4 low-cost, simple
festive pies
When it comes to uncomplicated, festive desserts, you can't go wrong with pie!
They're easy to make and perfect for weeknight treats and holiday gatherings. Here are a few options for festive, low-cost pies that will make everyone smile. And keep in mind that if you don't want to make your pie crust yourself, you can easily purchase one at the store!
Zucchini pie
Zucchini is excellent for desserts because it makes cakes and other treats extra moist. In addition to being an inexpensive ingredient, zucchini is packed with potassium. And the best part about making a zucchini pie? Your kids won't even realize they're eating veggies! You'll need two zucchinis cut into chunks, the pie crust of your choice in a pie dish, two eggs, ½ cup of maple syrup, ½ cup of brown sugar, 1 ½ cup of evaporated milk, a bit of cinnamon, and a bit of ground ginger. Start by preheating the oven to 450 °F. Then turn the zucchini chunks, brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs, cinnamon, milk, and ginger into a puree in a food processor. Simply pour the mixture on top of the pie crust and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 400 °F and bake for another 25 minutes. Serve warm with a glass of eggnog or a mug of hot chocolate!
Chocolate pecan pie
This pie is incredibly easy to prepare and will be a hit with everyone at the table! You'll need one cup of sugar, 2/3 cups of corn syrup, two eggs, one cup of pecans, one pie crust, one cup of sugar or brown sugar, and a few pieces of unsweetened chocolate. Melt the butter together with the corn syrup and chocolate in a pot. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add the chocolate mixture and pecans. Pour into a pie crust in a pie dish and let the pie set. About 50 minutes later you'll be able to enjoy a delicious piece of pie with your family!
Bonus savings tip: keep an eye on your flyer to check if there are any special offers on pecans. You can also use a variety of nuts: cashews, walnuts, mixed nuts, etc. Any leftover nuts can easily be turned into snacks or added to your meals.
Apple and pear pie with cinnamon and homemade caramel
A fruit pie is an easy low-cost dessert. You'll need about four peeled apples and four peeled pears cut into pieces, brown sugar, cinnamon, and the pie crust of your choice. You also need enough dough for the top crust. First, mix the apples and pears with about ¼ cup of brown sugar (or more if you have a sweet tooth!) a few pinches of cinnamon. Combine and pour into the pie crust on a pie dish. Cover with the top crust and bake in the oven at 425 ˚F for 45 minutes.
Bonus: homemade caramel to serve with your pie
Feel like drizzling homemade caramel on top of a freshly baked pie? Simply melt ¼ cup of butter in a pot and add one cup of brown sugar, and ½ cup of 35% cream. Bring to a boil while gently stirring. Once it's ready, pour on top of the pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you want a pie that screams holidays, this is it! And you can make homemade caramel to make other kinds of desserts even better.
Ice cream pie
This recipe calls for chilling, not baking, your pie! In addition to being easy to make and delicious, this ice cream pie leaves plenty of room for your creativity. You'll need one or more fruits of your choice (bananas, strawberries, pears, raspberries, etc.), peanut butter, a container of ice cream of your choice, and a pie crust in a pie dish. If you've got chocolate chips, feel free to add those too! Start by spreading a generous amount of ice cream in the pie crust. Then add a layer of peanut butter. You can also slightly warm up the ice cream by having it sit outside of the freezer for a little while and melt the peanut butter for a few seconds in the microwave. Then top with slices of banana or berries and freeze for four hours. Serve with a hot beverage for extra coziness!
Long live pie!
There's never a bad time to eat pie but enjoying these treats in the winter is a perfect way to keep warm. To bake delicious pies while saving on your grocery bill, keep an eye on your flyer for special offers. Bon appétit!
