Lady in the Wild West

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Bourbon Pumpkin Pie

Lindsey Johnson

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tangy sour cream and bourbon whiskey take this pumpkin pie over the top.

My husband lives for pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes...even gravy, simply an opening act to the main event: a plate filled with pumpkin custard and buttery, flakey crust. And whipped cream, of course. 

For me, pumpkin pie is good, but not great. Honestly, I find it boring. I'm more a fan of apple or pecan pie, at the very least a pumpkin cheesecake. I'll eat pumpkin pie, as I feel like the holiday demands it, but it's not something I crave. At least, not until now. 

Determined to woo my husband and guests, I decided to jazz up this holiday staple, creating a show-stopping pie even I could get excited about. With a festive presentation, adding some genuine wild west flair, and a touch of bourbon, this pumpkin pie becomes truly crave-worthy. 

I'm a believer in adding bourbon to, well, pretty much anything, but especially holiday desserts. Bourbon adds a depth of flavor to the pie, highlighting the hearty pumpkin and nutty spices. Sour cream creates a sensational tangy punch and gives the custard a light as air texture. 

To make the ordinary extraordinary, I added a creative touch to the top of my pie using leftover dough. Using a pairing knife I cut out a tree. Then, with leaf shaped cookie cutters, I added leafs. It looks tricky, but is surprisingly simple. Just make sure your pie dough is very cold. I gave the design a coat of heavy cream wash that was tinted with food color. I baked them separately on a cookie sheet at 375° for about 20 minutes till they were lightly browned. I added them to the top after the pie had set. The artsy addition was a wild success with my guests. 

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Perfectly Flakey Crust

Pastry Crust

* Makes enough for dough for 1 double crust or 2 single crust pies

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into cubes

  • 8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, well chilled and cut into cubes

  • 1/2 cup ice water, plus a few tablespoons more if needed

  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

  • heavy cream for brushing

  • course sugar for sprinkling

  1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and sea salt.

  2. Add the cubed butter and shortening. With a pastry blender, blend until the mixture begins to resemble small peas.

  3. Mix the apple cider vinegar into the ice water. Drizzle a few tablespoons of water over the flour and butter mixture and mix with a fork. Add more water till the dough begins to come together. Once the dough becomes moist and clumps together, it's hydrated enough.

  4. Divide the dough into two balls. Flatten them into disks and wrap in plastic. Chill for 1 hour and up to 2 days.

  5. Remove the dough 30 minutes before you're ready to use so it will roll out easily.

Baker's Note: Dough will keep in the fridge, tightly wrapped in plastic, for one week, and will keep frozen for one month. I like using a larger recipe so I have leftover dough for creative touches.

Filling

  • 1 (15-ounces) can pure pumpkin

  • 1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

  • 1/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey (I use Wyoming Whiskey)

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • Pie weights or foil filled with dried beans

  1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 12 inch round. Transfer to a pie plate, pressing lightly to fit. Trim the edge, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Fold overhang under and lightly press against rim of pie plate. Crimp decoratively using a spoon or fork, or make a braid using leftover dough. Lightly prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.

  2. Preheat oven to 375°F.

  3. Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until side is set and edge is golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove weights and foil and bake shell until golden all over, 10 to 15 minutes more. Cool completely.

  4. Whisk together the pumpkin, heavy cream, sour cream, and eggs. Add the sugar, bourbon, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt. Mix till combined.

  5. Pour into cooled shell.

  6. Bake until edge of filling is set but center trembles slightly, about 45 minutes (filling will continue to set as it cools). Cool completely.

Baker's Note: Pie can be made 1 day ahead, keep chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!