Last updated on September 19th, 2021
I love every component of this Butternut Squash Pie. I love the all-butter pastry crust. I love the thin layer of crushed gingersnap cookies. I love the light, airy, cinnamon-scented butternut squash filling. Ready for a new taste sensation? I made a video and wrote out the recipe for you:
Butternut Squash Pie: The Complete Video Directions
As mentioned, this Butternut Squash Pie bears no resemblance to its popular pumpkin colleague. It’s much, much, better! And here’s the photographic step-by-step followed by a printable recipe:
Cut a butternut squash lengthwise in half, remove seeds and stringy fibers, and then brush the cut sides with a little olive oil.
Roast the squash cut-side-down until perfectly tender — 40-50 minutes. Flip the squash and allow it to cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, prepare the pie crust! My favorite crust is the French all-butter version described in the video above. That’s why the video is so dang long. If you can’t watch the video, click here for the photographic and printable step-by-step directions.
When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out 2 cups of the gorgeous orange flesh…
And puree it in a food processor until smooth — about 10 seconds.
Onto the filling! Grab 5 ginger snap cookies…
And crush them, with a rolling pin, in a zip lock-type bag.
Tip the cookie crumbs into the pie shell, and spread them out. The cookies will lend a pleasant pop of ginger to the pie. Also, they will keep the bottom crust from becoming soggy.
Now toss 3 large eggs into a big bowl…
And beat them mercilessly with a wire whisk.
Then whisk in 3/4 cup sugar…
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon…
A whisper of ground nutmeg…
1/2 teaspoon salt…
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract…
3/4 cup heavy cream…
And the butternut squash puree.
Pour the luscious mixture into the pie shell, on top of the ginger snap crumbs.
Bake, on a baking sheet, until the filling is set — its center should barely shimmy when shaken — 45-50 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Promptly eat half of the pie before you remember to take a sexy photo of it. This version of Butternut Squash Pie is so delicious that it doesn’t require any adornment. But you can certainly add whipped cream or ice cream for pictorial effect!
Think you’ll give this Butternut Squash Pie a try? Post a comment below! xKevin
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Here’s the printable:
Butternut Squash Pie
Ingredients
For the pie shell:
- Unbaked homemade pastry crust for a 9-inch pie plate
- 5 ginger snap cookies, finely crushed
For the filling:
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups butternut squash puree
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry dough (recipe here), and crimp the edges in some decorate fashion. Spread the ginger snap crumbs over the bottom of the crust.
- Tip the eggs into a large bowl, and beat them thoroughly with a wire whisk. Then, one by one, beat in the sugar, spices, salt, vanilla, cream, and squash puree. Pour the mixture into the pie shell.
- Bake, on a baking sheet, in the preheated oven until the filling is set -- the center should barely shimmy when shaken -- 45-50 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Serve with or without whipping cream or ice cream.
- The pie will stay fresh and wonderful for 2 days when covered and stored at room temperature. For longer storage -- up to a week -- cover and refrigerate the pie.
Jeane says
It looks really good!
Dianne W says
Yum! I am roasting the squash right now. If it is as good as it looks, I’ll be making this for Thanksgiving instead of pumpkin pie.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Dianne W – Let me know how the pie works out for you! (I’m making it for Thanksgiving, too, which will be a party of exactly 2 people because…pandemic.)
carol says
I made this today, but substituted the heavy cream with lactose-free yogurt due to lactose intolerance. It was delish and I will make another for Thanksgiving!!! Thank you so much Kevin! Oh, also, I didn’t have any ginger snaps so crushed some animal cookies and added a little ginger powder.
Shirley McKee says
Kevin–I used to think that butternut squash was the best winter squash in the whole wide world. I was wrong! I discovered the banana squash. Problematic, for the plant makes HUGE squash weighing 40 lbs. or more. Many times I allowed them to climb up a fence made with heavy duty cattle panels and they hung from the fence even at that heavy weight. When I grew them, I harvested them, then washed each one very well and stored them in the cool fruit room in the basement. When I decided to use one, I brought it upstairs to the cool garage, set the squash on the end, with the stem pointing up and cut a portion of the squash off, horizontally and covered the cut end with clinging heavy plastic wrap and took the portion cut off inside to peel with my “Y” potato peeler, scraped the seeds and fibers out and used the squash in any way that I pleased. I never lost to mold or spoilage any portion of the squash that was in the garage waiting for the next ‘operation’! My family all lived at home then and after they all scattered, I discovered the Georgia Candy Roaster winter squash, a smaller ‘sister’ of the banana squash—making fruit 10-12 lbs., more or less. I use the same method on the smaller fruit; it is more manageable for a small family. Both are delicious and make perfect pie, muffins, rolls, soup, —any way that winter squash is prepared. My favorite way is to cut the squash in about 3/4-1 inch cubes, place in a non-stick skillet, add a couple tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper on top of squash and add about an inch of water to the skillet, bring to a boil, turning down heat and put a lid on and simmer until soft. Then I remove lid, sprinkle brown sugar or whatever suits my fancy and cook off the liquid. I always cook enough for a couple meals and it never tastes leftover—only really delicious for as long as it lasts!
