Ask A Minnesota Expert: Your Best Thanksgiving Pie Recipe

Sarah and Kevin Lovgren have owned and operated Sarah Jane's Bakery, located in Northeast Minneapolis, for over 35 years. While the Lovgrens have watched baking trends come and go over their many years in the industry, the one thing that has remained constant and that the duo strives for is a customer's appreciation of a quality product. In honor of the upcoming holiday, the Lovgrens have shared their three best Thanksgiving pie recipes. Try preparing one of these festive pies yourself or stop by Sarah Jane's Bakery and pick one up; either way, your Thanksgiving guests are sure to be pleased with a dessert that tastes just like grandma used to make.

Sarah Jane's Bakery
2853 Johnson St. N.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 789-2827
www.sarahjanesbakery.com

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie 

Ingredients:

• 13 oz pumpkin
• 5 tbsp instant vanilla pudding
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice mix
• 3/4 cup Rich's whip, liquid
• 6 oz water, cold
• whipped cream (for topping)
• *prepared pie crust (see below)

Directions:

1. Whip the first five ingredients together in a bowl until the mixture reaches a light and fluffy consistency, about 5 minutes.
2. Pour the mixture into a prepared pie crust.
3. Top with whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to serve. Pie may be made ahead of time and frozen until needed.

Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c Karo syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 4 tsp flour
• 3 tsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup pecan halves
• *prepared pie crust (see below)

Directions:

1. Whisk syrup, sugar, flour, salt, eggs and vanilla together in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter.
2. Pour the mixture into a prepared pie crust.
3. Bake for 60-70 minutes in a 350 degree F oven, or until the pie feels firm.   

Related: Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl's Top 5 Ways To Cook With Beer

Harvest Apple Pie 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups sliced apples
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 cup craisins
• 2 tbsp pecans, chopped
• *prepared pie crust (see below)
• *streusel topping (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Place the sliced apples in a bowl along with the craisins and pecans.  
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of apples, craisins and pecans and blend together.
3. Pour into a prepared crust.
4. Top with streusel topping.
5. Bake for 60-75 minutes in a 350 F degree oven, or until crust is golden brown.

Streusel Topping

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tbsp salt
• 6 tbsp chilled butter
• 1/4 cup pecan halves

Directions:

1. Add flour, salt and chilled butter to a bowl.  
2. Rub the ingredients together between your fingers until the mixture holds together in moist clumps.
3. Mix in pecans.
4. Cover and chill.
5. Sprinkle on top of pie when you are ready to bake.

Pie Crust 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups pastry flour
• 2 cups Crisco
• 1 cups water, chilled
• 1/2 tbsp salt

Directions:

1. Add flour, Crisco and salt to a bowl.
2. Rub the ingredients together between your fingers until the mixture holds together in moist clumps.
3. Add 1 cup chilled water and mix just until it all just comes together.
4. Form into balls and roll out for crust.

Related: Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl's Top 5 Zucchini Recipes

A Minnesota native that was born and raised Up North, Minneapolis is where Christina Kalinowski currently calls home. Christina appreciates irony, loves bacon, enjoys a hearty libation (drink responsibly, folks), and is an avid proponent of the Swanson Pyramid of Greatness. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.