What is pumpkin pie without its crust? A one-pan, stress-free dessert
Even the most traditionalist fan of Thanksgiving can see that pumpkin pie has a problem. It is neither its overexposed blend of spices nor its reliance on whipped cream to hide cracks and help the spoonfuls go down.
It is that soggy bottom crust, which is often underdone to boot. A blind-baked or chocolate-coated crust is hardly a sure hedge against a heavy and wet filling.
Luckily, we're in stress-free mode this season - right down to our holiday desserts. Ditch the crust here, and you have ... pumpkin custard. Whisk its ingredients together in the same pan you bake it in, and the preparation gets easy. Serve it straight from that same pan, and you're golden.
This recipe solves several pumpkin pie issues, in fact. Its spices are subtle. Its custard is buttermilk-tangy and lighter in texture than your standard pumpkin filling. And this is also equipped to keep crust lovers from picketing your table, thanks to its quick crumble topping.
If pumpkin's not your go-to orange pie filling, know that this one-pan method works with canned butternut squash or sweet potato puree as well - and don't forget to top it with a dollop of whipped cream.