What Could Be Better Than Classic Pumpkin Pie? Crème Brûlée Pumpkin Pie, Duh

TikTok baker @belspies has done the impossible: She’s reinvented the pumpkin pie into a five-star dessert by changing absolutely nothing to the traditional recipe — other than adding some sugar on top of the cooked pie and torching it a bit. It might seem like an unnecessary step, but giving a traditional pumpkin pie the crème brûlée treatment makes for a glassy, crackly surface that I didn’t realize we, as a society, have been missing out on this whole time.

@belspies

Someone asked if I had any ✨fancy✨ pumpkin pies so here’s another twist from last year’s series! What do you wanna see this year?? #pie

♬ original sound – Bel’s Pies

If you’re in a pinch, this crème brûlée method could be achieved on a store-bought pie, but I highly recommend trying @belspies’ original pie because the filling, flavored with sweetened condensed milk and a homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, is absolutely divine. Best of all, it’s relatively easy to make, as far as pies go. Finding the perfect Thanksgiving dessert can be a hassle, or overwhelming since there are so many delicious desserts to choose from. But thanks to the simplicity and next-level taste of this recipe, I will definitely be bringing a crème brûlée pumpkin pie to all of my Thanksgiving dinners this year. Keep scrolling for step-by-step instructions on how to make this deceptively fancy dessert.

Ingredients

For the dough
1 ¾ cups flour
½ tablespoon granulated sugar
½ cup cold butter, cubed
3-4 tablespoons ice water

Pumpkin pie filling
1 ¾ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 eggs
½ cup condensed milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt

For the brûlée top
¼ cup granulated sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and butter just until the ingredients resemble clumpy sand. Add two tablespoons of ice water, then mix together until the mixture becomes a smooth, cohesive dough.
Cover the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, and condensed milk, then add pumpkin pie spices.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out onto a well-floured surface.
Place the dough into a pie plate and crimp the edges. Place prepared pie crust in the freezer for a few minutes to chill.
Once the dough has chilled again, pour the pumpkin filling into the pie shell, then place in the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking for 35 minutes.
When the pie is fully cooked through, remove it from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Sprinkle a generous amount of granulated sugar all over its surface. Using a blow torch, carefully brown the sugar until it has caramelized.
Repeat the sugar and blow torch method two or three more times, until the entire surface is glassy and deep caramel in color from edge to edge.
Once the surface of the pie is fully caramelized, slice in and enjoy!