Cardamom pumpkin pie is a classic holiday custard pie made with pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and a warm blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and ground cardamom, all baked in a flaky, blind-baked butter pastry crust. A splash of bourbon and a squeeze of lemon juice set it apart from the standard version, adding depth and a little brightness so every bite tastes rich instead of flat or overly sweet. It uses simple ingredients you likely already have in the pantry, and it bakes up beautifully a day ahead, which makes it an easy win for Thanksgiving. After more than twenty years of developing recipes, I can tell you that cardamom is the one spice that turned my pumpkin pie from good into the slice everyone asks about. Once I started adding it, nobody at my table wanted the plain version again.
For the crust, use my all-butter Basic Pie Dough, and if you have bourbon left over after baking, put it to good use in my Bourbon Banana Bread.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love this Cardamom Pumpkin Pie
This pie has everything you want from a traditional pumpkin pie: a silky, custard-like filling, a deep orange color, and plenty of warm spice. The difference is in the details. Cardamom adds a floral, slightly citrusy note that lifts the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, while a mix of white and brown sugar gives the filling a gentle caramel flavor. Heavy cream makes it richer and smoother than versions made with evaporated milk, and the blind-baked butter crust gives every slice a golden, flaky base that holds up under the custard.
It is also a practical holiday dessert. The filling comes together quickly with a whisk, the pie needs to be made ahead so it can set, and it feeds a crowd for very little cost. Bake it the day before Thanksgiving, chill it overnight, and you have one less thing to worry about on the big day.
Heather’s Expert Tips for the Best Cardamom Pumpkin Pie
Drawing from 20 years of recipe development and my time co-founding a spice company, here’s what makes this recipe worth making exactly as written.
- Start with fresh cardamom: As the co-founder of Spiceology, I spent years working with spices at every stage, and cardamom loses its aroma faster than almost any other ground spice. Check the date on your jar, or grind the seeds from green cardamom pods for the brightest flavor.
- Don’t skip the blind bake: Par-baking the butter crust before you add the filling sets the pastry so the bottom stays flaky and crisp instead of soggy under the wet custard. Line it with parchment and fill it with pie weights so the sides hold their shape.
- Whisk gently: Stir the eggs and cream into the pumpkin until just smooth. Beating too much air into the filling leads to bubbles on the surface and cracks as it bakes.
- Look for the jiggle: The pie is done when the edges are set and the center still wobbles slightly when you nudge the pan. It will finish setting as it cools, and overbaking is the number one cause of cracked pumpkin pie.
- Cool it completely: Let the pie cool on a wire rack at room temperature, then chill it before slicing for clean, picture-perfect pieces.
Equipment Needed
- 9-inch pie plate
- Rolling pin
- Pie weights or dried beans for blind baking
- Pie crust shield
- Large mixing bowl
- Balloon whisk
- Spice grinder or mortar and pestle (for fresh cardamom)
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients for Cardamom Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin puree – store-bought or homemade. Try my recipe for roasting butternut squash as a guide.
- All butter pie crust – makes for the flakiest pie. Use my easy all butter recipe, blind-bake half of the recipe, and save the other half for another use. Freezes well.
- Spices – cardamom powder, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg give this pie all of its flavor.
- Sugar – a mix of brown and granulated white sugar sweeten up this pie and also give it depth of flavor.
- All-purpose flour – just a touch to help the custard set.
- Eggs – adding in the extra egg yolks give this pumpkin pie a lovely texture.
- Heavy cream – for a luxurious bite.
- Lemon juice – the touch of acid helps balance the pie.
- Vanilla bean paste – I love seeing the flecks of vanilla. You can easily sub vanilla extract.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Make it alcohol-free: Leave out the bourbon or replace it with an equal amount of apple cider for a hint of fruity sweetness.
- Swap the dairy: Use full-fat canned coconut milk in place of the heavy cream for a dairy-free filling with a subtle tropical note.
- Try sweet potato: Replace the pumpkin puree with mashed roasted sweet potato for an earthier, slightly sweeter pie.
- Change the crust: Press a gingersnap or graham cracker crust into the pie plate instead of using pastry dough for extra crunch.
- Add orange zest: Stir a little fresh orange zest into the filling to play up the citrusy side of the cardamom.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
- Refrigerate: Once the pie has cooled, cover it and refrigerate. It keeps well for up to 4 days. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Make ahead: Bake the pie 1 to 2 days before serving. The flavor actually improves as the spices settle into the filling.
- Freeze the whole pie: Wrap the cooled pie tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Freeze by the slice: Wrap individual slices and freeze them for an easy single-serving dessert later.
- Reheat: Pumpkin pie is best served chilled or at room temperature. If you prefer it warm, heat a slice in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.
What to Serve with Bourbon Cardamom Pumpkin Pie
- Pecan Tart with Cookie Crust for a two-pie dessert table
- Eggnog Espresso Martini for an after-dinner cocktail
- Soft Molasses Cookies for guests who want a little something extra
- Sausage and Caramelized Onion Stuffing to round out the holiday menu
Frequently Asked Questions
Cardamom adds a warm, floral flavor with a hint of citrus and pine. In pumpkin pie, it brightens the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg so the filling tastes more complex without being overpowering.
Yes. This pie is best made 1 to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator, which gives the custard time to set fully. If you are planning your whole holiday spread, browse my 50+ Thanksgiving Recipes for more make-ahead ideas.
No. The small amount of bourbon adds a mellow, vanilla-caramel depth rather than a strong alcohol flavor. Some alcohol can remain after baking, so leave it out if you are serving children or guests who avoid alcohol.
Cracks usually come from overbaking or cooling the pie too quickly. Pull the pie from the oven while the center still has a slight jiggle, and let it cool gradually at room temperature.
Yes. Roast a small sugar pie pumpkin, puree the flesh, and drain it well in a fine mesh strainer so the filling is not watery. Fresh puree tends to be lighter in color and flavor than canned.
Yes, though measuring each spice gives you the most control over the flavor. If you like keeping homemade blends on hand for fall baking, my Apple Pie Spice Mix is a great one to have in the pantry. Just be sure to still add the ground cardamom, since it is the star of this pie.
If you like this recipe, try:
Cardamom Pumpkin Pie Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 blind-baked pie crust
- 2½ cups pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp bourbon
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Place the blind-baked crust on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom and whisk until smooth.
- Bake until the filling is set, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, covering the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or pie crust shield if they brown too quickly.
- Transfer the pie dish to the wire rack and let the pie cool completely, about 4 hours, before serving. Cut into slices and serve each with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
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Nutrition
*Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.