Besides the classic pumpkin pie spice trio—cinnamon, nutmeg, and (of course) ginger—Ginger’s recipe calls for a dash of Cognac. It won’t make anyone tipsy, but it will give this Thanksgiving essential an extra zing of flavor. To keep things simple in the run-up to the big day and big dinner, you can use ready-made pie crust, either the rolled form, found in the cool cases at the supermarket, or a 9-inch shell from the frozen-food section.
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 can pumpkin filling (we like One Pie, from Paris, Maine*)
2/3 c. heavy cream
2 tbsp. Cognac
To Make:
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Beat eggs, sugar, salt, and spices together until light and fluffy. Mix in pumpkin and cream. Add Cognac. Pour mixture into 9-inch pie shell and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Decorate, if desired, with leaves made from pastry dough (we cut ours out freehand with a sharp paring knive from extra dough and baked them on a separate sheet for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees). Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
This pie is even better the day after (if there’s any left). Some people have even been known to have a slice at breakfast.
*Isn’t the label great?