Pumpkin pie with amaretto whipped cream takes the beloved fall classic and elevates it with sweet almond notes. This recipe uses an amaretti cookie crust, Amaretto-scented pumpkin filling, and a light homemade amaretto whipped cream. It’s an elegant holiday dessert that pairs perfectly with coffee or after-dinner drinks.
The combination of amaretto and traditional autumn spices is a natural match. Amaretti cookies bring a sweet almond essence that complements pumpkin, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
This pie is especially nice topped with a dollop of the amaretto whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed amaretti cookies for texture.
How to make it
Each numbered step below follows the corresponding photos.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray or butter and set aside. Place 7 ounces (205 g) amaretti cookies in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add 6 tablespoons (85 g) melted butter and a pinch of salt, then pulse until the crumbs begin to clump.
- Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared pie dish. Gently press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides using your fingers or the back of a glass. Press just enough to form the crust without compacting it too hard.
- Bake the crust 6–7 minutes, until it begins to darken. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack before adding the filling.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl whisk together 15 ounces (425 g) pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1/4 cup (40 g) packed brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice until evenly combined.
- Add 12 ounces (340 g) evaporated milk, 2 tablespoons (24 g) Amaretto, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 large room-temperature eggs. Whisk until smooth.
- Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. The center may still be slightly jiggly; that’s normal. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
- To make the amaretto whipped cream, combine 1 cup (245 g) heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons (24 g) Amaretto, and 3 tablespoons (25 g) confectioner’s sugar in a chilled bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Whip on medium speed until medium peaks form, being careful not to overwhip.
- Refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to serve. When serving, add a dollop to each slice and finish with crushed amaretti cookies if desired. Enjoy.
Top tips
- Crust: Amaretti cookies are quite sweet, so no extra sugar is added to this crust. If you swap in graham crackers, keep the same quantity but add 2–3 tablespoons sugar to compensate. Avoid overpacking the crust and always let it cool fully before adding the filling.
- Amaretto substitute: If you prefer to omit alcohol, replace the Amaretto with 1 teaspoon non-alcoholic almond extract or increase vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste also works well.
- Baking times: Ovens vary. Start checking the pie at 40 minutes. For convection ovens, reduce the temperature by 25°F and check earlier.
- Whipped cream: Stop whipping when medium peaks form to avoid turning the cream into butter. Use any extra whipped cream on other desserts.
Dessert table suggestions
Consider adding one or two complementary desserts to round out your holiday spread, such as fruit-based tarts, a creamy custard, or a nut-forward dessert to echo the almond notes in this pie.
Pumpkin Pie with Amaretto Whipped Cream
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 8 slices
Pumpkin pie with an amaretti cookie crust and amaretto whipped cream blends pumpkin and warm fall spices with sweet almond flavor.
Ingredients
For the amaretti cookie crust
- 7 ounces (205 g) amaretti cookies, plus more for garnish
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
For the pie filling
- 15 ounces (425 g) pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (40 g) packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 12 ounces (340 g) evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) Amaretto
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
For the Amaretto whipped cream
- 1 cup (245 g) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) Amaretto
- 3 tablespoons (25 g) confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
For the amaretti cookie crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F and coat a 9-inch pie dish with spray or butter. Pulse amaretti cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Add melted butter and a pinch of salt, pulsing until the crumbs begin to clump.
- Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish, using the back of a glass or spoon if needed. Bake 6–7 minutes until the crust darkens slightly, then cool completely on a wire rack.
For the pie filling
- Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl whisk pumpkin puree, both sugars, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and cinnamon until combined.
- Add evaporated milk, Amaretto, vanilla, and eggs; whisk until smooth. Pour into the cooled crust.
- Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 350°F and bake 40–50 minutes more, until set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
For the Amaretto whipped cream
- In a chilled bowl or stand mixer, whip heavy cream with Amaretto and confectioner’s sugar on medium speed until medium peaks form (about 3–5 minutes). Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and crushed amaretti cookies if desired.
Notes
- Press the crust firmly enough to eliminate loose crumbs but avoid packing it too tightly. Cooling the crust fully before filling prevents sogginess.
- To make the pie alcohol-free, omit Amaretto and use non-alcoholic almond extract or extra vanilla instead.
- Do not overwhip the cream—stop at medium peaks to avoid turning it into butter.
- If substituting graham crackers for the crust, add 2–3 tablespoons sugar to account for their lower sweetness.
- This recipe is written for a conventional oven. For convection ovens, reduce temperature by 25°F and begin checking earlier.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice (recipe makes 8) — Calories: 391 kcal; Carbohydrates: 53.9 g; Protein: 7 g; Fat: 14.2 g; Saturated Fat: 6.9 g; Cholesterol: 83 mg; Sodium: 163 mg; Potassium: 277 mg; Fiber: 2.6 g; Sugar: 47.6 g; Calcium: 151 mg; Iron: 2 mg.
Nutrition information is an approximation.