This pie was a huge hit this Thanksgiving, partly because of the surprise ingredient this recipe has.  I was very interested to see what it would taste like and it delivered on all counts. My good friend said it was the best pumpkin pie she’s ever had, and she has tried A LOT of pumpkin pies over the years. Recipe and photo courtesy of sallysbakingaddiction.com

• Homemade pie crust
• one 15oz can (about 2 cups) pumpkin puree
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon  cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup milk

Make the pie crust through step 5 or use store-bought. When you are ready to bake the pie, remove 1 disc of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. With a small and sharp knife, trim the extra overhang of crust and discard. Crimp the edges with your fingers, if desired. Brush edges lightly with egg wash mixture. Using pie weights, pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes.

For the pumpkin pie filling, whisk the pumpkin, 3 eggs, and brown sugar together until combined. Add the cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, cream, and milk. Vigorously whisk until everything is combined. Filling will be a little thick. Preheat oven to 375°F.

Pour pumpkin pie filling into the warm pre-baked crust. Only fill the crust about 3/4 of the way up. (Use extra to make mini pies with leftover pie dough scraps if you’d like.) Bake the pie until the center is almost set, about 55-60 minutes give or take. A small part of the center will be wobbly – that’s ok. After 25 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. Check for doneness at minute 50, and then 55, and then 60, etc. Once done, transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow to cool completely for at least 3 hours.  Serve pie with whipped cream if desired. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.