Perfect Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

I’m in this play right now. 4-hour rehearsals on top of hours of homework on top of independent character work has its downside, sure, but in a super cliché sense the creative satisfaction makes it all worthwhile. But one of the things that really make rehearsals awesome are the cookies our assistant director Abby makes. Just so you can have a tiny sense of how good these cookies are: she uses special-ordered feves (none of that semisweet Nestle chips shit), sprinkles large flaked sea salt on top, and the edges are crisp and the centers buttery and gooey. It’s basically a party/orgy in my mouth. Sorry for that image.

Now, I know I’m a decent baker. But I don’t special order feves, and hey, sometimes I use all white sugar because I’m out of brown sugar. And that’s okay (say it with me). Actually, the only reason that’s okay is because the people who eat my baking (read: indiscriminate, starving college freshmen) are 110% appreciative and loving, even if I’m kind of out of eggs and use an on-the-go pack of applesauce instead. They love me/my cookies anyway, even when they’re objectively not the world’s most perfect (like Abby’s are). So on this turkey week, I am giving thanks to them (my suitemates) by sending them each home with a pumpkin pie. This is coincidentally the same pie my roommate took a bite of and her eyes rolled back into her head, because it was “so goddamn good”. The gingersnap crust adds the perfect bit of spiced crunch to the creamy filling. Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Gingersnap Crust:

 1 cup crushed gingersnaps

 4 tbsp. melted butter 

Method: Stir together and press into the pie dish. 

Pumpkin Pie Filling: (EAGLE BRAND® recipe)

 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

 1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

 2 large eggs

 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.