Salted Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie

This salted butterscotch version of pumpkin pie is just the thing to help spruce up a classic Thanksgiving dessert, keeping true to traditional pumpkin flavors but adding a depth of flavor from homemade butterscotch (with an extra touch of salt to boot). The butterscotch sauce is surprisingly easy to make, and although it’s an extra step in the pie making process, it adds a rich caramelization to the filling that really sets this recipe apart. I recommend setting aside a little portion of the butterscotch out of the filling for drizzling on top and swirling with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Salted Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie

For the salted butterscotch

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3/4 cup cream

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 teaspoon salt

For the pie crust

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup ice water

• Egg wash (1 egg plus 1 tablespoon cream, whisked)

For the pie filling

• All but 1/4 cup of the butterscotch (reserve the 1/4 cup for drizzling over the pie)

• 15 oz pumpkin purée

• 3 eggs

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. To make the pie dough, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor, pulsing until combined. Add the butter, pulsing just until there are small bits of butter throughout, resembling sand. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough just begins to come together. Wrap in plastic wrap and tuck away in the fridge to chill.

While the dough chills and the oven is heating, make the butterscotch. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the brown sugar, stirring until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved. Add 1/4 cup of the the cream and allow the sauce to bubble, not stirring for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the cream, salt, and vanilla, whisking until fully incorporated. Allow the sauce to thicken over low heat for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Reserve 1/4 cup separately to drizzle over the finished pie.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and on a floured surface, roll out the dough. Transfer it to a 9 inch baking dish, trimming the edges and adding crimps or using a fork to press lines into the crust. Prick the bottom of the dish a few times with a fork. Cover the dough with parchment paper and pie weights (or uncooked beans) and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, remove the parchment and pie weights, then bake another 5. Remove the baked pie crust from the oven and allow to cool while you assemble the filling.

To make the pie filling, whisk together all of the cooled butterscotch (omitting the 1/4 cup reserved for drizzling), the pumpkin purée, the milk, and the eggs. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Pour into the baked crust (you will have a bit of extra filling left over), brush the egg wash onto the crust, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the filling is set. Cover the crust with aluminum foil if it browns too quickly. Allow to cool completely before serving, topping with some whipped cream and the reserved butterscotch, along with a little pinch of Maldon salt if you wish.