There are certain things in life that are not worth the effort.
Making your own spring rolls complete with skins from scratch? Not worth the effort.
Rotating your own car tires? Not worth the effort.
Saving a few bucks by cutting your own hair with your kitchen scissors? Not worth the effort.
On the other hand, cutting your own steaks from a roast is completely worth the effort. Ditto for actually reading your camera's manual to figure out how to use it and making your own BBQ sauce.
The problem is you have to undergo a few experiments and a few wasted days in order to figure out what's worth the effort and what isn't. It took me several nights out on the lawn with a sprinkler and a flashlight to come to grips with the fact that it's not worth the effort. Now I just pay the $2 and buy a container of worms for fishing.
So for the longest time I've been wondering whether baking a pumpkin pie from scratch, complete with baking the actual pumpkin was worth it. Did it really produce a pie that was far superior to one made with canned pumpkin? I'd made and eaten both, but I'd never tried them side by side.
So last week I cooked 2 pumpkin pies.
One I made by baking a sugar pumpkin, hand grinding the cinnamon, and making the crust from scratch.
Table of Contents
Pumpkin Pie Made with Real Pumpkin
ANY CHARA CTER HERE
The other I made by using a can of pumpkin glop and a frozen crust.
Pumpkin Pie with Canned Pumpkin
And then I took to the streets (my mom's street, my sister's street, my niece's street .... ) to find out which pie tasted the best.
Was all the work of a scratch pumpkin pie really worth it? Or is buying a can of pumpkin and a frozen crust just as good? My hope was that the canned pumpkin glop and frozen crust would end up being as good, just for the sheer hilarity of it. And of course the convenience.
So ... after asking 10 people, including:
Would you like to save this stuff?
We'll email you this post, so you can refer to it later.
My mom
My niece
My boyfriend
One of my sisters
... the results were indisputable.
After tasting both pumpkin pies ....
9 out of 10 preferred ...
Real Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie!
The one hold out was my sister. She actually preferred the canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie. She even tried it twice to make sure.
Everyone else, hands down, preferred the home made pumpkin pie. They liked the texture, the colour and the crust better.
So ... if given the choice over the next little while between spending time making a real pumpkin pie and squishing worms in the grass with your thumb. Go for the pie. It's worth the effort.
** Re: comments. Are you kidding me people?? What do I have to do???? Cut myself and bleed pumpkin?
Yes. If you want, you can used canned pumpkin. But no, it will not taste as good as using a pumpkin you baked yourself.
If you must choose between either making the crust or making the pumpkin filling from scratch, make the pumpkin filling!**
Becky
I had to make this pumpkin pie from scratch. I am a pumpkin pie fanatic. It was by far, much much MUCH better than the canned version. I got many kudos and even a "it tastes like my grandmas pies." I had enough filling for 3 pies instead of 2, so I used a store bought crust for the third and it was actually still very good. I totally agree, Karen, it's much easier than I thought to cook the pumpkins. Now that I've made it, I will continue with fresh pumpkins (at 97 cents at Wally world how can you not?) henceforth. Viva la pumpkins!
Karen
Thanks for the confirmation Becky! I'm happy it worked out so well for you! ~ karen
Whitney
My mother, who has never celebrated Halloween, very considerately bought me a sugar pumpkin. Only this one comes with a face and coloured paint. So instead of carving it, I can paint it! Then I have a fully functioning pumpkin at my convenience with which to make a real pumpkin, pumpkin pie! I thought that was the most exciting part.
Diana @ frontyardfoodie
This is good news as I fully plan on making one from scratch this year. I have to figure out how to make it vegan though which might be tricky.....or impossible
Tickled Red
Girl I have missed visiting your corner of the world :) New job, crazy hours! Great pumpkin pie test...YUM!! Hilarious "RE:". Happy Belated Thanksgiving.
Karen
Aw... thanks! I hope you're loving your job. What kind of crazy job is this that you can't sit around and read my blog all day?
Carrie
I always make my pumpkin pie filling from scratch, and can't tell you how many people have raved about it being the best pumpkin pie they've ever tasted. So no argument from me! However, I find that a good butternut or acorn squash makes a better "pumpkin" pie, and you can find them in the store outside of thanksgiving season.
Kendra Bester
I just made "real pumpkin, pumpkin pie" this weekend and it wasn't that good. I thought the texture was too like the actually inside of a pumpkin.
If you have a good recipe for pumpkin pie I would have to hear!
Cheers
Kendra
http://youngdiy.blogspot.com/
Karen
Hi Kendra! Did you try my recipe for real pumpkin pumpkin pie? Follow the instructions and the texture should be perfect. Give it a go. https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/pumpkin-pie-made-with-gasp-pumpkins ~ karen!
Alisha
My mother cans her own pumpkin pie filling. I don't think she's ever bought canned. I don't know which tastes better, because ... well, ew ... but I know the puree is cannable! FYI
Melissa
Oh, and weird thing about fresh pies, when you freeze your own homemade pumpkin pies, they thaw out tasting like store bought. Not horrible, just meh. I think that's strange.
