Thanksgiving is basically the Super Bowl for cooks. We spend all year tucking away recipes, mentally sketching menus, and then, weeks out, the planning begins in earnest. And while the classics always have their place, it’s also the perfect moment to quietly introduce something new. Enter: Kabocha Pie.
It has all the familiar, cozy appeal of pumpkin pie, but with a few gentle twists that make it feel special. Kabocha has a naturally sweeter, deeper flavor and a hint of nuttiness that is almost chestnut-like. It also has a much silkier texture than canned pumpkin, so the filling comes out lighter and fluffier instead of dense. The result is a pie that tastes like pumpkin pie’s elegant cousin who studied abroad and came back with stories.
It won’t throw off the traditionalists, but it will make people pause mid-bite, look up, and say, “Wait… what is this?” A new classic in the making, so let’s get into it.
Every year my mom makes Kabocha Pie for Thanksgiving. When I was a kid, this was the only thing that resembled anything on a traditional table. Along with sashimi, a bunch of other seafood, and all kinds of simmered Japanese dishes, stood this pumpkin pie, usually piping hot as my mom struggled to finish making everything on time. I clung to this pumpkin pie like a Thanksgiving lifeline, my only hope for having anything at the meal that resembled my classmates’. This mildly sweet, creamy beautiful pie, which was always served with vanilla ice cream (because who has time to whip up cream when you’re already behind!), has been the only must have at our family meals. But Thanksgiving disaster loomed when my mom told us she wouldn’t be in the States for the holidays. But what about the pumpkin pie? was one of my husband’s first comments. So now after years of pawning off pie duty, I needed to make my own. Mine is probably a little more spiced than a Japanese pie but nowhere a spice bomb as some American pies. It’s also super smooth and creamy and just sweet enough to pair with ice cream or some whipped cream.
First-the crust. I do not like making a pie crust from scratch. There, I said it. It’s such a fussy process with the chilling and rolling, ugh. I’m going to be honest with you, I don’t think the effort and time required is worth the end result. I’ve made exceptional pies using store bought crust. Because let’s be real, it’s all about the filling anyway. And in 2025, there are wonderful store bought pie crusts that bake up flaky and golden, and do all the things. Of course, if you love making pies or are seeking a spot on the Great British Baking Show, knock yourself out with some homemade crust. I still give mine a little crimp so it has that rustic homemade charm, of course.
Roll the dough out into a 12 inch circle:
You can drape the dough over the rolling pin and use that to gently lower it into the pie plate, letting it overhang by at least an inch. If that makes you nervous, roll the dough out on parchment paper or plastic wrap instead, then flip or slide it right into the plate. Gently press the dough down, making sure there are no air bubbles/gaps between pie plate and the crust.
Trim the overhanging dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch:
Fold that overhanging 1/2 inch under itself, making the edge flush with the rim of the plate:
Using your thumb and forefinger, flute the crust along the edge:
Then I put it in the fridge to firm up for about 15 minutes. This keeps the crimped edges from drooping and helps create that sought after flaky crust. Then it gets blind baked. That just means pre-baking the crust a bit before adding the filling. Since the kabocha filling is very liquid, this helps keep the crust from getting soggy.
Line the crust with parchment paper, fill it with pie weights (or dried beans) to prevent the crust from puffing up, and bake for 15 minutes:
Remove foil and weights and rotate the plate. Bake 5 to 10 more minutes until the crust is light brown and crisp.
Now that the crust is ready, it’s time to move on to the star of the Kabocha Pie- the filling. Kabocha can be a bit of a mission to cut into, but I give you detailed instructions on the recipe card. I also give directions for two different steaming methods, either using your microwave or a stovetop steamer. Here I’m using the microwave, which will yield a drier cooked pumpkin.
