# Pumpkinless pumpkin pie...really!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010 "2012-12-04T23:09:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010/21 "2012-12-06T18:22:17Z")
Where do you live that you can’t get canned pumpkin? We use it year-round. My wife makes amazing pumpkin pancakes. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010/22 "2012-12-06T18:37:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Anything tastes like pumpkin pie, if you put enough nutmeg in it. [Anything?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=674543) ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010/23 "2012-12-06T19:07:52Z")
> [@InternetLegend](#): > > I’m still going to try this with sweet potatoes, though. We always end up with too many sweet potatoes in the fall. Make sure you mash/blend them very well to break up the “strings”. You want a very smooth texture, and sweet potatoes are much more fibrous than pumpkin. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010/24 "2012-12-06T22:44:00Z")
My basis for the “anything” statement was, one of the first times I made apple pie, I had some nutmeg in the cupboard, and figured a few shakes would be a nice touch. I wasn’t exactly wrong, but I didn’t realize just how little nutmeg you need to have “a touch”. So my apple pie ended up tasting like pumpkin pie. ---
**Author:** ![Bamboo\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bamboo\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bamboo_Boy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010/25 "2012-12-06T22:48:39Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Is this like the _Mock Apple Pie_ without apples that they print the recipe for on boxes of Ritz Crackers? > Do you use Ritz in it? No, no Ritz. Couldn’t get THAT here, either. For whoever asked up there, I live in Denmark. The grocery scene here is extremely impoverished. But- does that really exist? A mock apple pie recipe with no apple but Ritz crackers? That’s hilarious! I must know more… Off to Google -BB ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010/26 "2012-12-17T13:59:58Z")
On impulse, I bought “L’Oven Fresh Sweet Potato Pie”, $2.99, at Aldi’s. I mention this because it was remarkably GOOD! The crust was crispy-flaky like home-made, it was a little lighter and more delicate than pumpkin pie, and I highly recommend it. A bit small, 8" maybe. Aldi’s also has pecan pies (haven’t tried them) and several cakes, plus a freezer full of all kinds of great looking goodies. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010/27 "2012-12-17T14:41:14Z")
Our school system used to (maybe does still) feed kids sweet potato pie at Thanksgiving and tell the kids it’s pumpkin- fooled us clear through our senior years. I have made a couple of acorn squash pies which were quite passable punkin pie substitutes. ---
**Author:** ![Private\_Bin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@Private\_Bin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Private_Bin)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010/28 "2012-12-17T14:54:23Z")
Mock apple pie is disgustingly accurate. There was a recipe that was knocking around on some news sites last year, and I gave it a shot. Basically a pie crust with a filling of boiled Ritz crackers, sugar, and citric acid. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010/29 "2012-12-17T22:21:33Z")
I actually MADE the “Mock Apple Pie” shown on the Ritz cracker box. It was many years ago, back when we rode the covered wagons across the prairie. I don’t remember all the ingredients aside from crust, Ritz crackers and apple cider vinegar. It was DAMNED good, and sonofagun, it tasted like APPLE PIE! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010/30 "2012-12-17T22:26:17Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > I actually MADE the “Mock Apple Pie” shown on the Ritz cracker box. > > It was many years ago, back when we rode the covered wagons across the prairie. I don’t remember all the ingredients aside from crust, Ritz crackers and apple cider vinegar. I’m not even sure the original recipe contained apple cider vinegar. From what I remember, it had no connection to apples whatsoever, just the spicing of the pie itself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkinless-pumpkin-pie-really/643010.md?page=1)