Phenomenal pumpkin pie

Halloween is just around the corner, and with pumpkins and skulls everywhere, it’s hard to miss. Halloween may not be as important to me as when I was a kid, but I still wanted to show some seasonal spirit. For a while now, I have had a craving for pie, so I decided to be festive and make a pumpkin pie this past week.

Baking and cooking can be hard in a residence hall, but this is one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made, with very few issues encountered along the way. Funnily enough, getting the canned pumpkin open was the hardest part. I was able to get the pie into the oven in a matter of minutes.

As for the ingredients, there aren’t very many. You’ll need a can of pumpkin purée, with Libby’s being the best choice by far. You will also need a can of evaporated milk, two eggs and granulated sugar.

The last ingredients are pumpkin pie spice and a 9-inch pie crust. You can skip out on the pumpkin pie spice if you have cinnamon and either ginger, nutmeg or both. If you only have one, simply use ¾ part cinnamon and ¼ part of ginger or nutmeg. If you have both ginger and nutmeg, use ½ part cinnamon and ¼ part of each other spice.

To sum all that up, a list:

1 can pumpkin purée
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 can evaporated milk
2 eggs
9-inch pie crust
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or substitute)

Before starting, make sure to preheat your oven to 420℉.

Begin by mixing ¾ cup sugar and 1 tbsp spice. You will then beat in 2 eggs. (These are important as they give the pie moisture.) You can now add your can of pumpkin purée. Be sure to scoop out as much of the pumpkin out of the can as possible.

Finally, gradually stir in your can of evaporated milk. This will complete the filling. Your filling should be runny, but not watery. If it is too thin, you can beat in another egg.

Pour your filling into the pie crust, ensuring that it is even, and put it in your preheated 420℉ oven for 15 minutes. You will then turn the oven down to 350 F and continue baking for another 40 to 50 minutes.

Oftentimes, you’ll know your pie is done by inserting a knife into the center and seeing if it comes out clean.

However, I believe in another way. You simply give the pie a light shake and see how it reacts. If the whole pie wobbles, your pie needs more time. If the entire pie is too firm, remove it immediately.

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The perfect pie should have a soft, slightly wobbly center with firm edges.

This is the ideal consistency. It will finish baking outside the oven.

Be sure to let it cool for two hours, then serve or refrigerate for later. Congratulations, you now have a pumpkin pie!

This recipe was exciting for me, as it was my first time making a pumpkin pie. Nonetheless, I loved it. The pie had a rich soft consistency with a nice crunch in the crust. I do think a thicker crust would’ve made the recipe better, which is probably what I would opt for next time.

But overall, this served as a perfect fall recipe, and I would definitely recommend it for a Halloween treat — no tricks involved!

Rating: 8/10

durani@miamioh.edu