Forget Whipped Cream, Top Your Pumpkin Pie With A Sweet And Salty Sauce Instead

Looking for a way to up your pumpkin pie game this holiday season? If you're always the go-to person in your family for making the traditional pumpkin pie, you may find yourself bored with using the same recipe year after year. Rather than sticking with the classic topping of homemade whipped cream or canned whipped cream, consider trying something different.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make with pumpkin pie is not serving it creatively. And while whipped cream is perhaps the safest choice of topping, there are many creative pumpkin pie toppings that aren't whipped cream. For instance, salted caramel sauce is the ideal combination of sweet and salty, and it perfectly complements the traditional spices used in pumpkin pie. While whipped cream adds a sweet layer to your pie, the deep, toasted notes of the caramel enhance the warm spices in the pie to create a more complex, rich flavor profile.

Our salted caramel sauce recipe only requires five ingredients: butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, sea salt, and vanilla. You can make it in 10 to 15 minutes, or just buy pre-made caramel sauce at the store. There are endless ways to incorporate it in your holiday meal, from topping your pumpkin pie or ice cream to adding a splash to your morning coffee to give you the extra pep you need to handle the holiday baking and houseguests.

If you really want to make your holiday guests drool over your dessert, choose unique, bakery-worthy garnishes to top your pumpkin pie and caramel sauce. These toppings can further enhance your presentation as well as the flavor profile of the pie and caramel. Salted caramel sauce has nutty, buttery notes that offer a balance to the pie's sweetness. You can play with that balance by choosing to enhance the sweet, salty, or savory flavors of your pie.

Toasted pecans or pistachios can bring out the salty, buttery notes of the caramel sauce while adding a delightful crunchy texture to your pie topping. Pistachios in particular can add some color to your pie and improve its presentation. For an even more unique twist on the classic pumpkin pie, add unsweetened coconut flakes to the top of the pie after drizzling it with caramel sauce. This will also enhance the nutty flavor of the sauce while balancing the pie's sweetness.

Additionally, you might consider pairing caramel sauce with chocolate sauce, or adding a splash of coffee liqueur to your sauce after it cools. Whether you make the sauce from scratch or just pick up your favorite store-bought caramel sauce brand, making the switch from a traditional whipped cream topping can wow your holiday guests.