Spice up your Thanksgiving dessert table with this spiced chocolate pumpkin pie! It’s beautifully swirled with chocolate and packed full of flavor, with a light chili kick. You need to try it!
Autumn Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
It’s officially pie season! I’m kicking it off this year with an incredible chocolate pumpkin pie, with a spicy twist. This pie has a buttery, flaky pie crust and rich, marbled pumpkin chocolate filling with the perfect blend of chili heat and pumpkin pie spice.
I fell in love with spiced chocolate desserts when I was making my cookbook. I knew chocolate and pumpkin were a match made in heaven (hello, pumpkin swirl brownies), but I wasn’t entirely sure about the extra chili spice in a classic pumpkin pie. It’s safe to say that after the first bite, my worries were put to rest. The flavors in this pie are AMAZING!
Why I Love This Chocolate and Pumpkin Pie
- Big flavor. I’ve never had a pumpkin pie like this before! Then, there are zesty spices like cayenne and chili powder mingling with the classic pumpkin spice in the filling. So good!
- Swirled with chocolate. This recipe has the same rich and creamy texture that I love, swirled with chocolate. I’ll show you how easy it is to get that perfect, marbled look in your chocolate pumpkin pie. Plus, I add a drizzle of decadent cinnamon chocolate ganache as a finishing touch.
- Make-ahead. I like to get a headstart on this pie recipe during the holidays, so I share some simple make-ahead tips. It stores well in the fridge and you can also freeze the leftovers!
If you’re looking for more mouthwatering pumpkin desserts to make this fall, try these moist pumpkin cupcakes and this creamy pumpkin cheesecake.
Ingredient Notes
These are the important ingredients in this special chocolate pumpkin pie. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list with the full amounts and details.
- Pie Crust – You’ll need one pre-baked pie crust. I use my easy pie crust recipe but store-bought is a good option if you’re pressed for time.
- Chocolate – Semi-sweet or dark chocolate both work well. I recommend quality baking chocolate for the best results. If you can find Mexican chocolate (spiced with cinnamon, and sometimes chili), it’ll give the ganache an even bolder flavor.
- Spices – In addition to traditional pumpkin pie spice, I flavor this chocolate pumpkin pie filling with mild chili powder and cayenne pepper. Trust me on this. The spiciness complements the pumpkin perfectly!
- Pumpkin Purée – Make sure to use canned pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. Puree is just pumpkin, while pie filling has added sweeteners.
- Half-and-Half – Or heavy cream. You can also use whole milk but the texture won’t be as rich.
- Chocolate Ganache – I make a batch of homemade chocolate ganache from chocolate and heavy cream and spice it up with cinnamon.
How to Make This Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
My decadent chocolate and pumpkin pie recipe is surprisingly quick to make. You need just 20 minutes to prep it before it goes into the oven! Check out the simple steps here, and scroll down to the printable recipe card for detailed instructions.
- Prepare the pie crust. Start by preparing and pre-baking a flaky pie crust according to the instructions. I’ve linked my homemade version above and in the recipe card. Be sure to let it cool completely.
- Make the pumpkin pie filling. Meanwhile, whisk brown sugar with your spices. Next, add the pumpkin purée and eggs, and stir in the half-and-half. Separate about 1 ½ cups of the filling, this will be your chocolate swirl.
- Make the chocolate swirl. Melt chocolate and butter in the microwave (see how to melt chocolate), and stir that into the separated pumpkin filling until it’s smooth.
- Assemble the pie. Alternate adding the pumpkin and chocolate filling to the prepared pie crust to create a marbling effect.
- Bake. Bake the pie at 350ºF for 45-60 minutes. Afterward, let it cool completely and then chill it for 2 hours in the fridge.
- Add the ganache. Melt chocolate and heavy cream in the microwave until smooth, then drizzle over the pie. Slice, and enjoy!
