Pumpkin, pecan, apple, cranberry, gingerbread, peppermint and eggnog—the last two months of the year always have the most unique and tasty flavors, hands-down. However, I’m not the biggest fan of recipes that try to combine several of these flavors to create the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Separate, they’re great, but together… not so much.
Call me picky, but too much of a good thing is not always better. Certain flavors, such as Oreos and pumpkin, simply do not belong together. So, naturally, I was a little skeptical when I found Kelsey’s recipe for Gingerbread Eggnog Pumpkin Pie. Which flavor would triumph in the battle for the palate? Or would they all get lost in the finished project?
Still, I couldn’t resist the idea of an eggnog/pumpkin collaboration. I swapped the elaborate gingerbread crust for a store-bought one—partially out of laziness, more so out of a desire to focus on the filling—and was more than pleased with the scrumptious, cohesive result.
Prep Time: 25 minutes (including pie crust baking)
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: two 9-inch pies
Ingredients:
2 prepared pie crusts
3 eggs
1 29-ounce can pumpkin puree
1 cup eggnog
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon salt
Photo by Eva Reynolds
Directions:
1. Bake crusts according to package directions. Allow to cool while preparing filling.
2. *Preheat oven to 375°F.
3. Beat eggs in a large bowl.
Photo by Eva Reynolds
4. Mix all remaining ingredients well, until smooth.
Photo by Eva Reynolds
Photo by Eva Reynolds
5. Divide filling evenly between two pie crusts. Place the pies, in their pie tins, on a cookie sheet.
Photo by Eva Reynolds
6. *Bake for 30 minutes, then lower heat to 350°F and bake for another 45 minutes, rotating the pies halfway through baking. Check to see if they are done by inserting a knife in the middle of the pie and seeing if it comes out clean. Allow to set for a few minutes before serving.
Photo by Eva Reynolds
*A note from personal experience: I kept the heat at 375° instead of lowering it to 350°F for 45 minutes because the pie filling did not become solid enough. Check every ten minutes until you can cleanly insert a knife in the middle of the pie just to be sure. It took me an additional 50 minutes beyond the directed cook time and I loosely covered the pies with aluminum foil after 30 minutes to expedite the process. Adjust the recipe based on how your personal oven works. Just make sure the top of the pie filling is fairly solid but not necessarily hard, and you’ll be golden (just like the color of your seasonal masterpiece).
Need more holiday goodies?
Pumpkin Butter Pecan Gingersnap Rolls