This maple bourbon pumpkin pie is naturally sweetened and lightly spiked. It makes for a fun twist on this holiday favourite!

maple bourbon pumpkin pie slice with whipped cream

If you’re a sucker for a good old-fashioned pumpkin pie, then you’re going to love this punched-up version. It’s rich, maple sweet and has just enough spice.

The bourbon takes it to a whole new level; a slight twist of orange livens things up. If the orange sounds weird to you, don’t worry, I was skeptical, too. It works, though, and it helps make this holiday classic top-notch.

MAPLE BOURBON PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE VIDEO

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HOW TO MAKE MAPLE BOURBON PUMPKIN PIE

Apart from baking and cooling time, it doesn’t take very long to whip up a pumpkin pie. Still, we’re going to cover the key components of pie making: the crust, the filling and the baking. Let’s begin!

THE CRUST

When it comes to pie crust, it’s important to give some thought to the foundation. A bad crust won’t ruin a pie (it’s the filling that can make it or break it), but a good crust will help make it shine.

Lard makes for a lovely flaky crust because it’s pure fat (butter contains water). That being said, a butter crust is flavorful. Made right, a butter crust can be flaky, too. Another option to consider for our maple bourbon pumpkin pie is a sweet pie shell.

If you go the route of making your own pie dough, it’s something that can be done well in advance as it freezes beautifully. Whether you make it or buy it, before you pour in the filling you will need to partially bake the crust, also known as blind baking.

RELATED: All-Butter Pie Dough

BLIND BAKING THE PIE SHELL

When making pie with a custard-based filling, the pie shell ought to be partially baked. Fortunately, this isn’t hard to do and is a step that can be done in advance.

Begin by preheating the oven to 400ºF/205ºC. If you’re making your own crust, then roll out the dough, plate it, and if it’s made with butter, keep it cold while the oven finishes heating up. Fill it with pie weights (dried beans or rice will do, too) and bake it for 8-10 minutes.

Once the shell is out of the oven, remove the weights and dock the crust by pricking the base all over with a fork. This prevents it from puffing up too much. Then, move it back to the oven for another 2-3 minutes. Done.

If you’re going to bake the pie right away, then turn up the heat to 425ºF/220ºC.

THE MAPLE BOURBON PUMPKIN PIE FILLING

raw maple bourbon pumpkin pie filling in shell

Apart from eating the pie, making the filling is the easiest part. Grab a mixing bowl and a whisk, and add all of the ingredients. There’s no need to mix it in stages. Remember to give it a quick taste before pouring it into the shell!

DIY PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

While you could go to the store and buy pumpkin pie spice, assembling your own is fairly straightforward if you have everything on hand. While I won’t be telling you how to make your own in bulk today, you will wind up with just enough to make the pie. If you want more pumpkin pie spice on hand, feel free to scale up!

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground allspice

NOTE: Nutmeg is another popular ingredient when it comes to pumpkin pie spice. If you have nutmeg handy, sprinkle or grate some in there.

BAKING THE PUMPKIN PIE

Before you pour the filling into the partially-cooked shell, make sure to preheat the oven to 425ºF/220ºC. Pop the pie in and set a timer for 15 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 350ºF/175ºC. Bake the pumpkin pie for another 35-45 minutes.

Since the pie is going to be in the oven for a while, you might want to protect the crust with a ring of tinfoil or a crust protector shield, if you have one.

Check the pie at the 35-minute mark and give it a gentle shake to see if the custard is set. If it jiggles too much, give it more time. If it’s domed, or cracks are just starting to appear, pull it out and let it cool.

LET IT COOL!

As tempting as it may be to slice into warm pumpkin pie, do yourself a favour and exercise patience. If you don’t wait, the flavour will be jiving, but the texture will be off. For best results, chill it overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH MAPLE BOURBON PUMPKIN PIE

I probably don’t need to tell you this, but a generous dollop of whipped cream would not be amiss. Since you’re hopefully buying heavy cream to make the pie, you’ll have enough left over to make your whip from scratch, so skip the aerosol can this year.