Depending on its size, you’ll probably need about 3/4 of the kabocha. Cut it into thick wedges:
Fit the wedges onto a microwave safe plate:
Add water which will create the steam:
And cover with a lid:
Microwave on 80% power for about 12-15 minutes, checking for tenderness with a fork; continue cooking in one- to two-minute increments at 50% power if needed. I prefer to microwave on lower power for longer because I feel it yields the best results. Once the squash is tender, carefully remove the dish from the microwave and allow it to cool.
When the kabocha is cool enough for you to handle, remove the skin with a knife or scoop it with a spoon:
Add the peeled kabocha to a food processor or blender:
And process until smooth, you may need to add a little water to help things along, especially if you used the microwave or your pumpkin is particularly dense. Look at that velvety texture- pumpkin could never!
Transfer 2 cups of the puree to a large bowl along with the eggs, butter, both sugars, spices, and vanilla extract. As is customary in Japanese desserts, this Kabocha Pie is gently spiced. If you want a more spice forward pie, sub pumpkin pie spice.
Whisk to combine:
Add the half and half:
This isn’t strictly necessary, but I like to use my immersion blender for an ultra smooth texture. It blends out all of the tiny bits:
Now it’s time to bake! Add the filling to the pie crust:
Do yourself (and your oven) a favor by putting on a baking sheet in case it bubbles over a bit:
Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF and bake for 30-40 minutes. If your pie crust starts to darken, cover the edge with some foil or pie shields if you have them.
There might still be a slight jiggle in the center, but don’t worry it will set as the pie cools. Even though you will be sorely tempted to dig right in, it needs to cool for a few hours on the counter. You can’t rush the process and chill it in the fridge, the custard needs to cool and set gradually or it may start to weep and you’ll have those annoying little beads of moisture on top.
You are going to be amazed by how this filling is world’s away from using the canned stuff, and really it doesn’t need anything else. But this is Thanksgiving, so of course go ahead and gild the lily and serve it with ice cream or make some fresh whipped cream. Or both, live a little!
I hope this elegant but totally doable dessert graces your holiday table with a little extra warmth and coziness. Now more than ever we have to hold onto the small joys wherever we can find them. Let me know what you think and tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, let’s see those pies!
Looking for more holiday inspired sweets? Check out this Poached Fruit (divine over ice cream) or my Panettone Cake!
Kabocha Pie
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: yields 1 pie 1x
- Category: sweets
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust (I used a pre-made one that comes in a pack of two. You can freeze the other pie crust)
- 2 lb kabocha squash (weight with seeds and skin)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup half and half
For Serving:
- Vanilla Ice cream or
- Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 2 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
Blind bake the pie crust
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Roll out the dough on a generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to make a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Roll dough loosely around the rolling pin and unroll into the pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang around the pie plate.
Working around the pie plate, ease the dough into the plate by gently lifting the edge of dough with one hand while pressing into the plate bottom with the other hand. Go around the pie plate making sure the dough is pressed securely and there are no air gaps between the dough and the plate.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Trim the dough overhang to ½ inch beyond the edge of the pie plate. Fold overhang under itself so the edge is flush with the edge of the pie plate. Using your thumb and forefinger, flute the edge of dough. Alternatively, you can use the back of the tines of a fork, pressing down into the edge of dough to create a striped design. Refrigerate the dough-lined pie plate until firm, about 15 minutes.
Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator, line the crust with parchment or foil and fill with pie weights or raw beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove parchment and weights and rotate the plate. Bake 5 to 10 more minutes until the crust is light brown and crisp. Remove crust from the oven. Set aside while you make the filling.
Some tips on cutting kombucha
Kabocha is dense and can be difficult to cut. Here are some different techniques to help you. Pick the one that feels the most comfortable and least likely to cause injury! I usually put a damp kitchen towel right under the squash and on top of the cutting board to keep it from rocking around as I cut it. You can also put your cutting board on the floor which will give you better control since you can use more body strength. I’ve also used a rubber mallet to help me cut through the flesh when it’s particularly hard. But the technique I use most frequently is to push my knife in just enough so that it’s stuck in the kobocha and then bang the whole thing down on the cutting board. It’s brutal, but incredibly efficient. You have to be very comfortable with a knife though. Proceed with caution.
