Martha Stewart's Secret Ingredient For The Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Martha Stewart is widely regarded as a renowned baker, celebrated for her mastery of the kitchen and her ability to turn everyday recipes into extraordinary creations. With a knack for elevating classic dishes with unique twists, her recipes have become a staple in many homes, especially during the holiday season.

This Thanksgiving, making Martha Stewart's pumpkin pie will be a game-changer for the dessert table.

Martha Stewart’s secret ingredient for the perfect pumpkin pie is Chinese five-spice powder. While this might sound surprising, the unique blend of spices—star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds—adds a rich depth of flavor to the traditional pumpkin pie filling. The cinnamon and cloves are familiar flavors in classic pumpkin pie spice, but the addition of star anise and Sichuan peppercorns brings an unexpected complexity, balancing sweet, savory, and spicy notes.

The addition of Chinese five-spice powder to the filling might sound unconventional, but with cinnamon and cloves already part of standard pumpkin pie spice, it’s a simple twist. The eye-catching crust is surprisingly easy to make—just brush butter onto sheets of store-bought phyllo and layer them in varying angles to form a dramatic, flaky base.

Top it off with freshly whipped cream for a show-stopping, crowd-pleasing treat.

Chinese five-spice powder is a staple in Chinese cooking, offering a unique blend of spices that can vary slightly depending on the recipe or brand. Typically, this aromatic mix includes star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds.

While it's commonly used to season meats, stir-fries, and marinades, this versatile pantry essential can also elevate dishes like cabbage, soups, and even desserts—such as pumpkin pie!

Though both Chinese five-spice and pumpkin pie spice share some common ingredients, their flavor profiles differ greatly. Pumpkin pie spice typically combines cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, offering a warm, sweet taste.

In contrast, Chinese five-spice features the familiar cinnamon and cloves, but the inclusion of star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds creates a more complex and balanced flavor, with sweet, savory, and spicy notes all in one.

To make this delicious deep-dish pumpkin pie, start by preheating the oven to 400°F.

In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder. Brush a sheet of thawed phyllo dough with melted butter, sprinkle with the sugar-spice mixture, and fold the dough in half. Brush the top with more butter and transfer it to a buttered 9-inch springform pan, pressing it gently into the bottom and sides. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets, butter, and sugar mixture, layering them in overlapping fashion until the pan is completely covered.

Bake the crust for 15 to 18 minutes, or until crisp and golden, then allow it to cool completely on a wire rack. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, evaporated milk, maple syrup, vanilla, flour, salt, and the remaining sugar and five-spice powder in a large bowl until smooth. Pour this mixture into the cooled crust and bake for 20 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 40 to 50 minutes, until the custard is just set in the center. Let the pie cool completely, then remove it from the pan, slice it into wedges, and serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

Martha Stewart has long been a revered icon in the worlds of food and lifestyle, known for her ability to transform ordinary meals into extraordinary experiences. She has taught generations how to elevate everyday dishes into visually stunning and delicious creations.

In this pumpkin pie recipe, she takes a beloved classic and adds her signature twist: a dash of five-spice powder in the filling and a show-stopping phyllo crust in place of the traditional butter crust. While using five-spice powder in a pie might seem unconventional, it’s worth noting that cinnamon and cloves, already part of classic pumpkin pie spice, are key ingredients in the mix—making it a subtle but impactful variation that enhances the flavor in a surprisingly delightful way.