Tag: pastry

Easy Pumpkin Pie With Allspice and Nutmeg

Posted on by M.

There’s a certain aroma that defines the holidays. It’s a warm, spicy, and comforting scent that fills the entire house and promises something delicious is coming. For me, that smell is the quintessential fragrance of a pumpkin pie baking in the oven. This favorite family recipe for our super easy pumpkin pie with allspice and nutmeg is the one I turn to year after year for its velvety smooth texture, perfectly balanced spice, and foolproof method. It’s the kind of simple, cherished recipe that lets you create a beautiful, homemade dessert without any fuss, leaving you more time to enjoy the season!

easy pumpkin pie with allspice and nutmeg garnished with whipped cream on a paper plate with blue design

You’ll Love This Easy Pumpkin Pie with Allspice and Nutmeg

Before we dive into the ingredients, let’s talk about why this pie deserves a spot on your holiday table. It’s more than just a dessert; it’s a centerpiece.

  • Incredibly Simple: With a handful of pantry staples and a quick fool-proof homemade crust, this pie comes together in minutes.
  • The Perfect Texture: We’re aiming for a creamy, firm slice that holds its shape but melts in your mouth.
  • A Harmonious Blend of Spices: This isn’t a one-note pie. The classic cinnamon, ginger and cloves get an extra boost from the allspice and nutmeg to create a warm, complex flavor that is simply irresistible.
  • Make-Ahead Magic: Bake it a day ahead! The flavors meld and deepen, making it even better the next day.

The Perfect Pie Crust

For this recipe, you have a couple of great options to create your perfect pie:

  • For the Easiest Approach: A high-quality store-bought unbaked pie crust works beautifully and saves time.
  • For a Truly Homemade Experience: I highly recommend using my favorite Double Crust Pastry recipe. It’s my go-to for a reason—it’s reliable, flavorful, and creates the perfect buttery foundation for this spiced filling. Because the recipe makes 2 crusts, you can save the other half for later, make 2 pumpkin pies at once or halve the recipe!

Baking With Kids: A Whirring Good Time

Getting little hands involved in the kitchen creates the best memories, and this pumpkin pie is a fantastic recipe for it! The filling comes together entirely in a blender, which is a major win for both fun and clean-up.

  • The Dump-and-Pour Experts: This is the perfect job for your smallest helpers. Let them be in charge of dumping the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, and cracked eggs into the blender pitcher.
  • The Button Pusher: The grand finale is, of course, blending! The magic of watching all the separate ingredients whirl together into a smooth, orange liquid is pure kitchen science. For a child who is sensitive to sudden loud noises (like mine!), this is a key moment. We always get out the ear defenders first. You can also give them a sense of control by letting them be the one to flip the switch, so the noise isn’t a surprise. It turns a potentially scary moment into a moment of empowered fun.
  • Mini Pies: Sometimes a few tiny pumpkin tarts crafted by little hands are the best way to create a finished product that no one can resist trying! My toddler has never been fan of spices or pumpkin, but he was so excited to make his very own tiny pumpkin ‘muffin’ pie that he even tried it and approved!
baby's first easy pumpkin pie with allspice and nutmeg

Their proudest moment will be when they get to see the beautiful pie (or mini pies!) they helped create come out of the oven and onto the holiday table.

Your Pumpkin Pie Questions, Answered!

Even with an easy recipe, a few questions always pop up. Here are my quick answers to ensure your pie is perfect.

  • Can I use fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned?
    Absolutely! You’ll need about 2 cups of homemade puree. Just make sure it’s thick and has been strained well of excess water, or your pie might not set properly.
  • How do I know when the pie is done baking?
    The classic test is the “knife test.” Insert a knife near the center of the pie; if it comes out clean, the pie is done. Remember, the center will still look a little jiggly, not completely firm—it will continue to set as it cools.
  • Why did my pie crust edges burn?
    This is so common! If your crust is browning too quickly, tent the edges with strips of aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield about halfway through the baking time. This protects the delicate crust while the filling finishes cooking.
  • Can I make this dairy-free?
    You can! Simply replace the evaporated milk with an equal amount of full-fat canned coconut milk and substitute the small amount of butter with a vegan/non-dairy butter or coconut oil (which is solid at room temperature). The result is just as creamy with a very subtle, lovely coconut undertone!
freshly baked easy pumpkin pie with allspice and nutmeg in glass pie dish

Impossibly Easy Pumpkin Pie

Yield: 1 pie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Cooling Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • 1/2 t. allspice
  • 1 t. cinnamon
  • 1/2 t. ginger
  • 1/2 t. nutmeg
  • 2 T. butter
  • 2 t. vanilla
  • 1 c. evaporated or double-strength milk (or 1 (12 oz.) can)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 c. cooked pumpkin (1 regular sized can)

Instructions

  1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until well combined.
  2. Pour into an unbaked pastry shell.
  3. Bake at 350* for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
© A Kitchen of Herbs
Category: Dessert

I hope this recipe turns out as well for you as it has for me every year! Please let me know if you changed anything and if so, how it turned out! I’m never too old to learn new tricks. 😉

Flavors in This Recipe

Here is a closer look at the key flavors that make this recipe special! Click on any spice to explore its full profile, from culinary uses to growing tips. 🙂

Easy Pie Crust With Shortening

Posted on by M.

