Brown Butter and Maple Pumpkin Pie

Sweet, complex, and perfectly spiced.

I’M BACK! I am deeply sorry for the lull in recipe content -- fall has felt like a speed run through 2024. I know we’re only 10 days out from Thanksgiving, but there’s still time to plan your menu. I have some recipes lined up for the following week, and there’s no better place to start than this brown butter and maple pumpkin pie with a flaky, all butter crust and fresh nutmeg whipped cream. Pumpkin pie is one of those desserts that is almost always good, but rarely outstanding. I wanted to change that, and I humbly conclude that I succeeded. The addition of nutty, toffee-like brown butter adds an incredibly unique toasted flavor you won’t find in any other pie, and the inclusion of maple syrup makes the entire thing taste like autumn in a bite. It’s sweet, complex, and perfectly spiced. This is truly a standout pumpkin pie, and despite being relatively easy to make, is certain to impress anyone you serve it to (my sister, a verified pumpkin pie hater, was converted solely by this recipe). We blind bake the crust (if you don’t know what that means, don’t worry – we’ll go over it!) to make sure the pastry is flaky and crispy, and we’ll bake the pie low and slow to prevent any unsightly cracks and ensure a velvety, silky smooth filling. Finally, we’ll finish off the pie with a soft fresh whipped nutmeg cream, which will officially secure you as your family’s go-to for pumpkin pie duty every year from here on out. This pie is truly the perfect balance of tradition and innovation, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes 

• 2 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1/4 cup ice water

For the filling:

• 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter

• 1 15oz can pumpkin puree (preferably Libby’s brand) 

• 1/2 cup (160g) maple syrup 

• 3/4 cup (150g) brown sugar 

• 3 large eggs 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 

• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 

• 3/4 cup (180g) heavy cream

For the nutmeg whipped cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 2 tablespoon powdered sugar 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 

Directions:

At least two hours (but preferably at least 24 or up to 3 days) before assembling your pie, prepare your crust. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add in the butter and pulse again until incorporated into the flour. You can also do this by hand — just squeeze the butter cubes until they’re about the size of peas and incorporate them into the flour. Slowly add in the ice water one tablespoon at a time until just combined. Try to use as little water as possible — once the dough barely comes together, stop adding the water. Dump the dough out onto a clean work surface and, using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the dough into three portions, then stack them on top of each other and smush them together (here’s a good video for reference if you want to better understand what I mean). Repeat this three times. This is a faux lamination technique that will create flaky layers in our crust. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and store in the fridge to chill. It’s imperative that the dough chills before rolling out — the fats need to firm up and the dough needs to hydrate.

When the dough is chilled, it’s time to blind bake our crust. Blind baking refers to a process wherein we bake the pie crust before adding any filling to ensure the crust cooks through and gets adequately flaky. Since pumpkin pie filling is so moist, it’s crucial that we par bake the pastry. To begin with, roll out your pie crust to about 12 inches in diameter (about 1/8 inch thick), dusting the crust with flour as needed and rolling from the center outward. Line a 9 inch pie plate with the crust, pressing the dough to the surface of the plate to make contact, and fold the excess overhang around the edges underneath itself so you get a thick and sturdy crust. Crimp the crust by either pressing it with a fork, or pinching it in with your fingers. Once the crust is crimped, put the whole thing in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes while we preheat the oven to 375F. This second chill time will help the crust keep its shape and prevent shrinkage. After it’s chilled, poke holes in the surface of the crust with a fork to dock the pastry and line the crust with a piece of parchment or aluminum foil. Fill the foil to the top with pie weights, dried beans, or rice to weigh the crust down. Bake for 20 minutes before removing the foil and weights and baking for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and baked through. 

Once the crust is par baked, you’re ready to work on the filling. Reduce the heat of the oven to 325F. Brown your butter by first slicing it into tablespoon sized pieces (you don’t need to soften it or even bring it to room temperature — straight from the fridge is fine), and then melting it over medium heat in a saucepan. Whisk the butter continuously, about 5-8 minutes, until you see brown specks at the bottom of the pan and the butter develops a nutty aroma and a deep caramel hue. As soon as it reaches a deep golden brown color, immediately transfer to a heat safe bowl. 

While the butter cools, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooled brown butter and heavy cream and whisk again to combine. Pour your filling into the par baked crust (you might have some extra filling, just fill the pie to the top and discard any extra) and bake at 325F for 50-60 minutes, until the edges are set and slightly puffed but the center wobbles slightly when you wiggle the pan, or until the internal temperature reads 185F. To prevent cracking, turn off the oven, prop the door open, and let the pie cool completely to room temperature in the oven. 

While the pie cools, work on the soft whipped cream. Combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla and mix with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. When the pie is ready to serve, top with your whipped cream and grate the fresh nutmeg on top for garnish. Slice and enjoy!