As we stroll into fall, and as harvest transitions to the holidays, we welcome pie in its many forms like an old friend. Nothing makes pies better than fall fruits, warm spices, syrups, spirits and delicious California walnuts.
Walnuts do something special to even the most beloved pie recipe. They add extra flavor, texture and crunch to pie crust, filling and toppings. Add walnuts to all your pies this fall, and make a whole pie or two to share with family or guests.
Apple and Pumpkin Makeovers: Harvest Favorites to Pair with Walnuts
Tarts, like this Walnut Pumpkin Cream Cheese Tart, are the elegant members of the pie family: trim, short and neat, and beautifully presented. This recipe is part pumpkin pie and part cheesecake, but don’t be intimidated. It’s easy with canned pumpkin and low-fat cream cheese. The pumpkin pie spices seal the deal, while walnuts enliven the sweet tart crust and the filling.
In a twist on the classic recipe, California Walnut Apple Pie uses toasted walnuts to add extra depth of flavor in the filling. Cinnamon and brown sugar contrast to balance out the sharp Granny Smiths and nutty tones. It’s a perfect way to reinvent apple pies for your Thanksgiving table.
The Versatile Walnut: Nutty Reinvention for Traditional Tarts
This California Walnut Frangipane Fruit Tart is new and exciting — custard pie features big in this amalgam of recipes. These mini-sized tarts include a layer of walnut frangipane and a mouthwatering spreadable custard. Walnuts crunch up the crust and add even deeper nutty flavors in the frangipane filling. The tarts are then topped with fresh pears and berries glazed with ambrosial apricot preserves.
The filling of this Raspberry Walnut Tart couldn’t be simpler: walnuts and raspberry jam. Walnuts also stand out in the crust, complementing the sweet and tangy fruit filling with the crunch and earthy depth of California walnuts.
Fruit, Spirits and Molasses: More Seasonal Pies Your Guests Will Love
This Rustic Pear and Walnut Galette is a nod to a much older style of free-form pies. The fruit filling roasts since it’s open-faced, and, as a result, its texture is slightly crunchier than fruit in a double-crust pie. In this easy recipe, sweet pears blend beautifully with vanilla, cinnamon and toasted walnuts over a bed of creamy ricotta cheese, and the caramel topping adds that luxurious buttery note.
The smooth caramel-molasses flavor of Rum Walnut Pie is a warming complement to the rich brown sugar base, and a generous portion of chopped walnuts builds up the filling. It’s sumptuous and best served a little warm in a smaller wedge. Try topping it with this perfect flavor partner: Banana-Walnut Ice Cream.
Enjoy the many variations that make these sweet dishes so warm and welcome at your dinner or picnic table. Include California walnuts in your pies to revive, revisit and reinvigorate recipes with new kitchen adventures this fall and throughout the holidays.
