Add a touch of drama to your holiday table with this gorgeous pumpkin meringue pie recipe. Your guests will love the buttery crust, rich pumpkin filling, and tall toasted meringue topping. This pie is as beautiful as it is delicious, and it will disappear in a flash!
The filling is quite similar to the classic Thanksgiving pie, but I added a little orange zest and a splash of bourbon for a bit of pizazz. And while the pie does not taste boozy in the slightest, you can definitely skip it if you would prefer! For more meringue dessert recipes, try my lemon meringue pie, meringue cookies, and pavlova.
Ingredients
Crust — you need 1 single pie crust, either store-bought or homemade. You can make half of my pie crust recipe if you would like to make the crust from scratch!
Egg wash — whisk together an egg and heavy cream to make the simple egg wash. This helps brown the crust and create a seal on it to prevent a soggy bottom.
Sugar — both light brown sugar and granulated sugar go into the pumpkin pie filling for sweetness. Brown sugar adds subtle molasses notes, so I like a mix, but you can use all of one kind inthe filling if desired.
Spices — ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice add the perfect amount of cozy fall flavor to the pie filling.
Pumpkin — be sure to use canned 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains sugar and spices.
Milk and cream — room temperature heavy cream and whole milk add richness and moisture to the pumpkin meringue pie filling.
Eggs — large eggs provide structure and also help to create the custard-like texture of the pie filling.
Orange zest — adds a bright, citrusy element and enhances the pumpkin’s flavor.
Bourbon or dark rum — add depth and complexity to the filling, but you can leave them out if you prefer or substitute with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Swiss meringue — you need egg whites (save the egg yolks for a batch of French buttercream), white sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and a little salt for the cloud-like meringue topping. This type of cooked meringue is very stable and holds up on the pie well for several hours before serving, so it’s ideal for a holiday meal!
What’s The Best Kind Of Pie Dish To Use?
You need a deep dish pie pan for this pumpkin meringue pie recipe. The pie dish should be 1½ to 2 inches deep. You can use a ceramic, glass, or metal pie dish. If you’re concerned about the pie crust having a soggy bottom, remember that metal dishes are a great way to avoid this! If you opt for glass or ceramic, I recommend positioning the oven rack in the bottom third of your oven to help brown the bottom of the crust.
How To Make Pumpkin Meringue Pie
1. Start by preparing your single pie crust. Roll the dough into a 13-inch circle and line a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Tuck and crimp the edges. Freeze for 20 minutes. Line with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dry baking beans. Blind bake at 425°F for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges of the crust look dry. Remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Brush the crust all over with the egg wash. Poke the crust 10 to 12 times all over with the tines of a fork. Return to the oven for 6 to 8 more minutes until the inside looks dry and the crust is lightly golden. Let the pie crust cool.
2. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
3. Add the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, milk, eggs, bourbon or rum, and orange zest.
4. Whisk until smooth. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the cooled pie crust. Cover just the crust with a pie shield made of foil, then bake for 55 to 60 minutes until the sides are set and the center is just barely wobbly. Let cool to room temperature, which will take a few hours.
5. In a medium, heat-proof bowl (that fits over a double boiler), combine the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is frothy.
6. Place the bowl with the egg mixture over the top of a pot of simmering water. While stirring frequently with a silicone spatula, cook the mixture for 12 to 14 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature is between 165°F to 170°F on an instant-read thermometer.
7. Place the egg white mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the vanilla and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until thick and glossy and the sides of the bowl are barely warm to the touch. Dollop the meringue on top of the pie. Use an offset spatula to spread the meringue to the edges of the pie crust and create swoops, swirls, and texture.
8. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue lightly all over until golden brown.
Why You Should Blind Bake The Crust
Blind baking a homemade pie crust is one of the easiest ways to prevent the bottom from getting soggy. Just like in my classic pumpkin pie recipe, the pie filling in this recipe does not bake for a very long time, and it also contains a lot of moisture. If you skip blind baking the crust, it doesn’t have enough time to bake up properly and become golden. This will cause it to be soggy and underbaked when you cut into the pie. Check out my full tutorial for how to blind-bake a pie crust for more tips.
Store-bought pre-shaped frozen pie shells and Pillsbury pie crust sheets don’t need to be blind-baked because of how that dough is made.
Choosing The Best Pumpkin For The Filling
Canned pumpkin is the best option for pumpkin meringue pie filling as it does not contain excess moisture, which can cause the filling to become watery. It’s also really easy and convenient! Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin, not canned pie filling, which has sugar and other ingredients added. For the richest, most vibrant pie filling, choose Libby’s canned pumpkin. It is thick and flavorful and will give you the most delicious pumpkin meringue pie.
If you would rather use homemade pumpkin puree, you have to remove as much of the excess moisture as you can beforehand. To do this, spread 2½ cups of the pumpkin puree on a triple layer of paper towels, place two more layers on top, and set it aside for 10 minutes. Scrape it off the paper towels with a silicone spatula, measure it, and proceed with the recipe. For more details, have a look at my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies recipe.
Swiss Meringue Makes A Very Stable Topping
I love using Swiss meringue as a pie topping for two reasons- it’s fluffy and marshmallow-like, and it holds up very well over time, making it perfect for holiday desserts that you want to prep several hours in advance.
This Swiss meringue will stand tall for several hours if you do one important thing: Cook it to the correct temperature. Heating the meringue serves two purposes: It dissolves the sugar so that when you go to whip the egg whites, your meringue won’t contain little undissolved sugar granules that dissolve with time and turn into pockets of moisture that weep.
