Description
Hearty Southern bourbon pumpkin pie delivers a rich, spiced experience with creamy custard and flaky crust. Seasonal warmth and deep whiskey notes create a memorable dessert that connects generations of bakers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pie crust (9 in, 22.86 cm, unbaked)
- 1 ¾ cups (415 ml) pumpkin puree
- 1 cup (240 ml) brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup (120 ml) evaporated milk
- ⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) bourbon
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (60 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (60 g) pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), positioning the rack in the lower third for optimal heat distribution.
- Filling Creation: Whisk eggs until light, then fold in pumpkin puree, creating a smooth base. Integrate brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, ensuring even spice dispersion.
- Liquid Integration: Pour bourbon into the mixture, then blend evenly with evaporated milk, developing a rich, aromatic filling.
- Crust Filling: Carefully pour the prepared filling into an unbaked pie crust, maintaining uniform coverage.
- Initial Baking Phase: Place pie in the oven and bake for 15 minutes to establish the initial structure, then reduce temperature to 350°F (175°C).
- Continued Baking: Continue baking for 30-35 minutes until the filling is mostly set with a slight wobble.
- Streusel Preparation: Create brown-butter pecan streusel by browning butter until golden and fragrant, then combining with brown sugar, flour, salt, and chopped pecans.
- Streusel Application: After 30 minutes of baking, sprinkle streusel evenly across the pie’s surface.
- Final Baking: Return pie to oven for an additional 10 minutes, allowing streusel to become golden and crisp.
- Cooling and Serving: Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. Serve at room temperature or chilled, optionally topped with whipped cream.
Notes
- Bourbon Boost: Add bourbon gradually to enhance flavor without overwhelming the pie’s delicate spice profile.
- Butter Browning Technique: Watch butter closely when browning to prevent burning; golden amber color signals perfect caramelization.
- Streusel Sprinkling Strategy: Apply streusel in the final baking stage to maintain crispness and prevent soggy topping.
- Temperature Transition Tip: Sharp initial high-temperature baking helps set the pie’s structure before lowering heat for even cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg