TikTok baker @belspies has done the impossible: She's reinvented the pumpkin pie into a five-star dessert by changing absolutely nothing to the traditional recipe — other than adding some sugar on top of the cooked pie and torching it a bit. It might seem like an unnecessary step, but giving a traditional pumpkin pie the crème brûlée treatment makes for a glassy, crackly surface that I didn't realise we, as a society, have been missing out on this whole time.
If you're in a pinch, this crème brûlée method could be achieved on a store-bought pie, but I highly recommend trying @belspies' original pie because the filling, flavoured with sweetened condensed milk and a homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, is absolutely divine. Best of all, it's relatively easy to make, as far as pies go. Finding the perfect Thanksgiving dessert can be a hassle, or overwhelming since there are so many delicious desserts to choose from. But thanks to the simplicity and next-level taste of this recipe, I will definitely be bringing a crème brûlée pumpkin pie to all of my Thanksgiving dinners this year. Keep scrolling for step-by-step instructions on how to make this deceptively fancy dessert.
Crème Brûlée Pumpkin Pie
TikTok User @belspies
Ingredients
- For the dough
1 ¾ cups flour
½ tablespoon granulated sugar
½ cup cold butter, cubed
3-4 tablespoons ice water
- Pumpkin pie filling
1 ¾ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 eggs
½ cup condensed milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
- For the brûlée top
¼ cup granulated sugar
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and butter just until the ingredients resemble clumpy sand. Add two tablespoons of ice water, then mix together until the mixture becomes a smooth, cohesive dough.
- Cover the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, and condensed milk, then add pumpkin pie spices.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out onto a well-floured surface.
- Place the dough into a pie plate and crimp the edges. Place prepared pie crust in the freezer for a few minutes to chill.
- Once the dough has chilled again, pour the pumpkin filling into the pie shell, then place in the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking for 35 minutes.
- When the pie is fully cooked through, remove it from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of granulated sugar all over its surface. Using a blow torch, carefully brown the sugar until it has caramelized.
- Repeat the sugar and blow torch method two or three more times, until the entire surface is glassy and deep caramel in color from edge to edge.
- Once the surface of the pie is fully caramelized, slice in and enjoy!
Information
- Category
- Desserts, Pies/Tarts
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Prep Time
- 35 minutes
- Cook Time
- 50 minutes
- Total Time
- 1 hour, 24 minutes, 59 seconds