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Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Looking to expand your Thanksgiving pie repertoire beyond the traditional pumpkin, pecan and sweet potato? Give this delicious peanut butter cream pie recipe a try, and it’s sure to make its way into your holiday dessert rotation. It’s a Thanksgiving staple for my partner’s family and I look forward to it every year! Creamy peanut butter pudding, whipped cream and crunchy graham crackers crust come together to create a scrumptious no-bake pie. We hope you enjoy this perfectly peanut-buttery recipe.

Ingredients:

1 package of vanilla pudding mix
2 cups of milk (whole or 2% work best)
1 egg
½ cup unsalted peanut butter

Crust:

2 packages of graham crackers
12 T butter
½ cup honey

Toppings:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 T powdered sugar
½ cup powdered sugar
3 T peanut butter

Instructions:

First, prepare your pie crust.

Crush your graham crackers until there are no large chunks. You can do this using a food processor, or by hand using a sealable bag and smacking them with a heavy spoon.

Pour your crushed graham crackers in a large bowl and add your honey.

Melt your butter and pour it into the bowl, mixing well until the ingredients are combined.

Transfer your pie crust into an 8- or 9-inch pie pan, or a springform pan of a similar size. Press the dough into the sides and center of the pan at an even thickness.

Put the pie crust in the refrigerator to set.

While your crust is setting, you can prepare the pie filling.

In a medium sized pot, add your milk, pudding mix and egg. Set it on medium heat and stir constantly. When the pudding has begun to bubble and thicken, take it off the heat and continue to stir.

Transfer your pudding into the pie crust and smooth out the surface to create an even layer.

Next, you can prepare your toppings.

In a large mixing bowl, add your heavy cream and 1 T of powdered sugar. Whip your cream with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.

In a small mixing bowl, add your peanut butter and ½ cup powdered sugar. Mix well with a fork until small clumps begin to form and the powdered sugar is fully incorporated.
With your toppings done, you can assemble your pie. Dollop your whipped cream on top of your pie and smooth it into an even layer, then sprinkle your peanut butter crumbles all over the top.

Put your pie in the refrigerator to set and chill completely for 1-2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Lemon Cream Pie

We’re mixing things up this Thanksgiving with a new take on a classic pie. Lemon cream pie isn’t the typical fall dessert, but this recipe is a showstopper and is perfect for festive occasions. Its tartness is perfectly balanced by the sweet creamy filling, while the crust provides a satisfying crunch. We hope you enjoy this delicious recipe!

This recipe can be made vegan using vegan graham crackers, vegan butter, maple syrup, sweetened condensed coconut milk and non-dairy whipped topping. We have all these ingredients available for purchase at the Co-op.

 

Ingredients:

Crust:
2 packages of graham crackers
12 T butter
½ cup honey

 

Filling:

1 can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tsp lemon zest
2 cups heavy cream

 

Topping:

Lemon Slices
1/2 cup heavy cream
½ Tsp cornstarch

 

Instructions:

Find the pan you’d like to use for this recipe and set it aside. This recipe makes a lot of filling, which requires you to use a dish with tall sides to hold it in. I recommend using an 8-inch pie pan with tall sides, about 2 to 3 inches tall. You can also use an 8-inch springform pan, which is what I used for this pie. Alternatively, you can also split this recipe into 2 pies in a standard-height pie pan. Just be mindful of the size of your pan.

Crush your graham crackers until they are the texture of coarse sand, with no large chunks of graham cracker left.

Melt your butter in a small saucepan or in a small bowl in the microwave.

Add your butter and honey to the ground graham crackers. Stir until fully combined.

Pat your crust into your pan in an even layer, creating a wall of crust along the side. Set your crust aside to make your filling.

Zest your lemons and put your lemon zest into a medium bowl.

Juice your lemons. Measure the juice and add it to your bowl.

Add your sweetened condensed milk to the lemon juice and zest and stir until combined.

In a large bowl, add your heavy cream and whip it on high with a hand mixer until you reach stiff peaks. Your whipped cream has reached stiff peaks when it stands on its own and makes defined ribbons and peaks as you’re whipping it.

Add your whipped cream to the lemon mixture. Gently fold the ingredients together until fully combined, careful to avoid deflating the whipped cream.

Spoon your filling into your crust. Make the surface level and smooth using a spatula or spoon.

Allow the filling to set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight before decorating.

To decorate your pie, add your heavy cream and cornstarch to a bowl and whip it into stiff peaks. The cornstarch will help the whipped cream keep its shape for a longer period of time. Pipe the whipped cream onto the pie using a piping bag or a sandwich bag with the corner cut off. I recommend going in short puffs around the edge of the pie, as shown in the photo.
Slice your lemons and place them on your pie in the pattern of your choosing.

Your pie is ready to serve. Enjoy!

 

Honey Caramel Pie

Thanksgiving dinner isn’t complete without a delicious pie for dessert. This honey caramel pie is rich, a little gooey, and perfect for sweet tooths and caramel lovers alike. Using only honey as the base of this pie’s caramel filling creates a delicate depth of flavor that differs from sugar-based caramels. A perfect dessert for fall, this pie is sure to be a hit!

This caramel recipe cannot be made truly vegan without removing the honey, which is what gives it its unique flavor. To make the pie dairy free, you can substitute with full-fat coconut cream and vegan butter.

This recipe also requires you to heat the honey to a certain temperature range. If you do not have a thermometer, you can use the ice bath method to check the temperature. In a small cup, add lots of ice and a small amount of water. When you think your caramel is starting to reach the right temperature, drip a small amount of it into the ice bath. Remove it from the bath and run it through your fingers to see if it has hardened. If it forms a firm ball when dry, it is ready to be taken off the heat. Watching the caramel’s color is also important if you’re using this method. As it reaches the correct temperature, it will become darker and golden in color, thickening slightly. As the honey boils, it will naturally foam, so don’t be alarmed. Happy caramel making, I hope you enjoy this wonderful pie!

 

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
6 T unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup honey

 

For the Caramel:
¾ cup heavy cream
1 cup honey
2 T unsalted butter, room temperature

 

Instructions:

Grease a 9.5-inch pie pan and set it aside.

Smash your graham crackers into fine crumbs.

Melt your butter in a medium bowl.

Add graham cracker crumbs and honey to the melted butter. Stir until combined.

Transfer into the pie pan. Smash the graham cracker crumbs into the sides of the pan and base to create a crust.

Allow the crust to set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

In a medium sized pot, add your honey and heavy cream.
Turn your burner on to medium-high heat and stir occasionally. The honey will foam as it boils, this is normal.
Heat the honey until it has reached 250℉

When the honey has reached temperature, it will turn a deeper golden color and become thicker to stir. Do not allow it to become too dark, otherwise it will become too hard to eat once it’s set.

After the honey reaches 250℉, remove it from heat and immediately stir in the butter. Stir until combined.

Pour the caramel into the piecrust and top it with flaky salt if desired.

Allow the caramel to cool and set at room temperature for 1-2 hours. When it has cooled and set, cover it to preserve freshness until serving. Enjoy!