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This creamy pumpkin crème brûlée adds a seasonal twist on a classic dessert. This delicious fall version of crème brûlée has pumpkin custard spiced to perfection and topped with a caramelized sugar coating.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fall Flavors: Can’t get enough of that pumpkin flavor? You’ve got to try this pumpkin crème brûlée. It’s the perfect dessert filled with pumpkin fall flavors.
- Twist on a Classic: Crème brûlée is a favorite dessert of many, and adding pumpkin to this classic will definitely be a hit with your family and friends.
- Holiday Dessert: This would be a beautiful addition to your Thanksgiving dinner. Your guests will not be able to get enough of the creamy pumpkin sweetness.
What is Pumpkin Crème Brûlée?
This pumpkin crème brûlée is a pumpkin version of the world’s best dessert! Creme brûlée is made of eggs, cream, sugar, and vanilla, but this recipe adds pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice! It’s the perfect sweet and creamy fall dessert. It makes a delicious custard-like filling that you put into a ramekin and allow to set. Then the best part, sprinkle it with sugar and torch it to get that crunchy caramelized top!
Ingredients Needed
You only need six ingredients to make this incredible pumpkin crème brûlée! Anyone can make this, and EVERYONE will love it! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is a must for achieving the custard texture. No substitutions here.
- Egg Yolks: Using only egg yolks helps achieve that creamy, rich texture. If you used whole eggs, including the egg whites, then it would be too firm and set.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the custard. You will also use it to make the topping crunchy!
- Pumpkin Puree: Use pure pumpkin puree here and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Vanilla: Enhances the sweetness of this dessert.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: The perfect spice to give it that pumpkin pie flavor!
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Recipe
If you follow these directions closely, your pumpkin crème brûlée will turn out perfectly! It really is very easy to make, so don’t be intimidated. Your guests will be complimenting you all night long!
- Heat the Cream: In a small pot, heat the cream over medium heat until steaming and just beginning to bubble at the edges, but not boiling.
- Whisk: Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl.
- Combine: Slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
- Strain and Fill: Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Next, use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture in the sieve, helping the liquid pass through while straining out the pumpkin solids. Afterward, carefully ladle the strained mixture into five 7-8 ounce ramekins.
- Prep: Place the ramekins in a large baking dish or baking sheet with 1-2 inch sides. Place the pan in the oven and add hot water, being careful not to splash water into the ramekins until the water is halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Once preheated, bake for 30-45 minutes until it’s mostly set but still has a little jiggle to it.
Chill and Brûlée
- Chill Ramekins: Remove from the oven, carefully remove from the water bath then let cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.
- Brûlée: When ready to serve, sprinkle each ramekin with 2-3 teaspoons of granulated sugar and tilt the ramekin around until the sugar touches the edges and is even across the top. Use a torch or a broiler to caramelize the sugar. Serve immediately.
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Tips
Let me show you the ways! Here are some tips and tricks for making this incredible dessert. I promise my tips will give you success!
- Sweetness: If you prefer a less sweet crème brûlée, reduce the amount of sugar in the custard to 1/3 cup or even 1/4 cup.
- Strain the Custard: The sieve step is technically optional, but it ensures your custard is silky smooth. If you choose not to strain it, the custard will have a little more texture as the pulp from the pureed pumpkin is thick and the pumpkin pie spice may add a slight bit of graininess.
- Brûlée: Brûlée is also known as burnt cream. It’s the caramelizing of sugar on the surface of the custard. For a thicker layer of crème brûlée, do one layer of brûlée followed by a second layer. Brûlée the top layer darker than the first.
- Ways to Brûlée: The most common way is to use a kitchen torch! If you don’t have one, you can broil the top in the oven for a few minutes but watch it closely.
Making Ahead
The pumpkin custard can be prepared 2-3 days ahead of time, but the brûlée topping is best added right before serving. If you refrigerate the finished crème brûlée for too long, the brulee will soften and weep and then not have that signature crack topping.
More Fall Desserts to Try
Fall is my favorite time to bake in the kitchen! It’s a perfect time for cozy delicious desserts full of the best fall flavors. I can never say no to a dessert with apple, pumpkin, or zucchini! I can’t wait for you to try some of my favorite go-to recipes.
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Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for topping
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- In a small pot, heat the cream over medium until steaming and just beginning to bubble at the edges, but not boiling.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl.
- Slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
- Place the ramekins in a large baking dish or baking sheet with 1-2 inch sides. Place the pan in the oven and add hot water, being careful not to splash water into the ramekins until the water is halfway up the sides of them.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 30-45 minutes until it’s mostly set but still has a slight jiggle.
- Remove from the oven, carefully remove from the water bath, and let cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge for at least three hours before serving.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle each ramekin with 2-3 teaspoons of granulated sugar and tilt the ramekin around until the sugar touches the edges and is even across the top. Use a torch or a broiler to caramelize the sugar. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
