Every year, shoppers look forward to the day the giant Costco pumpkin pie hits the bakery case. As a professional food stylist, I came up with six ways to make the pie your own.
Costco uses its own bakery and signature recipe to produce its legendary pumpkin pies. Though I love all sorts of the bakery offerings like seasonal bar cakes and cheesecakes, I wait all year for the pumpkin pie. It features a flaky pie crust and traditional pumpkin filling. The massive pie is nearly 4 pounds and sells for only $5.99.
Because of its size, it lends well to many servings. As a food stylist, I wanted to create different ways for people to put their own twist on the store-bought sweet. Choose one or mix and match with several!
6 Ways to Serve Costco’s Pumpkin Pie
Since Costco has already done all the heavy lifting, it’s fun to find easy ways to personalize the prepared dessert. All you need to think about are toppings!
Pie Crust Cut-Outs
If you want to decorate the top of your pumpkin pie like a fancy pastry chef, all you need is a roll of refrigerated pie crust and small seasonal cookie cutters. I like traditional shapes like pumpkins, apples or fall leaves. Simply cut out the desired shapes, place them on a baking sheet, and bake at 400°F until they’re golden brown. Arrange them near the crust after cutting the pie into slices.
Spiced Pecans
For those who can’t decide between a slice of pecan pie or pumpkin pie, enjoy the best of both worlds by adorning the top of the Costco pumpkin pie with a sprinkling of cinnamon spiced pecans or a few pieces of a homemade pecan brittle. If you want to eliminate all of the heavy lifting, this time of year you might even find pre-made spiced pecans on store shelves. Trader Joe’s candied pecans are some of my favorite.
Candy Corn
The kid’s table at your Thanksgiving celebration will love it if you garnish the top of your holiday dessert with a handful of festive candy corn. The traditional candy corn looks great, or kick it up a notch and pick up a bag of Autumn mix. This mix typically comes with the classic colors, a brown and orange candy corn version and mini candy pumpkins.
Spiked Whipped Cream
If the kids get a special treat, the adults at the table deserve something just for them as well! While a dollop of whipped cream is always welcome on top of a slice of pumpkin pie, a spirited twist can be even more fun. Spiked whipped cream is easy to make, and just a dash of bourbon takes the dessert to a whole new level.
Salted Caramel Drizzle
Sweet and salty combinations keep taste buds excited, and that’s why I like to add a drizzle of caramel ice cream topping to a slice of pumpkin pie and finish it off with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. It adds flavor, texture and a little crunch.
Toasted Marshmallow Topping
Sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows are a traditional Thanksgiving side dish, so why not toss a few mini marshmallows on top of your Costco pumpkin pie too? To really turn it into a show, you can use a small kitchen blow torch and toast the marshmallows just before serving.
