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Are you like me and want something a little different than pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving this year? If so, my Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie is that perfect little twist. Kabocha squash is more flavorful than your typical sugar pumpkin, and I’ve still kept the pumpkin pie spice that really defines the season. Plus, making your own caramel adds an additional depth to the flavor of this pie. Trust me, you’ll want a larger than normal slice!
Try a little twist on pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving this year!
My favorite Thanksgiving dessert is pumpkin pie, like everybody else, right? But I also love experimenting with different ingredients from the farmers market to create my own twists on these classics. Since Kabocha squash has a much stronger squash flavor than your typical sugar pumpkin, it seemed like an easy substitution in pumpkin desserts.
In fact, many pumpkin desserts don’t have any pumpkin in them at all! They’ll often use kabocha squash or butternut squash instead. Don’t believe me? Starbucks switched up its Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe in 2015 to include kabocha squash puree, not sugar pumpkin puree.
Additionally, I got the idea for the caramel in this pie from reading Six Seasons: a New Way with Vegetables. This cookbook was recommended to me by a café owner in Budapest, Hungary, while my husband and I were traveling through eastern Europe. While talking, I mentioned I had a blog that was all about fresh ingredients, and she said this cookbook was an absolute must read. The filling for this pie is heavily inspired from the Carrot Pie in Six Seasons.
These two ideas, the kabocha squash and the caramel, led me to create this Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie. It was an immediate home run; my husband even asked me to make it again for actual Thanksgiving this year.
Farmers Market Ingredients and Substitutions
Kabocha Squash
Kabocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkins, are a hard-skinned winter squash with a dense, orange flesh. There are both green skinned and red skinned varieties; either of these will make an excellent pie, but the red skinned variety tends to be a little sweeter.
Look for kabocha squashes that are heavy for their size for the best flavor.
Want to read more about different winter squashes you’ll probably only see at the farmers market? I’ve got a whole post over here just for that! Any of these squashes would also make a great pie filling.
And if you’re feeling super lazy, you can use canned pumpkin puree. Be sure to use the pumpkin puree and not the canned pumpkin pie filling, which is pre-sweetened and spiced. If you’re lucky, you might also find canned butternut squash puree, which would also be a great substitution for this Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie.
Tips and Tricks
Cooking the Kabocha Squash
Winter squash can be notoriously difficult to cook if you don’t know what you’re doing. But don’t worry, there are several methods that can make this a lot easier!
First, the absolute easiest option is to bake the kabocha squash whole. The only downside is the amount of time it can take; it can take up to an hour for the squash to soften. This is the method I use when preparing squash purees and when I have the time to do so. Simply poke a few holes for steam to escape from the squash with either a fork or the point of a sharp knife, and bake until soft. After the squash is soft, cut it in half, then scoop out the seeds. From this point, you can scoop out the kabocha squash flesh and use it in your recipes.
Second, if you’re short on time, the Instant Pot is your best bet. It’s not quite as easy as the first baking method, since you will need to cut the kabocha squash to fit inside your Instant Pot before it is soft. But, it’s much, much faster; like half the amount of time as baking. For the best results, use a wire rack (this comes with your Instant Pot) so that the squash doesn’t sit inside the water; yes, the water is needed for the Instant Pot to create pressure inside the vessel. After you fast release the pressure, you’ll be able to remove the softened kabocha squash and continue making this Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie.
About the pie crust…
I am not a strong baker, so I often buy premade pie crusts. No shame, know what you’re good at and what you enjoy! By using a premade crust, I’m able to focus on the part I enjoy most: the kabocha squash filling! In terms of premade pie crusts, I recommend the Trader Joe’s version, which you can roll out and bake in your own pie pans.
If you’d like to make your own pie crust, Sally’s Baking Addiction has a fantastic all-butter pie crust recipe. She has a ton of information on her blog about baking generally, plus a lot of tips and tricks for making different pie crusts. Sally’s blog is usually my first stop for baking information, so she won’t steer you wrong for your own baking adventures.
Serving Suggestions
What’s better than a lightly sweetened whipped cream to top this Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie? I’ve included my whipped cream recipe below! Don’t be tempted to leave out the sugar; I found it to be necessary to actually taste the vanilla.
Not into whipped cream? I think another great option would be candied walnuts; place one on each slice for a pretty presentation. These candied walnuts from Old Dog Ranch are some of my favorites (not sponsored, I just love them; I’ll often pick them up from the San Francisco farmers markets when I’m in town), if you’re not in the mood to candy your own.
Also, don’t forget to serve a nice cup of tea alongside each slice of pie! Black tea is the perfect accompaniment to balance out a sweet dessert.
What should I do about the leftovers?
This Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie actually freezes really well! I recommend cutting it into slices before freezing; this way, you’ll be able to thaw one slice at a time. Let it come to room temperature slowly on the countertop for the best textural results.
Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie
Are you like me and want something a little different than pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving this year? If so, my Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie is that perfect little twist. Kabocha squash is more flavorful than your typical sugar pumpkin, and I've still kept the pumpkin pie spice that really defines the season. Plus, making your own caramel adds an additional depth to the flavor of this pie. Trust me, you'll want a larger than normal slice!
Ingredients
Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie
- 1 pie crust, either premade or homemade using your favorite recipe
- 1½ lb kabocha squash, either one small or half of one large squash
- ¼ cup fine granulated sugar
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream, divided
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ tbsp fine granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Poke top of the kabocha squash with a knife to allow steam to escape. Place the whole kabocha squash in the oven to bake for approximately 1 hour, or until soft. Remove from the oven to cool, then remove the seeds and skin from the squash. Add to a blender.
- While the kabocha squash is in the oven, lay pie crust into pie pan and crimp edges. Prick bottom of pie crust using a fork. Let crust chill in the refrigerator while the kabocha squash finishes in the oven.
- Bake crust uncovered for 15 minutes. Cover the crust with aluminum foil, reduce oven temperature to 325°F, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- While the crust is pre-baking, make the caramel. In a small saucepan, add the sugar and ¼ cup of water. Stir to combine; the sugar will not completely dissolve. Heat on medium heat until the sugar dissolves and turns a dark brown caramel color. This will take about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Immediately remove from the heat and whisk in ½ cup of the heavy whipping cream. Be warned: this will spatter. Stir in the butter and salt until combined. Pour into the blender with the kabocha squash.
- Add the rest of the heavy whipping cream to the blender with the kabocha squash and caramel. Add the eggs, egg yolk, and pumpkin pie spice. Blend until well combined, about 5 minutes.
- Remove foil from the crust. Pour the kabocha squash filling inside, and return to the 325°F oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the center has set. There will still be a jiggle, but the center should not be liquid. Remove pie from oven.
- Let pie cool completely before cutting, minimum of 20 minutes.
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- In a medium sized mixing bowl (preferably metal), whip the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form.
- Add the sugar, and continue to whisk until stiff peaks.
- Fold in the vanilla extract and cinnamon
- Add one dollop to each slice of the Caramel Kabocha Squash Pie
Notes
In order to save time, bake the squash at the same time as the pre-bake of the pie crust.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 401Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 144mgSodium: 272mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 6g
Calculated nutrition values are not always accurate, but can provide a general idea for planning purposes. Please do not rely on this information as it may not be complete. Recipes that include unusual ingredients, especially scrap ingredients, will have the least accurate information with this calculator.
