Naturally Sweetened Pumpkin Pie!

I developed this Naturally Sweetened Pumpkin Pie years ago and it has since been one of my family’s favorite desserts, especially at Thanksgiving!

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Pumpkin pie had always seemed too bland to me until I increased the spices. I use more cinnamon and ginger than most recipes call for, making it much more interesting. (If your spices are old, they will not be as flavorful. Now is a good time to go to a store that sells bulk herbs and spices to get ready for your holiday baking. Buying spices in bulk is astonishingly economical.)

The pie is sweetened with honey and pure maple syrup; they complement the flavor of the pumpkin without being overpowering. Maple syrup is a bit expensive; you can skip the maple syrup and just use ¾ cup of honey, if you prefer. It will still be fantastic!

So, what are the 5 top reasons you should make this Naturally Sweetened Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving?

—  5. It is one of the easiest pies of all to make.

—  4. It is so much better than a store-bought pie.

—  3. It can be made the day before. Simply cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate after it has cooled.

—  2. You can feel good about the wholesome ingredients you have used.

and the #1 reason?  — You will be a super-hero for serving (or bringing) such a fabulous Naturally Sweetened Pumpkin Pie!

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I use my largest 9½-inch pie plate because the recipe makes a lot of filling.

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(print the recipe)

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Serves 8 – 10

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Pastry for a 9-inch single-crust pie

1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup honey

¼ cup pure maple syrup

3 eggs

 

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1. Place a large baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 375˚.

2. Make the single crust recipe of Easy Pie Crust (or pastry of your choice)

Rolling out the pastry with my new French rolling pin. Love it!

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3. Stir the pumpkin and evaporated milk together in a large bowl.

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4. Add the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Stir to blend well.

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Blended pumpkin, milk, and spices:

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5. Stir in the honey and maple syrup.

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6. Lightly beat the eggs until they are just blended.

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7. Stir the eggs into the pumpkin mixture. Don’t over-beat. Just stir until it’s all blended.

8. Pour the pumpkin filling into the prepared pie crust.

9. Put the pie on the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a knife inserted off-center comes out clean.

Knife came out clean:

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10. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill to store.

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