great recipe - 11/17/17


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    nice - 11/10/17


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    Didn't really taste the difference with the pumpkin seeds in the crust. Maybe more pumpkin seeds next time. - 11/9/17


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    This sounds so tasty!!! - 11/8/17


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    I have to try this recipe. - 11/7/17


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    Incredible!
    yummy! - 11/6/17


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    What an interesting idea for a crust. Gotta give that a try. - 11/5/17


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    Incredible!
    Best pumpkin pie recipe ever! Yummy! - 11/5/17


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    Incredible!
    Love me some Pumpkin Pie - 11/5/17


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    Incredible!
    I made this pumpkin pie last Thanksgiving! It was absolutely delicious! Yummy! - 11/5/17


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    mmmm - 10/27/17


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    Yumm. Looks great. Can't wait to try this one - 10/22/17


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    This is very similar to the pumpkin pie that I make - but I skip the crust and pour it into ramekins and bake it that way. Will have to give this recipe for the filling a try, but will skip the crust. Not a fan of crust anyway. - 10/12/17


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    This appears to be another recipe where the picture is not a depiction of the recipe--that doesn't look like a graham cracker crust with pepitas. - 12/17/15


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    Incredible!
    The crust is unique and different from the usual. If I do a crust at all this one is great to do. Nice pie that is a cross between pumpkin pie and cheese cake. Thank you - 11/6/14


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    What are graham cracker sheets? - 10/22/13


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    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
    This looks so good and gluten free too! Thanks for sharing! This will be a must! - 11/22/12


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    Very Good
    Excellent and unusual pumpkin pie. - 11/11/12


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    0 of 2 people found this review helpful
    Great. - 3/21/12


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    Very Good
    YUM! - 11/21/11


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    0 of 2 people found this review helpful
    I love pumpking pie and want to try this but only have a hand mixer, not a food processor. Wonder if it will turn out ok??? - 11/19/11


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    0 of 3 people found this review helpful
    Haven't tried this yet, but, based on the ratings, I will this weekend. - 4/8/11


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    Very Good
    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
    Yummy - 4/5/11


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    0 of 2 people found this review helpful
    My son LOVES pumpkin pie. I can't wait to make this for him. - 4/4/11


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    0 of 2 people found this review helpful
    Sounds like an interesting twist to add to any pumpkin pie crust. I'll have to consider adding the seeds to my pumpkin pie crust next time I make it. - 4/4/11


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    Good
    0 of 2 people found this review helpful
    thank you - 4/3/11


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    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I love pumpkin and can't wait to try!!!!! - 4/3/11


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    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
    Sounds good. - 4/3/11


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    I'd like to know where to find shelled pumpkin seeds or how to easily shell them yourself. I just threw away the roasted seeds I made after Halloween, because I didn't like the shells. But I loved the little kernel inside. I want more! - 12/3/10


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    Very Good
    A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
    - Lao Tzu
    - 12/3/10


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    Incredible!
    0 of 2 people found this review helpful
    Sounds fantastic! - 11/13/10


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    0 of 2 people found this review helpful
    THIS SOUNDS GOOD--AND PUMPKIN IS SO GOOD FOR U.
    I WILL TRY THIS ONE
    - 11/10/10


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    Incredible!
    0 of 3 people found this review helpful
    I love pumpkin pie, and my husband loves crumb crust. This will be a winner! - 11/9/10


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    Incredible!
    0 of 3 people found this review helpful
    sure sounds like something my family would enjoy. They all love pumpkin pie - 11/9/10