Grab a spoon and get ready to crack the caramelized, sugary, and oh-so-delicious top on this amazing Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulee! This is an easy creme brulee recipe to master; these decadent desserts taste like they take hours in the kitchen, but they don’t!
Grab a few ingredients, your pumpkin spice, and I’ll show you how to make these tasty but easy pumpkin spice desserts!
Have you ever ordered creme brulee at a restaurant and wondered how it was made? Here’s a secret for you: they’re not complicated!
Plus, they’re made with a few common and inexpensive ingredients. Once you’ve made creme brulee from scratch, you’ll be hooked!
This is my recipe for a traditional creme brulee, but with a few tweaks, this becomes creme brulee with pumpkin spice.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains affiliate links. Click on the highlighted text in a post to explore a product. If you purchase through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I ONLY EVER ENDORSE PRODUCTS THAT I TRULY LOVE. Thank you for your support!
What is Creme Brulee?
Creme brulee is a traditional classic French dessert with a characteristic glass-like top and creamy, vanilla-scented center. It translates as “burned cream,” but there’s no burning involved!
The sugar is melted on top of the custard hardening into a glass-like caramel. Creme brulee is served in individual-sized ramekins or glass dishes, so if you want the best creme brulee, make sure you have some on hand.
It is eaten with a spoon, and before digging in, you use the side of your spoon to give the top a good crack, cracking the caramelized sugar layer so that you can scoop into the cool, creamy inside.
What You Need to Make Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulee
Other than the ingredients for creme brulee, you’ll need a few specialized tools, including:
- Individual-sized ramekins – These should be tempered glass or ceramic and withstand the high heat from the culinary torch.
- Culinary torch – These handy devices are butane or propane-powered and will melt the sugar quite nicely. See my notes below for more on this handy device and alternate methods for getting that crisp top on your creme brulee.
- Large casserole dish – You’re going to bake the custard desserts in a water bath, so you need a large casserole dish to hold all the ramekins.
- Sieve/Strainer – Even at the best of times, my custard gets little lumps in it. I use a sieve to strain out the lumps, ensuring that the custard is creamy and smooth.
How to Make Creme Brulee
- Gather all your ingredients and preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Get your pan ready. Put the ramekins into the casserole dish, ensuring there’s some room between them for the water to flow.
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites. You can pop the whites into the fridge to use in another recipe – you won’t need them in this Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulee recipe.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, blend the heavy whipping cream and milk. Heat the hot cream mixture slowly until tiny bubbles start to appear around the edges. Whisk constantly to prevent scorching on the bottom.
- Meanwhile, in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whip the egg yolks in a medium bowl until they’re well mixed, about a minute.
- Add the sugar to the egg yolks in a thin stream until it’s well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Temper the egg mixture and milk mixture by adding the milk/cream pumpkin mixture to the egg yolks about ½ cup at a time. Keep beating or mixing to prevent the eggs from cooking.
- Add the vanilla extract or a split whole vanilla bean, and pumpkin spice. Stir to combine.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and strain the custard liquid through a sieve to catch any small lumps. Finally, transfer this creamy custard mixture to a measuring cup or something you can easily pour from.
Filling the Creme Brulee Cups
- Pour equal amounts of the pumpkin custard into the ramekins inside the casserole dish.
- Next, add enough hot water (around the bowls) to the casserole dish so that the water comes two-thirds (⅔) of the way up the sides of the ramekins.
- Carefully lift the casserole dish into the oven and bake at 325°F for 50-55 minutes.
- When cooked, remove the casserole dish from the oven but leave the custards INSIDE the boiling water bath to cool (and cook a wee bit more.)
- When the custard is cool to the touch, remove the ramekins from the water bath, dry the outsides, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a few hours or up to 2 days.
- Before serving, sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar on top and caramelize the sugar topping with your culinary torch (always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using the torch.)
How to Use Vanilla Beans
Vanilla beans are similar in flavor to vanilla extract, but they have a more aromatic and purer flavor. Using them is easy; here’s how:
- Use a small, sharp knife to slit the vanilla bean lengthwise.
- Use the sharp edge of your knife to scrape the seeds and insides of the vanilla bean and put that into your custard mixture.
- Discard the bean pod.
How To Tell When Creme Brulee is Cooked
All ramekins are different sizes, so you can’t go by cooking time alone to judge when the creme brulee is cooked. Creme brulee with pumpkin spice should have a bit of wiggle to it but should not be soupy.
Give the ramekin a light wiggle, and if the middle still ripples, it could use a few more minutes. Look for a consistency like set Jell-O; that’s the perfect creme brulee.
Torching Creme Brulee
Learning how to make the topping on creme brulee is super easy! Sprinkle a thin layer of granulated white sugar on top, and then use your kitchen torch to melt it until it is dark brown (but not burned).
Alternatively, you can place the ramekins on a baking sheet and put them under the oven broiler to melt the sugar. Just keep your eye on them as they’ll go from perfectly brown to burned in no time.
Serve custards immediately after the sugar has been torched on the top.
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Recipe
- Pumpkin Pecan Pie
- Bisquick Pumpkin Pancakes
- Pumpkin Spice Scomuffie
Crème Brulee with Pumpkin Spice – Frequently Asked Questions
Use ceramic or tempered glass (like Pyrex) ramekins. You can use 4 ounce ramekins, 6 ounce ramekins, or even the very popular 5 ounce shallow ramekins. They will need to withstand the high heat of the torch. Also, you’ll be serving those dishes to your guests, so cute creme brulee dishes are always a bonus.