Melissa
When I first moved to Ontario I loved the whole "buy a pumpkin for eating" thing. Seriously - we didn't do that in Northern B.C. So, I bought lots and froze the puree and used it for everything and thought I was being a great Ontarioite (Ontarian? Ontarioer?). Anyway, I obviously made pie with it and we loved it inordinately. THEN my mom mentioned I had made a pumpkin pie FROM SCRATCH and her friend outright called her a liar. "NO ONE makes pumpkin pie from scratch." She said firmly. So I found out I was wierd, but my pie still tasted better, so I was okay with it. But you, Karen, have provided me with sweet vindication and I am thankful. Keep preaching to the unbelievers - real pumpkin all the way.
Karen
Thanks Melissa! I don't really care if people use canned. I just want to let people know that if they choose to use real pumpkin it will be MUCH better. Much better. Better by much. ~ karen!
Karen
Oh! And good to know the puree freezes well! Thx. ~ karen
Alliey
I am the snobbiest cook I know. I eschew shortcuts for so many kitchen tasks, but... not this one. I have thought about baking my own pumpkin for filling but the time constraints of the holiday keep me from making the leap. But I still make an incredibly awesome pie. I am a weirdo, so I make my own crust for all five or so pies I usually bake (I make 'em a day or two ahead and pop 'em in the freezer). For the pumpkin pie, I use a recipe from Paula Deen that calls for cream cheese, which makes it rich and gives it great texture. I grind my own spices, and I put about twice as much as called for. I add a bit of dark rum in addition to the vanilla extract. The real trick though is to grate fresh ginger (and plenty of it) rather than using ground. I do this with my oatmeal cookies too and it makes all the difference.
Michelle
Maybe we should be called 'the people who don't actually do the rad stuff Karen does'.. there has got to be a catchy short form of that.
I LOVE pumpkin pie and I am so pregnant right now that my husband may have to make this for me tonight at 1am just to keep me from poking him every 30 seconds and asking him if I look fat. Does that sound like I might be planning ahead? cause I'd like to be able to plead innocent later on...
Mmmmm maple whip cream and sugar pumpkin pie...
Lesley H
Ok, so I think it's fair to say we all learned something here. If you're going to compromise on the Thanksgiving spread, let it be the cranberry sauce NOT the pie! Got it. ha ha ha
Now for goodness sake when do we get the chopping block end table tutorial? Do you think you can squeeze it in before you're featured on some other designer show/magazine :)
Karen
HAH! It's coming. I know I sound like a liar ... and maybe I am ... but really ... it's coming. ~ karen!
Janelle
This is hilarious! You keep pitching fresh pumpkins, but nobody's catching them!
Adrienne Audrey
What about growing your own pumpkins to use for the pumpkin pie? Would that be worth it? Probably not but thats my plan for next year :)
Karen
Well now you're just showing off! :) I've grown my own pumpkins before. They take a LOT of space. I don't have that space right now, but I'd LOVE to grow my own pie pumpkins. I'm jealous! ~ karen
Danielle
I couldn't wait for this post! Of course now this means that the one pie that literally took 30 seconds to make I'm going to have to actually put some effort into. Thanks Karen. You're a reaaaaal lifesaver. What's next? You're going to tell me to cook my own turkey? :)
Karen
Hee! Like I've told other people, if you're going to compromise ... I'd compromise by using a frozen crust. The filling from the cooked pumpkin is what makes the pie. ~ karen
amy
best recipe EVER for pumpkin pie uses canned pumpkin, but it is cooked till glossy and dark with brown sugar and spices, etc, and then ladled into the homemade, partially baked crust FIRST and then baked till set. A Ton of work, but worth it, and you can get away with the canned stuff (plain, not pie filling). It's from Cook's Illustrated. Yum.
Karen
Amy! Cooks Illustrated is one of my favourite cookbooks. But they're wrong. Make that EXACT recipe with a home baked pumpkin instead of the canned and you'll see. You will never EVER use canned pumpkin again.
Patti
Shh! My boyfriend changes his own oil, and I appreciate the effort he's making to save money..
And then he buys remote controlled helicopters with it. Lovely.
I don't really like pie, but I like this post.
Langela
Can you can your own pumpkin pie filling? Would it remain better tasting?
Alisha
I make a point of reading your blog every day because it puts a lopsided stupid smile on my face. BUT sometimes I can't resist reading comments from other readers because really ... they're pretty *ahem* entertaining. I'm not going to lie though, I despise Pumpkin Pie. (I had a bad childhood experience with the flu, Thanksgiving dinner and Pumpkin Pie) But you make it look good and easy!
Elizabeth
Rad! I'll be making a real pumpkin pumpkin pie for American Thanksgiving, in November (Thanksgiving in October?!, that's weird ;)).