Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée

Pumpkin spice crème brûlée is the perfect, elegant fall dessert. Rich, thick custard flavored with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice with a crust of caramelized sugar. This easy recipe only requires 6 ingredients!

Ingredients for Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée

• Heavy cream: There is no substitute for this recipe. Heavy cream is a must as it creates the rich and creamy texture to the custard.
• Egg yolks: Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
• Granulated sugar: Just a small amount of sugar adds subtle sweetness to the custard. It is also used to create a caramelized sugar top!
• Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract adds great flavor to the custard.
• Pumpkin puree: Be sure you are using pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The only ingredients should be pumpkin.
• Pumpkin pie spice: A combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and ginger. You can also make your own pumpkin pie spice!

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée

Although it may seem like an intimidating recipe, this crème brûlée could not be easier to make. There are a couple simple steps that I will highlight to help you make the best crème brûlée.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place 4 to 6 ramekins in a larger baking dish.
2. Scald heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-heat. (Scalding is essentially heating the cream so that small bubbles form around the edges of the pan, but not to the point of boiling).
3. While your cream is on the stovetop, whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar until light, pale, and fluffy.
4. Add in vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice and mix until combined.
5. Slowly drizzle the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. You will want to pour incredibly slow and keep the mixture moving to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
6. Slowly pour the custard into the ramekins, dividing evenly.
7. Gently place the baking pan with ramekins in the oven. Before closing the oven, pour water around the ramekins, approximately ⅓ to ½ of the way up the ramekins to create a water bath (more on that below).
8. Bake for approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Bake time will vary due to the size and shape and size of the ramekins. The custards will be done when they are set with a slight jiggle in the middle.
9. Remove the baking pan from the oven and remove ramekins to a cooling rack. Allow to cool to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours.
10. To serve, sprinkle additional sugar onto the top of the custards. Using a culinary torch, carefully caramelize the sugar on the top of the custard.

Why a Water Bath?

The crème brûlée is baked in a water bath, which is a a larger pan containing water that the ramekins are placed in. Typically it is recommended that the water reach about halfway up the ramekins.

But why is this important? And can I skip this step?

Well the answer to the second question is NO! This is an essential step to obtaining perfect crème brûlée.

The water creates some insulation for the ramekins which allows the custards to cook slowly and evenly. The steam from the water bath also creates a moist environment in the oven which prevents the custards from browning too much or cracking.

Pro tip! Pour the water into your baking dish after you place it on the oven rack! Rather than filling the pan and trying to carry it over to your oven without spilling water onto your floor or into the crème brûlée!