There’s something truly special about a from-scratch pie crust. It’s the foundation that elevates a good pie to a great one. This recipe for an Easy Pie Crust With Shortening is my absolute go-to for its perfect balance of flakiness and tenderness. While I love the flavor of an all-butter crust, this version uses shortening as its secret weapon for an incredibly flaky, easy-to-work-with dough that won’t break the bank. It’s the reliable workhorse behind my holiday pies, and with the tips below, it can be yours, too.

easy pie crust with shortening

Why You’ll Love This Easy Pie Crust With Shortening

  • Incredibly Flaky: The high melting point of shortening creates steam pockets during baking, resulting in those beautiful, sought-after flaky layers.
  • Easy to Handle: This dough is less prone to shrinking and stays cooler than an all-butter dough, making it forgiving for both new and experienced bakers.
  • Cost-Effective: Shortening is typically more affordable than butter, making this a budget-friendly choice for your holiday baking spree.
  • Versatile: Use it for any double-crust pie, from apple to cherry, or make two single-crust pies like pumpkin and pecan.

This easy pie crust recipe has been used in our family so much that it is practically part of our history. It works just as well in a tropical jungle as it does here in the humidity of the southern states as well as the aridity of the west. It is my ‘one size fits all’ pastry dough.

A Note on Fat: While I developed this recipe with shortening for maximum flakiness and cost-effectiveness, you can substitute an equal amount of cold, unsalted butter if you prefer its rich flavor. For a blend of both, try ½ cup shortening and ½ cup butter.

Baking With Kids: A Doughy Delight

Making this easy pie crust with shortening is a wonderful sensory experience for kids! Let them get their hands involved (after washing them, of course!).

  • The Measurer: They can help measure the flour and salt.
  • The Crumble Crew: Using clean hands, let them have fun rubbing the shortening into the flour until it looks like coarse sand.
  • The Dough Whisperer: Kids love the magic of sprinkling in the water and watching the crumbly mixture turn into a cohesive dough.

And here’s the best part for little bakers: the scraps! Instead of throwing them away, gather the leftover dough and let your kids roll it out. They can cut it into fun shapes with cookie cutters, butter them, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8-10 minutes until golden for delicious, impromptu pie crust cookies. It’s the perfect little kitchen reward for their hard work!

Tips for a Perfect Crust

  • Keep Everything Cold: The key to flakiness is cold fat. Use chilled shortening and ice-cold water.
  • Don’t Overwork the Dough: Over-mixing develops gluten, which leads to a tough crust. Mix just until the dough comes together.
  • Rest is Best: Don’t skip the chilling time. It makes the dough much easier to roll out and prevents shrinkage in the oven.
  • Easy Rolling: The key to rolling out pastry thin without it sticking has less to do with how much flour is under it and more with how often you flip and turn the dough. The air space is what keeps it from sticking. I roll 3-4 times to get it the shape I want, then flip. Repeat. As long as you can keep flipping the dough and/or turning it a little between rolls, the more likely it will not stick.
  • Unbaked Fillings: If you are using this for a cream pie, simply prick the crust with a fork and bake at 350* until light brown before cooling and filling. Since this recipe was created for pies needing two crusts, you can make two cream pies or use the excess dough to make Pie Crust Cookies!
baked pie

Perfect Pastry Crust

Yield: 2 crusts
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 c. | 8.82 oz. all purpose flour
  • 1 t. | 0.2 oz. salt
  • 3/4 | 5.04 oz. c. shortening
  • 6 T. | 3.12 oz. cold water

Instructions

  1. Whisk flour and salt together in large bowl.
  2. Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or by hand until the chunks of shortening are the size of large peas.
  3. Add water and mix with wooden spoon or hand in a circular motion, pressing dough against the sides of the bowl.
  4. Compress dough against the side of the bowl until it comes together in to a ball and there is no dry mixture or water left in the bottom.
  5. Wrap or cover bowl and refrigerate to allow the dough to rest for 1 hour, if time permits.
  6. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before use.
  7. Sprinkle counter with flour.
  8. Divide dough in half and roll into balls.
  9. Press each ball into the flour, flattening it on both sides.
  10. Turn the discs between your palms while flat on the counter in order to round edges and prevent cracking.
  11. Roll each disc out to 10".
  12. This recipe makes the perfect number of crusts for 1 double-crusted pie (like apple) or 2 single-crusted pies (like pumpkin).
© A Kitchen of Herbs
Category: Dessert

Your Pastry Questions, Answered

Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely! The dough disks can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.

My dough is too crumbly and won’t come together.
This means it needs a bit more water. Sprinkle in another tablespoon of ice water and mix gently until it just holds together.

Why did my crust shrink?
This is usually caused by the gluten being overworked and not rested. Ensure you handle the dough gently and give it a full 30 minutes to chill in the fridge before rolling and baking.