Adding vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract and sugar) makes a lovely chantilly cream. You can also swap out the sugar for maple syrup to complement the pie. Feeling cheeky? Sneak a splash of bourbon or Grand Marnier in there for an extra naughty whipped cream!

HOW TO PREVENT PUMPKIN PIE FROM CRACKING

A cracked pie is a telltale sign of a homemade dessert, and what’s so wrong about that? I would much rather eat a homemade pie than one from the store, and I’m guessing the same is true for you since you’re aiming to make a pumpkin pie from scratch.

I will try my best to help you bake a blemish-free pumpkin pie. It really comes down to experience and being able to tell when it’s time to pull the pie from the oven. Normally an extra yolk or two helps, but today our issue won’t lie in the ingredients, but rather, the length of cooking time.

It’s important to make sure your oven runs at the temperature it says it does, so get yourself an oven thermometer. You might be surprised to learn that your oven’s internal thermometre has been lying to you!

DO I HAVE TO USE CREAM?

I highly recommend using a high-quality cream without the stabilizers (the first time I ever looked at an ingredients label for cream, I was SHOCKED). Raw cream is ideal, but using heavy cream helps make this pie rich and dreamy.

Of course, if you can’t handle dairy, you can use your preferred alternative, but the results may vary. I didn’t test this recipe with anything but 35% cream, but the eggs will do their job and firm up the filling if you choose to use something else.

CAN I FREEZE PUMPKIN PIE?

Absolutely! You can freeze it before or after baking it. If you’re going with the latter, make sure you let it cool completely before sticking it in the freezer. Here’s a Country Living article that shares all the best practices when it comes to freezing pumpkin pie.

MAKING MAPLE BOURBON PUMPKIN PIE

There are so many dessert options to choose from when it comes to the holiday feast, and pumpkin pie is one that shouldn’t be skipped. This isn’t your average pumpkin pie, so if you give it a whirl, I hope you’ll pop back on here and leave a rating and review. You can also find me on Instagram to let me know your thoughts! If you have any questions, feel free to ask away in the comments below. I’m here to help!

MORE HOLIDAY RECIPES TO EXPLORE

Epic Maple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

Holiday Tourtière (French Canadian Meat Pie)

Cheesy Brussel Sprout Skillet with Bacon

Old-Fashioned Eggnog Recipes

Eggnog French Toast with Maple Bourbon Syrup

MAPLE BOURBON PUMPKIN PIE INGREDIENTS

9″ pie shell

400g pumpkin puree (1/2 of a large 29oz can or ~1.5 cups)

3 extra-large eggs (170g)

105g maple syrup (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp)

80g heavy cream (a scant more than a 1/3 cup)

30g bourbon (2 tbsp)

20g fresh orange juice (1.5 tbsp)

10g molasses (1/2 tbsp)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp orange zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAPLE BOURBON PUMPKIN PIE

Preheat the oven to 400ºF/205ºC, then line the pie shell with parchment paper or tinfoil and fill with pie weights, dried beans or rice. If using an all-butter crust, store it in the fridge or freezer to keep it cold while the oven heats.

Bake the shell for 8-10 minutes, then remove the pie weights. Dock the crust by pricking the bottom of the shell all over with a fork. Return to the oven and bake for another 2-3 minutes, or until the crust begins to shrink from the sides.

When you’re ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 425ºF/220ºC.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients together and adjust to taste.

Pour the pumpkin filling into the pie shell and bake for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 350ºF/175ºC and bake for another 35-45 minutes.

To check for doneness, jiggle the pie to see if it’s set. If you notice the custard doming up, promptly remove it from the oven to prevent cracking and let it cool.

When the pie has cooled down enough, transfer to the fridge. For optimal texture, allow cooling overnight.

PRINTABLE MAPLE BOURBON PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE CARD