Autumn is here, and kitchens are filling up with the smellsof warm spices and the ritual of making pumpkin desserts for upcoming family dinners. But when the time comes to decide which pumpkin dessert will grace your table – the classic pumpkin meringue pie or the indulgent pumpkin cheesecake – the decision becomes deliciously difficult.
Pumpkin Meringue Pie: Light, airy and dramatic
The Pumpkin Meringue Pie is has refined the traditional custard‑style pumpkin pie into a theatrical dessert, crowned with lofty, toasted meringue. This version enriches the filling with sweetened condensed milk and extra egg yolks to deliver a silky custard texture. The recipe calls for canned pumpkin purée (make sure the label says it is without spices) which means you can make this pie any time of year.
- From a baking perspective, it leans into precision: you must blind‑bake the crust, monitor temperatures, and whip meringue at the final moment to preserve volume and prevent collapse. The payoff is a dessert that’s visually stunning — imagine swirling meringue peaks.
- The meringue top also gives it a lighter mouthfeel. The custard below is velvety but not overly dense; the meringue adds contrast in texture, leaving you with ethereal bites.
- Because the filling is quite moist, the pie’s success depends strongly on a well‑baked crust that resists sogginess.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake With Pumpkin Spice Caramel Sauce: Rich, dense and luxurious
On the other hand, the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pumpkin Spice Caramel Sauce merges two beloved dessert worlds — the warm spices of pumpkin pie, and the dense, creamy decadence of cheesecake. Its base crust is made from Biscoff cookie crumbs (a spiced, crunchy cookie), which adds depth and a subtle caramel flavour. The cheesecake filling is made from cream cheese, eggs, flour, sour cream and cream — delivering richness and structure.
- A pumpkin spice caramel sauce and whipped topping finish the dessert, adding layers of flavour and texture.
- Because of its density, the cheesecake demands slower baking — in a water bath — and a careful cooldown to avoid cracks.
