Skillet Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you bake a pie in a cast iron skillet? ›

Your crust will come out baked evenly with cast iron. Your pie wedges will also be gratifyingly deep. The cast iron skillet comes in at a 2-inch depth while a glass pie plate are just over an inch deep. Your deep dish pie will reign supreme at the holiday table.

If you're making a pie that doesn't require a baked filling, you still need a baked crust. Or if you're baking a pie with a liquid-y filling that sets quickly in the oven, like pumpkin pie, your crust may need a baking headstart.

Canned pumpkin is fully cooked. But if you make a pie, a cake, pumpkin bread, cookies, muffins or any other baked good, it tastes so much better.

They are the same product. Both canned pumpkin puree and pie filling are useful, shelf-stable ingredients that can help speed up your kitchen prep time. Just remember that puree is unsweetened, while pie filling contains sugar and spices. This will help you choose the right pumpkin product for your recipes.

A standard pie pan is a 9-inch round, so your best bet for skillet pie success is with a 9-inch cast-iron skillet. A 10-inch skillet will also work—just make sure you have enough crust to cover the bottom and sides. Any larger and your bake times will be off, resulting in burnt crust or underdone filling.

Baking pies in a cast iron skillet is as easy as any other vessel. I use a No. 8 Field Skillet for my recipes, which is the closest in size to a standard pie plate.

Often, blind-baking solves this problem. If you're making a single crust custard-filled pie, like a pumpkin pie, bake the pie dough first before adding filling to allow some of the moisture in the crust to evaporate. You can also totally blind-bake fruit pies.

Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven. The layer will absorb moisture and prevent the filling from turning the crust soggy.

This extra step is especially important when it comes to custard pies like pumpkin. Blind baking gives the crust a chance to dry out a bit before adding a wet filling and baking again, ensuring a crisp, flaky bottom and a pie that holds its shape.

While the canned pumpkin puree is just canned pumpkin, the Libby "Canned Pumpkin Pie Filling" also has sugar syrup, natural flavoring, salt and spices.

What happens if you use pumpkin pie mix instead of pumpkin puree? ›

Don't use pumpkin pie filling in place of pumpkin purée.

Every can of pumpkin pie filling has a different amount of sugar and spices and if you add it to a bread or muffin recipe you might get a very sweet and not-spiced-enough loaf. Try this instead: Buy pumpkin purée!

Canned pumpkin (labeled as "100% pure pumpkin") is a purée of pumpkin that is sometimes mixed with other kinds of winter squash. It is unsweetened and does not contain any added spices. Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing, and you'll often see the terms used interchangeably in recipes and cookbooks.

Pumpkin puree can be labeled as 100% pure pumpkin, pumpkin puree, solid pack pumpkin, or simply "pumpkin." Regardless of what it's called, one thing pumpkin puree won't contain is any sort of seasonings or sugar—it's just cooked and mashed squash.

Yes, dogs can eat pumpkin and it is actually often added to dog foods. Check the label of some dog treats and you may find pumpkin on the ingredient list there too. However, if you are feeding fresh pumpkin, you will need to be careful about which part you're feeding as the stem and leaves are covered in prickly hairs.

A cast iron skillet can be used for baking or as a casserole dish for your potatoes au gratin. I've also used a cast iron pan for biscuits, cakes, sticky buns, upside-down cakes, and giant cookies.

Adjust cook times on traditional recipes. Cast iron retains heat really well. If you're baking your favorite recipe in cast iron for the first time, keep in mind that it might brown quicker, so check your baked goods a few minutes before you think it might be done.