This brown butter pumpkin pie features a spiced gingersnap crust and a toasted marshmallow meringue topping—an ideal dessert for Thanksgiving. The filling is mixed in one bowl and the flavors are cozy and well balanced. If you prefer, you can swap the gingersnap crust for graham cracker crumbs or a classic flaky pie crust.
Autumn calls for pumpkin desserts, and while a classic pumpkin pie is always welcome, this version gets a delicious upgrade: brown butter folded into the filling for a warm, nutty note. I experimented with brown-butter pie dough but found the gingersnap crust gave the best return on effort—full of spice and texture. A light marshmallow meringue, toasted until golden, finishes the pie with a fluffy, sweet contrast.
The gingersnap crust is simple and flavorful, similar in ease to a graham-cracker crust but with extra spice. The marshmallow meringue can be toasted with a kitchen torch for the prettiest finish, though the broiler also works in a pinch—watch it closely.
If you’re looking for more holiday desserts, try no-bake pumpkin cheesecake bars or an apple crisp cheesecake for additional options on your Thanksgiving table.
Grab your ingredients!
- Cream of tartar: Stabilizes the egg whites for the marshmallow topping.
- Pumpkin: Use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling which already contains sugar and spices.
- Sour cream: Adds richness and creaminess to the filling.
- Gingersnap cookies: For the crust; swap with graham cracker crumbs if preferred.
- Unsalted butter: Use a good-quality butter for browning; scrape the browned bits into the filling for flavor.
Let’s Make This Pie!
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine gingersnap crumbs, melted butter, a pinch of salt, brown sugar, ground cinnamon and ginger until evenly moistened. Press into a 9″ pie plate and bake for 8–9 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Step 2: Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the milk solids turn golden and the butter smells nutty. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, scraping the browned bits into a bowl.
- Step 3: Whisk eggs, both sugars, and vanilla. Add pumpkin puree, spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and a pinch of black pepper), kosher salt, sour cream, and heavy cream. Stir in the cooled brown butter until combined.
- Step 4: Pour filling into the baked crust, tap the dish to release air bubbles, and bake in the center of the oven. After about 25–30 minutes, shield the crust edges with foil if they’re browning. Bake until the center is mostly set—about 45–55 minutes total depending on your oven. When done, prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon to cool slowly, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Step 5: Make the marshmallow meringue: whisk egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is frothy. Transfer to a mixer and whip with vanilla until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Step 6: Frost the chilled pie with the marshmallow meringue and toast the topping with a blowtorch until golden. If you don’t have a torch, briefly use the broiler on high while watching carefully to avoid burning.
Type of Pie Dish
This recipe uses a standard 9″ pie dish; if you use a regular dish you may have about a quarter cup of filling leftover. A deep-dish pie plate will hold all of the filling without leftovers.
My Pie Tips, Tricks, & More
- Browning edges: Use a pie crust shield or foil to prevent the gingersnap edges from over-browning.
- Preventing cracks: Pumpkin custards can crack if cooled too quickly or overbaked. Cool the pie slowly by propping the oven door open after baking; the meringue topping will hide any minor cracks.
- No blowtorch: The broiler works for toasting meringue but watch it constantly—it can burn quickly and the color differs from a torch finish.
- Crust swaps: Not a gingersnap fan? Substitute graham cracker crumbs (use 6 tablespoons butter if swapping) or use a homemade flaky pie crust instead.
Want More Pie Recipes?
Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust-
Oreo Peanut Butter Pie (no bake)
-
Easy Apple Oat Crumble Pie
-
Easy Chocolate Pudding Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
Made This Recipe?
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Ella
Recipe
Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust
Ella Gilbert
Equipment
- 1 9″ pie plate
Ingredients
Gingersnap Crust
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch salt
- 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter (for browning)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) white sugar
- 15 oz (425 g) pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- ⅓ cup (80 g) sour cream
Marshmallow Fluff Topping
- 2 large egg whites (60 g), room temperature
- 7 tablespoons (84 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Pinch kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make Gingersnap Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Pulse gingersnap cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
- Mix crumbs with melted butter, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger until evenly moist.
- Press crumbs into a 9″ pie dish, using the bottom of a measuring cup to compact the crust and create rounded edges. Bake 8–9 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Make Pie Filling
- Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the milk solids are golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Keep oven at 350°F (175°C). Whisk eggs, both sugars and vanilla. Add pumpkin, spices, salt, sour cream and heavy cream. Stir in the cooled brown butter.
- Pour the filling into the crust and tap to remove air bubbles. Bake on the center rack. After 25–30 minutes cover the crust edges with foil if they’re browning.
- Bake about 45–55 minutes total, or until the filling is puffed and the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble. If needed, bake an additional 5–10 minutes—ovens vary.
- Prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon to cool slowly and reduce cracking. Once cool, chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before topping.
Marshmallow Topping
- Combine egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl.
- Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler) and whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is frothy. Test by rubbing a small amount between your fingers—no graininess should remain.
- Transfer to a mixer with the whisk attachment, add vanilla, and beat on high until stiff, glossy peaks form (about 5 minutes).
- Frost the chilled pie with the meringue and toast with a kitchen torch until golden. Alternatively, briefly place under a hot broiler while watching carefully.
Notes
My recipes are developed and tested using metric grams. For best results, weigh ingredients with a kitchen scale. Conversions to cups are provided but may vary.
Salt: If you don’t have kosher salt, halve the amount called for. 1 teaspoon kosher salt ≈ ½ teaspoon fine salt.
Marshmallow amount: For a taller topping, double the meringue recipe and follow the same instructions.
Crust swap: Replace gingersnaps with graham cracker crumbs and increase butter to 6 tablespoons (85 g) if using graham crackers, or use a flaky pie crust.
Broiler: A broiler can toast the meringue if you don’t have a torch—monitor constantly to prevent burning.
Pie dish: A deep-dish pan will hold all the filling without leftovers; a regular 9″ pie plate may leave some extra filling.
Storage: Cover tightly and refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving.
Tried this recipe?
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