Fall is the best time of the year to try new pumpkin recipes. You can make the best Halloween Pumpkin pie recipe with these cute meringue ghosts by following my step by step recipe. Your family and friends will love it.
One of my favorite things about the holiday season is creating fun food and decorations to fit the celebration. This Halloween pumpkin pie gives a classy nod to the holiday by being both beautiful and delicious.
Want to save the best Halloween pumpkin pie for the adults at the party but still want to make something fun for the kids? Why not accompany your meringue ghost pumpkin pie with some fun donut spiders like this?
The Best Halloween Pumpkin Pie Recipe
It’s that time of year that bustles with excitement. The rhythms of the fall are an invitation into pumpkin spice lattes, spiced candles and warm soups. Our visits to the pumpkin patch and corn maze create memories that will last a lifetime. Traditions, scents, flavors and sites all bring warmth and comfort to me.
Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to make the most of the holidays. More Christmas lights. A lot more spider webs. More eggs. Whatever the theme, I wanted to go all out. Begging my parents to run to the store again was very typical for every upcoming celebration.
That hasn’t changed as an adult. I love to be all in with themes.
At Halloween times, dressing up has always been a highlight. When I was a child, I’d make costumes for myself, my sister, her friends – anyone that would let me. Now, my kids get to be involved in the fun. We have created so many fun family costumes. Check out my Halloween tab to see some of them. This family costume idea post celebrates some of our other ideas.
While costumes are fun, the food also becomes a highlight of every celebration. Food can be an art form and a fun way to express creativity. It’s one of my favorite forms of art. One reason is that I don’t love collecting stuff. To be able to create and then consume is fabulous.
Halloween is a time where you can let your imagination go. Personally, I try and stay way from the darker side of Halloween, keeping creations light and fun. This pumpkin pie recipe stays classy and sweet but still themed with the little meringue ghosts.
Ingredients Needed to Make this Classy Halloween Pumpkin Pie
Note: Scroll down to get the printable recipe card version.
Pumpkin Pie Crust
- 1 cup flour
- One stick (1/2 cup) butter, cold
- An egg yolk (reserve the egg white for the meringue ghosts)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp cold water
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 13 oz of baked pumpkin (see instructions) or 13 oz of canned pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 Tbsp flour
- a pinch (~1/16 tsp) cinnamon
- pinch (~1/16 tsp) nutmeg
- a pinch (~1/16 tsp) dry ginger
- pinch (~1/16 tsp) ground cloves
- a pinch (~1/16 tsp) allspice
Meringue Ghosts
- 4 egg whites, room temperature
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup sugar
How to Make The Best Halloween Pumpkin Pie Recipe
- For the crust, mix flour and sugar and cold butter to make crumbs. I like to grate frozen butter when making both my pie crusts and scones.
2. Add the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of cold water. Assemble the dough into a ball. Next, put it in the refrigerator for an hour to chill.
3. For the pumpkin filling, you have two options. You can make your pumpkin puree at home. Alternatively, you can buy canned pumpkin puree as an easy option.
4. If making your own pumpkin puree, follow the instructions here. If you are using canned pumpkin, simply open the can and add 13 ounces to your other pumpkin pie filling ingredients.
5. Mix pumpkin puree with eggs and sugar. Next, add sweetened condensed milk, flour and spices. Beat with a mixer.
6. After an hour, remove dough from the refrigerator, and roll out the dough to a thickness of 3-4 mm. Place in pie dish. With this pie you see a more rustic pie crust look with the edges rough and uneven. I love the look of this for the Halloween feel. You could always do a more traditional style if you want a cleaner look.
7. Add filling to pie crust.
8. Bake for 15 minutes at a temperature of 400 F, then reduce the temperature to 350 F and bake for another 45-50 minutes. Check with 15 minutes remaining, and if the crust is getting too dark, cover the darkening bits with foil.
9. Allow to cool completely by sticking the pumpkin pie in the refrigerator for two hours.
10. For the meringue ghosts, preheat your oven to 200 F.
11. Add egg whites (make sure to get no yolks), cream of tartar, vanilla and salt to a stand mixer, mixing until soft peaks form. Start slow and work up to high.
