Butternut Squash Pie

When I was growing up, it seemed like my mom was always making us a butternut squash pie. To me, it tasted like a pumpkin pie…only better! I make the same pie for my own kids, and they like it too. The recipe is below. It’s a scrumptious pie…and not just for the fall. I just made one this past weekend!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PIE

1 unbaked and chilled 9-inch pie shell

1 large butternut squash, cooked and pureed, about 2 cups pureed squash

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

3 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup half-and-half

½ cup heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 T. white flour

2 T. melted butter

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

To cook squash:
Cut the squash in half lengthwise; remove stem and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, on a foil-lined oiled baking pan; add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 400° for about an hour and 15 minutes. Squash should be soft. Remove from oven. Scoop out pulp. Mash the pulp with a potato masher, or puree it in a food processor just about 5-7 pulses, just to get out the lumps. Measure 2 cups of the squash and set aside. If the squash seems watery, put it through a sieve to remove the extra liquid.

Reduce oven to 350° F and position an oven rack in the center of the oven. In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat the squash with the brown sugar. Add eggs, cream, ½ and ½, spices, salt, flour, butter, and vanilla. Stir until blended. Pour the filling into the chilled pie and place on the center oven rack. Bake for about one hour, or until set. Remove from oven and cool on rack for about an hour. Then chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Enjoy!