Classic Pumpkin Pie

This pretty Pumpkin Pie is a perfect complement to the colors and aromas of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Somehow its warm spicy fragrance and smooth texture offer a compelling sense of resolution to the holiday feast.

A Simple Tradition – The Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie

It’s Thanksgiving tradition, plain and simple. Once a year I make a pie with a creamy russet filling. It is a relatively simple pie in terms of ingredients and preparation. It consists of one can of pumpkin, one can of evaporated milk, two eggs, sugar, some spices. Stir these few ingredients briefly. Then pour them into a pie shell.

Because of its simplicity it is a good recipe to share with kitchen helpers on a busy day. Still there are times when I end up making it myself. On those occasions I take great care to garnish it with something pretty and to watch the crust carefully for a lovely golden shade of brown before removing it from the oven. This pie is a pretty complement to the colors and aromas of a traditional Thanksgiving feast.

When dinner is over and the pie is finally cut and served, I take just a sliver. It’s not that I don’t like the pie. I do. It’s just that on Thanksgiving there are so many other wonderful dishes served with the main course that I have little room left for dessert, no matter how fragrant or pretty it may be. Still my family would feel the feast was incomplete without that Pumpkin Pie on the serving board. Somehow its warm spicy fragrance and smooth texture offer a compelling sense of resolution to our holiday dinner. In it’s subtlety there is fullness and freedom from want. For that and so much more, I give thanks.

May your celebration be rich with satisfying flavors, happy memories and hearts filled with gratitude.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Total time

1

hour 

15

minutes

The spicy fragrance and smooth texture of this classic Pumpkin Pie offer a compelling sense of resolution to a traditional Thanksgiving feast.

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 2 large eggs

• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

• 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425F.
• In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the pumpkin and spice mixture. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk until well combined.
• Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell.
• Bake the pie at 425F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F and continue baking 40-50 minutes more or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• When done, remove pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 2 hours.
• Serve when cooled or refrigerate.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Recipe Source: from the back of the Libby’s pumpkin can
• 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice can be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger and cloves, if desired.