Description
This Spider Pie is a festive and fun Halloween dessert featuring a delicious layered pumpkin cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, decorated with chocolate spiderwebs and Oreo spiders for a spooky, eye-catching treat perfect for Halloween parties.
Ingredients
Scale
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 16 ounces (454 grams) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 7.5 oz (212 grams) canned pumpkin puree (half of a 15-ounce can)
For spiderweb and baby spider leg frosting:
- 1/3 cup (56 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips
- 1 tablespoon black cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon refined coconut oil or unsalted butter
For mama spider:
- 1 normal-sized Oreo
- 2 normal-sized candy eyes
- Mini pretzels
For baby spiders:
- 8 mini Oreos
- 16 mini candy eyes (1/4″ or 6mm in diameter)
- Leftover black frosting from the spiderweb
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and salt until well combined. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch pie pan, making sure the crust is as even and thick as possible. Freeze the crust while preparing the filling.
- Prepare the filling: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until light and fluffy. Remove one-quarter (about 197 grams) of this white cheesecake filling into another medium bowl. To this portion, add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice and beat on low speed until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Layer the pie: Spread half (approximately 294 grams) of the white cheesecake filling over the frozen crust. Freeze for 30 minutes or until firm enough to spread the pumpkin layer on top without mixing. Spread all the pumpkin filling over the first white layer. Freeze again for about 40 minutes or until firm enough to spread the remaining white cheesecake filling over the pumpkin layer. Smooth the remaining white filling on top evenly.
- Make the spiderweb frosting: Melt the semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at half power in 30-second increments, stirring carefully after each interval until smooth. Stir in the black cocoa powder and refined coconut oil or butter, creating a glossy fudge-like frosting. If too runny to pipe, allow it to cool and thicken slightly before use. Fit a piping bag with a Wilton #5 tip and fill it with the black frosting. Pipe a plus sign on the pie, then add an X over it. Connect the lines with curved lines to form a spiderweb pattern.
- Assemble the spiders: Using a sharp paring knife, carefully cut mini pretzel sticks into spider legs. Use the knife to gently separate a normal-sized Oreo into two wafers. Place the pretzel legs between the two Oreo wafers, positioning the legs pointing downward to simulate spider legs. Optionally, use a small amount of black frosting as glue by removing the Oreo cream first. Attach two normal-sized candy eyes onto the top Oreo wafer using a small dab of frosting. Place the completed mama spider in the center of the pie.
- Make baby spiders: Attach two mini candy eyes to each of the 8 mini Oreos with a small dot of leftover black frosting. Arrange the baby spiders around the mama spider on the pie. Use leftover black frosting and a smaller piping tip (Wilton #2) to pipe four small straight legs on each side of the baby spiders for a realistic look.
- Storage: You can freeze the undecorated pie for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving. Do not refrigerate the candy eyes as moisture causes the pupils to bleed. Refrigerate decorated pie up to 3 days but add spiders only before serving.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, gluten-free Oreos, and gluten-free pretzels.
- If pumpkin pie spice is unavailable, substitute 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon cloves or allspice.
- Approximately 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) of graham cracker crumbs equals about 12 full sheets of crackers.
- If using cream cheese that is softer, like the type sold for spreading on toast outside North America, drain excess liquid by wrapping in cheesecloth and wringing out to yield 450 grams.
- Prepare extra mini pretzels for spider legs as some may break during cutting; about 5 or 6 pretzels may be needed.
- This recipe yields 8 to 12 slices depending on serving size.
- Nutrition information does not include candy eyes and is an estimate only; consult a professional for detailed nutritional data.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
