Do you have a tart pan that you’re itching to use? And love pumpkin pie? Do you want to skip the rolling pin? Are you answering these questions? Can you stand on your head? 😉 Let’s make a pumpkin tart this Thanksgiving!
Tell Me About This Pumpkin Tart
Texture: Since the slices aren’t as thick as traditional pumpkin pie, it’s not quite as custardy. However, if the tart isn’t over-baked and cools completely, you’ll enjoy a pleasantly creamy texture on a firm crust. Flavor: The buttery pecan-speckled crust tastes a step above plain tart crust because you have that additional toasty nutty flavor. For the pumpkin filling, we’re essentially using a scaled down version of regular pumpkin pie. Sweetened with brown sugar and plentifully spiced, this tart is for pumpkin spice aficionados. Feel free to skip the black pepper if you don’t want that extra kick. Fluffy whipped cream and salty caramel are familiar garnishes, but definitely take this pumpkin tart to the next level if you have time to make either. (Whipped cream takes 5 minutes!) Baking: Par-baking the crust is imperative before you bake the whole tart. Par-baking takes a little extra time, but you’ll be rewarded with an impressively tasty crust that isn’t overly soggy. A lot of other pie and tart recipes require this step such as quiche, regular pumpkin pie, and chocolate pie. Luckily making the filling is a breeze using a whisk and mixing bowl! Time: Set aside 1 hour to prep this dessert recipe, which includes par-baking and getting the entire tart in the oven. Pumpkin tart is ideal after fully cooling, so feel free to make this tart 1 day in advance.
Key Pumpkin Tart Ingredients You Need & Why
Pecans: The pecan pastry crust obviously starts with—you guessed it—pecans. If you want to skip the nuts, there are alternative crust options and I detail those next. The only substitution I tested was walnuts and it worked just as well. All-Purpose Flour: Flour is the base of the pecan crust. If you want a gluten free tart crust, see this chocolate coconut almond tart recipe. I haven’t tested it with this pumpkin filling. Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: Granulated sugar is ideal in the crust and brown sugar is key in the filling. I tried swapping granulated sugar for brown sugar in the crust (so you’d only need 1 type of sugar) and the crust was simply too moist and tasted denser. If needed, you can substitute granulated sugar for brown sugar in the filling but you’ll lose all of the delicious brown sugar flavor that pairs so nicely with pumpkin. Cold Butter: Like in most pastry-style crusts, cold butter is ideal. Even though we’re not making a traditional pie crust, you still need cold butter to properly coat the dry ingredients and produce a tasty, yet sturdy foundation for the tart. Pumpkin Puree: No surprise here! Though fresh pumpkin puree worked just fine, taste testers and I preferred the tart made with canned pumpkin puree instead. I usually use Libby’s brand. (Not sponsored—simply love the quality and flavor.) Heavy Cream: Just as cold butter is the crust’s best friend, heavy cream is the filling’s BFF. Heavy cream produces a rich and luscious pumpkin filling that half-and-half, milk, or evaporated milk cannot match. Bonus: use extra heavy cream to make whipped cream for garnish. Egg: Egg helps the filling set. Salt & Spices: If you love cinnamon and ginger, your tastebuds will savor each bite of this pumpkin tart. Black pepper continues to be my favorite pumpkin pie ingredient because it adds a deeper spice flavor that taste testers certainly notice, but never realize it’s black pepper! You could also use homemade pumpkin pie spice here (see recipe Note).
Why Par-Bake the Pecan Tart Crust?
The crust takes longer to bake than the filling, so it requires extra time in the oven. This is when a step called par-baking, also known as blind baking, is beneficial. Partially par-baking this pecan tart crust means you need pie weights to help the crust hold shape during the par-baking process. Note: Make sure you have enough pie weights. I always use 2 packs of these (affiliate link) pie weights. Find all of the par-baking step-by-step photos below the recipe.
Other Crust Options
If you’d like to skip the pecan tart crust below, here are a few other tested options. Each requires a quick par-bake, but the first 2 options don’t need pie weights. No matter which crust recipe you use, the pumpkin tart must bake in a 350°F (177°C) oven for the same time listed in step 6 below.
Graham Cracker Crust or Gingerbread Cookie Crust: If you want a cookie crust instead of a pastry-style crust, use the graham cracker crust from this peanut butter cup tart recipe or gingersnap cookie crust from this pumpkin streusel bars recipe. A Biscoff pie crust would be fantastic here, too. Press tightly into your 9-inch tart pan and pre-bake at 350°F (177°C) for 12 minutes before pouring in the filling and baking the whole tart. Note regarding gingersnap cookies—store-bought gingersnap cookies are ideal as they are the most dry. The ONLY brand that I’ve had issues with is the Nabisco gingersnap cookies. They’re delicious on their own, but they’re too moist for a gingersnap cookie crust. Shortbread Crust: Use the crust recipe from this lemon blueberry tart. Add 2 Tablespoons (25g) flour for a firmer dough. Follow steps 3 and 4 in the lemon blueberry tart recipe, which includes par-baking the crust at 350°F (177°C). Tart Crust Without Nuts: Follow the exact same crust/par-baking steps instructed in the recipe below at 375°F (190°C), but use the crust from this strawberry peach galette recipe. Chilling the dough for 1 hour as instructed in the galette recipe is imperative. Use a rolling pin to roll out the chilled dough into a 10-12 inch circle. Press firmly into your 9-inch tart pan and trim edges.
Make This Pumpkin Tart If…
You love pumpkin pie but want to try something different on your menu of Thanksgiving pies Crimping/fluting pie crust edges isn’t your forte You need a slightly quicker variation of pumpkin pie You’re craving sweet & spiced pumpkin flavor A traditional pumpkin pie is simply too much
This recipe is part of Sally’s Pie Week, an annual tradition where I share a handful of new recipes that fit into the pie/crisp/tart category. Join the community below!
Quick Step-By-Step Photos of Crust
This How to Blind Bake Pie Crust video and guide is helpful if you ever need more assistance and help with the par-baking steps! As instructed in the crust step above, pulse the pecans, flour, salt, and sugar together in your food processor. You’re mostly just breaking down the pecans in this step. (Pictured below, left.) Add the cold and cubed butter and pulse until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbs. (Pictured below, right.) As instructed above, add your ice water and pulse. The dough will be crumbly. Press into your 9-inch tart pan. Fill with pie weights. I use and recommend (affiliate link) these pie weights. You need 2 packs to fill a tart or pie shell. After baking with the weights, remove them, prick holes in the crust with a fork (pictured below, left) and then return to the oven to dry out/set the center of the crust. The picture below on the right shows the crust after par-baking and before pouring in the filling. Pour in the filling and bake. Cool completely before serving. Enjoy this one!
