Hickory Smoked Pumpkin Pie

Fall flavors like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg go really well with a warm kiss of hickory in this smoked pumpkin pie made on a pellet grill. 

I don’t know about you, but every Thanksgiving and Christmas, I have about 4 side dishes and at least 2 pies that need oven space. That’s why I cook almost everything on the grill, including my desserts.

I like the extra special touch that hickory smoke gives to the pies. It marries so well with the warm spices of fall.

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Ingredients

Pumpkin: The base of pumpkin pie is of course pumpkin. You have two options. You can either cook down a pumpkin pie pumpkin and mash it yourself. Or you can save yourself a couple of hours and buy the canned stuff. That’s my preference. Just be sure to look for puréed pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling already has spices, sugar and other ingredients mixed in.

Sugars:Use a combo of white and dark brown sugar. You can use straight white sugar, but the brown sugar adds rich molasses notes, making the pie more indulgent.

Eggs: Pumpkin pie is actually a form of custard pie, so you’ll need 4 eggs to help the batter set.

Dairy: If you’ve ever made the pumpkin pie recipe on the back of the can, you know it calls for evaporated milk. My mom taught me long ago to use egg nog in place of the evaporated milk. Once you try it, you’ll never go back.

Spices: If you have a jar of pumpkin spice on hand, you can use that. If not, combine ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger and freshly grated nutmeg.

PRO TIP: While you can buy ground nutmeg, I always buy whole nutmeg and grate the large seed with a zester. This allows the natural essential oils to release right into your dish.

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How to cooked smoked pumpkin pie

Heat your pellet grill to 350F degrees, using Cowboy Charcoal and Hickory Barbecue Pellets. These pellets are not only made with all natural hickory wood, they also include all natural hardwood charcoal, adding an even more authentic flavor. 

Learn more about cooking with wood pellets.

This recipe makes enough custard for two pumpkin pies. If you only want to make one pie, just use a 15-oz can of pureed pumpkin and half of the remaining ingredients. 

Once the pumpkin pie filling is whisked together, pour it into two unbaked pie shells that have been placed in pie pans. If you’re talented at making the fancy fluted edges, good on ya! My pie edging skills are not super…but my pies still taste good, so I give myself a pass. 

Then, place the pies into the pre-heated smoker and bake for one hour. 

How to know when your pumpkin pie is done cooking

Your pies should be ready in about one hour. You’ll know when you see that the custard has risen and when you give it a little jiggle, the center is firm. You can also test it by inserting a knife in the center. When you pull it out, it should come out clean. 

Should you refrigerate pumpkin pie?

Before slicing and serving your smoked pumpkin pie, you should let it cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours. If you’re not serving it right away, still let it cool for a couple of hours before storing. This allows the custard to fully settle. 

It’s safe to leave the pie on the dessert buffet for a couple more hours, but once everyone has had their fill of your delicious dessert, store the leftovers in the refrigerator. 

You can keep the pie in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for a few days. 

More Thanksgiving Recipes

Sweet Corn Pudding Casserole

Irresistible Sweet Potato Casserole

Smoked Turkey on a Drum Smoker

Grilled Acorn Squash Rings