Making pumpkin crème brûlée requires just 15 minutes of active prep, and the custard can be baked up to 3 days in advance! This is the perfect dessert for holiday entertaining because it feels impressive yet requires minimal effort. Pure pumpkin puree and a medley of spices infuse classic crème brûlée with so much fall flavor!
“I tripled the recipe (with the exception of cloves) since I lacked ramekins for a party of twelve, so I instead used a 9 x 13 (3 qt) glass Pyrex casserole and baked in a 7 qt roaster. The flavor was a delicate blend of autumnal flavors with none overpowering the others. I needed something different to impress the in-laws and this recipe hit the mark.” – Denise (So Much Food reader)
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Your Favorite Crème Brûlée, Packed with Fall Flavors!
Crème brûlée is one of those sneaky desserts that looks and tastes so elegant that everyone assumes it takes ages to make. Wrong!
This baked custard dessert is so quick and easy to assemble. Everything is whisked together and left to steep so the spices can infuse the custard mixture with their flavor.
Then, the mixture is poured into ramekins and baked in a simple water bath to ensure even cooking. Just before serving, a little sugar is sprinkled on top and the whole thing gets torched to create that signature crackly top.
This pumpkin crème brûlée is what I imagine you’d get if a slice of pumpkin pie ran into a ramekin full of crème brûlée. The rich, custardy base paired with the warming spices and crunchy caramelized topping combine to create what might just be the best fall dessert ever!
Jenny’s Tips for Making Perfect Crème Brûlée
- Don’t let your cream scald. The point of warming the cream is really to infuse the flavors. Let the cream steep over very low heat, but keep an eye on it because the cream will easily boil over even on low heat. If your cream boils over and scalds, start over.
- Strain your custard. Straining your custard through a fine-mesh strainer before pouring them into ramekins ensures a smooth custard. You’ll remove any accidental bits of the cooked egg.
- Be careful when pouring your water. Don’t get any water in the custard or it’ll curdle!
- Don’t overbake. It really takes practice to know when they’re done. It also depends on the size of your ramekins and how warm the cream mixture is when you whisk it into the egg mixture. If you tap the ramekin the edges will be set, but the middle should be jiggly.
Tools Needed
You’ll Need These 9 Basic Ingredients
- Heavy Cream. Heavy cream is the base for homemade crème brûlée and yields a rich custard.
- Spices. The heavy cream is infused with a cinnamon stick, freshly grated nutmeg, ground cloves, and a fresh vanilla bean.
- Maple syrup. Not pancake syrup! The pure maple syrup adds a subtle maple flavor that pairs beautifully with the spices.
- Egg yolks. Egg yolks set the custard and add richness. Be sure to completely separate them from the whites.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar sweetens the custard and creates the bruleed crust on top.
- Pumpkin puree. A bit of pumpkin puree is stirred into the custard. Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
An Overview of How Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Is Prepared
Jenny’s Tip: Use shallow ramekins! The key to silky crème brûlée custard is to use shallow ramekins. If you use a deeper ramekin, the edges will overcook while the inside is still uncooked. Using shallow ramekins allows the custard to cook evenly.
- Infuse the heavy cream. The heavy cream, spices, and maple syrup need to be brought to a simmer and then removed from the heat and left to steep so the spices have time to work their magic.
- Temper the eggs. After mixing the eggs yolks with the sugar, pumpkin, and salt, *slowly* pour in the warm cream mixture. All you’re doing is slowly raising the temperature of the egg yolks so they don’t scramble.
- Divide between ramekins. Place the ramekins in a 9×13-inch baking dish before filling them (makes less of a mess this way, trust me!).
- Create the water bath, then bake. Carefully pour boiling water into the baking dish (NOT the ramekins) until the water reaches about halfway up the ramekins. Then, bake until the pumpkin spice crème brûlée have all set.
- Chill before torching. Let the crème brûlée cool completely before transferring to the fridge. I suggest torching the tops of the crème brûlée just before you’re ready to serve for maximum crackle!
Here’s Why You Should *NOT* Brûlée the Tops Using the Broiler
To brulee the tops of pumpkin crème brûlée, you really need a kitchen torch. There are a lot of websites out there saying that you can put the crème brûlée under the broiler. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DO THIS.
Why not? Because the extreme heat of the broiler will curdle the set custard before it ever brûlées the top of the custard.
Instead, I recommend that you sprinkle the tops with sugar and with the blowtorch on medium-low heat, slowly apply heat to the top until the sugar starts to melt. Rotate the custard until the whole top is a deep amber-brown color.
Want to Double This Recipe? Here’s How
You can very easily double the recipe for pumpkin spice crème brûlée! You may have to bake in a larger roasting pan or in two separate batches.
Alternately, you can use smaller volume ramekins to make more portions, just adjust the baking time accordingly. I would start checking at 20 minutes if using a smaller ramekin.
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Pumpkin Desserts to Make
- Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
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Pumpkin Creme Brulee Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 vanilla bean scraped of seeds
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Boiling water
Instructions
- In a small non-reactive saucepan, combine the cream with the maple syrup, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and cloves. Bring to a very gentle simmer over low heat and turn the heat off. Infuse for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, discard the vanilla bean pod and the cinnamon stick.
- Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until thick and very pale in color. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and salt.
- Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks and sugar, whisking constantly. Once all the cream has been whisked in, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup.
- Set 4 8-10-oz ramekins into a larger 9×13 baking dish. Evenly divide the custard between the ramekins. Open the oven and pull the oven rack out. Gently place the baking dish with the ramekins on the rack. Pour boiling water into the baking dish, about halfway up the ramekins. Take care to not get any water in the custard as this will cause the custard to curdle. Gently slide the oven rack back into the oven and close the door.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until the edges of the custard are set but the middle still jiggles like jello. If your ramekins are on the deeper side, they may need more time.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the larger dish and transfer them to a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days).
- Before serving, sprinkle the top of each custard with about 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. The top should be evenly coated. Using a kitchen torch, apply heat to the sugar until it starts to melt and is amber in color. Rotate the custard and melt the sugar evenly across the top. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Rate & Review This Recipe
I tripled the recipe (with the exception of cloves) since I lacked ramekins for a party of twelve, so I instead used a 9 x 13 (3 qt) glass Pyrex casserole and baked in a 7 qt roaster.
The flavor was a delicate blend of autumnal flavors with none overpowering the others. I needed something different for to impress the in-laws and this recipe hit the mark.