Alfajor Crusted Pumpkin Pie: The Fusion Dessert That Will Break Your Group Chat

Fall into Something Fun and Unexpected

We’ve all mastered the standard pumpkin pie—but what if we invited a little Latin flair into our dessert game? Enter the alfajor crusted pumpkin pie, our stylish remix of the season’s favorite.. With a buttery crust that channels the sweet-shortbread vibe of alfajores and a rich pumpkin–dulce de leche filling, it’s like Thanksgiving and a South American pastry shop café had a dessert baby. This is a mash-up made for your baking bucket list.

The Ingredients (Yes, We’re Real Bakers Here)

For the crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 4 oz. cornstarch
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ cup powdered sugar
  
• 4 oz. butter
• 1 whole egg
  
• 1 egg yolk
  
• 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
  
• 2 tsp. pisco (or vodka if you’re feeling practical)
  
  

For the filling:

• 15 oz. can pumpkin purée
  
• 14 oz. can dulce de leche
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ginger
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  
• Whipped cream (for serving)
  
  

Read the full recipe here: https://wearecocina.com/blog/alfajor-crusted-pumpkin-pie

Let’s Bake: Step-by-Step for the Alfajor Crusted Pumpkin Pie

1. Craft the crust:
   Start by creaming together butter, powdered sugar, and salt until you get a smooth, fluffy mixture. Gradually add in the flour and cornstarch, then stir in the egg, yolk, lemon zest, and pisco. We’re aiming for a soft dough—mix just until ingredients are incorporated.
   Then gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk, and chill it for about 20 minutes. This pause keeps your crust from turning into a sad soggy mess.
2. Par-bake the crust:
   Preheat your oven to 350 °F (about 175 °C). Press the chilled dough into a pie dish’s bottom and sides, then bake it for 10–15 minutes. Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes (or if you’re in a rush, freeze it for 10–15 minutes) to help it firm up.
3. Make the filling & bake:
   In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, dulce de leche, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla until super smooth and harmonious. Pour this into the par-baked crust. Bake for about 40 minutes until the filling barely jiggles in the center. If the crust edges are browning too fast, cover them with foil.
4. Cool & serve with flair:
   Remove the pie from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then top with whipped cream (bonus points if you add a splash of pisco into your whip for extra sass). Let everyone ooh and ahh before you dig in.

Why The Alfajor Crusted Pumpkin Pie Will Be Your New Favorite (And Why You’ll Brag About It)

This isn’t just “another pumpkin pie.” The alfajor crusted pumpkin pie fuses classic American fall flavors with the sweet, buttery essence of Latin-American alfajores (those delightful cookie sandwiches filled with dulce de leche). It’s playful, it’s cosmopolitan, and it gives your taste buds something to talk about. Plus: the pisco (or vodka) in the crust adds a grown-up twist.

To our fellow readers ready for something a little different: this pie is your bridge between traditions, between communities, between “I just want pumpkin pie” and “Wait, did I just taste alfajor?” It invites curiosity, invites questions, invites second helpings.

So roll up your sleeves, preheat that oven, and get ready to impress. Because when you serve the alfajor crusted pumpkin pie at your next gathering, you’re not just baking a dessert—you’re baking a story.

Ready to bake with attitude? Let’s must-try the alfajor crusted pumpkin pie and watch your taste-buds say “whoa”.