Great Pumpkin Pie

This isn’t the standard pumpkin pie from the back of the Libby’s can. Dark brown sugar and molasses replace white sugar, giving the filling a deep, caramel warmth. Boiled raisins (white ones, if you can find them) and toasted pecans add texture and surprise in a pie that usually has neither.

The recipe starts from a whole pumpkin if you want the full experience: scoop, peel, dice, boil, and mash. Canned pumpkin puree works too, but fresh pumpkin has a lighter, less concentrated flavor that lets the spices and molasses come through more clearly.

Four spices, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, build a warm, layered flavor. Half and half makes the custard richer than standard evaporated milk recipes.

Kitchen Tips

• Boil the raisins for 2 minutes before adding to the filling. This plumps them so they don’t absorb moisture from the custard and create dry pockets.
• Toast the pecans before stirring them in. Raw pecans taste flat in a baked pie. Toasting brings out their oil and flavor.
• Test with a knife inserted near the center. When it comes out clean, the pie is done even if the center still wobbles slightly.
• Both the filling and cooked fresh pumpkin freeze well. Make extra pumpkin puree in fall and freeze for holiday baking.

Variations

• Use golden raisins for a milder, sweeter flavor that blends into the filling.
• Add a tablespoon of bourbon to the filling for a boozy, warming kick.
• Top with a maple whipped cream (whipped cream sweetened with a tablespoon of maple syrup).