A U.S. baker known for exploring American identity through food has reimagined pumpkin pie in the style of Chicago’s iconic deep-dish pizza, creating a towering dessert that reflects Illinois’ agricultural legacy and the cultural storytelling behind her cookbook project.
The recipe forms part of “50 Pies, 50 States,” a project built on the idea that regional ingredients and traditions can offer insight into how Americans understand home, belonging, and celebration. For Illinois, the decision came naturally: the state produces around 85% of the canned pumpkin consumed in the United States and has officially declared pumpkin pie its state dessert.
Rather than replicate a familiar recipe, the baker set out to reinterpret it. The result is a skillet-baked, deep-dish pumpkin pie that requires a fork and knife to serve and resembles a culinary engineering project more than a traditional holiday staple. In her view, the dish captures Chicago’s sense of scale and structure—an edible counterpart to the city’s skyscrapers.
A Pie Project Rooted in Place
The cookbook concept was shaped by a personal ritual: baking as a way to mark emotional milestones, from new friendships and problem-solving to travel and homesickness. That approach grew into a nationwide exploration of how food expresses identity across 50 states.
For Illinois, pumpkin was an obvious anchor. Brands such as Libby’s source pumpkins from the region surrounding Morton, sometimes referred to as the “Pumpkin Capital of the World,” reinforcing the crop’s long-standing economic and cultural role.
The challenge became how to make the state’s signature ingredient feel unexpected. The answer was a hybrid design: a dense crust baked in a springform pan, filled with a custard mixture incorporating traditional spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, along with cornstarch to stabilize the filling. The dish is assembled over several hours, including chilling and blind baking, to achieve the structure needed for a tall slice that holds together once removed from the pan.
Technique Over Tradition
While the recipe allows for store-bought or homemade dough, the process emphasizes patience and precision. The crust is rolled into a single, oversized sheet, fitted into the pan with intentional overhang, and frozen before blind baking. An egg wash is brushed over the surface to create a crisp, golden seal once the filling is added.
The custard itself combines canned pumpkin, cream, eggs and spices, chilled for several hours—or overnight—for a thicker set. The filled crust is baked at a slightly reduced temperature, rotated during the process to ensure even cooking, and rested for at least four hours before the springform ring can be safely removed.
The baker recommends serving the pie with whipped cream and suggests pairing the experience with “The Last Dance,” the documentary series about Michael Jordan and the 1997 Chicago Bulls—a nod to Illinois’ sports heritage.
Cultural Cooking Trends Continue
The recipe arrives at a time when home-baking projects remain popular in the United States and beyond. Searches for seasonal desserts typically rise in late October and peak through the Thanksgiving period, according to Google Trends, with pumpkin-based recipes consistently among the most viewed.
Deep-dish reinterpretations have also appeared across food media in recent years as cooks experiment with hybrid formats, from lasagna-style pies to savory-sweet mashups. Culinary historians note that regional crossover dishes often emerge in periods of cultural nostalgia or renewed interest in local identity.
In this case, the baker’s aim is less about novelty than storytelling. By assigning a pie to every state, she hopes to highlight how ingredients and traditions function as markers of belonging—whether rooted in agriculture, migration, or personal memory.
A Slice of Illinois on the Table
Although the recipe is more technically demanding than a standard pumpkin pie, it reflects the broader goals of the project: slowing down, paying attention, and creating something that feels anchored in place. The baker advises home cooks not to rush the process, noting that chilling the dough and preparing the filling ahead of time reduces stress and improves results.
The deep-dish version remains entirely pumpkin-based, with no savory elements borrowed from pizza beyond structure and scale. The connection is conceptual rather than culinary, offering a playful interpretation rather than a fusion dish.
For many home bakers preparing for the holiday season, the recipe may serve as both a challenge and an alternative to familiar formats. Whether adopted widely or appreciated as a one-off experiment, it underscores the ongoing appeal of rethinking classic American desserts through a regional lens.
Source: AP News – What happens when pumpkin pie meets deep-dish pizza?
