Pumpkin Pie, Who? These Are the Best Pecan Pie Recipes for Thanksgiving (2024)

FAQs

What's better pumpkin pie or pecan pie? ›

If you're looking for a dense and chewy crunch, pecan is your target. If you're looking for a smooth and custard-y bite, pumpkin is the winner. But if you're looking for the most decadent and dessert-y pie of them all, pecan probably comes out on top. It's just RICH.

Pumpkin Pie Is The Must-Have Fall Dessert That Reigns Supreme.

Pick a winner at the pumpkin patch

Make sure it has no cracks, splits or soft spots that are a sign of rot. Gently press a fingernail into the rind. If you can easily push through the surface, the pumpkin was probably picked too early and will rot. A mature pumpkin will not easily scratch.

This orange-golden-crusted pie is more than just a staple of the Thanksgiving table. Pumpkin pie, which has been growing in the Americas for centuries now, symbolizes the gratitude and appreciation our ancestors once experienced each harvest season.

The clear winner for the United States as a whole was (not surprisingly) apple pie with more than 27% of sales going to the traditional flavor.

Apple. There are five states they prefer apple pie to other flavors. Apples came to the United States with Europeans. Apple pie has English origins, according to Smithsonian magazine, but the dessert is an American classic.

In the pumpkin pie, calories, carbs and sodium are lower, while protein is higher. But the apple pie takes the cake when it comes to fiber and potassium, and it has less added sugar.

In general, pie reigns supreme as a Thanksgiving dessert. While some families have their nice selections of pie servings, tradition says apple, pumpkin pie, and a southern pecan pie are the go-tos, typically made with a buttery pastry pie crust.

Use the fork only if the pie is served without ice cream. Use both the fork and spoon if the pie is served ala mode (topped with ice cream). Place the fork in your left hand, tines down to secure the pie on the plate. Then with the spoon in the right hand, eat both the pie and ice cream.

Luckily, Carson says there's a simple way to avoid a cracked-pie catastrophe: Don't overbake it. “For a custard like that, you want it to bake on a lower temperature,” says Carson, who bakes her pumpkin pies at 325 degrees F. (Convection ovens may require an even lower temperature, she says.)

What makes pumpkin pie filling pull away from the crust? ›

The oven rack may be too close to the top heating element in the oven. This can cause filling to 'skin' and crack as it bakes and to settle slightly when cooling and pull away from the crust. Another possible reason is over-baking. Try reducing cooking time by 5 to 10 minutes.

But there's a reason why we make pecan pie for Thanksgiving: November is the height of their harvest. What a glorious way to celebrate a fresh pull of pecans: mixing them with sweet syrup, pouring them into a buttery shell, and baking until they're a deep, caramelized brown.

By the 1860s, cranberry sauce was so ingrained as an American dish, that General Ulysses S. Grant reportedly ordered that cranberries be served to soldiers as part of their Thanksgiving meal. Whichever cranberry recipe you end up eating on Thanksgiving, it just might be the most venerable dish on your menu.

Yes, the actual pumpkin in the dish is quite healthy, but the butter and flour in the crust as well as the cream and sugar needed for the filling add a good dose of saturated fat and calories. But a healthy pumpkin pie is possible!

"Pumpkin is rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin A, which is essential for eye health and immune function. It's also lower in calories and fat compared to apple pie. Pumpkin pie contains more dietary fiber than apple pie, thanks to the pumpkin puree.

In the pumpkin pie, calories, carbs and sodium are lower, while protein is higher. But the apple pie takes the cake when it comes to fiber and potassium, and it has less added sugar.

It does not require a scoop of ice cream, or a dollop of whipped cream, or, God forbid, something like a slice of cheddar (another knock against apple pie). Pecan pie is a pie that stands on its own. It has the gooeyness of a candy bar, the crunchy texture and warm flavor of toasted nuts, and that flaky, buttery crust.

At around 300 calories per slice, pumpkin pie is a good bet for an indulgent dessert. It's a calorie bargain compared with other fall pies —apple pie weighs in at around 400 calories, and pecan pie at about 500 calories per slice. The type of crust used can make a big calorie difference.