Pumpkin Pie With Biscoff Cookie Crust and Toasted Meringue

Joining some friends to share our favorite Thanksgiving pies today. Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be complete without the traditional Pumpkin pie. It’s a holiday classic. And while we love and embrace tradition, this year, we’re changing things up a bit and swapping out the traditional pie crust for a Biscoff cookie crust that’s rich, buttery, and full of cinnamon-spice goodness. It’s the perfect way to add a little fun to a holiday favorite.

Making the Biscoff pumpkin pie cookie pie crust

Following a few simple steps, this crust comes together quickly and quite easily. The speculoos cookies, with their warm spices and caramel flavoring, are the perfect fall flavors and pair nicely with pumpkin pie.

Two ingredients:

• One standard package of Lotus Biscoff cookies (8.8 ounces). You can find the cookies in most grocery stores. 
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (I like to brown the butter, but it’s not necessary)

Making the Biscoff pie crust

1. Add the cookies to a food process and blend until the cookies are fine crumbs making sure there are no large chunks. If you don’t have a food processor, no problem. Place the cookies in a large ziplock bag and using a rolling pin crush the cookies into fine crumbs.
2. Add the cookie crumbs to a medium bowl, pour the melted butter on top, and combine cookie crumbs and mix with a wooden spoon. The cookie crumbs should be sand-like; don’t worry if they are not sticking together. 
3. Use cooking spray to coat the pie pan, and then pour the cookie crumbs over the bottom of the pan. 
4. Using your hands, smooth out the cookie crumbs on the bottom and sides of the pan and use pressure to get the cookie crumbs to stick together and form to the shape of the pan.
5. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to pack down the cookie crumbs. But don’t over-pack the crumbs or your crust will become too dense. You’ll know when it’s ready when the crumbs don’t move around anymore. 

Making the pumpkin pie filling 

This is my favorite pumpkin pie filling recipe. Some recipes call for condensed milk, while others use evaporated milk. I used condensed milk because I liked the creamy texture and the extra sweetness.

The ingredients:

• Condensed milk
• Pumpkin pie spice (ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves)
• Pinch of salt
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Pumpkin puree

Making the pumpkin filling

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and pumpkin spices and stir until combined and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the pumpkin puree and the eggs and beat until combined and smooth.
4. Add the sugar mixture to the pumpkin mixture, gradually stir in the condensed milk, and mix until completely combined.
5. Pour mixture carefully into the unbaked and prepared crust shell.
6. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 40 to 50 minutes. If the pie crust begins to burn around the edges, cover the edges with strips of aluminum foil.
7. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Making the toasted meringue topping

In addition to being delicious, this easy, toasted meringue makes such a nice presentation that elevates any dessert. If you don’t have the time to fuss with the meringue, whipped cream topping will work just fine.

The ingredients:

• Egg whites at room temperature
• Granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Cream of tartar
• Vanilla extract

Making the toasted meringue

1. In a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt on low speed until they are frothy/foamy.
2. Add the cream of tartar, adjust the speed to medium, and beat until the egg whites are somewhat fluffy with large bubbles around the outside.
3. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the sugar and continue to beat until all the sugar is combined.
4. Keep beating and as soon as peaks begin to form, add the vanilla.
5. Once the vanilla is incorporated and you have stiff peaks, stop beating.
6. Spread the meringue carefully over the top of the pie.
7. Using a kitchen torch, toast the meringue evenly until you’ve achieved the desired look.
8. Cut the pie into individual slices and serve immediately and enjoy!

Note: Using the same pie filling recipe and Biscoff cookie crust, we made a round traditional pie as well as a rectangular tart. For the tart, we used the same amount of cookie crumbs but only about one-half of the pie filling. And we had to adjust the baking time: 15 minutes at 425 degrees and 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Both ways made a wonderful fall or Thanksgiving treat!

Can you make pumpkin pie ahead?

You can make pumpkin pie the day before and store it with a few layers of plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Just make sure you bring it to room temperature before serving. 

You can also make the pie ahead and store it in the freezer for up to three months if it’s properly wrapped. To thaw, let it sit on the counter until it comes to room temperature and then serve.

How do I store the leftover pie?

Some people like to store pie on their kitchen countertops. But remember, store-bought pies typically have preservatives added and are fine on the counter. However, homemade pies don’t have preservatives, so it’s best to store the leftovers wrapped in a refrigerator. 

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between condensed milk and evaporated milk?

Martha Stewart always seems to have an answer to my questions. According to her, the main difference is the addition of sugar in condensed milk, which yields a different texture and flavor profile. Evaporated milk offers creaminess without sweetness and works well with savory dishes. On the other hand, sweetened condensed milk works best with desserts. So now you know!

Do I need to pre-bake the Biscoff cookie crust before adding the pumpkin pie filling?

Some recipes call for pre-baking Biscoff cookie crust. I have done it both ways, baked and unbaked. I found that when pre-baked, the crust was slightly burned, so I prefer not to bake it.

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Here is another excellent Thanksgiving pie recipe you might like

• Rustic Slab Apple Pie Recipe