Indulge in the ultimate fall comfort dessert: Spiced Pumpkin Pie with a flaky Cinnamon Roll Pie Crust. This recipe blends classic pumpkin pie spices with the warm, buttery notes of a cinnamon roll crust for a cozy, memorable treat.
Picture a crisp, cinnamon-scented crust made from refrigerated cinnamon rolls, filled with a velvety pumpkin custard spiced just right and baked until set. Each bite balances sweet and savory, with a hint of molasses to deepen the flavor. It’s the perfect dessert to serve on a chilly autumn evening.
Autumn is my favorite season. I love the color of the leaves, the crunch beneath my feet, the brisk wind, and most of all the fragrances of fall—pumpkin and the spices that make it irresistible.
I chose this pumpkin pie for this week’s #BakeForACure #SundaySupper for a few reasons. One, it’s one of the few pies I consistently make well. Two, it captures the essence of the season.
Before sharing the recipe, I want to honor the people I baked this pie for. This recipe is dedicated to my father and to Lisa, a nurse whose kindness meant the world to our family during a difficult time.
When I was in eighth grade, my father was diagnosed with a rare nasopharyngeal cancer. Because of its location near the base of the skull and top of the spinal cord, surgery was not a straightforward option. Over the following years he endured chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries, and long hospital stays. Those years were traumatic, and large portions of my high school experience are blurred by the stress of that time.
My senior year was especially hard. We’d recently moved into a new house, and my father’s condition worsened to the point where he needed a hospital bed in our kitchen. Hospice care was called, and our family life changed overnight. Mealtime became stressful after he lost his sense of taste and the ability to swallow—especially painful because he loved food so much. He introduced me to adventurous flavors early on; by age six I’d already tried frog legs and escargot, thanks to him.
Among the many caregivers who helped during those years, one nurse stood out. Lisa was young and beautiful, yes, but more importantly she had an enormous heart and a genuine compassion for patients and their families. Her warmth brought comfort to us in a way that stuck with me through the years. She visited my father even after hospice care began and was at his funeral; those memories remain vivid when so much else from that period is blurry.
My father passed away on January 11, 1992, after an eleven-day coma. Those days were the most painful of my life, and I remember very little from them except Lisa’s presence and kindness. Over time we lost touch, then reconnected on Facebook years later. She continued her nursing career and now works with Multiple Sclerosis patients, still demonstrating the same dedication and compassion that comforted our family years ago.
I keep one small memento from that Christmas season: a grey pullover my father received that year. I wear it often; it comforts me and reminds me of him. This post and this pie are a tribute to him and to Lisa—two people who shaped that difficult chapter of my life.
This recipe was featured with contributors who received a beautiful Easy As Pie Dish by Chantal Cookware. The dish simplifies pie baking with interior ridges to hold dough and a raised rim for neat trimming. It’s oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe.
More Recipes
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- Ham and Spinach Quiche
- Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
- Pumpkin Maple Pie
Spiced Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Roll Crust
Nicole Cook
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 8 refrigerated cinnamon rolls
For the Pie:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups solid-pack pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons light molasses (mild)
- 3 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
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Using a rolling pin, flatten each cinnamon roll. Layer the flattened rolls in a pie dish to form a crust. Freeze for about 30 minutes to set.
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Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
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In a large bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and salt.
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Add the pumpkin, molasses, and eggs to the sugar-spice mixture. Whisk until smooth and combined.
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Stir in the heavy cream, whisking just until blended.
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Pour the filling into the frozen cinnamon roll crust.
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Place the pie dish on a cookie sheet and bake at 450°F for 10 minutes.
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After 10 minutes, cover the crust edges with foil and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C). Bake about 40 minutes more, or until the center is set.
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Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing.
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This pie develops excellent flavor the next day; cover and refrigerate overnight if possible. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.