Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Pie

Published: Nov 22, 2013 · Modified: Nov 19, 2024 by Olga · This post may contain affiliate links

This Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Pie combines a creamy dulce de leche cheesecake layer with a rich pumpkin filling for a perfect fall dessert.

If you're looking for a dessert that combines the best of both worlds, this Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Pie is the perfect treat. It features two delicious layers: a creamy dulce de leche cheesecake layer topped with a pumpkin filling. This combination creates an indulgent, rich pie that’s both decadent and comforting.

The pie is built on a tender cream cheese crust with hazelnut, that has a flazy, nutty and buttery flavor. It really complements the sweetness of the dulce de leche and the autumnal flavor of the pumpkin. With the layers of flavor blending together, every bite is a delicious balance of creamy and smooth goodness.

This dulce de leche pumpkin pie is surprisingly easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time, making it the perfect dessert for any special occasion or holiday. It’s sure to impress with its elegant presentation and irresistible flavors, and it’s a great way to elevate your usual pumpkin pie.

Recipe slightly adapted from Better Home and Gardens.

Ingredients:

Hazelnut Pie Crust:

1 ¼ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup toasted, ground hazelnuts

pinch of salt

½ package (4 oz.) cream cheese, cold

1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter, cold

1 egg yolk

1 Tablespoon ice cold water

Cheesecake Filling:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

⅓ of a 14 oz. can dulce de leche (or to taste)

1 egg

1-2 teaspoons hazelnut liqueur or vanilla, optional

Pumpkin Filling:

1 ¼ cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

½ cup evaporated milk

2 eggs

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1-2 teaspoons hazelnut liqueur, optional

¼-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (I used cinnamon)

2 Tablespoon dulce de leche

To garnish:

Whipped cream

Hazelnuts

How To Make the Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Pie

Start with really cold ingredients. Place the flour in the refrigerator or freezer to cool for a few minutes, and cut the cream cheese and butter and cut them into small pieces and also place them in the freezer to chill for about 10 minutes.

Toast the hazelnuts and cool. Pulse them in the food processor until finely ground, yet still has a bit of texture, not into a powder. (You will need to use about ⅓ cup of hazelnuts to end up with ¼ cup of ground hazelnuts, with a bit left over, which I used to decorate the pie later.)

In a food processor, combine the flour, ground hazelnuts and salt. Add the pieces of cold cream cheese and pulse a few times to combine.

Add the cold butter pieces and pulse to combine, just a few times, until you have pea sized butter pieces dispersed in the dough. Add the egg yolk and cold water and pulse to combine a few more times.

The dough will be very shaggy at this point. Dump it out onto a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper and quickly gather it together into a disc shape. Don't work it too much with your hands, or the warmth of your hands will melt the butter in the dough and we want it to remain in little bits distributed throughout the crust. Wrap the pie dough in the aluminum foil or parchment paper and chill for at least 1 hour. I like to make my pie crusts the night before.

In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or using a bowl and a hand held mixer, mix the softened cream cheese with the dulce de leche, until it's smooth and creamy. Adjust the amount of dulce de leche according to how sweet you would like it to be. Add the egg and the hazelnut liqueur or vanilla. Mix to combine.

To Assemble the Pie:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust into approximately 11 inches and place it in a 9 inch pie pan. (You may want to let the pie dough rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before rolling it out, if it was in there refrigerator overnight, to make it easier to roll out.)

Trim the really long pieces of pie crust off with kitchen scissors, leaving about ½ inch of dough hanging off the edge of the pie pan. Fold the excess dough, so it will be underneath the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the edges. I used this really neat wheat design.

Here's how to do it:

With kitchen scissors, make 45 degree diagonal cuts, every ½ -¾ inch, all the way around the crust. Then, simply bend every other piece in the opposite direction, pinching the end to make it slightly pointed. Make sure that the edges of the crust are not hanging off too much from the edge of the pie plate, or they will break off very easily.

Pour the cheesecake filling inside the pie crust and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Pumpkin Filling.

Pumpkin Filling:

In another bowl, combine the canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, 2 eggs, sugar, vanilla, hazelnut liqueur (if using) and the dulce de leche until evenly mixed.

Baking the Pie:

When the cheesecake layer has chilled, carefully pour the pumpkin filling over it and smooth it out.

Bake the pie in the preheated oven for about 25 - 30 minutes, then cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil, being careful not to break the pretty edge of the pie and bake for another 25 - 30 minutes, until the filling is set in the middle. Cool completely. (I would recommend making this pie the day before you plan to serve it and storing it in the refrigerator overnight. It will be so much easier to cut.)

Serve with whipped cream and more hazelnuts. I sprinkled the ground hazelnuts that I had left over from the pie crust around the edge of the pie and topped each slice with more toasted and coarsely chopped hazelnuts. I also added a splash of hazelnut liqueur to the cream when I was whipping it up.