Pumpkin pie is a classic dessert for autumn and the holiday season. Many recipes call for pumpkin puree as a main ingredient. However, you may wonder if you can use pumpkin pie filling instead. Pumpkin pie filling contains pumpkin puree along with sugar and spices. Using filling instead of puree will change the flavor and texture of your pie. Here is a detailed look at how substituting pumpkin pie filling for puree affects a pumpkin pie recipe.
Difference Between Pumpkin Pie Filling and Puree
Pumpkin puree is simply cooked and mashed pumpkin. It provides the pumpkin flavor, color, and texture in recipes. Puree contains no added ingredients.
Pumpkin pie filling is a convenience product made from pumpkin puree. It has additional ingredients added:
| Pumpkin Pie Filling | Pumpkin Puree |
|---|---|
| Pumpkin puree | Pumpkin puree |
| Sugar | No added sugar |
| Spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg | No added spices |
| Salt | No added salt |
| Preservatives | No preservatives |
As you can see, pumpkin pie filling has extra sweetness from sugar and flavor from spices. The sugar acts as a preservative, along with any other preservatives added. The ingredients make pumpkin pie filling an easy shortcut for pies. But using filling instead of puree does change the recipe.
Pumpkin Pie Filling Makes a Sweeter Pie
Pumpkin puree offers pumpkin flavor but no additional sweetness. Pie recipes rely on added sugar to achieve the right level of sweetness. Typical pumpkin pie recipes include 3/4 to 1 cup of granulated white sugar. The sugar balances and enhances the pumpkin, spices, and eggs.
Pumpkin pie filling eliminates the need to add as much sugar. The filling already contains around 30 grams of sugar per half cup serving. This is equal to about 2.5 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
When using pie filling instead of puree, you’ll get a sweeter pie. The overall sugar grams may be similar, but the filling’s sweetness is infused into the pumpkin. The puree’s added sugar does not blend throughout the pumpkin as seamlessly.
You can reduce the amount of sugar called for in a recipe when using pie filling instead of puree. Cutting the sugar by 1/4 to 1/3 cup is a good starting point. Taste the filling mixture before baking and adjust as desired.
Spicing Differences
Pumpkin pie spice is essential for adding that signature flavor. Recipes call for a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Sometimes individual spices are used instead of the blend.
Like sugar, pumpkin pie filling has spices already added. You’ll get cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in most brands. The exact amounts vary. But the spices give the filling extra flavor backbone.
When using filling instead of puree, you can reduce the spices added to the recipe. Try starting by cutting the spice quantities in half. Make sure to still add a little spice though. The filling alone likely won’t have enough spice intensity.
Tweak the spices to your taste. You want a balanced flavor that highlights the pumpkin and warmth of the spices. The filling makes achieving this easier than puree alone.
Texture Changes
Pumpkin puree brings a thick, dense texture to a pie. It has a richer body than many other pie fillings. The puree consistency comes from the pumpkin flesh only.
Pumpkin pie filling still contains pumpkin puree. But the added moisture from the sugar and spices thins out the texture slightly. Pie filling is a bit looser than plain puree.
This texture difference matters because it changes the liquid ratio in the entire pie recipe. Pie filling adds more moisture overall compared to puree.
You may need to adjust the liquid ingredients when using filling instead of puree. Adding a little extra egg or evaporated milk can help account for the looser texture.
Start by only slightly increasing the liquid. Then check the texture before baking. The filling mixture should still be quite thick but pourable. Adjust the liquid or thickener ingredients as needed.
Adjusting Pie Crust and Topping
The texture changes to the pie filling also impact the crust and toppings. A thinner filling mixture is more likely to make the crust soggy. Take some steps to maintain a crisp crust:
– Use a pastry flour or combination of flour and cornstarch to help create a more tender, flaky crust. All-purpose flour crusts can get dense with wetter fillings.
– Chill the pie crust thoroughly before adding the filling to help prevent a soggy bottom crust.
– Brush the crust with an egg wash before baking to seal in moisture and help crisping.
– Bake the pie on a hot 425°F baking sheet placed on the lowest rack. The direct heat to the bottom crust helps ensure it bakes fully.
For the top crust or crumb topping, a standard streusel recipe should still work well. You may want to make it slightly more coarse. That allows more air circulation to help moisture escape while baking. Pressing the topping into the filling a bit can also help prevent it from sliding off if the filling is very loose.
Food Safety
One advantage of using store-bought pie filling instead of homemade puree is food safety. The high sugar and sometimes preservatives in the filling help inhibit bacteria growth. Once opened, store pie filling in the refrigerator and use within the times specified on the package.
Pureed fresh pumpkin has a much shorter safe storage time. It should be refrigerated and used within 5-7 days. Make sure to puree the pumpkin immediately after cooking it. Allowing the cooked pulp to sit at room temperature breeds bacteria.
Canned pumpkin puree is shelf-stable unopened. Store unopened cans in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. You can refrigerate opened canned puree for up to 1 week.
So pumpkin pie filling offers more flexibility if you need to make the pie in advance.Just be sure to still refrigerate or freeze the finished pie. Follow standard food safety practices when working with any dairy and egg ingredients as well.
Recipe Adjustments
Here are some example recipe adjustments when using pumpkin pie filling instead of puree:
For a 9 inch single crust pie
Original recipe with puree:
- 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 2 eggs
Revised with pie filling:
- 1 3/4 cups pumpkin pie filling
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 2 eggs
For a 9 inch double crust pie
Original recipe with puree:
- 2 cups pumpkin puree
- 3/4 – 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
- 3 eggs
Revised with pie filling:
- 2 cups pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
- 3 eggs
These examples reduce the sugar and spices by about 25-30% to balance the added sweetness and spice in the filling. The liquid is increased slightly to account for the looser texture.
Make sure to taste test the filling mixture before baking. Adjust seasonings as needed for your preferred level of sweetness and spice.
When Not to Swap In Pie Filling
While pumpkin pie filling can easily sub for puree in most recipes, there are a couple cases where it is not recommended:
– Don’t use pie filling for savory dishes like pumpkin soup. It would add unwanted sweetness and spices. Stick to plain puree or make your own homemade roasted pumpkin for savory recipes.
– Avoid using pie filling in recipes where pumpkin is not the primary flavor. For example in cookies, muffins, or breads that contain only a small amount of pumpkin. The spices in the filling will overwhelm other flavors. Puree is a better choice.
– Don’t use pie filling in pumpkin cheesecake recipes. The moisture and extra spices throw off the perfect blend of pumpkin, cream cheese, eggs, and sugar. Puree works best.
Tips for Making Your Own Filling
While convenient, store-bought pumpkin pie filling limits your control over flavors. For the highest quality pies, make your own filling:
– Roast fresh sugar pumpkins to get the deepest, sweetest flavor. Puree the roasted flesh.
– Add only your preferred amounts of sugar and spices. You can customize to your taste.
– Splash in a little lemon juice to help boost the pumpkin flavor.
– Use less water when pureeing for thicker texture closer to canned.
– Refrigerate unused homemade filling for up to 1 week or freeze for longer storage.
Homemade allows endless versatility. But canned pumpkin and store-bought filling both work when you need shortcuts.
Conclusion
Pumpkin pie filling can substitute for pumpkin puree in pie recipes with some adjustments. The key differences to account for are the added sugar and spices in the filling. Reduce the sugar and spices called for in the recipe. The filling also has a slightly thinner texture, so you may need to adjust liquid and thickeners. Tweak baking times and temperatures as needed for best results. With proper adjustments, pumpkin pie filling makes a quick, easy shortcut for seasonal baking.