Here's a truth about Thanksgiving: No matter how much gravy-bathed turkey, marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole and mounds of stuffing one may devour, when dessert time rolls around, there's always room for pie.
Pie had been a constant on Thanksgiving tables even before Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the day a national holiday in 1863. Pumpkin was the first variety to be associated with the feast, soon joined by other seasonal favorites like apple and pecan. The three work perfectly together - creamy, smooth pumpkin, juicy apple and crunchy, candylike pecan - each adding a distinct allure. In a perfect world, my Thanksgiving dessert plate would hold wedges of them all, topped with whipped cream and devoured in alternating bites until the last buttery flakes of crust were gone.
I've spent every Thanksgiving of my baking lifetime striving to perfect recipes for these three quintessential pies. But, over the past six months, I've been more methodical about it, building on earlier work and testing my way through different techniques so you don't have to (sous-vide apple pie, not a keeper).
There were some tweaks that stuck, like precooking the Ginger Golds for my apple pie and substituting a mix of maple syrup and honey for the corn syrup in pecan pie. And though I've long been a fan of using butternut squash for my pumpkin pie, I improved the roasting method to get the most caramelization and deepest flavor.
Then there's the crust. While I'm still devoted to all-butter dough, I no longer bother parbaking. I've learned that a metal pie pan placed on a hot sheet pan conducts the heat well enough to create a shatteringly crisp, golden-brown crust without having to break out the foil and dried beans. (This doesn't work with glass or ceramic pie plates, which aren't as good at conducting heat as metal.)
The results of all this testing are three brand-new but still perfectly classic Thanksgiving pie recipes that are the absolute best of their kind. At least until I start tweaking next year.
Ultimate Pumpkin Pie
Did you know that the variety of pumpkin used in canned pumpkin purée is very close to sweet winter squashes like butternut and honeynut? Making your own fresh purée from these varieties will give you the best possible pumpkin pie, one that's both ultracreamy and richly flavored. Just don't be tempted to halve the whole squash and bake it still in the skin. Cutting it into cubes allows for the most evaporation and condensation for the best texture and taste. If using a glass or ceramic pie pan, you might want to parbake the crust. Since glass doesn't conduct heat as well as metal, the crust may not cook through if you don't parbake.
Yield: 8 servings
Total time: About 2 hours, plus 1 1/2 hours' chilling
2 pounds butternut squash (1 small squash), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
All-purpose flour, for rolling out the dough
Dough for a single 9-inch pie crust
3 large eggs
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice or pinch of ground cloves
1 tablespoon bourbon or dark rum, or use 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Place two racks in the oven: one in the lower third and one in the upper third. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower oven rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees.
Line another rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread butternut squash on it. Drizzle squash with 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream, sprinkle with granulated sugar and dot the top with butter. Roast on the upper rack, stirring once or twice, until squash is very tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll pie dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch metal pie pan. Fold over any excess dough, crimping the edges. Transfer to the freezer for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. (This helps the crust hold its shape so the edges don't slump.)
When the squash is soft, transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes (and up to a few hours). Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
In a food processor or blender, purée the squash with the remaining cream until smooth. Add eggs, brown sugar, spices, bourbon and salt, and pulse to combine. The mixture should be very smooth.
Pour mixture into the chilled pie shell. Carefully transfer pie to the hot baking sheet on the bottom rack. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 300 and continue to bake until the crust is golden and the center jiggles just slightly when shaken, 35 to 45 minutes longer. Transfer pie to a wire cooling rack, and allow to cool completely before serving. Pie can be baked up to 24 hours ahead of serving; do not refrigerate before serving.
Tip: If you are buying peeled, cubed squash, you will need 1 1/4 pounds. If you want to substitute canned pumpkin, you will need 1 1/2 cups (the remaining purée in the can is great stirred into oatmeal).
