Pumpkin Pie Crinkle Phyllo Cake

With Thanksgiving around the corner, everyone is dusting off their favorite pumpkin dessert recipes to serve after the big meal. If you’re still hunting for a fun, non-traditional pumpkin pie to impress your guests, you’re in the right place.

This crinkle phyllo pumpkin pie is a delicious twist on the viral crinkle phyllo cake, made with a pumpkin custard and a layer of warm, spiced nuts tucked between the phyllo sheets. It’s incredibly easy to make, just follow my simple steps to prepare the syrup, phyllo base, and custard, then bring everything together.

The best part? This pumpkin pie can be enjoyed warm or chilled, and you can even make it the night before. That means one less thing to worry about on Thanksgiving Day!

Ingredients & How-to

To make this crinkle phyllo pumpkin pie there are 3 steps to follow. First is making a simple syrup for which we’ll need sugar, water, a cinnamon stick and some orange juice. Then for the phyllo base, we will be using phyllo dough, butter, light brown sugar, walnuts, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and nutmeg.

Finally, for the custard that we pour on top of the phyllo base, we are going to need whole milk, eggs, light brown sugar, pumpkin purée and vanilla extract. I know it might seem complicated so far, but trust me it’s really simple and easy to prepare. Let’s get started!

For full quantities check the recipe down below.

1. Preparing the syrup and phyllo base

01. I start by preparing the syrup so it has plenty of time to cool before the dessert is ready. I place a small pot over medium heat and add the water, sugar, a cinnamon stick, and the juice from half an orange. I give it a stir to help the sugar dissolve and bring it to a boil. Once it starts bubbling, I let it boil for 1 minute, then remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool completely.

02. In a small bowl, I mix together the chopped walnuts, brown sugar, and the spices I’ll be using for the phyllo base. I pulse the walnuts in a food processor until there are no large pieces left. We want that lovely nutty flavor without big crunchy chunks that could tear the delicate phyllo or sink to the bottom of the tray.

03. Now it’s time to open the phyllo dough package. Avoid opening it too early, as phyllo dries out quickly and becomes difficult to handle. I lay the sheets flat next to my wooden board and keep them covered with a clean towel to prevent them from drying out.

04. I take one of the phyllo sheets and place it in front of me. I brush it carefully with melted butter.

05. Next, I spread some of the nuts and spices mixture on top of the buttered phyllo sheet.

06. I grab another sheet of phyllo and lay it right on top. I lightly press it down with my hands so it sticks to the one underneath, nothing too firm, just enough to help them stay together.

07. I start folding the two phyllo sheets like an accordion, from the shortest side all the way to the other end.

08. Then I transfer the folded phyllo sheets into my baking tray. I repeat the same steps, making about 10 pairs in total, and place each one right next to the other until the whole tray is filled.

09. If there are any remaining nuts and spices, I just spread them on top. I place the tray in a preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Then I take it out and brush the top phyllo layers with the remaining melted butter.

10. It then goes back in the oven for another bake, about 10-15 minutes, until the phyllo has a nice golden brown color.

2. Making the custard

01. While the phyllo base is in the oven for its second bake, I start on the pumpkin custard. It comes together in just about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, I whisk together the eggs and sugar until the sugar dissolves.

02. Then I add the rest of the ingredients, the milk, pumpkin purée and vanilla extract. I mix everything well until it’s combined.

03. When the phyllo base is ready, I pull it out of the oven and slowly ladle the custard over the top. I drizzle it in between the folded phyllo layers so it can soak through, making sure the tops of the folds are still visible once all the custard is added.

04. I return the pie to the oven for the final bake, about 25 minutes, until the custard is set. Once it’s out, I immediately ladle the cooled syrup over the top. Then I let the crinkle pumpkin phyllo pie rest for at least an hour so it can fully soak up all that delicious syrup.

Tips

• Don’t open the phyllo dough package until you are ready to start assembling the phyllo pastries. Phyllo dough is very thin and can dry out quickly.
• Start with the syrup to give it enough time to cool down before the phyllo pumpkin pie is ready.
• Don’t worry if the phyllo sheets are a little broken. Folding them into accordion will hide any of the broken bits.
• Thaw the phyllo dough according to package instructions. I like to put it in the fridge the day before and leave it to slowly thaw.

Substitutions

• Leave out the chopped walnuts or substitute them with another nut of your choice.
• You could use white sugar instead of light brown sugar.
• Instead of orange juice when making the syrup, you could use the juice from half a lemon.
• Instead of the individual spices, you could use a teaspoon of pumpkin spice.

Serving suggestions

This pumpkin crinkle phyllo cake is absolutely delicious on its own, but it’s also wonderful with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top. If you prefer a crunchier texture, you can skip the syrup altogether and simply dust the pie with powdered sugar before serving.

Storage

You can store the pumpkin phyllo crinkle cake in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. Serve it cold straight from the fridge, or let it sit out for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature before enjoying.

This is one of those phyllo desserts that tastes just as good the next day. Since the syrup is added after baking, the phyllo won’t stay super crispy like other phyllo desserts, but chilling it won’t affect its flavor or texture at all. It’s very similar to portokalopita (Greek phyllo orange cake).

FAQ

Can I leave out the walnuts?

Can I serve it cold?