Pumpkin vs. Apple Pie: A Battle?

No Thanksgiving food coma is properly induced without a generous slice(s) of pie. Americans eagerly anticipate Thanksgiving every November, and there is no question that food is a heavy, if not a quintessential, factor of the holiday. There’s turkey, stuffing, mac-n-cheese, sweet potato casserole—the dinner table seems endless. While reflecting this year on what I particularly look forward to eating every Thanksgiving day, I kept thinking about the one dessert that seldom fails to make it on the menu: pie. Now which kind is my favorite, you might inquire? That’s my dilemma: I do not know. 

Of all the things I treasure most about food, variety sits at the top of the list. Pie, specifically, can be prepared in a seemingly unlimited number of ways. When crafting this pastry, no fruit nor filling fails to disappoint—at least in my opinion. However, when deciding what my preferred type of pie is, my mind reaches a deadlock––pumpkin or apple? Both hold special places in my heart and my taste buds. In order to reach a solid conclusion about which one takes the throne, I have to engage in analysis. What qualities do both possess that I so thoroughly enjoy? Why is it so difficult to make a choice? Let’s discuss, shall we?

Image courtesy of Simply Recipes

Pumpkin pie is unmistakably decadent, unquestionably a Thanksgiving favorite. When you dig your fork into a slice of pumpkin pie, it’s quite mesmerizing to see your utensil glide through the smooth filling and gently cut through the flaky crust on the bottom. Upon having your first bite of pumpkin pie, you immediately get a wonderful kick of spice: a splendid mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger. Pumpkin pie spice generates a lovely sense of warmth in your stomach, acquainting your taste buds with the pop of flavor that instills life into a dish. The focus of pumpkin pie filling is pumpkin puree, of course. The taste of pumpkin transports you to a state of autumnal paradise, characterized by pleasantly sweet and robust notes of flavor. Key to creating the creamy texture of pumpkin pie filling is sweetened condensed milk. Already delightful by itself, the sweetness of the condensed milk complements the pumpkin’s natural sweetness while also infusing the filling with a wonderfully-rich consistency. The pie crust’s importance need not be overlooked, as it provides a buttery and crisp contrast to the smooth filling, rounding out your eating experience with balanced textures. Indulging in custardy pumpkin pie is always one of the highlights of my Thanksgiving meal, as it never fails to deliver a powerful punch of seasonal deliciousness.

Apple pie offers a different eating experience in several ways. To be frank, apples of any kind are always enjoyable to eat because they present a fantastic combination of natural sweetness, acidity, crispness, and juiciness. These elements are perfectly embodied in apple pie. Apple pie filling is a bit more tedious to make than pumpkin pie filling, but it’s completely worth the effort. Medium-sized apple wedges are seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and brown sugar, which collectively add a dimension of spice to the sweetness of the apple slices. The filling is never complete without two key ingredients: lemon juice and flour. These might not automatically come to mind when thinking of apple pie, but they make a significant difference in the final product. Just a tad of lemon juice brilliantly accentuates the acidity of the apple wedges and the spices seasoning them while the flour acts as a thickening agent, merging with the lemon juice and moisture of the apples to create a sturdy sauce that binds the entire filling together. If baked correctly, the apple slices retain their firmness and equally showcase a tender and far-from-crunchy texture. The luscious spice sauce coats the apple wedges evenly, preserving the apples’ inherent sweetness and acidity while skillfully incorporating moisture into the pie. Since apple pie is typically baked with crust on the bottom and on the top, the first bite of apple pie opens with a buttery crunch and gradually moves on to a satisfactory freshness from the apples and warmth from the spices (strikingly similar to pumpkin pie). As a dessert, apple pie represents an unmatched fusion of tanginess and sweetness, of fresh produce and rich flavor.

The reason why it is so difficult for me to make a decision about my preferred form of pie is because pumpkin and apple pie each carry strengths that the other lacks. 

The smooth custard of pumpkin pie is simply not present in apple pie, though the latter offers an expansive variety of texture that pumpkin pie does not. It is virtually impossible to compare pumpkin and apple, as they only share sweetness: pumpkin has a pungent flavor while apples are subtly acidic. Despite their differences, pumpkin and apple pie are both extremely important menu items for me because their very entities radiate comfort and, as stated earlier, warmth. Thanksgiving is a holiday based on togetherness with family and friends, on giving thanks for the blessings that you have been granted, and on appreciating the way that food can symbolize the emotions associated with human connection. Resembling the way that family and friends can provide the comfort and warmth needed to endure these challenging times, pumpkin and apple pie do the same through their shared spices and overall delightfulness. If you asked me now what my favorite Thanksgiving pie is, then (after careful thought) my answer would be simple: both. Though that may seem like an inconclusive response, it is wholly honest. Both pumpkin and apple pie are Thanksgiving essentials in my book, it is impossible for me to make a choice. They are distinct enough to satisfy a craving for variety, yet they share an unmovable place in my family’s Thanksgiving menu. I cannot wait to indulge in both types of pie later this month, surrounded by my loved ones. Why should I have to make a choice in the first place? Why not both?

Cover photo courtesy of Taste of Home

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