- Melissa Clark
Classic Apple Pie
In this very classic, cinnamon-scented pie, the apples are sautéed in butter before they're piled in the crust, ensuring that they're tender but not mushy. Use firm, crisp apples here, preferably all one kind so the slices cook evenly. Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Ginger Gold and Granny Smith apples are good options. (Honeycrisps will give you the sweetest pie, while Granny Smiths the most tart.) If using a glass or ceramic pie pan, consider parbaking the bottom crust. Glass doesn't conduct heat as well as metal, so the crust may not cook through if you don't parbake.
Yield: 8 servings
Total time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 pounds firm, crisp apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch wedges (about 11 cups)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or a little more if your apples are very sweet
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
All-purpose flour, for rolling out the dough
Dough for a 9-inch double crust pie
Heavy cream, milk or a beaten egg, for glazing (optional)
Demerara sugar, for glazing (optional)
Melt butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat, and add apples to the pan. Stir to coat with butter, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is evenly distributed, about 1 minute.
In a small bowl, whisk together sugars, spices and salt. Sprinkle over the apples, and toss to combine.
Lower heat to medium, and cook until apples have softened completely but still hold their shape, 17 to 25 minutes. (Some varieties cook more quickly than others.)
Sprinkle cornstarch evenly over the apples, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple mixture comes to a simmer and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and stir in lemon juice and zest. Allow apples to cool completely (spreading them onto a rimmed baking sheet speeds this up). Apples can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated.
On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the pie dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9- or 10-inch metal pie plate, trimming it to leave a 1/2-inch overhang. Place crust in the freezer for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
When ready to bake, place a rimmed baking sheet on the middle oven rack and heat oven to 425 degrees.
Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10- to 11-inch circle. Remove pie crust from freezer, and add the cooled filling in an even layer. Cover apples with remaining dough. Press the edges together, trim the excess dough and crimp the edges with your fingers or a press down with the tines of a fork. (Using a fork might be easier if the bottom crust is too cold to crimp.) Brush the top of the pie with cream, milk or some beaten egg, then sprinkle lightly with sugar if you like. Using a sharp knife, cut some steam vents in the top of the crust.
Place pie on the hot sheet pan, and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees, and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, until the filling bubbles in the steam vents and the crust is golden brown. Transfer pie to a wire cooling rack, and allow to cool for at least 2 hours before serving. The pie can be baked up to 24 hours ahead of serving; do not refrigerate before serving.
Tip: Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith are good options, though you might want to increase the lemon juice if your apples are on the sweet side.
- Melissa Clark
Maple-Honey Pecan Pie
Yield: 8 servings
Substituting a combination of maple syrup and honey for the usual corn syrup in pecan pie makes for a complex and richly flavored confection that's still wonderfully gooey in the center. This recipe also has double the amount of pecans compared with most recipes, giving it plenty of crunch. You can bake it the day before serving; it keeps very well at room temperature for at least 24 hours. It also freezes reasonably well for up to 3 months, though the crust won't be quite as flaky.
Total time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling
All-purpose flour, for rolling out the dough
Dough for a 9-inch single crust pie
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup maple sugar or use more light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon (optional)
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-inch circle and transfer to a 9-inch metal pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, crimping the edges. Transfer crust to the freezer for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
When ready to bake, place a rimmed baking sheet on the middle oven rack and heat oven to 425 degrees.
Heat a small saucepan and melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the foam subsides, the milk solids turn golden brown and the butter smells nutty and toasty, about 5 minutes. Add maple syrup to the pan, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and reduces slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk honey into the warm syrup mixture. Let cool at least 10 minutes.
While the syrup mixture cools, combine sugars, eggs, bourbon (if using), vanilla and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gradually pour syrup mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then use a rubber spatula to scrape in all the brown bits at the bottom of the pot.
Remove pie crust from freezer, and place pecans along the bottom of the crust. Carefully pour the filling over the pecans. Place pie plate on the hot sheet pan, and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, and continue to bake for another 35 to 45 minutes, until the center of the pie has puffed up and turned golden brown.
Transfer pie to a wire cooling rack, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if you like, and allow to cool for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tip: If using a glass pie plate, line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed.
- Melissa Clark