This brown butter pumpkin pie has a gingersnap cookie crust and is topped with toasted marshmallow meringue! This browned butter pumpkin pie is the perfect dessert for your next Thanksgiving. The pie filling is super easy to make and is made in one bowl. If you want, you can easily swap out the gingersnap crust for a graham cracker crust or classic pie crust!
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Fall always means pumpkin everything, and while I already have a classic pumpkin pie recipe, I couldn't resist giving it a little twist. This time, I added brown butter to the filling for extra warmth and nuttiness. I even tested it with a brown butter pie dough, but honestly? The effort didn't match the payoff (I tried, I promise!).
Instead, I leaned into the cozy flavors with a spiced gingersnap crust (thank you, Instagram poll voters!). It's just as easy as my graham cracker pumpkin pie, but adds so much more flavor. And to finish things off? A fluffy marshmallow meringue frosting, toasted to golden perfection.
If you want even more desserts for your Thanksgiving dessert table, try my no bake pumpkin cheesecake bars or apple crisp cheesecake!
Grab your ingredients!
- Cream of tartar: If you're making the marshmallow topping, you'll need cream of tartar to help stabilize the egg whites. I know some people use lemon juice, but I haven't tested it in this recipe!
- Pumpkin: Ensure you're using 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has sugar and spices already added to it.
- Sour Cream: Adding sour cream to the pumpkin pie filling will make it extra rich and creamy!
- Gingersnap Cookies: Don't want a gingersnap cookie crust? Swap it out for an equal amount of graham cracker crumbs.
- Unsalted Butter: Try to use a good quality butter for the brown butter. Never made brown butter? I have a blog post on how to brown butter, you might want to check out!
Let's Make This Pie!
- Step 1: Combine all the crust ingredients until evenly moist. Pour into your pie dish and bake for 8-9 minutes. Set aside.
- Step 2: Brown the butter in a saucepan, set aside so it can cool slightly.
- Step 3: Whisk all of the pumpkin pie filling ingredients, ending with the browned butter.
- Step 4: Pour into your gingersnap crust, tap on your counter to get rid of air bubbles! Bake in the oven. Let cool in the oven, then chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
- Step 5: Make your marshmallow meringue topping.
- Step 6: Top the chilled pumpkin pie and toast with a blowtorch!
Type of Pie Dish
In this recipe, I'm using a regular pie dish, which means I have about a quarter cup of pumpkin pie filling leftover. You can use a deep pie dish instead; that way, you won't have any leftover filling!
My Pie Tips, Tricks, & More 🎃
- Browning Edges: To stop the gingersnap edges from getting too dark, I recommend covering the edges with a pie crust shield or with foil.
- Cracking: Ah, cracks in a pie - our enemy! Pumpkin pies tend to crack if they're overcooked or if they go from a hot environment to a cold environment too quickly. Make sure you aren't overbaking the pie, and when it's done, I like to crack the oven open with a wooden spoon so it cools. Even if you do have cracks, they'll be covered by the meringue topping.
- No Kitchen Blowtorch? 🔥When I was first testing this recipe (along with my pumpkin spice cupcakes, which use the same marshmallow fluff topping!) I didn't have my trusty blowtorch. I tested toasting the topping in the broiler, and it works! You will need to keep an eagle eye on it, because it can go from toasty to burnt in a matter of seconds. Also, I've found the color isn't as aesthetically pleasing compared to a blowtorch!
- Swap Pie Crusts 🥧 Not a gingersnap fan? Swap out the pie crust for a regular flaky pie crust
Made This Recipe?
Make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! You can tag me on Instagram @alpineella or follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok!
Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust
This brown butter pumpkin pie has a spiced gingersnap crust and toasted marshmallow meringue topping! Perfect for Thanksgiving.
Equipment
- 1 9" pie plate
Ingredients
Gingersnap Crust
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter melted
- pinch salt
- 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup (110 grams) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) white sugar
- 15 oz (425 grams) pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- pinch ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- ⅓ cup (80 grams) sour cream
Marshmallow Fluff Topping
- 2 large (60 grams) egg whites room temperature
- 7 tablespoons (84 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- pinch kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ella's Baking Tip!Weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale for the best results!
