Pumpkin pie with a Spiced Crust

We have been making this pie for over 30 years! It was one of the first things that my mother handed down to me to take over for Thanksgiving. She helped with the dough in the early years, but I always made the custard. Sometimes we roasted our own pumpkin, however, to streamline, we now use organic canned pumpkin. It was her father's favorite dessert and we always made an extra just for him to take home for the week after the holiday. Now the next generation is getting in on the action and while it is hard to let go of one of the first things I learned to make, its nice to see little hands cracking eggs and stirring in pumpkin. 

We also have participated in the #virtualpumpkinparty organized by Cake over Steak! Head over there to see a pumpkin explosion that surely beats any pumpkin pie latte! 

Pumpkin Pie With a Spiced Cinnamon and Nutmeg Crust
makes 1 pie

½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 large eggs
15 ounces of canned or fresh pumpkin puree
12 ounces evaporated milk
1 unbaked pie shell (cinnamon spice dough)
 
Mix sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in bowl. Beat eggs into mixture. Stir in pumpkin. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.  Pour into pie shell.
Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.


Cinnamon Spice Dough
Makes 2 pie shells
 
1 cup chilled butter
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons ice water 
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
 
Dough- Put butter, shortening, 2 cups of flour, cinnamon, sugar and salt into food processor. Pulse until you have small pea sized pieces. Add the rest of the flour and briefly pulse. Pour mixture into a bowl and add vanilla, and apple cider vinegar. Add chilled water to the flour mixture and fold with a large flat spatula until dough comes together, pressing dough as you fold. Flip dough onto floured surface and push into a ball. Divide into two, and gently flatten each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic and let rest in fridge or freezer until ready to use.  If using a frozen dough, put in fridge the night before you want to make the tart or pie.

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For the month of October, we are donating a portion of the sales of our greeting and note cards to help those in Puerto Rico. Be sure to check out our Etsy site!