The Very Best Pumpkin Pie (S)

The original recipe for this pie is my brother-in-law's recipe and even my husband who hates pumpkin pie loves this one. I wanted to enjoy some of this pumpkin pie without the guilt which is why I decided to tweak it. My taste buds can't tell the difference!

The Very Best Pumpkin Pie (S)

4 ounces cream cheese (Softened to room temperature)
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) (Softened to room temperature)
7.5 ounces canned pumpkin (1/2 can)
2 eggs
1/2 cup Gentle Sweet (more or less depending on your desired sweetness)
1 teaspoon Super Sweet
Pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract (to taste)
THM Traditional Pie Crust (page 325 of THM Cook Book)*

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Have a pot of hot water on the stove ready to go, bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.

Cream the butter until it is soft and smooth with a paddle attachment in the mixer on low setting. Add soft cream cheese, mixing on low until smooth. Add Gentle Sweet and Super Sweet slowly. Combine thoroughly. Add the pumpkin. Continue mixing slowly at a low speed. Scrape and combine fully. Add eggs and combine. (At this point if the mixture looks grainy, take the bowl off the mixer and put it on the pot of hot water. Scrape from the bottom and along the sides to prevent the mixture from cooking. What you are doing is softening the fat so that it will all congeal together). Once the mixture is smooth and not at all grainy, add the vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice to taste. Add a little at a time, tasting to determine how much spice you prefer.

Pour mix into pre-baked pie shell. Bake slow at 300 degrees until the edge of the pie is set and the middle is very slightly still undercooked (the center will be about the size of a quarter). Set timer for 45 minutes and continue to check every 5 minutes or so. It is easy to overbake. Let cool. Refrigerate. Serve with whipped cream.

*I found that it was easier to press the dough for the THM pie crust into the pie pan itself rather than trying to roll it out due to the sticky nature of the dough.