Usually the only dessert that matters to me on Thanksgiving is pumpkin pie. I’ll make about six of them, share one or two on Turkey Day and hoard the rest until they’re gone. OK, fine, I share with my family too. I don’t know what it is, but that custardy filling just calls out to me.
Pre-made pie crusts weren’t easy to find when we lived in Germany, so I learned to make my own. This crust is simple, and you can make it a couple of days ahead and keep it in the fridge while you work on everything else. No pastry blender? Use a fork, two knives or just your fingertips to work in the shortening.
PrintBasic Flaky Pie Crust
A traditional alternative to pre-made pie crusts, just like my mom used to make.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup shortening, chilled
- 3 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the cold shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water over flour. Toss mixture with a fork to moisten, adding more water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together.
- Gently gather dough particles together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
- Roll out dough, and put in a pie plate. Fill with desired filling and bake.
Super simple, killer pumpkin pie
I’d venture a guess that just about everyone who makes pumpkin pie in America uses the recipe on the back of the can. We do too, just leaving out the cloves. Use canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin purée. And be careful adding the evaporated milk. It loves to splatter, so go slowly unless you want to spend the afternoon cleaning the kitchen.
PrintSuper Simple, Killer Pumpkin Pie
The classic back-of-the-can pumpkin pie, minus the cloves. That custardy filling calls my name every single year.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: 1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 (9-inch) unbaked deep-dish pie crust
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin, or 15 ounces homemade pumpkin purée
- 1 (12-fluid-ounce) can evaporated milk
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Mix the sugar, cinnamon, salt and ginger in a small bowl.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the pumpkin and the sugar-spice mixture.
- Gradually stir in the evaporated milk. Go slowly. It loves to splatter!
- Pour into the pie shell. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake 40–50 minutes more, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve, or refrigerate until dessert time. Don’t freeze it, or the crust will separate from the filling.
Notes
Bake it the day before to free up your oven on Thanksgiving. Adapted from Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie.
New York style cheesecake
I started making this cheesecake so I wouldn’t have to share my precious pumpkin pies. I also thought our German friends might find pumpkin pie a little strange. I was wrong. They loved it, and I had to send cheesecake home with them too. Stefan and a friend made it one year, and neither of them is big on baking, so that tells you how simple it is.
For something really special, use about 20 Oreo cookies instead of graham crackers for the crust. It’s also lovely topped with raspberries or strawberries, but I think it’s fabulous just the way it is.
PrintNew York Style Cheesecake
Rich, creamy and surprisingly simple. The slow cool in the oven is the secret to a crack-free top.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 7 hours 30 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 15 graham crackers, crushed (or about 20 Oreos for something really special)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 3/4 cup milk
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Stir the cracker crumbs into the melted butter and press firmly into the bottom of the pan (and about 1/2 inch up the sides, if you like).
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the milk, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until each is blended in.
- Mix in the sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth, and pour over the crust.
- Bake 1 hour. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside with the door closed for 5–6 hours to keep it from cracking.
- Refrigerate until serving. Top with fresh berries if you like.
Notes
I bake this last on the day before Thanksgiving and let it cool in the oven overnight. Leftovers freeze beautifully. Adapted from Chantal’s New York Cheesecake on Allrecipes.
Bake them the day before
Both pies and cheesecake are best made a day ahead. It frees up your oven for the turkey, and the cheesecake needs that long, slow cool anyway. See my Thanksgiving Game Plan for the full make-ahead schedule.
Planning the whole feast? Find every recipe, my week-by-week countdown and the free printable Thanksgiving checklist on the No Ordinary Thanksgiving page.
