Chai Pumpkin Meringue Pie (Better Than The Classic)

Having half a can of pumpkin staring judgmentally at me from the fridge at 10 PM on a Tuesday is exactly what led to this chai pumpkin meringue pie. I thought I could just whip up a quick fall pie recipe, completely ignoring the fact that crust needs to chill and meringue requires patience.

Fast forward to midnight, and I was covered in flour, aggressively whisking egg whites over a pot of water while questioning my life choices. But when I finally tasted that spiced pumpkin pie with meringue topping, the sleep deprivation was entirely worth it. Here is exactly how I do it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Total crowd-pleaser. It is a unique pumpkin pie recipe for thanksgiving that will actually make people stop talking about the turkey.
• Make-ahead friendly. You can bake the base a day early, which is a lifesaver when your oven is already occupied by three different casseroles.
• Texture heaven. The contrast between the flaky crust, custardy filling, and marshmallow-like topping is ridiculous.
• Spice upgrade. It uses a homemade chai blend that makes your entire house smell better than an expensive candle.

Tools You’ll Need

Nothing fancy, I promise.

• pie weights You need these for blind baking the crust, though dried beans work if you do not mind your kitchen smelling faintly of baked legumes.
• Double boiler. Or just a heatproof glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, which is what I actually use.
• Instant read thermometer. Crucial for making sure the egg whites get hot enough so we do not accidentally give anyone food poisoning.

Ingredients

For the Chai Spice Mix

• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon – The backbone of our spice mix, do not skimp here.
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom – This is what makes it taste like a fancy coffee shop drink instead of plain pumpkin.
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger – Adds a little background heat that cuts through the sugar.
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice – Just a pinch brings everything together.
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves – Very strong, so measure carefully unless you want your pie to taste like potpourri.

For the Crust

• 1 unbaked pie crust – Store-bought is fine, nobody is judging you.
• 1 large egg yolk – Save the whites for the topping, we are being efficient today.
• 1 Tablespoon milk – For the egg wash to make the crust look pretty.

For the Filling

• 15 ounces pumpkin puree – Make absolutely sure you do not buy pumpkin pie filling by mistake, I have done it and it is a disaster.
• 2 large eggs – This sets up the custard so you do not end up with pumpkin soup.
• 1 cup packed brown sugar – Light or dark works, whatever is currently hardening in your pantry.
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch – The secret to a firm slice that does not instantly collapse on the plate.
• 1/4 teaspoon salt – You always need salt in desserts to balance the sweet.
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chai spice mix – From the batch we just made above.
• 2/3 cup heavy cream – Do not try to use skim milk here, we are making pie, not a diet smoothie.
• 1/3 cup whole milk – Adds just enough liquid without watering down the creaminess.

For the Meringue Topping

• 3 large egg whites – Room temperature is crucial, they whip up much better when they are not freezing cold.
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar – Melts into the whites to create that marshmallow texture.
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar – This stabilizes the meringue so it does not weep sad sugary tears all over your beautiful pie.
• 1/2 teaspoon chai spice mix – To carry that flavor all the way to the top.

How To Make Chai Pumpkin Meringue Pie

Bake the crust, mix the filling, and try your absolute hardest not to eat the marshmallow topping straight out of the mixing bowl.

1. Prep the crust: Roll out your dough and fit it into a 9-inch dish. Crimp the edges if they look a little lopsided, just call it rustic and move on.
2. Par-bake: Line the crust with parchment and fill with weights, then bake for 10 minutes at 375°F. If you skip the weights, your crust will shrink down the pan and you will cry.
3. Egg wash and dock: Remove the weights, brush the edges with egg wash, and poke holes in the bottom with a fork so it does not puff up like a balloon. Bake another 7-8 minutes.
4. Mix the filling: Whisk the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, chai spices, cream, and milk together. Vigorously whisk it consider this your arm workout for the day.
5. Bake the pie: Pour the filling into the warm crust and bake for 55-60 minutes. A little jiggle in the center is totally fine, it will set as it cools.
6. Cool completely: Let it sit on a wire rack for at least 3 hours. I once tried to top a warm pie and the meringue immediately slid right off onto the counter.
7. Heat the meringue: Whisk the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar over a pot of simmering water until it hits 160°F. If you do not have a thermometer, just rub it between your fingers if it feels gritty, keep whisking.
8. Whip it up: Move the mixture to a stand mixer, add the remaining chai spice, and beat on high until stiff glossy peaks form. This takes a solid five minutes, so do not panic if it looks soupy at first.
9. Top and toast: Spread the meringue over the pie. You can toast it with a kitchen torch if you want to feel incredibly dangerous and professional.

Make it yours

• Gingerbread version. You add molasses to the filling for a deeper, darker twist on this fall pie recipe.
• Pecan crunch version. You sprinkle chopped toasted pecans over the meringue before toasting for extra texture in this spiced pumpkin pie with meringue topping.