Cook the kabocha with a microwave
Cut the kabocha squash in half and weigh it. Most medium size kabocha are around 3 pounds. So you will need approximately ¾ of a whole one. Scoop out the seeds.
Cut the kabocha into thick wedges or into large cubes and place on a microwave safe plate. Add ¼ cup of water to the dish to create steam. Cover the dish with a microwave-safe plastic wrap or lid.
Microwave on 80% power for about 12-15 minutes, checking for tenderness with a fork; continue cooking in one- to two-minute increments at 50% power if needed. I prefer to microwave on lower power for longer because I feel it yields the best results. Once the squash is tender, carefully remove the dish from the microwave and allow it to cool. When the kabocha is cool enough for you to handle, remove the skin with a knife or scoop it with a spoon.
Cook the kabocha with a steamer
Cut the kabocha squash in half and weigh it. Most medium size kabocha are around 3 pounds. So you will need approximately ¾ of a whole one. Scoop out the seeds.
Cut the kabocha into thick wedges or 1½-inch cubes (Cubes cook faster).
Put 3 cups of water into a stacked steamer pot with an insert, or into the bottom of a deep wide pan that will accommodate a steamer basket and a lid. Place the kabocha cubes in the steamer basket and cover with a lid. The water should not be touching the kabocha. Turn the heat to high and steam for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, check if the kabocha is ready by inserting a skewer or the tip of a butter knife into a thick piece. If it goes through smoothly, then they’re done. Otherwise, keep steaming and check back in 1 minute. Remove the steamer basket from the pan. When the kabocha is cool enough for you to handle, remove the skin with a knife or scoop with a spoon.
Prepare the pie filling
Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC) and move the oven shelf to the middle rack.
Transfer the kabocha to a food processor or blender. Purée the kabocha until smooth. The kabocha should puree easily but if the kabocha seems dry, add a couple tablespoons of water at a time to help it purée. (My microwaved kabocha was incredibly dense and dry and I ended up using ½ cup of water to get it to puree.)
You need 2 cups of puréed kabocha for the recipe. Use any remaining puree for another purpose (I just ate mine as a snack with a spoon).
If you don’t have a food processor or blender, transfer the kabocha to a large bowl and pass it through a medium mesh strainer. You can also use a potato masher, but it will yield a rustic chunky texture.
Transfer the puree to a large bowl and add the unsalted butter, both sugars, the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and salt into the bowl and mix well. Add the half and half and mix again.
This last step is optional, but if you want your filling to be extra smooth, blend it with an immersion blender for a minute or two or pour it though a fine mesh strainer.
Bake the pie
Pour the filling into the pie crust. Tap the crust gently on the counter a few times to make sure there are no air gaps in the filling. Place a baking sheet under the pie, just in case there is an overflow of filling as it bakes.
Bake at 400ºF for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF and bake for 30-40 minutes. There will be a slight jiggle in the center which will set as the pie cools. You may need to shield the edges with foil during the last 20 minutes of baking to avoid the crust becoming too brown and overdone.
Cool on a wire rack for 2-3 hours before serving. DO NOT cool in the refrigerator.
If making the whipped cream
Place a metal mixing bowl and metal whisk into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream and 2 Tbsp sugar into the mixing bowl. Whisk just until the cream reaches medium firm peaks. Serve immediately.
Store any unused whipped cream in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
Notes
*You can keep the leftover pie in a container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
*This is a very gently spiced pumpkin pie, which is more common in Japan. Feel free to use pumpkin pie spice instead, using 1 ½ teaspoons of spices for a more common American flavor.
Keywords: kabocha, Thanksgiving, holiday, fall, pumpkin, pie, pumpkin pie, Asian desserts, kabocha pie, make ahead
