Pies
I love pies. What's not to love? A good crust (whether one or two crusts, a regular crust or something a little fancier), good filling, maybe topped with whipped cream or ice cream...Yum!
That said, here are six yummy pies to check out for your holiday table, including Strawberry Pie and Best Pecan Pie. (Don't forget to check out the others, too!) Enjoy!
CRANBERRY PIE
My dad loved to cook, and usually came up with decent recipes. He sent this one in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.” (It can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.)
Note: The pie can be made with either one crust (lower photo) or two (top photo). My dad's original recipe was with one crust, but either way is great. If you make it with two crusts, place foil over the top for the first 10 - 15 minutes, then remove.
Ingredients
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Directions
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
Ingredients
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1-1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Directions
Make as above.
BEST PECAN PIE
My step-dad loved pecan pies, so I'm sure he would've loved this one. It's from Linda Larsen, a contributor at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This recipe makes a perfect pecan pie. By that, we mean a balanced sweet flavor, lots of toasted pecans, and the pie slices beautifully into wedges, looking just like pictures of pecan pie in a cookbook. Using a 9-inch pie shell, prepare to bake the crust and construct the sweet and delicious filling that makes these pies so popular and well loved. The method to make the pecan pie filling for this recipe is a bit unusual and offbeat, but it's not difficult to make.
"Pecan pies are traditionally enjoyed on the holidays or why not whip one up for a special occasion. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an irresistible dessert."
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 80 minutes; Servings: 6 to 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-pecan-pie-483200.
Ingredients
1 (9-inch) pie shell
1/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups pecans (coarsely chopped)
Garnish: 1 cup large pecan halves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the unbaked pie crust in the freezer until ready to bake. Then line pie crust with aluminum foil and pie weights or dried beans. Bake pie shell until set, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Remove the foil and weights and bake 2 to 3 minutes longer until crust is just beginning to brown on the edges.
As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, decrease the oven temperature to 300 F.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat; mix in sugars and salt with a wire whisk until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in corn syrup and vanilla.
Place the saucepan over very low heat. Cook and stir constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture is very warm and thickened, about 6 to 7 minutes. You have to stir constantly with a whisk so the mixture cooks evenly and the eggs don't scramble on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and strain into a large bowl using a medium-mesh strainer. (This is important to remove any cooked egg.) Then, stir in the chopped pecans.
Pour the hot pecan mixture into the hot pie crust. Place large pecan halves on top of the filling in a decorative pattern.
Bake the pie until the center feels set but soft when touched with your finger, and moves slightly when the pie is gently jiggled, about 40 to 55 minutes. You may need to cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent over-browning or cover the top of the pie with foil so it doesn't get too brown.
Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool completely for at least 5 hours. It's best eaten within 12 to 14 hours.
STRAWBERRY PIE
Several summers ago, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?
Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.
Ingredients
1 quart strawberries
1 C sugar
3 Tablespoons corn start
3/4 cup hot water
1 pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.
Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.
Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!
HARVEST WALNUT PUMPKIN PIE
This comes from Allrecipes, and begins, "A walnut topping adds lovely crunch to this quick and easy spiced pumpkin pie with a hint of maple flavoring. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Servings: 8; Yield: 1 9-inch pie
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/268384/harvest-walnut-pumpkin-pie/.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can plain pumpkin puree
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon maple-flavored extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
Walnut Topping
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, cubed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Combine pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, maple extract, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Mix well and pour into the graham cracker crust. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking until filling is set, about 30 minutes.
Prepare walnut topping while pie is baking. Mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Cut in butter with a fork until coarse crumbs form. Stir in walnuts.
Remove pie from the oven and cover evenly with the topping. Continue baking until topping is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
Cook's Note
Substitute an unbaked pie shell for the graham cracker crust if preferred.
CLASSIC MISSISSIPPI SWEET POTATO PIE
Recently, I was looking for a recipe for sweet potato pie. Then I stumbled across this yummy recipe from Diana Rattray, who has contributed to About.com and The Spruce Eats for years. For this recipe, she wrote, " This is a classic Southern sweet potato pie made with butter and mashed Mississippi sweet potatoes. The pie is flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. There's just nothing quite like it, especially for holiday dinners in the South and across the U.S. It's similar to traditional pumpkin pie but has a softer, sweeter flavor. The cooking method and ingredients are virtually the same as pumpkin pie except you must cook the sweet potatoes. Top with whipped cream for a full-on treat.
