Last year I decided I was going to start a new tradition in my household and make a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving every year. Normally, I’d just buy one and call it a day, but I really wanted to try my hand at “pie art”.
Full disclosure – I am not making these pies from scratch. I found a good recipe on Pinterest that I like, and I use the pre-prepared pie crusts. Last year I used the Pillsbury refrigerated kind. This year I waited until the day before Thanksgiving to buy my crust and the refrigerated kind was sold out. I ended up getting a pair of the frozen crusts instead.
Another disclosure – this tutorial is for beginners. I’ve done “pie art” twice in my life now. I don’t claim to be an expert by any means. I consider myself a bit of a baking “hacker”. Which basically means that I will cut as many corners as possible and find as many shortcuts as I can to eliminate baking efforts.
In fact, I spent more time on the actual “art” part of this pie than I did preparing the recipe and baking it.
That being said, let’s get to the fun part!
Step-By-Step Pie Art Instructions:
Step 1: Brainstorm your idea. I’m obsessed with gingerbread, so I naturally went with some gingerbread men and a gingerbread house.
Step 2: Gather your “tools”. Like I said, this year I used a frozen crust. I let it thaw for a few minutes and used some gingerbread man cookie cutters for my shapes. Cookie cutters are great tools for pie art, but I also used a knife, rolling pin, and my hands to make more intricate designs.
Step 3: Start creating! I cut out a bunch of gingerbread men with my cookie cutters. Then I used a paring knife to cut out the shape of a house.
Step 4: Add more details! I rolled some thin pieces of dough into strands, and created some balls, and added them as the gingerbread men’s “icing”. I did the same with the house.
Step 5: Mix your pie mix and pour it into your pie crust. I made this pumpkin pie recipe.
Step 6: Arrange Your crust designs on top of the pie mix. I like to start on the edges so the pieces don’t just sink into the mix (though there is some of that happening still).
Step 7: Bake! I just followed the instructions on the recipe.
Step 8: Eat!
Super easy pie art!
I’m super excited to continue this tradition and (hopefully) improve my skills year after year. Last year I made a turkey (which I was pretty proud of).
In addition to the gingerbread pie, I also used the small bit of leftover dough to make a twisty heart for a second pie.
Already brainstorming ideas for next year!
Show me your pie art! Follow me on Instagram @thecraftcrib, or Facebook.
LOVE GINGERBREAD? Join my Facebook Group, “Gingerbread Tips & Tricks”, where I post tutorials and videos for different techniques. It’s a great community of people talking about gingerbread! Share your project photos, ask questions, make suggestions, and laugh a little!
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