Show Stealing Black Pepper and Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Whipped White Chocolate Ganache

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:: Updated 11/23 :: I cannot allow a holiday season to slip by without offering up a wonderfully glorious, better-than-your-average, impossible to resist pie. Pie’s are my favorite (go ask anyone), and this version of pumpkin pie is just insane. This is my Spicy Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Whipped White Chocolate Ganache and it elicited “Wow! Wow wow Mmmmhmm,” from my husband, who cut himself a slice as soon as he walked in the door from work yesterday. He then enjoyed a second slice a mere two hours later. It’s a fantastic pie, y’all.

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This is my (sounds hard but is actually) easy-to-make, dressed-up, modern twist on the classic pumpkin pie. This super rich bourbon pumpkin pie pumpkin custard gets a kick of spice from fresh ginger, and a pinch of cayenne (or lots of black pepper) and is made all the better by a good splash of bourbon. Topped with clouds of fluffy, whipped white chocolate ganache, this pie will take center stage at any gathering.

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Whipped White Chocolate Ganache

How to Make White Chocolate Ganache

Like ganaches (made with dark or semi-sweet chocolate), white chocolate ganache is made from the heating/mixing together of two simple ingredients:

White chocolate (I use chips)
Heavy whipping cream

Once you’ve successfully melted the white chocolate chips into the cream (I do this in a saucepan on the stove, as I don’t trust myself not to scorch things in the microwave), you’ll allow the ganache to come down to room temperature. Then, it goes into the fridge for the proverbial chill. Once it’s chilled to the bone, you can use a hand-held or stand mixer to whip it into thick, rich, fluffy peaks. It’s honestly the most wonderful thing. You’re going to LOVE this, I just know it.

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie FAQ’s

What can you substitute for the half and half?

You’ll notice that my recipe calls not for evaporated milk, as does the classic back-of-the-can pumpkin pie recipe. But rather, this recipe calls for half and half. You could also use heavy cream, if you really want things to be as rich as rich can be, but I think half and half is where it’s at. You end up with this silky, rich custard that just melts in your mouth. You could sub evaporated milk though, that would work fine as well. Just don’t use regular or whole milk, because there is a bit too much liquid/water content and the filling might not set up for you properly. Let’s say, for discussion’s sake, that all you have is milk and you just really don’t want to go to the store for half and half or cream or evaporated milk (I’ve been this person).

You could, in that case, add 3 teaspoons of cornstarch to your filling to make sure it thickens up and sets for you while it bakes. That would work fine. So, my point is that there are options! You can substitute heavy cream or half and half for the evaporated milk, or you could thicken some regular milk with a little cornstarch and go from there.

Can you Make Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust?

To me, this is the way to do it. Pumpkin pie in a graham cracker crust just makes sense. I like my cheesecakes and custard-based pies (key lime, anyone?) in a graham cracker crust, and I think the warm spices in a pumpkin pie just taste better in a graham cracker crust. To each their own, though. You could swap in your favorite all-butter pie dough in this recipe, if you’d rather. Just blind bake it before adding the filling, and you’ll be good to go.

Why use salted butter in your graham cracker crust?

Using salted butter in graham cracker crusts elevates the level of flavor in the entire pie so significantly, that I just can’t not do it. It’s the same reason I use salted butter in my cookie doughs (see my Salted Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles for proof). And it’s the same reason I like salted butter in butter creams. The salt deepens and strengthens the overall flavor and punches back against the sharp sugar-smack of the sweet things we’re using. It’s all about balance.

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Whipped White Chocolate Ganache 9

What you’ll need to make this Bourbon Pumpkin Pie

This recipe is mostly standard in its unfolding. There’s nothing too bizarre or out-there about it. But a few things of note are the bourbon (I’m a Kentucky-born gal, so this is just a natural flex for me), the slightly increase amount of freshly grated pepper and also fresh ginger. These things offer up a nice buzzy heat to the pie that I find to be so lovely.

This updated version of the pie does not contain cayenne, as it once did. I find that the black pepper swap is even better (though I love cayenne in desserts), and it’s a little easier to control. Another update to this recipe is the fact that we’re using salted butter in the crust. See my note above if you want to fully witness me waxing poetic about salt in my desserts.

INGREDIENTS

12 whole cinnamon graham crackers (or 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs + 1 tsp cinnamon)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup + ⅔ cup light or dark brown sugar, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
15-ounce can unsweetened pure pumpkin
1.5 cups half and half
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
¾ tsp ground cloves
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger (not ground)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or ground is fine)
2 tablespoons bourbon
2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs + 1 yolk

For the Whipped White Chocolate Ganache

1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup + ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon salt

How to make this Spicy Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Whipped White Chocolate Ganache

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle position.
In the bowl of a food processor, add the graham crackers, butter, ¼ cup of the brown sugar, and ½ tsp of the salt. Pulse/process until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate, working the mixture up the sides to create the pie’s crust. Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, ½ tsp of the salt, ½ cup of the brown sugar, the half and half, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, bourbon, vanilla, and eggs + yolk. Whisk until very smooth (no lumps!). Pour into the pre-baked crust.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the pie is set. It should look set on top, very light browned, and should only jiggle a little when shaken. If the edges of the crust start to look like they’re browning too fast, simply tent a large piece of foil and set it over the pie. Cool completely (for about 2 hours) before piling with the whipped white chocolate ganache.

To make the Whipped White Chocolate Ganache

In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, warm the chocolate chips and the cream, stirring to melt the white chocolate into the warm cream. Should only take about 5 minutes. When the chips are fully melted. Pour the mixture into a bowl and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before use (overnight, if you can!). The mixture will be very smooth (not like a dark chocolate ganache).
Pour the chilled ganache plus the additional ¼ cup cream and the salt into the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer + mixing bowl). Mix on med-high speed until rich, firm, and fluffy – the consistency of a very thick whipped cream. Take about 1 minute or so. Pile the white chocolate ganacheonto the pie, and style as desired. Or, as pictured, transfer the ganache to a large zip-top plastic bag or piping bag, snip the tip of one corner of the bag and pipe big mounds of the ganache onto the pie.