Pumpkin Pie: a Break from Tradition

As shocking as this may be, I didn't have more than a taste of pumpkin pie until last year, and the few times I tried it, I didn't like it. Then last year, one of my hallmates requested that I baked some pie, so I decided to try my hand at apple pie and pumpkin pie.

Not knowing any better, and wanting to minimize the chance of disaster, I bought crusts. Little did I know, this was my greatest stroke of genius. While I bought a standard pie crust for the apple pie, I decided to buy a graham cracker crust for the pumpkin pie. Delicious!!! I know it's a break from tradition, but if you've ever been even slightly dissatisfied with the crust of a pumpkin pie you should try it.

Included below is the recipe for the crust and filling. Of course, you could buy the crust, but why would you when it's so easy to make???

I would love to have more pictures, but half of the pie disappeared before we could take any pictures... and the rest disappeared within 24 hours of its emergence from the oven.

Delicious pumpkin pie!

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Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
makes one 9-inch pie

Crust
Ingredients
1 small package of graham crackers, crushed (should make about 1.5 or 2 cups)
6T butter, melted
0.5c sugar
1t cinnamon

Directions
1. Mix the graham crackers, butter, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
2. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan, and press it up the sides as much as you can.
3. Bake at 375°F for 7 minutes. It won't be solid when you take it out of the oven, but as it cools, it will harden.
4. Let the crust cool for at least an hour before you make the pumpkin filling.

Filling
Ingredients
3 eggs
1 15oz. can pumpkin puree (I used pumpkin pie filling, but it's better with pumpkin puree)
0.5c heavy whipping cream
0.5c brown sugar
1T ground cinnamon
1t ground ginger
0.25t ground cloves
0.25t freshly ground nutmeg (use about an eighth of a small nutmeg)
0.5t salt

Directions
1. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together (I suggest whisking the eggs first)
2. Pour ingredients into the crust.
3. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 350°F. When it's done, the center will be almost solid, and if you insert a knife into the pie about an inch from the edge, it will come out almost clean.
4. Cool, and enjoy with whipped cream.
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