The Prettiest Pumpkin Pie

Your guests will be so impressed when you bring the prettiest pumpkin pie to the table this Thanksgiving! Believe it or not but it’s not that difficult to make! If you know how to bake any type of pie then you can easily tackle this impressive cut out leaf crust (you just need a little extra time and patience)! I really had fun getting creative, making this pie extra special for my family this Thanksgiving! It has to be one of my favourite holidays, spending the cool crisp days up at the lake, surrounded by the people I love most and enjoying delightful home cooked feasts! What could be any better?

Call me sentimental but I like traditional baking. It’s still the same pumpkin pie but with a little decorative twist! I like the way my grandma used to bake her pumpkin pies for our Thanksgiving dinners; a memory that my family and I will always cherish. She made the best pies around town and you could always smell something delicious baking in her oven.

In keeping the prettiest pumpkin pie traditional, the spices are simple with cinnamon, ginger and cloves mixed into the pumpkin puree, then baked in my grandma’s flaky pastry; the recipe that I use time after time. To make the pretty edged leaves for the pie, I used the pastry scraps and hand cut them into leaves with a sharp knife. It was really simple and it added a pretty touch to the pie.

I do have to mention it was a close call on having enough leaves to cover the entire rim of the pie. But you don’t have to do the entire pie if you don’t want to (it might be nice just to cover three-quarters of the pie)! Just don’t panic if you don’t make it. I ended up using every single extra piece of pastry I had.

I’m so thankful I grew up with my grandma teaching me how cooking and baking brings families and friends together.  Especially at this time of year, there is so much to be thankful for! It’s a tradition to spend Thanksgiving up north at our cottage together and every year it makes me so happy to bake for my family!  My family loves it too!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends and that you might try getting a little adventurous and bake this pretty pumpkin pie 😉

Happy Baking!

The Prettiest Pumpkin Pie

Print Recipe

A beautiful classic pumpkin pie with a leaf design pastry!

• Author: Alie Romano
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 1 pie 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: Canadian

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• For the Pastry
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup Crisco (shortening), cold
• 1/4 cup ice cold water
• For the Filling
• 2 cups pumpkin puree (I used my homemade puree)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon each ground cloves, and nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. In a food processor add flour and salt, blend until incorporated. Add cubes of butter and pulse until butter resembles fine little crumbs. Add crisco/shortening and continue to pulse until the entire mixture resembles fine little crumbs (but don’t overdo mix).
2. Slowly add cold water and pulse until the dough forms into a ball, or gently shape it into a ball by hand.
3. Flatten dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
5. Once dough has rested, roll out on a prepared (floured) work surface. Trying to keep a circular shape, roll dough approx. 1/4 inch thick and larger than the size of your pie dish (approx 1 1/2 inches larger).
6. Transfer dough into your pie dish and gently press down. Cut off the edges/overhang of your dough. Take your extra dough, reshape into a disc, wrap in plastic and place it back into the fridge (This is what you’ll use to make the leaves).
7. Using a fork, prick the bottom of the dough all over. Line the dough with parchment paper. Pour pie weights, rice or beans into the shell and bake for 20-25 minutes, just until the dough starts to set. Remove the pie from the oven, and carefully lift out the paper and weights.
8. While your crust is baking make your filling: In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and vanilla. Set aside.
9. Lower oven temperature to 350˚F.
10. Roll extra dough out and using the sharp point of a knife, cut out an assortment of leaf sizes (approx. 1-2 inches in length). Using the tip of the knife make small marks in the middle of the leaf to resemble veins.
11. Pour filling into pie shell.
12. Brush the edge with milk. Gently place and lightly press your leaves around the edges of the pie (it’s okay if you don’t have enough leaves to cover the entire pie dish, it also looks nice if only part of the edges are decorated too).
13. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until crust is golden and the middle is set. If you find your crust/leaves are browning too fast, cover the edges with foil (I always do this and then remove the foil near the end of baking).
14. Let pie cool on cooling rack until ready to eat.

Notes

Garnish with whipping cream. Pie will last 3 days in the fridge.

Be careful that the top of your pie doesn’t crack or separate from the pastry. This happens for two reasons, one is when you overbake the pie (due to the eggs) and two if the pie cools too quickly. But, nothing a little whipped cream can’t take care of 😉

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 of 12
• Calories: 297
• Sugar: 11g
• Sodium: 167mg
• Fat: 18.8g
• Saturated Fat: 9.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 29.2g
• Fiber: 1.9g
• Protein: 3.7g
• Cholesterol: 59mg

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