The only thing better than pumpkin pie? My bourbon pumpkin pie recipe, made with brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and bourbon. Exploding with flavor and topped with whipped cream, it’s always a hit at the holidays! This recipe is heaven in a pie plate!
Bourbon Pumpkin Pie Recipe
If you’re looking for crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving dessert that’s also a showstopper, look no further than bourbon pumpkin pie! This recipe is sure to slay at your holiday celebrations this year… here’s why I think it’s the best of the best:
- Bursting with fall flavors, this is everything you love about classic pumpkin pie, but with a grown-up bourbon twist!
- The bourbon adds it’s own unique flavor while enhancing the other flavors in the pumpkin pie. It DOES not taste overly boozy or bourbon heaven.
- Brown sugar + pumpkin pie spice + warming spices create a perfectly spiced pumpkin pie filling.
- My directions for filling the pie crust with pie weights and blind-baking will ensure a perfectly cooked pie crust.
- Topped with whipped cream, this classic holiday dessert is sure to bring a smile to your face and grumble to your tummy.
Similar to apple pie and mini pumpkin cheesecakes, this recipe is a fall holiday classic and always a huge hit at festive gatherings!
Bourbon Pumpkin Pie Ingredients
- Pie Crust: Use your favorite pie crust recipe – or my foolproof all butter pie crust. Which, in my biased opinion, is the best and easiest pie dough ever!
- Pumpkin Puree: This is not the same as pumpkin pie filling! So make sure you check the label. I recommend canned pumpkin, but homemade pumpkin will work. If using homemade pumpkin, blot some moisture off before use.
- Sugar: A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar add sweetness and depth of flavor. I call for light brown sugar but dark brown sugar will work.
- Bourbon: 3 and 1/2 tablespoons adds just the right amount of bourbon flavor. We use Bulleit bourbon, but use whatever you have on hand. If you don’t have bourbon, whiskey or rum make great substitutes.
- Eggs: Bring your eggs to room temperature before using them! You’ll use 2 whole eggs and then 1 egg yolk. Either discard the egg white or store it for a later use!
- Evaporated Milk: Don’t substitute with regular milk, heavy cream, sour cream, etc.!!! You must use evaporated milk for this pumpkin pie recipe to work.
- Spices: Pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, ginger, and ground cardamom add the perfect punch of warm and cozy spice to this bourbon pumpkin pie.
- All-Purpose Flour: Just a teaspoon thickens the pie filling up. A 1-for-1 gluten free flour should work fine as a substitute.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract adds a rich flavor. It also enhances all the other flavors in this pumpkin pie! If you have it, bourbon vanilla extract would be delicious. Just don’t use artificial vanilla extract, which tastes awful.
- Salt: Similar to vanilla extract, salt helps enhance the flavors in this pumpkin pie recipe, while balancing the sweetness. The pie crust recipe also uses it.
Fill with Pie Weights and Bake Pie Crust
One update I’ve made to this recipe is to call for pre-baking the pie crust. I’ve found this extra step ensures the pie shell bakes through fully. And doesn’t leave you with a gummy partially baked pie crust. Pre-baking the pie crust also helps avoid heating the oven to 425, which can cause over browning.
- You must blind bake the pie crust before you add the pumpkin pie filling. Skipping the blind bake step may lead to a soggy and undercooked pie crust.
- To blind bake the homemade pie crust, you’ll need dried beans, rice, or pie weights.
- You’ll bake the crust for 18 minutes. Then remove the weights and continue baking for 18 more minutes before adding the bourbon pumpkin pie filling.
- If you don’t want to use my homemade pie crust recipe, you can use your favorite recipe.
- A store bought pie shell will work, but you will likely have enough pumpkin pie filling for two pie shells. If you have already cooked the shells, you don’t need to blind bake.
- You can cool the pie shell on a wire rack while you make the pumpkin pie filling.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie
- Pie Crust: Roll out the dough out, place in pie plate, and chill for 30 minutes. Fill with pie weights and bake as directed, then cool until needed.
- Pumpkin Pie Filling: In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, both sugars, vanilla, and bourbon. Add in the eggs and yolk. Stir in the evaporated milk, spices, and flour.
- Bake: Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake for 50 minutes. I don’t suggest using the “or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pie” trick here. The toothpick will likely come out a little wet even if you bake the pie completely.
- Cool: Completely on a wire rack, until it’s at room temperature. Then transfer the bourbon pumpkin pie to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before slicing and topping with freshly whipped cream.
How to Avoid Cracks in Pumpkin Pie
The secret to a thick and creamy pumpkin pie with NO cracks?
- Don’t over mix the ingredients: Whisk them gently together until just combined. Especially once you’ve added the eggs. Too much whisking will cause the pie to rise and then fall in the oven.
- Don’t over bake: You’ll want to bake the pie for about 50 minutes, or until the pumpkin pie is set at the edges. But the center of the pie is still jiggly. Don’t fear the pie jiggle! This pumpkin pie will continue to firm up as it cools.
