This post and photos may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. If you purchase something through any link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Any supplies used may be given to me free of charge, however, all projects and opinions are my own.
Molasses pumpkin pie is a perfect traditional dessert for your Thanksgiving feast! This old fashioned pumpkin pie recipe with molasses is a hit with guests!
Molasses Pumpkin Pie
Yay! It's pumpkin everything season! It's still sweltering hot in Texas, and this humidity has.got.to.go. At least the rain is making some of the scorched leaves fall, so if I look out my window, I can *imagine* it's flannel and boot season.
Despite the heat, I've cranked my oven on. Because it's time to get all things pumpkin in my mouth!
—Want the recipe right now? Simply scroll straight to the bottom!—
Today I'm sharing a fun twist on the traditional Thanksgiving pie, this pumpkin pie filling features molasses as a main ingredient. I'm a fan of the original, but I like to shake things up a bit in the kitchen too. You might remember my no bake pumpkin filling from a few years ago.
When I stumbled upon an old fashioned pumpkin pie recipe with molasses I couldn't wait to experiment with it! I always have molasses in my pantry, because my husband is addicted to these chocolate ginger cookies and I make them year round. This isn't the first time I've seen molasses in a pie recipe - it's in another favorite pie recipe - Shoofly Pie.
I will admit, my first experiment didn't go well. It tasted more like a molasses pie with a bit of pumpkin included. The boys were not fans, and neither was the Major.
The second and third attempts went much better. I had finally hit on a pumpkin pie with molasses recipe winner. The boys didn't mind taste testing them either. The neighbors partook as well. It took a few tries, but I finally reached the happy medium of a molasses flavored pie that doesn't overwhelm the pumpkin filling.
If you are a fan of the flavor of molasses, you're gonna wanna add this to your Thanksgiving menu. If you've never really had molasses before you are probably asking yourself this:
What is molasses?
Molasses was used as the primary form of sweetener in Colonial times. A perfect nod to Thanksgiving, don't you think?
Molasses is made using the syrup left behind after processing unrefined sugar cane into table sugar. Regular molasses is when this syrup is boiled one time. It appears lighter in color and is a bit sweeter.
You may actually take in more molasses than you even realize. It is what gives the “Brown” to brown sugar. You can even make your own brown sugar by adding ¼ cup molasses to one cup sugar.
So then what is blackstrap molasses?
Blackstrap molasses is if the syrup is triple boiled. Blackstrap is bit more bitter and isn’t the taste you are going after. Years ago, people would take a teaspoon for health benefits because of it’s high amounts of calcium and iron but that fad has passed.
What's the difference between unsulfured molasses and sulfured molasses?
This has to do with the processing part of molasses. When the molasses is made from green sugarcane that has been treated with sulfur fumes - you get sulfured. If it hasn’t been treated, it's unsulfured.
The pie cooks like a traditional pumpkin pie recipe. It's a bit different in that it features egg whites versus other recipes that use evaporated milk. But the concept of making sure it's done is the same.
You'll want to make sure it's done in the center and do the jiggle test. The edges should have begun to brown and pull away from the side of the pie crust. The middle should have a slight jiggle, but not be uncooked. A toothpick test can work too! If your crust edges are cooking to fast, you can cover them with pie shields or with aluminium foil.
The most common question I get asked about this pumpkin pie recipe is not about the molasses- but about the whipped cream flowers. They are adorable aren't they??? The best part? They are made ahead and won't melt and ruin your gorgeous pie! You can find the complete process as well as the recipe for sturdy whipped cream frosting HERE. It's a kitchen hack you'll want to know!
What other dishes will you have gracing your Thanksgiving table this year? I have a few traditional recipes that always make an appearance!
My #1 recipe - the BEST Cranberry Sauce!
Stuffing balls are a great alternative to Thanksgiving dressing. Make it with regular or gluten free bread!
Maple mustard glazed carrots are a breeze to make in the instant pot!
Not a fan of pumpkin? Guests will love this Reese's Pieces Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie!
I'm a huge fan of Pie, and have a Pinterest board just for pies!
I think you will flip for these pies from some of my friends:
- Blackberry Pie by Kristine's Kitchen Blog
- Homemade Italian Apple Crostata by an Italian In My Kitchen
- Dutch Pear & Nutmeg Pie with Streusel Topping by House of Nash Eats
- Gooey Peanut Pie by Tara Teaspoon
- Apple Crumble Pie by Plated Cravings
Molasses Pumpkin Pie Recipe:
📋Recipe
Molasses Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pie shell uncooked, rolled and ready to be filled
- 1 can pumpkin filling 15oz can - make sure it's pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling!
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup molasses, unsulfured
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- dash nutmeg
- 4 eggs seperated
Instructions
- Prepare your pie crust or use a premade shell. It should be in the pie plate ready to go.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin filling with the sugar.
- Microwave the molasses for about 30 seconds to get it a bit more runny, and less thick. Combine with the pumpkin mixture.
- Add in the yolks of the 4 eggs, mixing well. If you've heated the molasses too much you might need to temper the eggs into the mixture when adding.
- Add all the spices into the pumpkin puree mixture.
- In a seperate bowl, fluff the egg whites with a mixer until light and airy. You want to beat past soft peaks, to stiff peaks.
- Fold in the egg whites until the mixture is just combined. Try not to lose the air in the egg whites.
- Place on a middle rack and back for approximately 40 mins, checking for doneness.
EMW says
I originally found this recipe because I didn't have evaporated milk for my usual one.
So glad I did! Everyone loves it!
Notes from my recipe:
1. I forgot the ginger. Wasn't really missed.
2. I didn't have nutmeg so I used allspice instead. I think it added a nice peppery spice.
3. I used fresh ground cloves (but that's all I had)
MrsMajHoff says
Thank you so much for your comments- great to know about the spices! I really appreciate you taking the time to give us this feedback, and it warms my heart so much to know everyone loved it!