This homemade fall dessert is creamy and spicy! It's a delicious alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.
Next time try this classic southern pecan pie recipe.
Jump to:
- ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- 🧾 Ingredients
- Bye Bye Pumpkin Pie
- What Does Butternut Squash Pie Taste Like?
- 👩🏻🍳 Frequently asked questions
- Butternut Squash Pie Step by Step
- How to Prepare the Fresh Squash
- More Great Thanksgiving Pie Recipes
- You May Need...
- Homemade Butternut Squash Pie Recipe
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- spicy, rich, and creamy
- uniquely different from pumpkin pie
- you can use any kind of winter squash
Homemade Butternut Squash Pie is sweet and spicy with a delicate nutty flavor and silky texture that's the perfect Thanksgiving dessert.
It's so versatile that you can make this recipe with acorn, Hubbard, pumpkin, or almost any other winter squash that you choose! Be sure to use my flaky butter pie crust recipe!
🧾 Ingredients
- Unbaked pie crust holds the filling. I always use my favorite butter crust recipe that's linked in the recipe.
- Fresh butternut, acorn, Hubbard, or other winter squash.
- Heavy cream is part of what makes the texture of this so amazing.
- Light brown sugar is used because the dark brown would overpower the flavors in this unique pie.
- Maple syrup adds sweetness and a light maple flavor. Make sure you get the real thing.
- Cinnamon of course. If you use different types of cinnamon for different recipes you'll want the Ceylon cinnamon.
- Salt always brings out the other flavors and balances sweetness. I use kosher salt.
- Ginger adds that holiday "pop" to the flavor. Make sure it's fresh - if you've had it in the cupboard a year go ahead and get new.
- Cloves are one of my favorite spices, dark and warm. Like ginger, you'll want to make sure this is fresh.
- Whole nutmeg keeps it's flavor for eons which is why I prefer it. It's so easy to grate.
- Chipotle powder is totally optional. I find that just a pinch adds a warm tingle that I like.
- Eggs used here are large, organic, and have rich, yellow yolks.
- Butter for the optional topping.
- Pecans for the optional topping.
Bye Bye Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is one of my favorites.
Creamy, rich, and spicy, the flavor has always announced the holidays for me. I've always made a variation of the classic Libby's pumpkin pie from the back of the can of pumpkin.
My mom always made it -- you know -- tradition. Starting in September my mom would start stocking up on cans Libby's pumpkin.
We had pumpkin pie twice a year -- once on Thanksgiving and once on Christmas. In fact, I counted special days by the kinds of pies we had since we rarely had pie on a "non-special" day.
Besides pumpkin on Thanksgiving and Christmas she'd make blueberry on my dad's birthday, coconut cream on Easter, and apple on 4th of July. That was the sum total of her pie making. She admitted she was always the kid who preferred to work out in the barn with her dad rather than in the house. I have always been thankful that she learned to make those pies somehow.
What Does Butternut Squash Pie Taste Like?
The flavor of this yummy Thanksgiving pie (or Christmas!) is reminiscent of pumpkin pie but lighter and more delicate. The texture is also not as dense.
It's spicy, buttery, and sweet but also just a little flowery. I really liked it. I'd go with some lightly sweetened whipped cream dusted with a little freshly grated nutmeg. I think ice cream would be too much here.
👩🏻🍳 Frequently asked questions
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
Absolutely! Just use and equal amount of pumpkin for the squash in this recipe.
Yes you can. Let it cool to room temperature and then cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Yes - you'll just need 2 cups of puree. That's about 2 pound of frozen squash - and no need to bake it.
Winter squash will feel heavy and firm. Look for squash where the stem is intact because it will keep it fresher longer. If you tap it it will sound hollow.
Butternut Squash Pie Step by Step
- Mix the brown sugar in with the squash.
- Add maple syrup.
- Stir in the spices.
- Add the beaten egg.
- Pour in the cream.
- Have your unbaked crust ready.
- Pour the butternut squash pie filling into the pie crust.
- Grate nutmeg over the top.
- Bake according to recipe.
How to Prepare the Fresh Squash
I like to roast the squash in the oven because I think it gives it a better flavor.
