No holiday is complete without pumpkin pie. Sweet and creamy pumpkin puree mixed with all the best spices of fall and topped off with a dollop of whipped cream, there's no better end to a big Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. But when the turkey, roast, and side dishes have already taken up your oven space, there's often no room for the last course of the meal. Luckily, the slow cooker can step up to the plate.
While traditional pie can't typically be made in a slow cooker, as the heating element will burn the crust before the pie is baked through, you can make a crispy "faux" crust that's flaky and delicious and very reminiscent of traditional pie crust. If you want to make this dish even easier, omit the crust altogether and reduce the cooking time slightly, cooking just until the pie filling is set.
Slow cooker pumpkin pie
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Serves: 8
IngredientsFor the crust:1 1/2 cups (350 ml) baking & pancake mix, such as Bisquick
1/2 cup (125 ml) brown sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter, melted
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla
For the filling:1 15-ounce (450 g) can pumpkin pie filling
1 12-ounce (225 g) can evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup (180 ml) brown sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter, melted
1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground allspice
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (1 ml)
Directions1. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the filling. Be sure to mix well to fully incorporate all ingredients. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker, scraping the sides to get every bit of filling.
2. Combine all of the ingredients for the crust. Sprinkle this over the filling in the slow cooker, and press it down slightly with your hands.
3. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on Low for 4 hours, before turning the slow cooker to High for the last hour of cooking. This will help brown the crust, without drying out the filling.
4. Turn the slow cooker off, remove the lid, and let the pumpkin pie rest for at least 30 minutes before cutting.
5. Serve warm or cold, with whipped cream or ice cream on the side.
Pro tip: If you can, remove the slow cooker insert and rotate about halfway through cooking time. This will help ensure even cooking, just as you would rotate a pie when cooking in the oven.
