Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel:

Absolutely totally butter-less.

Unfortunately, not mess-less. Every silver lining has a cloud.

I know Thanksgiving is over for everyone, but mine is on Saturday, so drool over all this and keep it in mind for next year.

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel
From Food and Wine

½ recipe pie crust, enough for one pie shell
1 ½ sticks (6 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup pecan halves
1 ¼ cup pumpkin puree
3 large eggs, separated
1 ½ tablespoons corn starch
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon each ground nutmeg, ground cloves, salt
½ cup milk
¼ cup bourbon, plus a shot for you

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine 4 tablespoons butter and ¼ cup brown sugar with the flour and pinch it into moist crumbs. Stir in the pecans, set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the remaining stick of butter and ¾ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin, puree, egg yolks, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt, then beat in milk and bourbon.

In a stainless steel bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry (by hand this takes 3-5 minutes), then fold into the pumpkin mix until no white streaks remain. Pour the mix into pie shell. Spread pecan crumbs on top. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 1 hour until the all-knowing tester has a few moist crums. Cool and serve, or make it a day ahead and refrigerate it over night like I am.