Print

Maple Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Brulee Top

whole pie with slice removed, maple bourbon pumpkin pie with brulee crust topped with whipped cream

This is THE pumpkin pie recipe to put all other pumpkin pies to shame. Caramelized pumpkin for REAL pumpkin flavor, pure maple syrup, bourbon, and a gorgeous crispy Brulee top all make this pumpkin pie unforgettable

  • Author: Mandy
  • Yield: 1 9-inch pie 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Pie crust for single crust pie (I use this All-Butter Pie Crust)

For the Filling-

15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree

3/4 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup Grade B pure maple syrup

1/3 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons bourbon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Generous pinch black pepper, about 1/8 teaspoon

Pinch cloves

2 eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature

2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the Brulee Top (optional)-

1/4 cup light brown sugar

Kitchen torch or broiler

For the Freshly Whipped Cream-

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°. Position rack in center of oven if using a metal pan. If using a heavy ceramic pan, position the rack in the lower third of the oven.

Roll out pie dough and line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough. Crimp edges. Prick bottom of crust a few times with a fork. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes. Line pie dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans or rice. (Do not try cooking with beans or rice that have been used as pie weights, by the way. Save them to be reused as pie weights again in the future.) Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes until crust just begins to brown a bit. Gently remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Prick crust again with fork. Return to oven for 10 more minutes. Remove and let cool while preparing the filling. (Note- If you prefer not to par-bake your crust, chill the dough thoroughly but do not prick the crust. Bake pie in lower third of oven and increase baking time by 10-15 minutes.)

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-low heat, add the pumpkin puree, stirring frequently with a spatula for about 15 minutes. This caramelizes the pumpkin and gives the pie a more pronounced pumpkin flavor. It also evaporates some of the moisture which lends a really velvety texture to the filling. Transfer to large mixing bowl.

Add half-and-half, maple syrup, brown sugar, bourbon, vanilla, and spices. Whisk until completely incorporated. Add eggs and whisk until combined. Add corn starch and whisk very thoroughly until completely incorporated and filling is slightly thickened.

Pour into prepared crust and bake on center rack for 45-50 minutes until center has just set but still has a bit of a sheen. Filling that is baked properly is not cracked. If you see cracks beginning to form, remove pie from oven before it is overbaked.

Let cool completely before slicing or Brulee-ing the top. (Is that even a verb? It is in my house.)

To Brulee the top- Do this step just before serving--not ahead of time as the beautiful crispy shell can melt into a syrup if refrigerated. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of light brown sugar evenly over the surface of the filling. Smooth sugar very gently to maintain an even layer of sugar. Using a kitchen torch, working in small sections at a time, carefully heat the sugar until it melts and is golden brown. (See video below.) This can also be done under the broiler in the oven but is much more difficult to get the top toasted evenly, and also makes it very easy to scorch the crust. Consider wrapping the crust with foil before using the broiler method. 

Serve immediately with freshly whipped cream.

To make the whipped cream- combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a chilled bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high with whisk attachment until light and fluffy. Don’t get distracted and walk away or you’ll accidentally make butter.

Keywords: brulee pumpkin pie, maple bourbon pumpkin pie, toasted pumpkin puree, caramelized pumpkin