I discovered Sister Pie by Lisa Ludwinski and this Buttermilk Pumpkin Streusel Pie, on instagram, where I find so much great inspiration. One of the first things I discovered about Lisa and her bakers is that they dance in the kitchen. These are my people! This pie cemented my admiration. It is all the things I love in a pumpkin pie and more. The pumpkin filling is not too sweet, because of the tang of buttermilk and it is combined with a crunchy streusel made with pepitas and buckwheat. It is a combination of traditional and uniquely Sister Pie. If you have the good fortune of being in Detroit, you should visit their shop, but until then, get the book, it’s a gem.
You can watch me make this pie in my instagram video and Lisa generously shared the recipe us below.*
Buttermilk Pumpkin Streusel Pie
from Sister Pie: The Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit
Buckwheat Pepita Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup (67g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (35g) buckwheat flour
1/4 cup (27g) pepitas, toasted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup (55g) brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, chilled
To make the streusel:
Preheat oven to 325°F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Cut the butter into the flour mixture, using a pastry cutter and your fingers, until it disappears. Add pepitas. Spread over the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until browned and no longer looks wet. Cool until ready to use. See my instagram video of making the streusel.
Pumpkin Pie Filling:
1 can 15 ounce can (425g) pumpkin puree – I used roasted pumpkin (see my discussion about various varieties that are tasty for pie and how to roast in my instagram video)
3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk, at room temperature (I used full fat, but skim is good too)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dark maple syrup (this used to be called Grade B, but some marketing genius changed it to Grade A Dark)
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted (I used browned butter, because I had it and it sounded tasty, but you can use straight up butter)
2 tablespoons fine yellow cornmeal (The “fine” is crucial or the texture will come through and I like a smooth pumpkin pie)
3/4 cup (165g) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
One 9-inch crust – My Emile Henry Pan is a bit deeper than the traditional glass or metal pans, so I made 1 1/4 times the recipe for the crust and the filling. You will find my Pie Crust and Blind Baking videos on Instagram.
1 egg beaten for brushing crust
To make the filling:
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, syrup, melted butter, cornmeal, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Pour into the blind baked pie shell and paint the edge of the crust with the egg wash. See me make the filling and bake the pie in my instagram video.
I added a Bourbon Caramel Sauce to my pie:
1 cup (200g) sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) water
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons bourbon
To make the caramel: See my Brownie video on instagram to watch me make caramel sauce.
Maple Whipped Cream for top:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon dark maple syrup
Whip the heavy cream and maple together until soft peaks. Pipe or plop over the pie!
Top the pie with the caramel (optional) and whipped cream!
In my instagram video I talk about the virtues of using pumpkins and other winter squash in the recipe. They lend different flavors and textures. Don’t feel confined by the can.
- Buckwheat Pepita Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup (67g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (35g) buckwheat flour
- ¼ cup (27g) pepitas, toasted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup (55g) brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, chilled
- Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- 1 can 15 ounce can (425g) pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup (180ml) buttermilk, at room temperature (I used full fat, but skim is good too)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons Dark maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons fine yellow cornmeal (“fine” is crucial or the texture will come through)
- ¾ cup (165g) brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- One 9-inch crust
- 1 egg beaten for brushing crust
- Maple Whipped Cream for top:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon dark maple syrup
- Streusel: Preheat oven to 325°F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Cut the butter into the flour mixture, using a pastry cutter and your fingers, until it disappears. Add pepitas. Spread over the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until browned and no longer looks wet. Cool until ready to use.
- Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, syrup, melted butter, cornmeal, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Pour into the blind baked pie shell and paint the edge of the crust with the egg wash.
- Whip the heavy cream and maple together until soft peaks. Pipe or plop over the pie!
*“Reprinted with permission from Sister Pie, copyright © 2018. Published by Lorena Jones Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.”
(which are paper thin cookies that are broken up into what can best be described as dessert-cereal). The pepitas and feuilletine flakes are folded into a chocolate and hazelnut mixture, set firm, covered with ganache and then decorated with more pepitas and edible gold leaf. The result is a sophisticated chocolate bar that is regal enough for a wedding, a holiday party or just a midnight snack. You can watch me make these bars in 
, the Date and Tamarind Loaf struck me with an air of comfortable familiarity. I’d never had this particular dessert before, but the exotic ingredients are some that I adore. I was introduced to tamarind from my husband, whose family is from Trinidad, where this fruit appears in many foods. Tamarind is sticky and sour and used in all kinds of dishes from sweet desserts to savory Indian chutneys and stews. If you have never seen or used tamarind before, I have created an
