What You Need:

3/4 C brown sugar, packed and divided

1/3 C pecan, chopped fine

2 T butter, melted

1 (9 in) unbaked pie shell

3 eggs

1 C canned pumpkin

1 t rum extract

3/4 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1/4 t ginger

1 1/2 C heavy whipping cream

How to Make It:

Combine 1/4 C of the brown sugar with the pecans in a medium size mixing bowl.

Add the butter and mix until completely combined.

Press the mixture into the bottom of the unbaked pie crust.

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the pumpkin, extract, cinnamon, salt and ginger.

Add the remaining brown sugar and stir until completely combined and smooth.

Use a rubber spatula to fold in the whipping cream.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pie crust.

Set the oven to 400 degrees and allow the oven to heat up.

When the oven is ready bake the pie for 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat and continue baking 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.

Cool the pie on a wire rack before cutting.

Garnish with extra pecans and whipped topping.

Serving Size:  8

Without the pumpkin pie autumn and especially Halloween or Thanksgiving dinner just would be the same. 

This is a new twist on an old favorite.  Remember to refrigerate any leftovers, if you’re lucky enough to have any, that is.

What You Need:

2 C all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
15 TBSP unsalted butter, soft but not melted
1 1/2 C sugar
3 lg. eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 C buttermilk, at room temperature
3/4C pumpkin puree
1 tsp. fresh (not dried) sage, chopped very fine

How to Make It:

Sift the flour and baking soda together into a large mixing bowl.
Add the sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to the sifter and sift together into the flour.
Place the butter into a separate large mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until very creamy.
Leave the mixer on low speed and continue mixing while slowly adding the sugar.
Continue to beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Place the eggs in another bowl and beat slightly.
While continuing to mix the butter and sugar slowly add the beaten eggs until incorporated into the mixture.
Pour the vanilla into the buttermilk.
Alternating back and forth starting and ending with the dry ingredients add the flour mixture and the vanilla mixture to the butter mixture.
Place the pumpkin puree in a separate large mixing bowl and add the sage.
Add 1 C of the batter to the pumpkin puree and carefully fold together until just combined.
Fold the pumpkin puree mixture into the rest of the batter.
Bring up the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Coat a Bundt pan thoroughly with soft butter.
Pour the batter into the Bundt pan.
Bake 40 minutes or until lightly brown on top.

10 Servings

What You Need:

1/2 C brown sugar
4 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 TBSP instant coffee
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 C boiling water
1 pt. vanilla ice cream
1 C pumpkin puree
1 9 in graham cracker crust

How to Make It:

Place the brown sugar into a mixing bowl.
Sprinkle in the gelatin, instant coffee, the ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Toss carefully to combine.
Very carefully pour the boiling water over the top.
Stir until completely dissolved being sure to stir from the bottom up.
Add the ice cream one spoonful at a time stirring after each addition.
Fold in the pumpkin puree until completely mixed in.
Place the mixture in the refrigerator 5 minutes or until chilled enough to mound when scooped out with a spoon.
Place the mixture into the graham cracker crust.
Cover and refrigerate two hours or until firm.

8 Servings

This is a different twist on an old favorite. Try using 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices to save both time and money.

What You Need:

1 1/2 C half and half cream, very cold
1 C pumpkin puree
1/2 (4 oz.) container whipped topping
1 C pecan pieces
1 C gingersnaps, coarsely crushed
1 1/2 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
1 prepared graham cracker crust

How to Make It:

Pour the half and half into a large mixing bowl.
Add the pumpkin puree and whisk together for 1 minute.
Allow the mixture to stand uninterrupted for 5 minutes.
Fold in the whipped topping with a rubber spatula.
Add in the pecans and gingersnaps and blend until all ingredients are incorporated together.
Sprinkle in the pie spice and mix well to incorporate.
Pour them mixture into the graham cracker crust.
Place the pie in the freezer for one hour until firm.
Allow the pie to set 10 minutes at room temperature before cutting.

8 Servings

The pie needs to soften slightly before cutting but be carefull that you don’t leave it out too long or it will become mushy. Store any leftover in the refrigerator.