- Cut the squash in half.
- Take out seeds.
- Brush cut sides with butter and place cut side down on a buttered baking sheet.
- Bake until very soft and tender - about 30 minutes.
- Let cool and use as directed.
More Great Thanksgiving Pie Recipes
I do love a good pie! Here are more of my favorites for Thanksgiving.
- Classic Pecan Pie is rich and gooey with lots of pecans in the filling. This is a MUST at our house.
- Orange Bourbon Pecan Pie is another pecan pie but it makes the whole house smell like Christmas.
- Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie recipe has the perfect crumbly streusel topping - thick and sweet. This pie is a classic and it is so easy to make!
- Candy Apple Pie is a gorgeous crimson color with lots of sweet, cinnamon flavor. It is buttery and incredible served warm with vanilla ice cream.
- 25 Best Thanksgiving Pies - I really think Thanksgiving should be a three day event. Day one should be the turkey and maybe appetizers. Then day two could be the side dishes, followed by day three…desserts. Maybe there should be day four- Alka seltzer day.
You May Need...
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!
One thing that will make a huge difference in your baking, especially with something like this butternut squash pie, is using whole nutmeg rather than ground. I know it sounds silly but it's true.
Just give it a try! The flavor is intense and you don't need much. You'll need a grater similar to this one to grate the nutmeg -- and no need to watch your fingers with this one! Cole and Mason Professional Nutmeg Spice Grinder
You need a good food processor or blender to get a smooth texture in the squash. I have the Bosch Kitchen Machine which handles my bread dough, my blending, and my food processing chores. I just love it! Bosch Universal Plus Kitchen Machine
Homemade Butternut Squash Pie Recipe
Smooth and creamy butternut squash pie is maybe even better than pumpin! Perfect combination of autumn spice for your Thanksgiving celebration.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Butternut Squash Pie
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust, unbaked, 10-inch or deep dish 9-inch
Filling
- 2 pounds Butternut Squash, may use acorn, Hubbard, pumpkin, etc
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, Ceylon works well in this
- ½ teaspoon salt, kosher
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, whole nutmeg freshly grated
- ⅛ teaspoon ground chipotle powder
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Topping (optional)
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Place piecrust in a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan.
- Trim and flute the edges.
Filling
- Cut squash in half, remove seeds.
- Brush with butter.
- Bake, cut side down, on a buttered baking dish until tender - about 30 minutes.
- Place cooked squash pulp in a food processor or mixer and blend until it is smooth.
- Measure out two cups into a large bowl. Save any remaining squash for something else.
- Add the squash pulp and the remaining ingredients to a bowl and blend with a whisk until smooth.
- Pour into the prepared piecrust.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted just off center comes out clean.
- Cool.
Optional Topping
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
- Whisk in the brown sugar until smooth and no longer gritty.
- Pour over the top of the pie and sprinkle with pecans.
Notes
- Pie is done when it registers 175F on an instaread thermometer poked in the center.
- Pie is best if it is chilled overnight.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly.
- Cool, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
- May substitute any winter squash for butternut.
- Calorie count includes the pecan topping.
Elena
I've never tried hubbard squash pie! It sounds lovely!
Marye Audet
It really is!
Marye Audet
It's similar... but I think it's got a more delicate, flowery flavor that's hard to describe.
Ramona W
Just hand me a fork... I wan to dig into this yummy looking pie! 🙂
Marye Audet
sure thing! LOL!
Emily
I've never used a Hubbard squash before but I think I need to try it in this pie soon! Next time I'm at the farmers market I'm going to keep my eye out!
Marye Audet
🙂 you can also use another type of winter squash.
Christie
I don't know that I have seen Hubbard's squash here. I need to look. Love the idea of using it to make a pie.
Marye Audet
You could use acorn or another winter squash. 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Now that's a fun new pie to bring to the table! Yum!
Marye Audet
Yes it is!
Catherine
Dear Marye, I've never tried a hubbard squash pie before but this looks beautiful....what a splendid treat for the season. xo, Catherine
Marye Audet
Thank you Catherine!