Bourbon Pumpkin Caramel Sauce is the perfect seasonal topper for vanilla ice cream, brownies, pie or just for dipping some apple slices in. Plus it’s the best way to use up that little extra pumpkin puree you have sitting around.
So who’s starting to think about their Thanksgiving menu?
I know! Halloween hasn’t even happened yet but come on, Thanksgiving is THE best food holiday out there. How can you not start to think about it one month in advance?
Menus need to be planned, new recipes need to be tested, turkeys need to be ordered (buy fresh please, I beg you – they taste so much better!) and of course desserts need to be made.
Now here I am planning and I don’t even know which family member I’m going to yet. Hey brothers #1 and #3 are you reading this? Call your sister please.
Since desserts can be planned and baked ahead before anything else for Thanksgiving Day, I figured let’s start there with the new recipes. I had an awesome one planned for you today, it was a hybrid of pumpkin and pecan pies in bar form with a little added bourbon and chocolate.
Well guess what? Pecan pie filling is too heavy to put on top of pumpkin filling, even after you bake it for a bit and turns out the combination of the two is sort of gross. See what I have to endure for the sake of good desserts? I tease but I did have leftover pumpkin puree.
What to do? What to do?
Well turkey gets gravy, so why not gravy for your pie? Insert pumpkin caramel. This is the perfect fall caramel sauce and the best way to use up that little extra pumpkin puree you have sitting around. A little hint of pumpkin, a touch of bourbon and that caramel sauce taste you love.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cane or granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- optional: 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Place the sugar in a medium heavy duty stainless steel pot over medium heat and cook until the sugar has dissolved and starts to caramelize. Do not walk away from the stove during this process.
- Once the sugar is a light to medium golden brown color stir in the butter until it is completely melted and then off the heat pour in the heavy cream.
- Return the caramel to medium heat, if it seizes up just continue to cook until the sugar is melted again.
- Once the sauce is smooth, stir in the pumpkin and bourbon. Cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minutes and take off the heat. Stir in the sea salt and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice if using.
- Let cool before transferring to a glass container to store.
- While warm the sauce will be a more liquid consistency and will continue to thicken up as it cools. Store any leftover sauce in your refrigerator and reheat before use.
Here are a couple of recipes that would be great with this caramel sauce:
Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie (replace that caramel sauce with pumpkin!)
Pumpkin Biscoff Swirl Brownies (makes a great sundae)
Drizzled on top of Apple Pie Crepes
Can I tell you how much I love that you put bourbon in it?? OMG.
Pie gravy! I will totally be using that term all season long. This sounds amazing.
I’m just going to go ahead and tip that jar right into my mouth, m’kay?
I am thinking of Thanksgiving…I’ve been pie baking and your bourbon caramel sauce looks like something to make this year! Love it!
I have not starting thinking about my Thanksgiving menu until I read this. I’m so behind! It really is the best holiday though as far as food goes. SO trying this sauce!
I’ve not thought about Thanksgiving yet, but now I’m feeling like I better get a moving! I’m still working on my pumpkin recipes. This looks fantastic!
THIS is *my* gravy.
Gahhh, I am so stressed out about Thanksgiving. Please send me a copy of your menu so I can just be done with it! This looks so so so good!
Who says we have to wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy this delectable concoction? This would be fantastic over pumpkin pancakes this weekend!
I think I would even add this into my morning coffee!
What a perfect sauce for topping Pumpkin Pie! I’m all about the bourbon 🙂
Girl,please – I start thinking about Thanksgiving October 1st!! I’m all about eating till I burst. This bourbon pumpkin caramel… Can I just spoon the whole thing in my mouth? Perhaps a drizzle it? I dunno. I need this in my life.
I want to drizzle that all over some cheesecake!!!
My weekend plans:
1) Make bourbon pumpkin caramel sauce
2) Drink bourbon pumpkin caramel sauce
3) Repeat steps 1 & 2
Thanks, Susan!