Jack O Lantern Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Jack O Lantern Pumpkin Pie filing served as a desert with a drizzle of honey. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Jack O Lantern Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Actually this is a basic pumpkin pie recipe you can use with a variety of pumpkins, I have tried it with all of the following:

Canned pumpkin, which is a mix of pumpkin and squash. The traditional pumpkin pie.

Cushaw pumpkin, the original native North American pumpkin most likely served at the first Thanksgivings between the Native American Indians and European settlers. More of a light custard-kind of filing.

Baking pumpkins, which have a more dense consistency compared to

Jack O Lantern pumpkins, which is lighter than baking pumpkins and also can be baked and turned into a pumpkin pie or desert.

Baking the Pumpkins

Regardless of what kind of pumpkin you use, wash it; cut open; remove seeds; fill with water and bake at 325F until you can prick it with a fork.

Allow to cool. Remove the inside pulp. I saved mine in 13 ounce servings in a jar in the refrigerator. Or you can freeze in similar quantities for easy use later.

Basic Pumpkin Pie Recipe

2 eggs, slightly beaten

16 oz. pumpkin

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon gloves

1 2/3 cups (13 fluid ounces) evaporated milk or light cream

To make: Mix the ingredients in the order listed. I use my beater on low speed.

This is baked and blended Jack O Lantern pumpkin getting mixed in the traditional pie recipe. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

You can pour into a 9” unbaked pie shell with a high fluted edge - the filing will rise a little. I bake mine in bread pans.

If in a pie shell, bake in preheated 425F oven for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350F and bake for another 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center of pie filing comes out clean. Cool. Garnish with whipped cream and serve.

If you are baking just the pie filing, bake at 325F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

I bake the pumpkin filling in bread pans without a pie crust. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I fill my bread pans half full. You can fill it fuller but it may take longer to cook all of the way through.

This is the baked Jack O Lantern Pumpkin pie filing cooling off. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

So the question most people ask, what does it taste like?

Jack O Lantern Pumpkin pie tastes like - well, pumpkin pie. A lighter, more custardy version than the canned version that is in even better cold the second day.

The baking pumpkin has a little more body to the baked pumpkin filing but not much difference otherwise.

The Cushaw pumpkin pie is lighter than both so I tend to add a few more seasonings.

All are delicious and make both a great desert and, my brothers favorite, next day breakfast. If there is any left!

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Charlotte