Recipe: Trellis Restaurant’s Pumpkin Pie

December 2, 2024·Recipes + Pairings·2 min·

Every holiday season, Trellis Restaurant’s pastry chef, Caydee has the joy of bringing pies to her own family table—a tradition that’s as special as the dessert itself. This isn’t your typical pumpkin pie; it’s made with homemade pumpkin purée and features a secret ingredient: black pepper for an unexpected kick. Plus, if you prep your ingredients ahead of time, you can whip up this classic in under an hour.

Looking for more holiday dessert inspiration from Caydee? Check out her Fresh Ginger Cake with Brown Butter Icing & Candied Orange.

How to Roast Pumpkins:

INGREDIENTS

1 or more small pie pumpkins (“sugar pumpkins”)
Olive oil (optional)
Salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven: Set to 375°F.
Prepare the pumpkins by washing to remove dirt, cutting off the stem and slicing the pumpkin in half (or quarters for easier scooping), scraping out seeds and fibers (save seeds for roasting if desired), and (optional) drizzling the cut sides with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt for added flavor.
Roast the pumpkins for 45-60 minutes by placing pumpkin halves, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Cool and scoop: Let pumpkins cool, then scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.
Purée the pumpkin: Blend the roasted flesh in a food processor until smooth.

Pumpkin Pie:

INGREDIENTS

Pie dough (homemade or store-bought, enough for a 9-inch pie plate)
425g homemade pumpkin purée
3 large eggs
250g light or dark brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp vanilla extract
240ml (1 cup) heavy cream
60ml (1/4 cup) whole milk

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven: Set to 375°F.
Mix the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée, eggs, and brown sugar until smooth. Add heavy cream, whole milk, and vanilla extract; whisk until combined.
Incorporate dry ingredients: Sift in cornstarch, spices, and salt. Whisk until fully combined.
Assemble the pie: Pour the filling into your prepared pie crust.
Bake for 50–55 minutes, until the center is almost set (it should jiggle slightly, like
Jell-O).
Let the pie cool on the counter or refrigerate once fully cooled.

WINE PAIRINGS

Trellis’ Ethan Headly recommends these two Dundee Hills vintages to pair with this decadent pumpkin pie.