Instructions
Make Gingersnap Crust
- Preheat your oven to 350℉/175℃. Pulse the gingersnap cookies in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.1 ½ cups (180 grams) gingersnap cookie crumbs
- Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter, pinch of salt, light brown sugar, ginger, and ground cinnamon. Stir until the crumbs are evenly moist.4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, pinch salt, 4 tablespoons light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pour the crumbs into a 9-inch pie dish (deep dish or regular!). Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the dish. Use the back of a small spoon to help create a kind of corner, where the edge and bottom of the dish meets. This creates a rounded edge and it'll be easier to slice!
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Make Pie Filling
- Brown your butter. Place the butter in a small saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat. Stir until the butter has melted. Soon it'll start to foam and sputter. Continue stirring, you'll see white milk solids at the bottom of the pan. After a few minutes, the butter will stop sputtering and the milk solids will turn golden brown. It will smell nutty and toasted. Take the pan off the heat and pour the brown butter (making sure you scrape out all the brown bits!) into a bowl. Let cool.4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter
- Keep the oven at 350℉/175℃ with a rack in the center of the oven.
- Whisk together the eggs, sugars and vanilla. Add the pumpkin puree, spices and salt. Whisk in your sour cream, and heavy cream. Finally, stir in the brown butter.3 large eggs, ½ cup (110 grams) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100 grams) white sugar, 15 oz (425 grams) pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, pinch ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, ⅓ cup (80 grams) sour cream
- Pour the filling into the crust. Tap on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Depending on the size of your dish you might have some leftover pie filling so keep that in mind! Place in the oven.
- After 25-30 minutes, check on the pie. If the edges are looking brown I recommend placing aluminum foil on the edges so they don't brown.
- Bake for 45 minutes and check it, the filling should be puffed but the edges should have set. You may need another 5 or 10 minutes! Note, depending on your oven you may need less time so keep an eye on it!
- Open the oven door and keep it open a crack with the handle of a wooden spoon. This helps it cool down slowly so it is less likely to crack.
- Once completely cool, take out of the now cold oven and let chill in the fridge for 2 hours before enjoying.
Marshmallow Topping
- Place the egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl - I prefer using a metal bowl for this.2 large (60 grams) egg whites, 7 tablespoons (84 grams) granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, pinch kosher salt
- Fill a saucepan with an inch or two of water on the stove and place over medium-low heat, so the water begins to simmer. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water.
- Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves. It'll go from thick to frothy. To test, I like to lift the whisk up and rub the mixture between my fingers. Careful, it might be hot! You shouldn't feel any of the sugar.
- Take the bowl off the double boiler and place it in your stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a handheld mixer). Add the vanilla.½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Beat on high speed for 5 minutes, or until you get stiff and glossy peaks. Frost your chilled pumpkin pie with the topping and use a blowtorch to toast it!
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Notes
My recipes have been developed and tested in metric grams and cups. I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. Just click on 'Metric' above the ingredients.
Salt: If you don’t have kosher salt, halve the amount of salt called for in the recipe. 1 teaspoon kosher salt = ½ teaspoon fine salt.
Amount of Marshmallow: If you want even taller marshmallow topping, double the recipe and follow the instructions.
Crust: If you don't want a gingersnap crust, swap out the gingersnaps for graham cracker crumbs and increase the butter to 6 tablespoons (85 grams). You can also swap it out for a regular pie crust.
Broiler: If you don't have a kitchen blowtorch, I have tested toasting the marshmallow meringue under the broiler. Keep a very close eye on it as it can go from toasty to burnt very quickly.
Pie Dish: This recipe uses a regular 9"-pie dish, but you can also use a deep dish if that's all you have! Depending on the size of your dish, you may have some leftover pie filling so be careful when pouring it into the pie crust.
Storage: Cover leftovers tightly and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @alpineella so I can see what you made!
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