Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie with Pecan Streusel

Everyone has a favorite dish that makes or breaks a Thanksgiving meal.  One year, I tried to replace the traditional bowl of mashed potatoes with an "Amy" version of twice baked potatoes. 🥔To sum up the responce to my swap - there was a Thanksgiving Day revolt that year.  😂 Just in case you're curious about how this meal ended: There was so much protest over the lack of mashed potatoes that I ended up delaying dinner for 30 minutes while I whipped up a batch of peace keeping potatoes.  🤷🏻‍♀️

​​Everyone comes to the Thanksgiving table with a different "must have" dish.  I usually ask people to bring the Thanksgiving side dish they can't live without.  It's saves me the hassle of trying to figure out if my guests like their sweet potatoes savory with streusel or covered in marshmallows for more of a dessert flare.  I feel like people are as opinionated about Thanksgiving food as they are the football games that are played after dinner.  🏈

As for me, as long as there's turkey on the table - the rest of the meal is just "icing on the cake."  I like to get creative with my side dishes.  Don't judge me but I'm thinking about adding carrot souffle and baked avocado fries to our Thanksgiving menu this year.  😬 

On Thanksgiving Day, I'm much more concerned with what is (and isn't) on the dessert table than the dinner table.  (My loyalty lies with the sugar.)   Pumpkin pie, pecan squares, apple pie and turkey sugar cookies are all Thanksgiving essentials in my book.  I also like to sneak in pumpkin roll, mini pumpkin butterscotch cakelets, triple chocolate mousse and cheesecake squares.  Yes, I've been known to over due it on the Thanksgiving dessert menu.  (Are you really surprised?)

Every year, I add a new "must have" to our Thanksgiving dessert table.  I'm going to have to start combining recipes before our dessert selection gets out of hand.  This year, I'm going to combine three of my favorites (pumpkin pie, pecan squares and cheesecake) into one delicious Thanksgiving creation:  Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie with Pecan Streusel.  How could any dessert with pumpkin, pecans and cream cheese be a fail?  

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie with Pecan Streusel
1 pie crust
2 eggs
15 ounces pumpkin puree
10 ounces evaporated milk
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon + 1 pinch of salt
3 ounces cream cheese
2 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup flour
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Lay crust into bottom of 9" pie plate.  Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Whisk eggs, pumpkin, evaporated milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 t. salt until smooth.

Whisk cream cheese, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Pour pumpkin mixture into prepared pie crust.  

Dollop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture over filling.  

Swirl fillings together with a knife. 

Bake pie 30 minutes at 375.

Combine pecans, 1/4 c. brown sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.  

Sprinkle filling over pie.  Bake 15-20 minutes longer.  ​

Cool at least 3 hours before slicing.  

I want to know what Thanksgiving foods you absolutely "can't live without".   Have you ever led an uprising over an improperly prepared green bean casserole or staged a protest over canned cranberry sauce instead of fresh?  I want to hear about your recipe success stories and your Thanksgiving day disasters.  😉

Ciao!

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