The heat also transforms the proteins in the egg whites to produce a more stable meringue that slices neatly, holds its height on the cut slice, and stays thick and silky for several hours. Make sure the egg whites reach 165°F to 170°F to ensure a stable Swiss meringue topping. An instant-read thermometer is extremely handy for this!
How To Make Ahead
You can make the pie, without the topping, a day or two in advance. Cover it and store in the refrigerator. I recommend making the Swiss meringue topping the day you plan to serve it for the silkiest texture. While it is very stable, meringue will naturally deflate over time and lose its smooth texture.
You can make the meringue and top the pie right before serving or up to 6 hours in advance, just refrigerate it until ready to serve if it will be several hours. Toast it tableside to really impress your guests!
How To Store
Pumpkin meringue pie will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The meringue will start to deflate within 24 hours, and its texture may not be as silky, but leftovers will still taste fantastic.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use room temperature ingredients for the pie filling. This makes them easier to incorporate into a smooth, luscious mixture. Set the eggs, milk, and heavy cream out on your counter 30 minutes to an hour while you blind-bake the crust.
- Don’t stop stirring the meringue while cooking. If you do, the egg whites can cook and solidify in the bowl, creating little bits of scrambled eggs and preventing a perfectly silky meringue.
- The best way to cut this pie is to butter your knife! A very thin coating of butter gives a layer of fat that keeps the meringue from sticking to the knife, so it cuts right through the meringue and filling without smashing it. You can also wet your knife with warm water, which will give you a mostly clean cut. Wipe off the knife between each cut for the cleanest slices.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t have a thermometer to check the temperature of the meringue, you can go by touch instead. The egg white mixture should feel very warm to the touch. Rub a little between your fingers to make sure it is perfectly smooth, with no undissolved sugar remaining. The mixture will have a syrupy texture and should be a little foamy on top.
No, you don’t have to use a kitchen torch. Instead, set an oven rack in the center of your oven and broil the pie on high for 2 to 3 minutes until the meringue is nicely toasted. You can also place it in an oven heated to 425°F for a few minutes for a light, more even browning.
I do not recommend freezing this pumpkin meringue pie once you have added the meringue topping, but you can certainly freeze it before doing so. Once completely cool, wrap the pie in a few layers of plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then, make and add the meringue before serving.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this pumpkin meringue pie recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Pumpkin Meringue Pie Recipe
Equipment
- 9-inch pie plate
- Rolling Pin
- Double boiler
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 single pie crust
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
For the Pumpkin Filling:
- ½ cup light brown sugar (110g)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (15-ounce/425g) can pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup heavy cream room temperature (180mL)
- ¼ cup whole milk room temperature (60mL)
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon bourbon or dark rum optional
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
For the Meringue Topping:
- 6 egg whites (210g)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Let the pie crust soften at room temperature until it is ready to roll.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough into a 13-inch circle, about ⅛-inch thick. Press the dough into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim any uneven edges, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Tuck the overhang under and press the crust to the rim of the pie plate. Crimp the crust with your fingers or as you like. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- While the crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Press a piece of parchment paper inside the crust to fully cover it, then fill it with pie weights or dry baking beans. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges of the crust look dry.
- Meanwhile, prepare an egg wash by whisking the egg with the heavy cream in a small bowl.
- Remove the weights and paper. Brush all over the inside and edges of the crust with the egg wash. Poke the crust 10 to 12 times all over with the tines of a fork. Return to the oven for 6 to 8 more minutes until the inside looks dry and the crust is lightly golden. Let the crust cool while you make the filling.
For the Pumpkin Filling:
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, milk, eggs, bourbon or rum (if using) and orange zest. Whisk until smooth.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the cooled crust. Cover just the crust with a pie shield made of foil. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until the sides are set and the center is just barely wobbly. Let cool to room temperature, about 3 hours.
For the Meringue Topping:
- In a medium, heat-proof mixing bowl (that fits over a double-boiler), combine the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Whisk vigorously for about 1 minute, until the mixture is frothy.
- Fill the double-boiler with 1-inch of water. Place it over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and place the bowl with the egg mixture over top. (Be sure that the base of the bowl does not touch the water.)
- While stirring frequently with a silicone spatula, cook the egg mixture for 12 to 14 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature is between 165°F to 170°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Place the egg white mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the vanilla and salt. Beat on medium-high speed (level 8) until thick and glossy and the sides of the bowl are barely warm to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Dollop the meringue on top of the cooled pie. Use an offset spatula to spread the meringue to the edges of the pie crust and create swoops, swirls, and texture.
- Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue lightly all over. Slice and serve within 6 hours of topping the pie.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for the pie filling. This makes them easier to incorporate into a smooth, luscious mixture. Set the eggs, milk, and heavy cream out on your counter 30 minutes to an hour while you blind-bake the crust.
- Don’t stop stirring the meringue while cooking. If you do, the egg whites can cook and solidify in the bowl, creating little bits of scrambled eggs and preventing a perfectly silky meringue.
- The best way to cut this pie is to butter your knife! A very thin coating of butter gives a layer of fat that keeps the meringue from sticking to the knife, so it cuts right through the meringue and filling without smashing it. You can also wet your knife with warm water, which will give you a mostly clean cut. Wipe off the knife between each cut for the cleanest slices.
Nutrition
