Incredible Pumpkin Chiffon Pie in a Gingersnap Crust

Our Best Pumpkin Chiffon Pie!

This light and fluffy pumpkin pie is perfectly spiced and absolutely smooth and silky.

I have adored this pie since childhood. My mom would make this for our family Thanksgiving feasts at my grandma's house.

My aunt added the lovely gingersnap crust to this family favorite recipe. You can of course make a conventional pie crust, but the ginger flavor sends it over the top.

A recent dinner guest commented when eating this pie, "This is the best pie I've ever had in my life!"

Make this amazing pie for Thanksgiving, you will be glad you did.

Double this recipe to make 2 pies, using 1 whole large can of pumpkin puree.


Our Best Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Recipe:

Crust:

1/4 c. butter, melted
1 1/4 c. fine gingersnap cookie crumbs ( 20 cookies)

Filling:

1 T. (1 packet) unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. allspice
1/4 t. fresh grated nutmeg
1 1/3 c. canned plain pumpkin (or mashed cooked pumpkin)
3  large to extra large organic eggs, divided
1/2 c. cold organic milk (or coconut milk, almond milk, or soy milk for dairy-free version)
1 t. real vanilla extract
1/4 t. cream of tartar
6 T. granulated white sugar

Whipped Topping Garnish:

1 1/2 c. cold heavy whipping cream
1/8 t. cream of tartar
1 t. real vanilla extract
1/3 c. powdered sugar, to taste


Method:

Crust:

Melt the 1/4 c. butter in a 9-inch glass pie plate, in the microwave.
Process 18 to 20 gingersnap cookies in a food processor until very fine crumbs form.
Mix the crumbs with the butter until uniformly coated.
Pat into a crust in the pie plate.
Bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Cool.

Filling:

Blend the gelatin into 1/4 c. cold water and set aside.
In a sauce pan, mix together the brown sugar, salt, spices, pumpkin, egg yolks, and milk.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until mixture boils. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat.
Stir in softened gelatin and vanilla; cool.
When partially set up, beat until smooth.
Make a meringue by beating the 3 egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy.
Add the granulated sugar to the egg whites, 1 T. at a time, and beat until glossy.
Carefully fold the whipped meringue into the pumpkin filling.
Pile mixed filling into the cooled gingersnap crust.
Chill pie until set, at least 2 hours.
Slice and serve with the whipped cream topping below.

Whipped Topping Garnish:

Chill the bowl and beaters for about 20 minutes in the freezer.
Start with very cold heavy whipping cream in the bowl.
Whip the cream with a hand mixer on high speed with the 1/8 t. cream of tartar.
When cream starts to thicken, add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until soft peaks form.
Use whipped cream to top the slices of pie as they are served.
This whipped cream will hold up for 1 to 2 days in the fridge, if there is leftover pie.



Note: The added cream of tartar stabilizes both the egg white meringue and the heavy whipping cream. The whipping cream in the top photo is actually a day and a half old, as an example.


Photos of the process:

The baked gingersnap pie crust.

The gelatin has softened in the water.

The pumpkin filling.

The whipped meringue.

Folding the meringue into the pumpkin.

The meringue folded fully into the pumpkin filling.

The finished filling smoothed into the cooled pie crust.

Ready for chilling at least 2 hours to set up.

Once set up this pie slices easily while holding it's shape.

Enjoy,

Leila.