Cushaw Pie

Ever heard of cushaw squash? Well, get ready to meet your new favorite pie ingredient! This heirloom squash creates a creamy, honey-sweetened filling that puts ordinary pumpkin pie to shame. Trust me, once you’ve tried cushaw pie, you might never go back to the basic orange stuff again.

The magic of this pie lies in its perfect balance of sweetness and spice. The cushaw’s naturally buttery flavor gets amplified with honey, molasses, and a warming blend of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. And that texture? Silky smooth with just enough structure to hold a perfect slice. This is the kind of dessert that makes people stop mid-conversation and ask, “What IS this amazing pie?”

Ingredients

For the Filling:

• 1 large cushaw squash – peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1½ cups clover honey
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup molasses
• 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

For the Crust:

• 2 cups hard white flour, or more as needed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12⅔ tablespoons butter, softened
• 7 tablespoons ice-cold water

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Position a rack in the center of the oven for even heat distribution.
2. Prepare the squash by placing a steamer insert into a saucepan and filling with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Add the cushaw squash chunks, cover, and steam until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a fork easily pierces through with no resistance.
3. Transfer the steamed squash to a blender and process until completely smooth, about 30-45 seconds. You want a silky consistency with no fibrous bits remaining. Pour 6 cups of the squash puree into a large mixing bowl. The texture should be similar to baby food—completely smooth. Reserve any extra squash puree for another use (it freezes well!).
4. Create the filling by adding the heavy cream, honey, eggs, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, allspice, and nutmeg to the squash puree. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated, about 2 minutes of vigorous whisking. The mixture should be a uniform color with no streaks. Cover and set aside while you prepare the crust.
5. For the crust, mix the flour and 1 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, cut the softened butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. This creates flaky layers in your finished crust.
6. Sprinkle the ice-cold water over the mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, gently stirring with a fork between additions. Add just enough water until the dough begins to come together when pinched. If the dough feels sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
7. Divide the dough in half and turn each portion onto a lightly floured work surface. With gentle pressure, roll each half into a 10-inch circle about ⅛-inch thick. If the dough cracks, simply pinch it back together.
8. Carefully transfer each dough circle to a 10-inch pie pan, pressing gently into the bottom and sides. Don’t stretch the dough or it will shrink during baking. Trim any excess dough hanging over the edges and crimp as desired.
9. Give the filling a final whisk to recombine any separated ingredients, then pour it evenly between the two prepared pie crusts. Fill each about ¾ full to prevent overflow during baking.
10. Bake in the preheated oven until the center is just set with a slight jiggle and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. The edges should be firm while the center may still have a slight wobble—it will continue to set as it cools.
11. Transfer pies to a wire rack and cool for at least 2 hours before slicing. This resting time is crucial for the filling to fully set. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Smart Swaps

• Replace heavy cream with coconut cream (1:1 ratio) for a dairy-free version with a subtle tropical note
• Substitute maple syrup for the honey (use 1¼ cups) for a different flavor profile
• Try butternut squash if cushaw is unavailable (though the flavor will be slightly different)
• Use gluten-free flour blend instead of white flour (1:1 ratio) for a gluten-free crust

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Replace the 1½ cups honey with ¾ cup monk fruit sweetener plus ¼ cup applesauce to reduce carbs by approximately 25g per serving
• Substitute 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk plus 1½ cups half-and-half for the heavy cream to cut fat and calories without sacrificing creaminess
• Use a whole grain spelt flour crust which has a lower glycemic impact than white flour
• Reduce portion size to 1/10 of a pie instead of 1/8 to lower carb intake while still enjoying a satisfying slice
• Serve with a small protein source (like 1 oz nuts) to help slow glucose absorption

Pro Tips

• For the flakiest crust, make sure your butter is cold and visible in small pieces throughout the dough
• Steam the squash rather than boiling it to prevent it from becoming waterlogged
• Let the pies cool completely before refrigerating to prevent condensation on the surface
• These pies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months—just thaw overnight in the refrigerator