S’mores Pumpkin Pie is the most delicious spin on a classic pumpkin pie and I’d even dare say it’s the BEST pumpkin pie! You get a buttery, honey kissed graham cracker base, a layer of decadent dark chocolate ganache, an autumn spiced, creamy pumpkin filling, and a deliciously sweet, toasted, marshmallow-like meringue crowning the top.
Are you getting bored of the same old pumpkin pie year after year? I think it’s due time for an upgrade, this elevated s’mores pumpkin pie is a new fall favorite in our family!
I created a velvety s’mores pie years ago and everyone absolutely loved that pie, but I wondered how I could make it more festive for the holiday season with a cozy fall feel. Basically all it needed was a simple pumpkin pie filling added and you get two highly popular flavors in one pie!
Each layer here offers well balanced flavor and it’s own unique texture. Chocolate, pumpkin, graham, and marshmallow flavors all pair beautifully together creating a harmonious blend that seems meant to be.
Once you taste this pie for yourself you may likely never look back to a plain old fashioned pumpkin pie. This is one for the holiday recipe collection that’s sure to impress year after year!
S’mores Pumpkin Pie Recipe Ingredients
Graham crackers: These make up the base of the pie for part of that classic s’mores flavor.
Granulated sugar: This is used to sweeten the crust lightly and for the base of the meringue topping for that very sweet marshmallow flavor.
Salt: Added to balance the sweetness and bring out the flavors of the crust, filling and meringue.
Butter: This is included in the crust to add richness and hold it together while it bakes and sets.
Semi-sweet chocolate bar: I recommend using a good quality chocolate baking bar here for the ganache layer. Finely chop it so it melts easily with the cream.
Heavy cream: Added to thin out the chocolate bar to a smooth, creamy consistency.
Canned pumpkin: A main ingredient, used for the base of the pie filling. Adds plenty of natural pumpkin flavor from a shortcut, pre-cooked canned puree.
Sweetened condensed milk: This builds up the structure of the pie, and adds custardy texture and enhances the flavor.
Pumpkin pie spice: A pre-blended mixture of sweet spices (usually cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and/or allspice). You can make your own blend using 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp cloves.
Whole eggs and egg whites: Whole eggs are used as a binder for the pie filling to set it, egg whites are part of the base of the meringue topping to add fluffy volume.
Cream of tartar: This is a crucial ingredient to help the egg whites and sugar whip up and hold stiff peaks well.
Vanilla: Added to the meringue for enhanced flavor. You can also add 1 tsp to the pie filling if preferred though it’s not a must it has great flavor on its own.
How to Make S’mores Pumpkin Pie
Here is a summarized breakdown making and assembling the layers of the pie (see recipe below for full directions).
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix graham cracker crust ingredients together and press evenly and firmly into a deep dish pie dish. Bake until set. Let cool.
Make chocolate ganache by combining chopped chocolate and hot cream in a bowl. Spread that into an even layer over the graham cracker crust.
Mix together the pumpkin pie filling ingredients then pour over the chocolate layer in the pie dish. Bake until set then let the pie cool completely.
Make the meringue by heating and mixing the sugar and egg whites in a double boiler to 165 degrees.
Then whip the mixture with the cream of tartar using an electric stand mixer or hand mixer to stiff peaks. Flavor with vanilla near the end.
Spread the meringue topping over the pie and toast the top with a kitchen torch. Serve shortly after topping.
Storage
Store the baked pumpkin pie portion (without topping) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day (past that the crust starts to soften. For best results wait to add the meringue until shortly before serving).
I did find the pie keeps okay in the fridge with topping for about 1 day but the topping does break down a little and lose a bit of volume.
Helpful Tips
Making it Gluten Free: To make this gluten-free use gluten free graham crackers and ensure all other ingredients are packaged in gluten free facilities without cross contamination (especially the chocolate).
Graham cracker crust tip: You can use full sheets of graham crackers and crush yourself in a food processor, or in a ziplock with a rolling pin. Or use store-bought pre-crushed graham crackers for ease.
Prevent crust from burning: If you find the edges of your graham crust are over-browning before the filling is set simply cut about a 2-inch wide ring of foil out that’s the size of rim of the pie. Then loosely wrap over the edge of the pie for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Save time, use store-bought marshmallow creme: I have also tried this with marshmallow creme in place of the meringue topping. It tastes delicious, however doesn’t hold it’s form as well. So simply add a few spoonfuls to each plated individual slice and toast separately with a kitchen torch.
More Tasty Pumpkin Desserts to Try
S’mores Pumpkin Pie
This is most delicious spin on a classic pumpkin pie and I’d even dare say it’s the BEST pumpkin pie! You get a buttery, honey kissed graham cracker base, a layer of decadent dark chocolate ganache, an autumn spiced, creamy pumpkin filling, and a deliciously sweet, toasted, marshmallow-like meringue crowning the top.
Servings: 8
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cups (183g, 12 full sheets) graham cracker crumbs (use gluten free graham crackers if making gluten free*)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, melted
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (gluten free if needed)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
Meringue (or use 1 small jar marshmallow creme)
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For the graham cracker crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl toss together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and 1/8 salt. Pour in melted butter and toss mixture with a fork until evenly coated.
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Press mixture firmly into a 9 to 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie dish, evenly along bottom and all the way up the sides (the bottom of a flat measuring cup helps with this).
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Bake in preheated oven until set, about 12 minutes (if it puffed up a little just gently press back down with measuring cup). Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
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For the chocolate ganache layer: Place chocolate in a heat proof mixing bowl. Heat heavy cream in the microwave in a microwave safe dish (I just use the glass measuring cup used to measure it) until simmering, about 30 seconds.
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Immediately pour hot cream over chopped chocolate in bowl and stir to melt. If it won’t melt completely simply place mixture in microwave and heat on 50% power for 20 seconds, stir. Pour mixture into cooled crust and spread even.
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For the pumpkin pie filling: In a mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 tsp salt. Pour mixture over chocolate layer in pie crust (don’t overfill past graham cracker crust, you may have a few extra tbsp to discard).
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Bake pie in 350 °F oven until pie is nearly set in the center (it may have a faint wiggle to it in the middle), about 50 minutes (tent edges with a 2-inch wide ring of cut out foil if needed to prevent over-browning near the end).
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Cool pie 1 hour on a wire rack. Transfer to fridge and cool 1 hour (or up to 1 day).
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To make meringue (when ready to serve pie): In a medium heat proof mixing bowl whisk together egg whites, salt and sugar. Set over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk cooking constantly until mixture reaches 160°F to 165 °F on an instant read thermometer.
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Using hot pads remove bowl from pan, set on on a kitchen towel. Add cream of tartar and whip with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Increase to high speed and whip until mixture is thicker, glossy and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes longer. Mix in vanilla.
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Dab condensation from top of pie with paper towels if needed. Spoon meringue over pie making swirls on the top. Toast the top with a kitchen torch. Cut pie into slices and serve right away.
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Alternately if you opt to use a jar of marshmallow creme simply add two dollops of the marshmallow cream (one larger and a smaller over it) to each pie slice and toast separately. It’s not stiff enough to spread over whole pie and slice and hold its shape.
*If you need to make this pie gluten free simply swap the graham crackers for gluten free graham crackers and ensure other packaged ingredients are gluten free (especially the chocolate) with no cross contamination.
Nutrition Facts
S’mores Pumpkin Pie
Amount Per Serving
Calories 577
Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Trans Fat 0.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 98mg33%
Sodium 406mg18%
Potassium 483mg14%
Carbohydrates 79g26%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 61g68%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 8892IU178%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 202mg20%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
