No matter how many times I explain it to my 5-year-old son Truman, he is just not picking up on the fact that December and all things Christmas come AFTER Thanksgiving. His Sunday School teachers gave him a cute little advent calendar at church on Sunday (so sweet, right?) and when I told him we still had ELEVEN DAYS before we can even open the first one, he was quite dismayed. He seems to be a little confused about the meaning of the advent calendar, because so far I’ve only heard him refer to it as his “Chocolate Countdown.”
My mom just emailed my sisters and I an idea about a reverse Christmas Advent calendar, where instead of getting candy, you add canned goods or supplies to a box every day to give to the needy. To emphasize giving instead of receiving. My sister Nikki said, “Oh I like that a lot better than having chocolate each night. I have banned the chocolate advent calendar from my home in the name of Christianity.” She has 5 kids and I think I would do the same thing if I had 5 children screaming about Chocolate Countdowns every night.
But really we are getting ahead of ourselves here, we are T MINUS 3 DAYS til Thanksgiving, the best food day of the year! It’s the best because of all the PIE.
How to make Butterscotch Pie
I’ve got one final pie for you guys to make for Thanksgiving. It’s the perfect pie to add to your menu after your final shopping trip, because it only uses pantry essentials. There’s always room for one more pie, right??
Have you had a Butterscotch Pie before? I’d never even heard of it before my sister Laura told me about it last year. It’s been on my to-make list for a long time! You start out with a buttery, flaky homemade crust that you pre bake in the oven before adding the filling. Then there is a thick layer of homemade butterscotch pudding, topped with a tall and dreamy meringue.
Butterscotch is my absolute favorite type of homemade pudding, and turning it into Butterscotch Pie by adding it to a crust and topping with meringue can only make things better. The pudding has a deep butterscotch flavor from cooking the brown sugar, and just enough salt to cut the sweetness. Egg yolks make it nice and creamy, giving it a luxurious texture. Adding butter at the end gives it that perfect butterscotch flavor. I adapted it from this recipe for Butterscotch Pudding with Roasted Banana Whipped Cream, which is a amazing dessert that you definitely need to try. (Just try not to judge me for those photos. Soo bad!)
How to make Meringue
I have FINALLY found a meringue that I love! I’ve had a meringue recipe that I’ve made for years that has great flavor, but it always starts weeping on me. Today’s version held up a lot better. I found it in my trusty Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. You make a cornstarch water slurry and add it to your beaten egg whites. Have you ever tried it? It worked out great. My meringue held up for way longer than it usually does.
The nice thing about this pie of course is that it’s meant to be served cold, which means it’s perfect for making a day ahead of time. Whip this up on Wednesday and it will be all ready to go on Thursday.
You can definitely serve this pie as is without any garnishes, but last minute I decided to top each slice with a sprinkle of brown sugar and a few chopped candied pecans. I used the pre made kind that you get for topping salads. You can also try making your own. It added the perfect crunch to offset this dreamy creamy butterscotch pie!
More pies you are going to love!
The Best Homemade Apple Pie « I made a version of classic pie that I finally LOVE! Classic French Silk Pie with Really Thick Graham Cracker Crust « I love this pie! Pecan Pie Recipe with Buttery Streusel Topping! « new fav Rhubarb Meringue Layers « one of my all time favorite desserts! Cranberry Custard Pie « if you haven’t tried this pie yet, you haven’t lived!! It’s perfect for Thanksgiving Peach Apricot Slab Pie « If you like CREAM on pie, give this a try! Chocolate Cream Pie from Taste and Tell Blueberry Lemon Sour Cream Pie from Valerie’s Kitchen Cinnamon Cream Pie with Brown Sugar Whipped Cream from A Spicy Perspective Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
