I must have read at least 10 different recipes for pumpkin pie, before I settled on this one from Serious Eats. I like that it’s a little bit different with the addition of cream cheese, but still very much a classic pumpkin pie. The cream cheese is not enough to make it cheesecake, but just enough to lend a smooth, silky texture to the pumpkin pie and just a hint of tang. The pie tasted a little less sweet than I would have liked, but it turns out anything smothered in maple-cinnamon whipped cream (see recipe below) is amazing. It wasn’t perfect, but Cynthia still declared it delicious (always the optimist) – especially with the whipped cream.
I made my own pie crust using this straight-forward, all butter recipe, but you can always use store-bought, if you don’t have the time.
Notes: This pie really did have a great, super smooth texture. I got super excited about sharing pies with Cynthia, so I decided to go all out and make my own pumpkin puree for this recipe. Was it hard? Actually, no. Did you know that in the Fall, most grocery stores (even Trader Joe’s) carry Sugar Pie Pumpkins, perfect for making your own pumpkin puree? Once I googled it, I realized it wasn’t actually that big of a deal. This recipe is super easy to follow.
Some variations – if you want to make your own puree but don’t want to fuss with whole pumpkins, you could roast cubed butternut squash, and it would still be delicious. I bet no one will be able to put their finger on how it’s different from pumpkin pie! I didn’t press the pumpkin pie mixture through a fine mesh strainer as the recipe suggests, but I did pass the homemade pumpkin puree through the strainer. I still found the texture to be extra smooth. Lastly, taste your pie filling and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Maybe you like more spices. Maybe you like it sweeter. You aren’t bound to the recipe. Make the changes that make the pie yours.