Equipment
- Waxed paper
- Colored sugars - Optional
Ingredients
FOR THE PIE FILLING:
- 15 oz pumpkin puree, 1 can; plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups half n half
FOR THE CRUST:
- 5 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups Crisco, all-vegetable shortening, cold
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 heaping teaspoon sugar
- about ¾ cup bottled water, ice-cold, enough to fill the 1-cup measure with the egg and vinegar
For serving (optional):
- whipped cream
Instructions
Making the Crust:
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and sugar. Add the Crisco and cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter (or two forks) until it resembles pea-size pieces.
- Add the egg to a 1-cup measuring cup and beat it with a fork until it's light colored and frothy. Add the white vinegar and stir. Fill the measuring cup to the 1-cup line with ice-cold water, stir, and pour into the flour mixture.
- Stir with a large spoon just until the dough comes together and holds when squeezed. If it's too sticky, sprinkle in a little more flour. Try not to handle it much with your hands, which can melt the shortening.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and flatten each into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You'll need one disc for this pie; freeze the extras or use them for the decorative leaves below.)
- Place one disc on a large piece of lightly floured parchment paper and roll it with a floured rolling pin from the center out, turning it a quarter turn every few rolls, until it's 3 to 4 inches wider than your 9-inch pie plate.
- Transfer the crust to the pie plate and gently press it in without stretching. Patch any tears, trim the overhang to about 1 inch, fold it under and crimp the edges. Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling. (No need to blind bake or dock it.)
For the Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the lower-middle position.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a whisk), mix the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon and salt until blended. Add the eggs and blend well. Add the half and half and mix until the filling is smooth.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
Bake the Pie:
- Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 45 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly (a knife inserted halfway between the center and edge should come out clean). If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
- Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool completely, at least 2 hours, before slicing. Serve topped with whipped cream. If you're making the pie ahead, cover it with waxed paper and then aluminum foil and refrigerate until serving.
For the Decorative Leaves (optional):
- Roll out extra crust on parchment paper to about ⅛ inch thick. Press the pie crust cutters into the dough and push the leaves or acorns out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with colored sugar or cinnamon sugar if you like.
- Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. They brown quickly, so keep an eye on them. If you didn't use sugar, brush them with melted butter when they come out of the oven. Arrange them on the cooled pie, or serve extras on a tray alongside it.
Notes
- The crust recipe makes enough dough for four 9-inch single crusts (or two double crusts). Use one disc for this pie; the extra dough can be used for pastry-leaf decorations or frozen for up to 3 months.
- The filling recipe makes one 9-inch pie. Double it for 2 pies, triple it for 3.
- No need to blind bake the crust for this recipe. For an extra-crisp bottom, partially blind bake the chilled crust with pie weights at 400°F for 15 minutes, remove the weights, bake 5 minutes more, then fill and bake as directed.
- If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them with a ring of foil or a pie crust shield.
- Nutrition is an estimate per slice and includes one of the four crusts.
Nutrition (estimated per serving)
Calories: 378kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 195mgPotassium: 210mgFiber: 2gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 8502IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 2mg
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