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Course: Sweets
Keyword: Baking, Comfort Food, Desserts, Entertaining, Fall, Holidays, Pumpkin Pie, Thanksgiving

The Pumpkin Pie

Alton Brown's Pumpkin Pie Recipe
ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
I don’t always make pumpkin pie, but with its creamy pumpkin filling and crisp, spicy-sweet gingerbread crust, this is the pumpkin pie I make when I do…you know, make pumpkin pie.
If you want to make this holiday classic feel extra special, bake individual pumpkin pies with a crispy brûlée topping (recipe follows).
Both U.S. standard and metric measurements are listed, but if you want deliciously consistent results, go metric.
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FOR THE CRUST

  • 170 grams gingersnap cookies
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING

  • 1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk

FOR THE BRÛLÉE FOR MINI-PIES

  • 5 teaspoons light brown sugar
Alton Brown's Pumpkin Pie Recipe
ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Procedure

  • Heat the oven to 350ºF.
  • Make the crust: Combine the gingersnaps, brown sugar, and ginger in a food processor. Process until the cookies are fine crumbs. Drizzle the butter into the crumb mixture. Pulse 8 to 10 times to combine.
  • Press the gingersnap mixture into the bottom, up the sides, and just over the lip of a 9-inch glass pie dish. Place on a half-sheet pan and bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool the crust at least 10 minutes before filling.
  • Bring the pumpkin puree to a simmer over medium heat in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add the half-and-half, nutmeg, and salt. Stir and return the mixture to a simmer. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
  • Whisk the brown sugar, eggs, and egg yolk in a large bowl until smooth. Add the pumpkin mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour the filling into the warm pie crust and bake on the same half-sheet pan until the center jiggles slightly but the sides of the filling are set, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. The pie can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance — it's best the day after it is made.
  • Evenly divide the crust mixture among 5 (5-inch) pie tins and bake on a half-sheet pan for 5 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.
  • Divide the filling evenly among the pans. Bake on the same half-sheet pan until the center juggles slightly but the sides of the filling are set, about 25 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack for 2 hours.
  • Spread 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar on the top of each pie. Melt the sugar using a blowtorch to form a crisp top. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
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