Perfect Pairings

These go perfectly with a quiet Friday night on the couch with a fork and zero intentions of sharing.

• A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream satisfies the urge to completely ignore the meringue that is already there.
• Your Thanksgiving dessert table, right next to the boring traditional pies to establish dominance, rounds out the whole experience.

Chai Pumpkin Meringue Pie

This chai pumpkin meringue pie proves that a genuinely impressive holiday dessert can come together with nothing more than a double boiler, a stand mixer, and a few pantry staples. This pumpkin meringue pie recipe relies on par-baking and cornstarch-set custard to avoid the soggy bottom and cracked surface that ruins so many other pumpkin pie attempts. Whether served at Thanksgiving or sliced for a Tuesday night treat, this spiced pumpkin pie with meringue topping earns a permanent spot in the regular rotation.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 7 hours hrs

Servings: 1 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Chai Spice Mix

• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves*

Crust

• 1 unbaked pie crust (what I used) or all butter pie crust*
• egg wash: 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk

Filling

• one 15-ounce can (about 2 cups; 425g) pumpkin puree*
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons chai spice mix (above)
• 2/3 cup (160ml) heavy cream*
• 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk*

Meringue Topping

• 3 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon chai spice mix or to taste (above)

Equipment

• Pie weights
• Double boiler
• Instant-read thermometer

Method

 

1. Make the pie crust through step 5 according to my directions and video tutorial in my pie crust recipe. Make pie dough in advance because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out (step 3). The recipe makes 2 crusts, and you only need 1 for this pie, so save the other for another pie.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
3. Remove 1 disc of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish.

   Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it’s tightly pressed into the pie dish. Fold any dough overhang back into the dish to form a thick rim around the edges. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers. (Review how to crimp and flute pie crust if you need extra help with this step.)
4. Line the pie crust with parchment paper. Crunching up the parchment paper is helpful so that you can easily shape it into the crust. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. (Note that you will need at least 2 standard sets of pie weights to fit.) Make sure the weights/beans are evenly distributed around the pie dish. Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes.

   Carefully remove the parchment paper/pie weights. Brush edges lightly with egg wash. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork to create steam vents and return crust (without weights) to the oven for 7–8 more minutes or until the bottom is *just* starting to brown. (Review this how to par-bake pie crust page if you need extra help with this par-baking step.)
5. Whisk the pumpkin, 2 eggs, and brown sugar together until combined. Add the cornstarch, salt, 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of the chai spice mix, heavy cream, and milk. Vigorously whisk until everything is combined. (You’ll have plenty of chai spice mix, so if you want to increase to 2 and 3/4 teaspoons, you can; the extra-deep flavor is delicious.)
6. Pour pumpkin pie filling into the warm crust. Bake the pie until the center is almost set, about 55–60 minutes. A small part of the center will be a bit wobbly—that’s OK. After 25 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. (See this post on the best tools for baking pies for how to make a pie crust shield out of foil.) Start checking for doneness at minute 50.
7. Once done, transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow to cool completely at room temperature for at least 3 hours before adding the meringue topping. Pie can be made through this step up to 1 day in advance; cover and keep at room temperature before adding the topping.
8. Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of simmering water. Do not let it touch the water. (You can use a double boiler if you have one.) Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thinned out, about 4 minutes.

   The mixture’s temperature taken with an instant read thermometer should be 160°F (71°C). If it’s not, keep cooking and whisking until thinned out and temperature is warm enough. Remove from heat.

   Add 1/2 teaspoon chai spice mix, and then, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat on high speed for 5 minutes or until stiff glossy peaks form. Taste, and whip in a little more chai spice mix if you have any left/if desired.
9. Spread meringue on top of cooled pie, or pipe with large star piping tip such as Wilton 1M. Serve immediately or store at room temperature or in the refrigerator, uncovered, for up to 8 hours before serving. If desired, toast the marshmallow topping with a kitchen torch just before serving. If you want to use the oven to toast instead, see detailed recipe Note.
10. Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes

Make Ahead & Freezing:
Prepare the pie through step 7 up to 1 day ahead and keep covered at room temperature. Freeze the baked pie without meringue for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then add the topping. Pie dough keeps for 5 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. The filling can also be prepared and refrigerated overnight.

Pie Crust:
You need 1 crust. Freeze the second for another use. Store-bought dough should also be pre-baked. Graham cracker or gingersnap crusts can be used and pre-baked at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Chai Spice:
You can substitute nutmeg for the cloves if desired.

Pumpkin:
Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. If using fresh puree, blot it first to remove moisture. Baking may take longer.

Heavy Cream & Milk:
Use whole milk for the best texture. You can substitute 1 cup of half-and-half for the heavy cream and whole milk.

Topping:
Skip the meringue and serve with whipped cream if preferred. To brown the meringue without a torch, bake at 450°F for about 2–3 minutes, watching closely.