What You Need:

1 9 in. pie shell, unbaked
1 1/2 C pumpkin puree
1/2 C + 6 TBSP sugar, divided
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. + 1/8 tsp. salt, divided
3 lg. eggs, separated
1 C evaporated milk

How to Make It:

Place the pumpkin puree in a large mixing bowl.
Add the 1/2 C sugar to the puree.
Sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and 1/2 tsp. salt.
Fold all together until completely mixed.
Stir in the 3 egg yolks until mixed into the puree well.
Slowly add the evaporated milk making sure to stir while adding.
Be sure the milk is mixed well into the puree.
Bring the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the unbaked pie shell.
Bake 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.
Remove the pie from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Place the 3 egg whites into a bowl.
Sprinkle in 1/8 tsp. salt and mix with an electric mixer until well blended.
Continue beating the mixture an add 1 TBSP of sugar at a time until blended in.
After all the sugar has been added continue beating until soft peaks form.
The meringue is done when the mixture becomes stiff and peaks form when you lift the beaters up and out of the mixture.
Spread the meringue over the baked pie making sure to go completely out to edge of the pie.
Place the pie back in the oven for 7 minutes or until the meringue begins to brown.
Place the pie on a wire rack to cool.

8 Servings

Meringue shrinks during cooking so be sure to spread it to the very edge of the pie so the pie remains completely covered with the meringue once finished baking. Use a butter knife to form the peaks in the meringue when placing it on the pie.

What You Need:

1 9 in pie crust
1/2 C brown sugar
1 TBSP all purpose flour
1 1/2 C pumpkin puree
1 1/2 C heavy cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 C light corn syrup
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

How to Make It:

Place the pie crust in a 9 in pie plate; prick the bottom of the curst a few times with a fork and set aside.
Place the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add the flour and toss to combine.
Add the pumpkin puree and heavy cream.
Use an electric mixer on medium speed and beat until completely combined together.
Sprinkle in the salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
Stir with a rubber spatula until combined well.
Pour in the corn syrup and mix with the mixer on medium speed.
Add the beaten eggs and the vanilla and mix until smooth.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell.
Bring the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Cover the edge of the pie shell with aluminum foil to keep it from over cooking.
Bake 25 minutes.
Remove the foil so the edges can brown and continue baking 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.

8 Servings

The removal of the foil time can be adjusted according to how your oven bakes. If the oven bakes hot then leave the foil on for a longer period of time if it bakes a little cooler you may need to remove the foil sooner. When testing for doneness if the knife does not come out clean, allow the pie to bake another 2 to 3 minutes before testing again.

What You Need:

1 large pumpkin

How to Make It:

Using a very sharp knife remove the stem from the pumpkin.
Cut the pumpkin into 8 wedges.
Remove the seeds and pulp making sure that the pumpkin is completely clean.
Place the pumpkin wedges into a large roasting pan.
Bring the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Place the pumpkin wedges in the oven, uncovered and roast 60 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and continue baking 2 hours.
The pumpkin meat should be fork tender and no liquid should be visible under the skin that has formed.
Turn off the oven but leave the pumpkin wedges in the oven with the oven door slightly cracked to ventilate for 2 more hours.
Remove the wedges from the oven and cut away any skin or exceptionally dry pieces of meat.
Place the wedges into the blender or food processor.
Puree until you achieve the smooth texture you are looking for.
Use the puree in your favorite pumpkin dish or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Serving amount depends on the size of the pumpkin.

When removing the dry parts of the meat after roasting remember that even though it is dry it is still tender enough to use. The parts that may be too dry and not usable will be around the area of where the stem was cut away. Also when you puree the meat you will have to scrape and stir the pieces for a few minutes. They are too heavy to move on their own until they begin to liquefy and loose the heaviness.

What You Need:

2 1/2 C flour
2 tsp. orange zest, grated
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 C butter
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 C buttermilk
1/2 C pumpkin puree
1/4 C molasses
Powdered sugar

How to Make It:

Place the flour and orange zest in a large mixing bowl.
Add the baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger and mix until well combined.
Place the butter in a separate bowl and mix on low speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
Add the brown sugar to the creamed butter and mix until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Pour the buttermilk into a large mixing bowl.
Add the pumpkin puree and molasses and mix until completely combined.
Place 1/4 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix to combine.
Place 1/4 of the buttermilk mixture into the butter mixture and mix to combine.
Continue in this manner until al the ingredients are combined together.
Bring the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Spray a large baking pan with a non stick cooking spray.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Bake 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool slightly and the garnish with the powered sugar.

12 Servings

The orange zest and molasses make the cake moist and delicious. It’s even tasty without the powdered sugar on top.