"Sweet potatoes are available year-round, so don't feel like you have to wait for a holiday to enjoy this amazing dessert.
"You can use purchased refrigerated or frozen pie pastry or homemade pie shells. While the recipe calls for unbaked pie shells, you may partially bake (blind bake) the crusts before filling to ensure a well-baked bottom crust. Just be sure that they cool completely."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes: Total Time: 80 minutes; Makes 16 servings; Yields: 2 pies
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/mississippi-sweet-potato-pie-3061533.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes (or 2 cups mashed or pureed)
2 prepared 9-inch pie shells (unbaked; or homemade pie shells)
4 ounces butter (softened)
2 cups white sugar
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For serving: whipped cream
Directions
Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this classic sweet potato pie recipe is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for baking.
Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
Gather the ingredients.
In a large saucepan, place two medium sweet potatoes and cover with water. Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slip the skins off.
Mash the sweet potatoes or puree with an immersion blender. Measure out 2 cups.
Make the Sweet Potato Pie
Line two (9-inch) pie plates with the pie dough. Refrigerate until they are thoroughly chilled while you prepare the filling.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, and evaporated milk. Whisk until the mixture is well-blended.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until they are well-blended.
Add the egg mixture to the sweet potato mixture and blend thoroughly.
Pour the sweet potato filling into the chilled pie shells.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until the filling is firm and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack, add whipped cream, and serve.
Tip
If the crust edge appears to be over-browning, place a pie shield on the pie or make a foil ring to protect the crust.
Recipe Variations
If you don't have fresh sweet potatoes, use canned sweet potato puree.
Substitute light cream for the evaporated milk, if desired.
How to Freeze Sweet Potato Pie
Cool the pie thoroughly on a rack and then chill it in the refrigerator. Place the pie on a baking sheet and put it in the freezer for a few hours or up to 12 hours until it is frozen solid.
Wrap the frozen pie completely with plastic wrap, closing any air gaps you might see. Wrap the plastic-wrapped pie in foil.
To thaw, unwrap the pie and let it thaw in the refrigerator for about 4 to 6 hours.
That said, here are six yummy pies to check out for your holiday table, including Strawberry Pie and Best Pecan Pie. (Don't forget to check out the others, too!) Enjoy!
CRANBERRY PIE
My dad loved to cook, and usually came up with decent recipes. He sent this one in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.” (It can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.)
Note: The pie can be made with either one crust (lower photo) or two (top photo). My dad's original recipe was with one crust, but either way is great. If you make it with two crusts, place foil over the top for the first 10 - 15 minutes, then remove.
Ingredients
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Directions
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
Ingredients
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1-1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Directions
Make as above.
BEST PECAN PIE
My step-dad loved pecan pies, so I'm sure he would've loved this one. It's from Linda Larsen, a contributor at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This recipe makes a perfect pecan pie. By that, we mean a balanced sweet flavor, lots of toasted pecans, and the pie slices beautifully into wedges, looking just like pictures of pecan pie in a cookbook. Using a 9-inch pie shell, prepare to bake the crust and construct the sweet and delicious filling that makes these pies so popular and well loved. The method to make the pecan pie filling for this recipe is a bit unusual and offbeat, but it's not difficult to make.
"Pecan pies are traditionally enjoyed on the holidays or why not whip one up for a special occasion. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an irresistible dessert."
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 80 minutes; Servings: 6 to 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-pecan-pie-483200.
Ingredients
1 (9-inch) pie shell
1/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups pecans (coarsely chopped)
Garnish: 1 cup large pecan halves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the unbaked pie crust in the freezer until ready to bake. Then line pie crust with aluminum foil and pie weights or dried beans. Bake pie shell until set, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Remove the foil and weights and bake 2 to 3 minutes longer until crust is just beginning to brown on the edges.
As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, decrease the oven temperature to 300 F.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat; mix in sugars and salt with a wire whisk until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in corn syrup and vanilla.
Place the saucepan over very low heat. Cook and stir constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture is very warm and thickened, about 6 to 7 minutes. You have to stir constantly with a whisk so the mixture cooks evenly and the eggs don't scramble on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and strain into a large bowl using a medium-mesh strainer. (This is important to remove any cooked egg.) Then, stir in the chopped pecans.
