We asked everyone on our Facebook and Twitter to submit recipes for our Thanksgiving Dessert Showdown. Without “outing” anyone, this was the standard answer:

I’m a terrible cook and I don’t have a recipe, but post a recipe for pumpkin pie!

Seriously, NewKosher fans love pumpkin pie!

We could post recipes for homemade pumpkin pie. But in reality, a kosher frozen pumpkin pie is going to taste exactly the same and be the same price to make, if not cheaper. What people usually fail on in the pumpkin pie department is the accessories! So here’s your guide for jazzing up a Thanksgiving Kosher Pumpkin Pie.

Creme Brulee Style

Based on Alton Brown’s creme brulee recipe, adjusted for our recipe

1/2 quart heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/2 cup vanilla sugar, divided
3 large egg yolks
2 quarts hot water

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 3 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Take custard and spread on the top of the cooled pumpkin pie. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup vanilla sugar evenly on top of the pie. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the pie to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Bunny Sara’s Pecan Caramel Topped Pumpkin Pie

Dad likes pumpkin pie. Patrick wants pecan pie. Here’s the balance.

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, or whatever)
3 tablespoons butter

While baking your pie, prepare the pecan caramel topping by mixing brown sugar, pecans, and butter together in a bowl until evenly blended. Once your pie is almost done, remove from the oven and spoon over the top of the pie. Continue baking the pie until the topping is golden and bubbly, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. You just have to keep pulling it out and testing it: there’s no science behind it.

Pumpkin Pie with Chai Cream

This recipe can be vegan/parve if using parve whipped topping. Either way, it’s simple:

1 tub of whipped cream or topping

equal parts ground cinnamon, powdered sugar, powdered ginger and a pinch of powdered clove and nutmeg

So simple a chimp could do it: mix it all together. Add more spice if you like spicy. Lovingly lather the top of your pie of serve as a dollop on the side for the condiment weary.

Care to cheat a little? Just use pumpkin spice mix with a touch more ginger powder.