Pumpkin pie recipe

My version of a well-known pumpkin pie recipe, tweaked to balance sweetness against flavor. Supports low sugar diets.

  2 minute read  

The following recipe is adapted from one commonly seen on US grocery shelves.

I adapted it to my flavor preferences and to better align to certain dietary restrictions. The pumpkin flavor is more obvious and it’s less sweet than the original.

The goal was to make a holiday dessert suitable for low sodium and low sugar diets.

Ingredients

  • ~16 ounces (oz) pureed pumpkin (organic preferred)
  • 12 fluid oz evaporated milk (use low fat to reduce saturated fat)
  • 1/2 cup monk fruit (or alternate) sweetener (crystals preferred)
  • 6 tablespoons (tbsp) egg whites (equivalent to two large eggs)
  • 2 teaspoon (tsp) ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional)
  • 1 pie shell (walnut or pecan for best nutrition)

Preparation

  1. Blend dry ingredients in a small bowl, mixing to a consistent shade of color.

  2. Mix pumpkin, eggs, milk, and dry ingredients and blend to a consistent texture.

  3. Pour mixture into pie shell. Avoid overfilling.

  4. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 Celsius).

    Cooking time takes between 45-60 minutes and depends on your oven. You’ll want to keep an eye on things.

    Insert a toothpick in the center of the pie and then remove it; if it comes out clean, the pie is done.

Let the pie cool before serving.

Some versions of the recipe ask you to cook the pie at 425 degrees (220 celsius) for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350. I’ve tried this, but not seen a material impact on the result.

Excess pumpkin can be discarded or baked into a pudding. For the latter, pour into a ceramic bowl and then bake along with pie. The smaller amount doesn’t need as much cooking time; I usually put it in the oven at about the halfway mark.

Ingredient changes attempt a healthier treat. Egg whites significantly reduce cholesterol. The use of monk fruit sweetener and a nut-based pie shell make the dessert more friendly to low-sugar diets.

You’ll want to filter my ingredient choices through your own knowledge and sources. I am not a trained nutritionist, so take my changes with *ahem* a grain of salt (perhaps one of the ones specifically left out of the pie).

My family likes it, so I thought I’d share.

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  • First post: 28 Nov 2024