I don’t think I will ever eat plain pumpkin pie again.  This pie was so delicious! I never eat the crust on pies, but I did with this pie. The toffee pecan topping is too die for over a pumpkin pie filling.

Ingredients:

Crust-

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Filling–

1 ½ cups pecans

½ cup pitted dates

4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces

1 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree

¾ cup dark corn syrup

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 large eggs

Toffee Sauce–

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons dark corn syrup

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Crust–

1. Pulse the flour, vanilla protein powder, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a food processor.
2. Add half of the butter and pulse until combined.
3. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
4. Add ¼ cup ice water and pulse a few more times until the dough just holds together when pinched. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.
5. Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press into a disk.  Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least an hour or preferably overnight.

Filling–

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes.
3. Let cool completely.
4. Put the dates in a small bowl and cover with ½ cup boiling water.  Let sit for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the dates with the liquid to a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until smooth.
6. Add the pumpkin puree, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, flour, and cinnamon and pulse until smooth.
7. Add the heavy cream and eggs.  Pulse until just combined.

Pie Assembly–

1. Roll the dough into a 12 inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease onto a 9 inch pie plate pressing the dough into the bottom and up the sides.
2. Crimp the dough with your fingers or a fork.
3. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Sprinkle ¾ cup of the toasted pecans in the crust and pour the filling over.
5. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until the filling is set around the edge but the center still jiggles.  Let bake around 1 hour. 
6. Transfer to a rack and let cool.

Toffee Sauce–

1. Bring the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan.
2. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until dark and thick around 8 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and let cool for 3 minutes.
4. Pour the warm toffee sauce over the pie and sprinkle the remaining pecans on top.
5. Let sit until the toffee sauce sets at least an hour.
6. Enjoy! I stored this pie in the refrigerator to keep in fresh.