My little cousin, Annika, loves pumpkin pie. I would like to think she loves my pumpkin pie, however, I think it’s an overall adoration. When she comes to my parents’ house in the summer, she runs up to me and asks, “Did you bake pumpkin pie?!” And I am forced to her look into her adorable dimpled face and break the news that there is peach pie, but not pumpkin. She tries to hide her disappointment, and is relieved somewhat by the prospect of cookies or cupcakes, but I know what she’s thinking.
My pumpkin pie recipe is a slight variation of my great-aunt (Annika’s great-great aunt) Lois’s recipe. It’s the only family recipe I bake for Thanksgiving, and even though pumpkin pie won’t be my favorite pie to appear on the dessert table, it’s my favorite to make each year.
pumpkin pie
all-butter pie crust
1 cup brown sugar
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
1 can pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups heavy cream
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Roll out the pie crust and transfer to a pie plate. Fold and crimp the edges however you like. Using a fork, prick the bottom all over and place the crust in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Remove it from the freezer, line the crust with tinfoil and fill it with pie weights or dry beans. Place the pie plate onto a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.
- While the crust is in the oven, mix together the sugar and spices in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the pumpkin, vanilla and spice mixture until well-combined. Slowly stir in the cream.
- Remove the crust from oven and reduce the temperature to 350°. Take out the pie weights and pour in the filling.
- Bake for about one hour or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. The outer two edges should be set, but it’s okay if the center is a little jiggly.
Happy Thanksgiving!