“It’s that time of year again when family debates rage over one crucial question: Apple pie or pumpkin pie?”
Apple pie might be the quintessential American dessert, but there are those fleeting moments when pumpkin pie—the seasonal star—takes the spotlight.
At Hoosier Mama Pie Company in Chicago, apple pie is usually a bestseller throughout the year.
“If we didn’t offer apple pie, I think there would be chaos,” admitted chef and owner Paula Haney. “So, we make it even when it’s not technically in season.”
However, once Thanksgiving rolls around, the tables turn, and pumpkin pie claims its rightful place, according to Haney, who also wrote the upcoming cookbook “The Hoosier Mama Book of Breakfast Bakes.”
“Pumpkin pie outsells apple pie almost two to one during Thanksgiving,” she noted. “For this brief period, people crave pumpkin.”
A recent national survey reinforces this trend. A YouGov poll with nearly 10,000 participants last year revealed that 29% favored pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, while 20% chose apple pie. Pecan pie followed at 14%, and sweet potato and chocolate pies garnered 10% each.
Pumpkin pie remains the clear favorite for the holiday, with demand skyrocketing by over 2,600% just a day before Thanksgiving, far outstripping any other flavor, according to recent data from Instacart.
Analyzing 2024 orders from online grocery and delivery services, the data also revealed that while apple pie enjoys year-round popularity, pecan, sweet potato, and cherry pies experience spikes during Thanksgiving. Interestingly, regions in the South showed a preference for sweet potatoes and pecans, while certain Midwestern areas leaned towards chocolate-flavored French Silk pie.
Haney pointed out that around 90% of the canned pumpkin in the U.S. is produced in Illinois. “So, for Chicagoans, there’s a touch of local pride with every slice,” she remarked.
Jason Smith, a chef from Kentucky and Food Network personality known for winning the Holiday Baking Championship in 2016, believes pumpkin pie is tied more to nostalgia than flavor.
“Honestly, many people aren’t crazy about the texture of pumpkin pie,” he noted. “But it needs to be on the buffet; otherwise, something feels off. It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it.”
But Haney has seen that pumpkin also has a dedicated fan base.
“People actually request pumpkin pie in July,” she shared. “Anything pumpkin tends to fly off the shelves. We make pumpkin muffins, bread, and scones, and they’re a hit.”
She emphasized its versatility: Hoosier Mama incorporates pumpkin into chiffon pie, combines it with ginger for cheesecake, mixes it with chocolate for a unique chess pie, and even blends it with apples for a sour cream Dutch apple pie topped with walnuts.
Smith has observed rising interest in mashups like pecan pumpkin pie and caramel apple pie as well.
If you’re considering baking at home, Smith said that the most successful pies feature well-baked crusts, soft but slightly chewy apples, and smooth, creamy pumpkins that verge on cheesecake-like consistency.
Haney recommends preparing the pie crust a day or two ahead of time and basting it to ensure it remains crisp. She also suggests allowing pumpkin pie to cool slowly to avoid cracks or disguising any imperfections with decorative cutouts. If cracks do occur, a knife dipped in boiling water can help remedy them after the pie has cooled.
Store-bought pies can taste homemade too, she noted, especially when enhanced with heavy cream, vanilla extract, and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
While Haney has a secret affection for sweet potato pie, she makes sure to bring both pumpkin and apple pies to family gatherings.
“You can’t go without either,” she insisted.
For Smith, there are always multiple pie options on the dessert table. When I asked about his selections for this year, he mentioned:
“I always have a variety of pies: cinnamon bourbon sweet potato pie, bacon pecan pie, triple chocolate mousse pie, creamy cheesecake pumpkin pie, and the classic Southern apple stack cake.”