- Make the recipe as written: Want your pumpkin pie to look just like mine? Follow the recipe exactly as it states, and don’t skip any steps or ingredients.
Can you Freeze Pumpkin Pie?
- Oh yes, sweetie!!! This Bourbon Pumpkin Pie freezes exceptionally well! And you can keep this pumpkin pie in the freezer for up to 2 months!
- I always advise making one or two a few weeks before a big holiday. That way you have dessert prepped and ready to go!
- Simply thaw the frozen pie overnight, in the fridge, before you plan on serving it.
Pumpkin Pie Recipes:
- Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars
- Chai Spice Pumpkin Pie
- Classic Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie
- Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Pie Bars
Bourbon Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- 1 foolproof all-butter pie crust or your favorite pie crust recipe
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup (159g) light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 3 and 1/2 Tablespoons (49ml) bourbon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs plus room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- whipped cream optional
Instructions
For the Pie Crust:
- Remove the dough from the fridge 15 minutes before you plan on rolling, as dough that is too cold will crack.
- Lightly flour a rolling pin and a large clean work surface. Set the dough in the middle of the work surface and – beginning from the center of the disk – roll the dough away from you in one firm and even stroke. After each stroke, rotate the disc a quarter turn clockwise and roll again. Lightly sprinkle more flour on the work surface, pie dough, and rolling pin as needed. You want to use just enough to prevent the dough from sticking. As your disc of dough becomes larger, be sure not to overstretch the center of the dough. Continue rolling until the dough is about 16-inches in diameter, and around a 1/8" in thickness.
- Carefully fold the dough in half and lay it across one side of a 10-inch glass or metal pie pan, placing the seam of the dough in the center of the pan.
- Unfold the crust and use your hands to fit the dough into the pan, making sure there are no gaps between the dough and the sides of the pan. If you see visible air bubbles, gently burst them with a fork.
- Using kitchen scissors, trim the dough overhang to 1 and 1/2 inches, measuring from the inner rim of the pan. Roll the overhang underneath the rim of the pie plate and crimp.
- Lightly cover the crust with plastic wrap and place back in the refrigerator until needed, at least 30 minutes.
Blind Baking the Crust:
- When ready to par-bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F).
- Remove crust from the fridge. Scrunch up a piece of parchment paper, then line the crust with the parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Make sure the weights are evenly distributed around the pie crust.
- Bake, in the lower third of the oven, for 18 minutes. Remove from the oven. Carefully remove the pie weights and parchment paper and prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork.
- Place back in the oven and bake for another 18 minutes, or until the bottom of the pie crust is lightly golden brown. Remove the partially baked crust from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees (F).
For the Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, both sugars, bourbon, and vanilla and whisk well to combine.
- Add in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk in the evaporated milk, spices, flour, and salt until just combined.
Assembly:
- Pour the filling into the partially baked pie crust. Place in the preheated oven and bake, in the lower third of the oven, for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is *almost set. It should still have a jiggly spot in the center. This will firm up as it cools.
- Cool on a wire rack for two hours, then place the pie in the fridge for at least another 2 hours before slicing. Serve with whipped cream!
Sheilah Angeloni says
Make this every year for thanksgiving and everyone raves about it! Making it for a Friendsgiving party tomorrow. It makes more than a typical frozen pie shell it made 3 pies!
Michael Jones says
Hello Ashley, how are you doing today? I’ve just wanted to say that your bourbon pumpkin pie recipe that I’ve tried last year for Thanksgiving and Christmas day are fabulous. I’ll make it again this year for Thanksgiving and Christmas day. Quick question though, lets say if I don’t want the crust to be dark brown when I bake it, do I have to put the pie protector shield around it to avoid the crust for being dark or burnt?
Carol Keefe says
My husband LOVED the visual of “a big GLUG of bourbon.” He declared it my best pumpkin pie ever. Have already saved it for next year. Thanks!
Kelly says
Hi, I just came across this recipe. Can I make this with coconut milk instead of evaporated milk? Thanks!
Tina says
When you call for pumpkin spice, do you mean pumpkin pie spice?
Christina B says
I used a “Pumpkin Pie Spice” and it was amazing.
bakerbynature says
yes 🙂
Janet S. says
I’ve never made a pumpkin pie I liked until this one. Beautiful with awesome flavor!!
Krista Rindell says
Does this recipe double well? or should I make 2 separate batches?
Emily says
I have mixed thoughts on this pie. I made it for a game night with a few friends, and it was delicious. Literally everyone had seconds and even thirds. However, I was really looking forward to tasting the bourbon, and I didn’t taste it at all. It really just tasted like a good pumpkin pie. Maybe it’s because I used Jim Beam, not Bulleit, but I expected to get some bourbon flavor. I used the tried and true pie crust I’ve always used, and had no issues with that.
Diana says
Could I make my own pumpkin spice or would you recommend buying it?
bakerbynature says
Sure, you can make your own!