Yes! The hardest part is waiting for it to bake in the oven and them to cool.
I use white granulated sugar. That’s all you need – you don’t need anything fancy.
This one is pretty darn good! It’s got a nice balance of flavors from the pumpkin spice, and the topping isn’t too sweet. It’s well-balanced and delicious! If you are looking for a regular Crème Brulee then check out my Vanilla Crème Brulee.
Pumpkin Spice Crème Brulee Recipe
Get the recipe and the nutrition facts below.
Creme Brulee - Pumpkin Spice
Grab a spoon and get ready to crack the caramelized, sugary, and oh-so-delicious top on this amazing Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulee! This is an easy creme brulee recipe to master; these decadent desserts taste like they take hours in the kitchen, but they don’t!
Ingredients
- Heavy Whipping Cream 24 fl. ounces
- Milk 8 fl. ounces
- Egg Yolks (10 large yolks) 6 ounces
- Sugar, Granulated 7 ounces
- Vanilla Extract 1/2 teaspoon
- Pumpkin Pie Spice 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients to make the pumpkin spice creme brulee.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites, set aside the egg whites because you will not be using them in this recipe.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy whipping cream, milk and the vanilla extract or vanilla bean that is split. Stirring constantly to prevent the milk from scorching.
- Heat the milk mixture until small bubbles start to appear around the top edge of the milk.
- Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Use a KitchenAid stand mixer or a hand mixer with a whip attachment. Whip the egg yolks on low to medium for about 1 minute to break up the yolks.
- Turn the mixer on low. Slowly incorporate the granulated sugar into the beaten egg yolks.
- Keep on whipping the sugar and egg yolk mixture together to help dissolve the sugar as the milk is heating up. Scrape the sides of the bowl often to help combine the eggs and sugar.
- Tempering the Eggs - When the cream mixture is heated it is time to temper the eggs and milk together.
- About a ½ cup at a time, slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the whipped egg mixture as you continue beating all together. Slowly keep adding the ½ cups of hot milk to the mixer until you have added at least half the milk. You do not want to add the milk to fast because you will curdle the eggs.
- Scrape the bowl again. Add the all of the milk to the bowl and mix to combine.
- Combine the pumpkin spice into the custard.
- Strain the custard to remove any curdled bites that might have formed.
- If you used the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the inside of the bean and stir them into the custard mixture. Discard the vanilla bean pod.
- In a large roasting pan or baking dish, cardfully arrange the ramekins in a single layer. Carefully, fill the ramekins with the custard using a pourable container.
- Very Carefully, pour warm water around the outside of the ramekins about 2/3rds up the outside of the cups. This is creating a hot water bath around the ramekins. Making sure not to splash the water into the custard ramekins, place the pan into the preheated oven on a level oven rack.
- Bake the pumpkin spice crème brûlée until the custard is just set. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Check the custard at about 45 minutes. You want the crème brulee recipe to have a small area of wiggle in the center with most of the custard set. The pumpkin spice custard recipe should not be soupy.
- With great care, remove the creme brûlée with pumpkin spice from the oven.
- Remember that the custard recipe will continue to bake after it is removed from the oven because of the boiling water around the creme brulee. When the ramekins have cooled enough, remove them from the water and dry the outside of the ramekins.
- Cover each cooled ramekin with a piece of plastic wrap. Refrigerate the custard at least 4 hours and up to 2 days before it is served.
- When ready to serve the creme brûlée, a caramelized sugar glazed needs to be added to the top. Sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar on top of the brulee.
- Use a culinary torch to heat up and caramelize the coating of sugar on top of the custard. Make sure to use the kitchen blow torch with care.
- If you do not have a culinary torch, then use the broiler on your oven to create the caramelized topping using the same steps as described above.
- Serve right away.
Notes
- Don't need to buy special sugar for this recipe. Use granulated sugar in the custard and the topping.
- Add a very thin layer of sugar to the top of the pumpkin spice creme brulee and torch. Repeat this process with one or two more layers.
- Make sure to strain your custard before pouring into the ramekins. Otherwise you will have lumpy creme brulee.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links. Click on the highlighted text in a post to explore a product. If you purchase through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I ONLY EVER ENDORSE PRODUCTS THAT I TRULY LOVE. Thank you for your support!
-
Foraineam Set of 8 Pieces Porcelain Shallow Ramekins, 5 Ounce Creme Brulee Ramekin Dishes Round Baking Ramekins Set -
Sondiko Culinary Butane Torch with Gift Box Packaging, Refillable Blow Torch Lighter, Fit All Butane Tanks with Safety Lock and Adjustable Flame for Desserts, Creme Brulee(Butane Gas Not Included)
-
Pyrex Storage 1 Cup Round Dish, Clear with Blue Lid, Pack of 6 Containers
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 337Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 93mgSodium 35mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 0gSugar 23gProtein 3g
Note: For exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information is simply a guideline.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Your comment and 5-star rating take just seconds but helps other readers and helps our site gain more readers! Thank you for taking the time to share your comments!
Stay in touch with me through social media!
Tried this recipe?
Snap a picture and tag #frommichigan2019 on Instagram @frommichigan2019.
Like my page on Facebook.
Follow me on Pinterest
Join my Blackstone Griddle Facebook Page: Blackstone Griddle Lovers, Blackstone Griddle Post Seasoning, Recipes and Mods, Outdoor Cooking – Recipes & Food Talk for Smokers, Blackstone, Grill & More,
If you enjoy this recipe, you may enjoy the following: Rice Pudding
