The Showdown of Pumpkin Pie Alternatives
Hosting for the holidays can cause cold sweats. I know because I’ve never done it. I get stressed enough trying to figure out what I’m going to bring! Lord, help me. Even these wise words from Brady Sloane are not enough to calm me down.
This year Michael and I are going to spend Thanksgiving with his family and I want to bring something that’s representative of me. I love pumpkin pie, but I’m well aware that everyone’s favorite is pumpkin pie so, I wanted to bring something a little more original. I pulled together three pumpkin pie alternatives that I thought sounded delicious. Who better to test than the Scene team? I tested a few of my friends first and then peeps up here at Abilene Scene Headquarters. All the pies were absolutely delicious but these are the results of the showdown:
This pie came in last. I actually rated this one second. It’s got a warm understated flavor. The overall style was very vintage, definitely not overwhelming. It’s the first time I’ve ever made a pie crust from scratch instead of buying it from the store. I was nervous, and made a significant mess, but it turned out that the process wasn’t as intimidating as I had originally anticipated. My friend Alyssa also rated this pie second. She liked this option better than regular pumpkin pie. She said it “would be perfect with a cup of strong coffee.”
The results showed this pie as a solid second. I personally thought the flavors in this pie were a little too much. I used the recommended ginger snaps for the crust and since it’s an icebox pie the texture is a little more like pudding. Our art director, Christi, thought she might rework it into a trifle to distribute the crust more evenly. I think I might’ve liked it better with the regular graham cracker crust to cut some of the sweetness. But if you like strong and sweet pumpkin flavors (read: PSLs with 4 pumps of syrup) this is the pie for you.
This was easily the favorite. It was my favorite too. Seriously, I saw this result coming from a mile away. Texture, crust and flavors were perfect. How can you go wrong with pumpkin and cheesecake? Bob Nutt says, “It’s cheesecake! And it’s pumpkin! Awesome flavor, crust and consistency.” Bonus! The filling recipe make A TON. I have some leftover and will likely be able to make a second pie with the leftover filling. Perfect for large family gatherings.
Do you have a favorite pumpkin pie recipe you love? Send it our way!
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