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Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie

Brown butter pumpkin pie pairs a flaky, prebaked crust with a warmly spiced pumpkin filling enriched with nutty browned butter. Bake until the center jiggles slightly, then chill for clean slices.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Chilling and cooling 5 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the crust
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp fine salt divided (1/2 teaspoon for the crust and 1/2 teaspoon for the filling)
  • 14 tbsp unsalted butter divided (10 tablespoons cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces for the crust; 4 tablespoons for the filling)
  • 5 tbsp ice water
For the filling
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • 0.75 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.125 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 eggs large, at room temperature
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch deep-dish pie plate
  • 1 rimmed baking sheet

Method
 

Make the crust
  1. Whisk the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl.
  2. Cut in 10 tablespoons of the cold butter with a pastry cutter until the pieces are about pea-size.
  3. Sprinkle in the ice water and toss with a fork until the dough holds together when squeezed.
  4. Gather the dough into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  5. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  6. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round.
  7. Fit the dough into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, then trim and crimp the edge.
  8. Refrigerate the crust for 20 minutes.
  9. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
  10. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the edges are set.
  11. Remove the parchment and weights and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the bottom looks dry.
  12. Cool the crust on a rack while you make the filling.
Make the filling
  1. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling often for 4 to 6 minutes until the milk solids turn amber and smell nutty.
  2. Transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl and cool until warm, about 10 minutes.
  3. Whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a large bowl.
  4. Whisk in the eggs and evaporated milk.
  5. Gradually whisk in the warm browned butter.
Bake and cool
  1. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
  2. Pour the filling into the crust and set the pie on a rimmed baking sheet.
  3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, shielding the crust edge with foil if it browns too quickly, until the edges are set, the center jiggles slightly, and an instant-read thermometer in the center registers 175°F.
  4. Cool on a rack for 2 hours.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

For the best nutty flavor, watch the butter closely and transfer it as soon as the milk solids turn amber. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days; this pie can be frozen. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in the crust.