My mother-in-law purchased the best pumpkin pie I had ever tasted at the local farmer’s market.  I love pumpkin pie anyways, but this was a little piece of heaven! It was so delicious I was determined to recreate it as best I could.  I gave it an attempt for Thanksgiving and it was a hit.  I’ve had multiple requests for it and there weren’t any leftovers!  Below is the recipe I’ve pieced together from all over.

Since it was for Thanksgiving with family who don’t eat the way we do, nor do they appreciate it, I forwent the diet restrictions and made it full fat, full diary, full grain and full sugar!  It was VERY sweet and next time I think I’m going to leave out the sugar in the crust, or cut way back and reduce the sucanat in the pie portion or just substitute it with honey.

So here is the recreation that was a hit and sure to be made again for family events!

 Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie with Gingerbread Crust

Ingredients for Crust:
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground allspice
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
½ cup chilled butter, cut into pieces
1 TBSP unsulphured molasses
2 TBSP ice cold water
 
Pumpkin Pie Filling:
 ½ cup apple butter
2 cups of roasted, pureed pumpkin (or about 1 can)
1 cup heavy cream (or replace the cream & milk with 1 (12 oz) can of evaporated milk)
½ cup whole milk
2 large eggs
¾ cup rapadura/sucanat
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp salt

Instructions for Crust:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• First fill small glass with ice and then add water to allow it to chill while putting together the rest of the pie dough
• This is easiest mixed in a [amazon_link id=”B00004S9EM” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]cuisenart[/amazon_link] or food processor, but if you don’t have one it can be done by hand, it just takes a little longer and a bit more elbow grease!  Mix the first 7 ingredients together.
• Cut the butter in and turn on [amazon_link id=”B00004S9EM” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]cuisenart[/amazon_link].  Continue to mix until it looks like course corn meal.
• Crust can then be pressed into an ungreased pie pan or chill and do it later.  The consistence is more like cookie dough than a crust and will take a bit of time to press into the pan.
• Prick the crust and bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Instructions for Pie Filling:

• Spread apple butter evenly into bottom of pie crust.
• Mix the rest of the ingredients together well.
• Pour into a prepared pie crust.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 45-55 minutes.
• Makes  1 pie.

Bake and enjoy with freshly whipped cream and a cup of dark roast coffee!! Mmmmm….