Make Ahead
There are a couple of ways that you can prep this chocolate pumpkin pie ahead of time. These come in handy during the holidays, when I’ll take any head start I can get!
- Assemble and bake the pie as directed, and store it in the fridge up to 2 days before serving.
- Make and pre-bake just the crust and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready, fill and bake the pie.
Recipe Tips
- Pre-bake the crust. Par-baking (also called blind baking) the pie crust helps to keep it from becoming soggy once the filling gets added. For tips, I have an in-depth tutorial on how to blind bake a pie crust that you can refer to.
- Cool the crust completely. It should be at room temperature before you add the filling. If the crust is still warm, it makes the filling runny and the pie won’t bake up correctly.
- Cover the edges of the pie. Bake the pie with tinfoil around the edges of the crust if you notice it starting to burn. Alternatively, you could use a pie shield.
- Check the pie for doneness. You’ll know when your chocolate pumpkin pie is done when the center of the pie is totally set. It shouldn’t jiggle at all.
- Chill the pie. After the pie cools down completely, it should go into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours before you add the ganache. This step helps the filling set up for smooth, clean slices.
Serving Suggestions
I love this spiced chocolate pumpkin pie served with a dollop of whipped cream or chocolate whipped cream. You could even make a variation of hot chocolate whipped cream with Mexican hot chocolate, to compliment the spices in the pie! For another indulgent option, serve slices of pie with a scoop of ice cream. It’s delicious with good old vanilla, or the flavors in this homemade pumpkin pie ice cream also go nicely with the chili spice, too.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate. This chocolate pumpkin pie will last for 3-4 days in the fridge. Wrap the pie tightly or store it in an airtight container.
- Freeze. You can freeze your finished pie, just without the ganache topping. To freeze the pie, cool it completely, wrap it tightly, then store it in the freezer for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to serve, thaw in the fridge, then add the topping and serve.
More Pumpkin Desserts
Spiced Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Spice up your Thanksgiving dessert table with this spiced chocolate pumpkin pie! It’s beautifully swirled with ganache and packed full of flavor, with a light chili kick.
Ingredients
- 1 prebaked pie crust
For the Filling
- 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate or Mexican-style sweetened chocolate
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon mild chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 4 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 cup half and half
For the Ganache
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- 1–2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prepare your piecrust recipe in a 9-inch pie plate. Poke the bottom of the crust with a fork. Add pie weights (or beans or rice) and prebake the pie crust for 10-12 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and wait for oven to cool off.
- For the filling: In a small bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Melt in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, chili powder and cayenne pepper and stir to combine. Add the pumpkin puree & eggs and stir until combined. Slowly stir in the half and half, mixing until all ingredients are well blended.
- Separate out 1 ½ cups of the pumpkin filling and stir in the melted chocolate to create the chocolate layer.
- Pour each filling into the pie crust, alternating the layers to create a marbling effect.
- Bake the pie for 45 minutes to 1 hour, keeping a close eye on the pie the last 15 minutes, the center of the pie should be set and not giggly. Cover the edges with foil or a pie sield if they are starting to burn. Cool pie completely and chill for 2 hours before serving.
- For the ganache: In a small bowl, combine the chocolate and heavy cream. Melt in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Drizzle the chocolate over the pie before serving.
Notes
- Recipe credit: Better Homes and Gardens 100 Best Pumpkin Recipes
- Storing: A fully assembled chocolate pumpkin pie will last for 3-4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 434
- Sugar: 46.6 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 21.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 59.7 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2.7 g
- Cholesterol: 65.7 mg
This recipe sounds delicious! And that crust looks pretty good to me ; ) I wish that more people would follow your lead; homemade pie crust isn’t so hard to make, and it shouldn’t intimidate you from baking pies. Pretty pie crust comes with practice, but as long as it tastes good then it’s worth the effort!
xx Allison
alwayseatdessert.com
Ole’ ~ Muy delicioso! Beautiful marbling effect.