Looking for something a little different this holiday season? Why not make an apple butter pumpkin pie. It combines two of the season's favorite flavors and is still traditional enough to satisfy your pie fix. Plus, it's coated with a streusel topping. And we all know, streusel makes everything better!
We used our own homemade apple butter in this recipe. It adds a wonderful depth of flavor. You could also use a store-bought variety, but I highly recommend the homemade.
Just know, there aren't any spectacular pictures you can take for the making of this pie. Just a bunch of ingredients plopped into a bowl.
Consider yourself warned.
We used the last of our brown sugar in the filling of the pie, so we had to make our own using white sugar and molasses, like we did HERE.
Technically, you're supposed to mix the two together by themselves (or mix the molasses with the wet ingredients.) I didn't want to take the extra time to do so, and it turned out just fine. See, sometimes shortcuts are ok!
We didn't add the pecans in the streusel because no one in our family would eat it then, and that would kind of defeat the purpose of making the pie in the first place. Nuts in desserts are starting to grow on me though. I think they would make a lovely addition to this one.
I've said it before, I don't care for pumpkin pie (even though I love any sort of pumpkin-y cake, cookie, or bread.) It doesn't even look like pumpkin though. It actually looks pretty good.
To me, it tastes very similar to a regular pumpkin pie - but better because of the topping. The texture is also a bit lighter. I think it needs more apple butter in order to get a better blend of flavors though. Or maybe I'm just trying to mask the pumpkin flavor altogether? It's possible. I love the addition of the streusel though. It adds a crunchiness to an otherwise creamy pie and gives it a good contrast.
Leighton's opinion is the one that truly matters. He agrees that it needs a stronger apple butter flavor to be called an "apple butter pumpkin pie." But put this pie in a match against a regular ol' pumpkin pie, and the tried-and-true traditional pumpkin is the winner.
Either one I make, one thing will always remain true: I steal the end crust off Leighton's slice(s). He could live without it, but it's my favorite part. We're like Jack Sprat and his wife, only instead of fat and lean, we're filling and crust.
Ah, such romantics we are.
Ah, such romantics we are.
Pie Crust
Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cups cold water
Directions:
1. Mix shortening, flour, and salt
together with a fork or a pastry blender until very crumbly. Add as
much water as needed to hold together, and mix lightly with a fork.
2. Roll gently on a floured pastry cloth to about an inch larger than pie plate. Fold carefully in half, lift to pie plate, and unfold. Press into pan.
2. Roll gently on a floured pastry cloth to about an inch larger than pie plate. Fold carefully in half, lift to pie plate, and unfold. Press into pan.
3. Don't forget to use up that excess pie dough!
Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie
Pie Ingredients:
1 cup canned pumpkin puree 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup apple butter 3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, apple butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in eggs and evaporated milk. Pour into prepared pie shell.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted 2 inches from the center comes out clean.
4. To make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine butter, flour, and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Stir until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans.
5. Sprinkle streusel topping over the pie, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
1 cup canned pumpkin puree 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup apple butter 3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, apple butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in eggs and evaporated milk. Pour into prepared pie shell.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted 2 inches from the center comes out clean.
4. To make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine butter, flour, and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Stir until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans.
5. Sprinkle streusel topping over the pie, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Oh my goodness, I have got to try making this. My husband LOVES pumpkin pie and he loves apple butter. This would be such a treat for him. Thanks so much for sharing this on Throwback Thursday Blog-Style. Now, I just have to make sure he doesn't see this recipe until I can surprise him with it.
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