Elevate Pumpkin Pie With One Sweet Ingredient You Already Have In The Pantry

Pumpkin pie is a classic, all-American treat that invokes nostalgia for many of us. But while delicious, it can also be kind of boring. People have come up with plenty of ways to change things up. Spiked fillings, rich cookie crusts, clouds of meringue-like toppings — the options are endless. But you want to elevate a pumpkin pie recipe, you really only need one pantry staple: honey.

Honey can make any ol' pumpkin filling taste richer and more complex, giving it a slightly floral, earthy flavor, depending on which one you use. It can also lead to better caramelization and create a smoother, silkier texture, especially if you heat the honey before adding it to the mixture. And the best part is if you use honey in place of sugar, you can even pass your pie off as healthy — or healthier, at least.

Feel free to squeeze the honey right into your pumpkin pie filling, but it's important to remember just how sweet it is. The best way to incorporate it is to use it to replace some or all of the sugar in your recipe, depending on your taste buds.

You can use any type of honey in your pie, but try to buy it from a high-quality, local source if you can. Darker honeys will have more flavor, but it's best to avoid chestnut or buckwheat ones, as they tend to be more bitter. Clover honey is the most versatile type you can find, so if this is already in your pantry, use it up. If you're shopping around, see if you can find tupelo honey, which will add a lovely, buttery undertone to your pie. Orange blossom honey, meanwhile, can add some mild citrus notes.

If you have the time, caramelize the honey to bring out the flavors even more. All you need to do is melt it in a pot with some butter until it smells nutty, almost like when you make a caramel sauce. But if you want to skip this step, just beat the honey with the rest of your filling ingredients.

Some salt will also bring out the flavors further, especially if you sprinkle some flaky sea salt on the finished pie, and you can add some honey to your whipped cream, too. Maple syrup is also a delicious addition, as is a warming bourbon. Don't be afraid to experiment with that old recipe because there are much bigger mistakes you can make with pumpkin pie.