12. Next, Gradually add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix for 15 seconds in between before adding the next tablespoon of sugar. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat for an additional 5 minutes. The meringue mixture should be a glossy, smooth and fluffy consistency.
13. Pipe these into “ghosts” by attaching a round tip to a pastry bag. With even pressure, pipe the ghosts out by squeezing and moving your hand slightly up and down. Pipe onto parchment paper on top of a cookie sheet.
14. Bake for an hour. Then, turn off oven, keep door shut and keep meringue ghosts in the oven for another 1-2 hours. They should be dry and crisp.
15. For the eyes, add chocolate bits, nuts, poppyseeds or edible eyes like these ones (Amazon affiliate link). A little caramel can help them stick. Cutting up some Rolos give you the eye and the caramel that helps attach them.
I hope your family, friends or even complete strangers at your harvest party enjoy the best Halloween pumpkin pie recipe with the adorable meringue ghosts.
The Best Halloween Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- Two sticks 1 cup butter, cold
- An egg yolk reserve the egg white for the meringue ghosts
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp cold water
- 13 oz of baked pumpkin see instructions or 13 oz of canned pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 Tbsp flour
- a pinch ~1/16 tsp cinnamon
- pinch ~1/16 tsp nutmeg
- a pinch ~1/16 tsp dry ginger
- pinch ~1/16 tsp ground cloves
- a pinch ~1/16 tsp allspice
- 4 egg whites room temperature
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- For the crust, mix flour and sugar and cold butter to make crumbs. I like to grate frozen butter when making both my pie crusts and scones.
- Add the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of cold water. Assemble the dough into a ball. Next, put it in the refrigerator for an hour to chill.
- For the pumpkin filling, you have two options. You can make your pumpkin puree at home. Alternatively, you can buy canned pumpkin puree as an easy option.
- If making your own pumpkin puree, follow the instructions here. If you are using canned pumpkin, simply open the can and add 13 ounces to your other pumpkin pie filling ingredients.
- Mix pumpkin puree with eggs and sugar. Next, add sweetened condensed milk, flour and spices. Beat with a mixer.
- After an hour, remove dough from the refrigerator, and roll out the dough to a thickness of 3-4 mm. Place in pie dish. With this pie you see a more rustic pie crust look with the edges rough and uneven. I love the look of this for the Halloween feel. You could always do a more traditional style if you want a cleaner look.
- Add filling to pie crust.
- Bake for 15 minutes at a temperature of 400 F, then reduce the temperature to 350 F and bake for another 45-50 minutes. Check with 15 minutes remaining, and if the crust is getting too dark, cover the darkening bits with foil.
- Allow to cool completely by sticking the pumpkin pie in the refrigerator for two hours.
- For the meringue ghosts, preheat your oven to 200 F.
- Add egg whites (make sure to get no yolks), cream of tartar, vanilla and salt to a stand mixer, mixing until soft peaks form. Start slow and work up to high.
- Next, Gradually add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix for 15 seconds in between before adding the next tablespoon of sugar. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat for an additional 5 minutes. The meringue mixture should be a glossy, smooth and fluffy consistency.
- Pipe these into “ghosts” by attaching a round tip to a pastry bag. With even pressure, pipe the ghosts out by squeezing and moving your hand slightly up and down. Pipe onto parchment paper on top of a cookie sheet.
- Bake for an hour. Then, turn off oven, keep door shut and keep meringue ghosts in the oven for another 1-2 hours. They should be dry and crisp.
- For the eyes, add chocolate bits, nuts, poppyseeds or edible eyes like these ones (Amazon affiliate link). A little caramel can help them stick. Cutting up some Rolos give you the eye and the caramel that helps attach them.
Looking for More Fun Halloween Food?
Frankenstein Donuts – Transform store bought donuts into a Halloween treat.
Salty and Sweet Halloween Chex Mix – This is a super fun snack to set out for the harvest season.
Caramel Apples – Easily transform plain old Carmel apples to monster face caramel apples.