The seed is available from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Mansfield, MO.
Vickie P says
This sounds interesting and yummy! My hubby loves pumpkin pie but I get tired of eating that all the time. I am hoping he’ll add this to his ‘favorites’ list too. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Carol – I’m so glad the pie worked out for you. Very clever of you to sub lactose free yogurt for the cream, and animal cookies sprinkled with ground ginger for the ginger snaps!!!
Elizabeth says
Looks very yummy. Can’t wait to make one. Have a butternut from our garden just waiting to be made into a pie. Found your site by looking for something to explain the white things on the tomato hornworms on our pepper plants in our greenhouse. Nice write up you had on that. Looking forward to seeing more from you. Can’t rate the recipe since we haven’t made it yet.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Elizabeth – Welcome aboard!
Jo-Anne Collis says
It looks fantastic but I can feel my cholesterol go up just reading the ingredients! I will only have a wee piece of that delicious pie! ……………..and then walk several times around the block!
Michele says
Hi Kevin, I discovered you back when you posted the tomato pie recipe which I’ve now made at least 5 times and absolutely love it. I eagerly await each new recipe you post! I noticed on the butternut squash pie that you did not garnish with whip cream… is there a reason for that? Would the whip cream be just too much? Also, you said your first attempt was a savory pie and you were going to add more sugar the second time. Did that make it sweeter and did you like that version better? Thanks Kevin! – Michele –
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Michele – For the cover photograph, I did garnish a slice of the pie with whipped cream. But the pie doesn’t require it! The filling is delightful as is, sweet but not too sweet, and loaded with great butternut squash flavor. (My first pie used 1/2 cup brown sugar, which made the filling too dark and too savory. Second pie, for which I filmed the video and wrote the above recipe, used 3/4 cup white sugar which made all the difference in terms of color and taste.)
Karen Thomas says
How big of a squash (weight) is needed to get 2 cups? There are so few dessert recipes for diabetics out there, and I really want to make this!
Janice says
We really enjoyed this pie yesterday, thank you for the recipe and recommendation. Pumpkin pie Good bye! This will be our new go-to for fall squash pie from now one 🙂 Looking forward to more excellent recipes as we roll on into the winter holidays. xox with hugs!
KathyPassie says
Good Morning Kevin, This sounds Fab!. Butter nut squash anything is wonderful. I just got a fresh off the vine one and will make this today , and perhaps have enough to make some soup as well. Thanks So much!
David Adamson says
I have been making butternut squash pie (and soup) over pumpkin for some time but I, being a great ginger fan, I have to to try you recipe but also love the ginger snaps in the crust.
I’m crying! I went to your flour and butter crust and the link does not work! I have a hard time following videos.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Kathy – Hope you enjoy this dessert!
Hi David – Link is fixed!
Cathy M says
What brand/type food processor do you have?
Are you happy with it?
I’m in the market to buy one so need some pros and cons.
Thanks!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Cathy M – My ($250.00) Cuisinart Elite food processor recently bit the dust. Now I’m using a cheap little ($37.00) Black and Decker processor. Surprisingly, the B&D works as well as — and maybe even better than — the Cuisinart. Click here for more details.
Gina says
I just want to tell you how I love your emails and all the fantastic recipes. Thank you for everything you do. You should have a TV cooking show:)
Jane Howe says
I’m going to try this! We manage a community garden and there are literally hundreds of butternut squash. I never thought of using
them for pie. But why did you whisk all the ingredients together and not just plunk everything into the food processor with the squash that was already in use?
Karen Lyons says
Oh, Kevin! I’m the person who mentioned I’ve got 7 large Butternut squash from one plant. I love your soup recipe, but this will really help! Thanks!
Rose says
Could you do the cookie crumbs in the processor ? After you puree the squash can you add everything else into the processor and have only one thong to clean up?
Caro in Canada says
Made this tonight, Kevin, for our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. It was really good, and thank you for the recipe. 🙂 I used a store-brand ready-made boring old crust, which I realize made it less delicious. Just want folks to know that option works fine in a pinch, and that I had to use “deep dish” size (Western Family) not regular size for this filling quantity. I also subbed 2% yogurt for the cream, and used 7 small store-brand gingersnaps. It would also be delicious with a softened cream cheese and milk mix, or sour cream, and thinking even ricotta? The tanginess of the yogurt was not a detractor, just different. Another lovely and adaptable recipe.
Caro in Canada says
Oh, also, I pureed the squash in the food processor, then added everything else to that, and it worked well.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Caro – I’m so glad!
Caro in Canada says
Kevin, as Canadian Thanksgiving rolls around again, I am reaching for this recipe. My spouse is delighted, as I usually don’t bake (except for no-knead whole wheat loaves, and the odd really Spartan health muffin). I almost spent an exorbitant amount on a ready-made, full-of-artificial-ingredients chain store pie, then remembered your recipe. Once again, ordered deep dish frozen pastry shells, and will use yogurt. Thank you for this, and for another very regular rotation winter recipe treat — your chicken stew recipe, just excellent simplicity. 🙂 Wishing you and Mr. Fox and the furries a great US Thanksgiving when it rolls around in turn!