If she wants classic, I would go with Libby's-recipe is on the can. Just be sure to get the puree, rather than the pie filling. Very simple and good.

Agree with the above statement.

My cans are Trader Joe’s. ;). I checked online. It sounds easy enough, but sweet and heavy. I don't know if that's what she wants or not.

No help from me! My tried and true method is to ask my mama to make me one. I do provide my own cool whip to adorn the top though!

I do believe she uses the recipe on the libby can as well. Can't really get more classic than that! It is really and truly the only Thanksgiving food I really crave.

Okay, I'll try the Libby's. I have the canned pumpkin and evaporated milk, and all the staples. At least it's no bother, which is good for a second pie for four people. :) But I think I'll put it in my spiced whole wheat crust. It's thin and sturdy, and should go well. I don't like pumpkin pie with regular pastry. ;)

how about that spiced ww crust recipe JC?

Does your mother like spiced whole wheat crust or does she really want classic?

And as pies go, it's really not that sweet--just eat a sliver, but make real whipped cream!

Whole Wheat Pie Crust

I Ingredients

I got this from Andrea's Recipes, and she adapted it from KA. I.e., it's from the Internet. :D

I use home milled red whole wheat flour, which may make a difference from commercial. I never put the sugar in--freshly milled doesn't need it. The rest of the ingredients, including the buttermilk powder, go in. For spice, I just add 1-1.5 tsp. of whatever sounds good to me at the moment, but I lean toward stronger flavors like cloves or allspice, unless cinnamon is a good pairing. I always use this for fig pie.

This is best made ahead and let rest in the fridge (see bottom nota bene), though chilled just enough to firm up the butter, as usual, will work.

Whole Wheat Pie Crust

WHOLE WHEAT PIE DOUGH

http://andreasrecipes.com/whole-wheat-pie-dough/
Adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking.

Makes 1 single pie crust.

Ingredients
1 cup (4 ounces/113 g) traditional or white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon buttermilk powder (optional, but good--I always use it!)
*(optional)* 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar (I never use it)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 g) cold unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/30 ml) cold orange juice
2 to 4 tablespoons (1 to 2 ounces/30 to 60 ml) ice water

For spiced (per JC)--choose the flavors that suit you, 1-1.5 tsp. total (or eyeball it). Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cardamom, ginger, etc. Use no more than three.

Preparation
1. In the bowl of the food processor, add the flour, buttermilk powder, confectioners’ sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse several times until the dry ingredients are thoroughly distributed.

2. Cut the cold butter into small cubes (about 1/3 the width of a stick of butter) and add it to the dry ingredients. Pulse about 10 to 15 times, until the mixture is crumbly with uneven bits of butter.

3. Sprinkle the orange juice over the dough and pulse a few more times. Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the dough clings together. If a piece of the dough holds together in your hand and doesn’t feel dry or crumbly, it’s ready.

4. Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out. Shape the dough into a round disk about 1 inch/2.5 cm thick and roll it on its edge in the flour to smooth the edges out. (I use a silpat and don't need the flour base.)

5. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator overnight before using. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

N.B. (JC): Chill in refrigerator for at least one full day, better 30 hrs. or more, to fully hydrate the flour. Bring out a couple of hours before you roll it to let it come up to cool but not cold. It holds up to rolling really thin this way. I think the disk shape is important for getting a good roll without overworking, though the scraps stand up okay to rerolling for small uses. I roll on a small amount of flour on a silpat. When the dough is warm, it patches well. Grease the pieplate. Eggwash makes it far prettier. Very tasty eating.

This is best rolled very thin. No more than 1/8" thick. It's a firm, not flaky crust.

Lizbeth, the whipped cream is no biggie. It's Amylou who adores Cool Whip. :) Thanks for the reassurance on the sweet level. Mother does like the whole wheat crust. It's much tastier than regular. The apple pie will have white flour plain crust. I think it's the filling she wanted classic. Linda's is wonderfully light and fluffy, and custardy. Ricky's is "antique" and uses real pumpkin (fresh, that is) and real milk (ditto), brown sugar and maple syrup. They're both really good, but not iconic. :) Of course there's the molecular gastronomy clear pie, but I promise she doesn't want to eat that!

I recommend this one, from the 1940's, in Meta Given's Encyclopedia of Cooking. I skip the drying out in a saucepan part, but I do heat the canned purée (Libby's). Mixing the spices with boiling water really makes a difference.

For standard pumpkin pie, I've always used the recipe from an old Betty Crocker cookbook, and alter the spices to preference.

I split and roast my pumpkins, then mash them for use. One year I couldn't find pie pumpkins, so had to use canned.... that stuff was like orange glue. I swore I'd never used canned again. lol!

I've not made pumpkin pie in a few years. I found an organic can in the pantry so may put that on the menu. My recipe, here somewhere, though I bet it is in my vintage issues of Thanksgiving FoodandWine,....is a bit more like a custard. My dad prefers the original. My recipe has heavy cream, less sugar, (brown), and extra egg yolks...

Keep in mind Libby's changed the recipe last year after 75years. Reviews are mixed but most like it. 25% want the original. The new recipe on the can calls for a can of sweetened condensed milk. Adds more sugar and a bit more volume, doubles the cloves.. Close to 1500 more calories in the can vs 3/4 cup. And some comments say it is more like a custard. Creamier. Makes sense that adding another canned good increases their holiday sales.

I like LIbby's version. This is a loose adaptation of it that's also good.

Pumpkin PIe
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 can (15 oz.) solid pack pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
12 oz. heavy cream (or half and half)
Optional: 1 tsp. vanilla

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell (I use Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee recipe.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix filling ingredients in order given. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center of pie filling comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Sleevendog, that's very interesting! Google took me to the original recipe. :) For sure I don't want the SCM. :)

Christine, that's an interesting recipe. Good tip about the spices.

PM, I'll check my BC cookbook. I should have thought of that!

Chloebud, thanks for the alternative.

My can of Libby's pumpkin (that I just bought two days ago) lists both the original and the new version. Glad they are doing it that way, rather than eliminating the original.

Oh good Lizbeth. I thought that might be a good choice. Phew, that did confuse people last year. If I ever have a family holiday in the future, I will make mine and the original Libby's.

One blogger made both last week and reviews among family, (just her sister), were mixed. (duh) so she will make both again for thanksgiving. She likes the new, her sister thinks family will like the original.

Note---their thanksgiving like many will be prepared and delivered socially distancing and still enjoyed. I will also make traditional thanksgiving so I can deliver to a couple neighbor elderly that usually had a few family members years past.

We have done this in the past with healthy leftovers and has always been appreciated. (day of, not next day)...still warm

Like Chloebud, I use heavy cream instead of evaporated milk - it's much better and richer this way.