Print

Easy Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie with Streusel Topping

brown butter pumpkin pie with streusel topping - featured image
Print Recipe

This Easy Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie with Streusel Topping is a game-changing fall dessert. Nutty brown butter transforms the classic filling into something deeper and warmer, while a buttery, crunchy streusel topping adds texture and flavor, eliminating the need for a fussy pastry crust.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (for streusel)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (for streusel)
  • 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter (for streusel, cut into small cubes)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional, for streusel)
  • 1 pre-made 9-inch pie crust

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place your pre-made pie crust in the pie dish and crimp the edges if desired. Prick the bottom with a fork a few times to prevent bubbles. Set aside.
  2. Brown the butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the 1/2 cup of butter. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The butter will foam, then bubble, then start to turn golden. Watch carefully—when you see brown specks forming at the bottom and it smells nutty and toasty, remove it from the heat immediately. Pour into a heat-safe bowl to stop the cooking. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Pour in the vanilla and the cooled brown butter (scrape every bit of those brown bits in). Whisk until combined. Slowly stream in the heavy cream while whisking gently. The filling should be smooth and glossy.
  4. Pour the filling into the crust: Place the pie dish on a baking sheet. Pour the filling into the crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 375°F.
  5. While the pie bakes, make the streusel: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Stir in the chopped pecans if using. Pop the bowl in the fridge while the pie bakes.
  6. Add the streusel topping: After 15 minutes, carefully remove the pie from the oven. The filling should be just starting to set around the edges. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top. Don’t press it in.
  7. Finish baking: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Return the pie to the oven and bake for another 30-35 minutes. The pie is done when the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly when you gently shake the pan. A knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean. The streusel should be golden brown and fragrant.
  8. Cool completely: Place the pie on a cooling rack and let it cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature. This is crucial—the filling continues to set as it cools.
  9. Chill before serving: For the cleanest slices, refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Notes

Watch the butter carefully when browning—it goes from perfect to burnt quickly. Use room temperature ingredients to prevent the brown butter from seizing. Don’t overmix the filling to avoid cracks. For a crisp bottom crust, blind bake the pie crust at 375°F for 10 minutes with pie weights, then 5 minutes without. If the crust edges or streusel brown too fast, loosely tent with foil. Let the pie cool completely before slicing to ensure it sets properly. The pie tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin pie, brown butter, streusel topping, fall dessert, Thanksgiving, easy pumpkin pie

Find it online: https://oracooks.com/easy-brown-butter-pumpkin-pie-with-streusel-topping/