Pour the hot pecan mixture into the hot pie crust. Place large pecan halves on top of the filling in a decorative pattern.
Bake the pie until the center feels set but soft when touched with your finger, and moves slightly when the pie is gently jiggled, about 40 to 55 minutes. You may need to cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent over-browning or cover the top of the pie with foil so it doesn't get too brown.
Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool completely for at least 5 hours. It's best eaten within 12 to 14 hours.
STRAWBERRY PIE
Several summers ago, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?
Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.
Ingredients
1 quart strawberries
1 C sugar
3 Tablespoons corn start
3/4 cup hot water
1 pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.
Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.
Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!
HARVEST WALNUT PUMPKIN PIE
This comes from Allrecipes, and begins, "A walnut topping adds lovely crunch to this quick and easy spiced pumpkin pie with a hint of maple flavoring. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Servings: 8; Yield: 1 9-inch pie
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/268384/harvest-walnut-pumpkin-pie/.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can plain pumpkin puree
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon maple-flavored extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
Walnut Topping
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, cubed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Combine pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, maple extract, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Mix well and pour into the graham cracker crust. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking until filling is set, about 30 minutes.
Prepare walnut topping while pie is baking. Mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Cut in butter with a fork until coarse crumbs form. Stir in walnuts.
Remove pie from the oven and cover evenly with the topping. Continue baking until topping is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
Cook's Note
Substitute an unbaked pie shell for the graham cracker crust if preferred.
CLASSIC MISSISSIPPI SWEET POTATO PIE
Recently, I was looking for a recipe for sweet potato pie. Then I stumbled across this yummy recipe from Diana Rattray, who has contributed to About.com and The Spruce Eats for years. For this recipe, she wrote, " This is a classic Southern sweet potato pie made with butter and mashed Mississippi sweet potatoes. The pie is flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. There's just nothing quite like it, especially for holiday dinners in the South and across the U.S. It's similar to traditional pumpkin pie but has a softer, sweeter flavor. The cooking method and ingredients are virtually the same as pumpkin pie except you must cook the sweet potatoes. Top with whipped cream for a full-on treat.
"Sweet potatoes are available year-round, so don't feel like you have to wait for a holiday to enjoy this amazing dessert.
"You can use purchased refrigerated or frozen pie pastry or homemade pie shells. While the recipe calls for unbaked pie shells, you may partially bake (blind bake) the crusts before filling to ensure a well-baked bottom crust. Just be sure that they cool completely."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes: Total Time: 80 minutes; Makes 16 servings; Yields: 2 pies
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/mississippi-sweet-potato-pie-3061533.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes (or 2 cups mashed or pureed)
2 prepared 9-inch pie shells (unbaked; or homemade pie shells)
4 ounces butter (softened)
2 cups white sugar
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For serving: whipped cream
Directions
Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this classic sweet potato pie recipe is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for baking.
Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
Gather the ingredients.
In a large saucepan, place two medium sweet potatoes and cover with water. Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slip the skins off.
Mash the sweet potatoes or puree with an immersion blender. Measure out 2 cups.
Make the Sweet Potato Pie
Line two (9-inch) pie plates with the pie dough. Refrigerate until they are thoroughly chilled while you prepare the filling.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, and evaporated milk. Whisk until the mixture is well-blended.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until they are well-blended.
Add the egg mixture to the sweet potato mixture and blend thoroughly.
Pour the sweet potato filling into the chilled pie shells.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until the filling is firm and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack, add whipped cream, and serve.
Tip
If the crust edge appears to be over-browning, place a pie shield on the pie or make a foil ring to protect the crust.
Recipe Variations
If you don't have fresh sweet potatoes, use canned sweet potato puree.
Substitute light cream for the evaporated milk, if desired.
How to Freeze Sweet Potato Pie
Cool the pie thoroughly on a rack and then chill it in the refrigerator. Place the pie on a baking sheet and put it in the freezer for a few hours or up to 12 hours until it is frozen solid.
Wrap the frozen pie completely with plastic wrap, closing any air gaps you might see. Wrap the plastic-wrapped pie in foil.
To thaw, unwrap the pie and let it thaw in the refrigerator for about 4 to 6 hours.
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