Pumpkin Cream Pie with Gingersnap Crust

This pie recipe was passed down to our family from a friend years ago, and I haven't come across the recipe on the internet yet to give credit to the original - so I thought I would share here. It is fantastic alternative to traditional pumpkin pie (sweet and airy) and can be made dairy-free. Don't forget to allow time for the gelatin to set.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Use a food processor or rolling pin to crumb Gingersnap cookies. Add melted butter to cookie crumbs and mix. Press into bottom and sides of a 9", deep, pie plate. Refrigerate.

Step 2

In a heavy saucepan, stir together brown sugar (use less sugar if using sweetened prepared whipped cream ~1/2c), gelatin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Blend in pumpkin, milk, and egg yolks.

Step 3

Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 4 minutes. Stir constantly. Set the pan in ice water or refrigerate until cooled enough to start "mounding" when stirred (as pictured).

Step 4

In a bowl, beat cream to form stiff peaks (chill beaters and bowl, start on low speed and work up to high). Whisk 1/4 into cooked pumpkin mixture and fold in remaining prepared whip cream. Pour combined filling into pie crust. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until set. Preferably overnight.

Step 5

Tips: soften big Gingersnap cookies in an oven at 300°F oven for a few minutes before cutting out shapes to garnish the pie, along with dollops of whipped cream.