Everyone has their favorites at the Thanksgiving table, and heaven help the cook who takes one of them away. A colleague summed it up perfectly: “You can always add, but you can never subtract.” That creates a conundrum for ambitious cooks tired of making the same things over and over — and over again.

So if you want to offer a choice when it comes to Thanksgiving dessert, add this Pumpkin Spice Latte Pie to the table.

We sought to marry espresso, warming spices and pumpkin purée for a spin on the classic pumpkin pie (adapted from Bon Appétit). The autumnal pie spices tended to drown out the coffee flavor when we added brewed coffee or espresso powder to the filling, but for those who prefer their holiday extra caffeinated, feel free to add more. Instead, we got our espresso hit from a layer of coffee ganache lining the inside of a buttery crust, and a pile of coffee meringue (both ideas from Erin Jeanne McDowell’s “The Book on Pie”) that added a sweet, creamy toastiness akin to the foam on a latte.

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Pumpkin Spice Latte Pie

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

1 all-butter pie crust in a 9-inch tin, chilled

1 egg, beaten

For the ganache:

4 oz. white chocolate

2 tbsp. heavy cream

1 tbsp. espresso powder

For the filling:

1/3 c. sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/3 c. heavy cream

1 tsp. espresso powder, or more to taste, optional

2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk, room temperature, beaten

1 (15-oz.) can unsweetened pumpkin purée

2/3 c. sweetened condensed milk (about half of a 14-oz. can)

2 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coffee meringue:

2 large egg whites

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 c. sugar

Pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. espresso powder

Cinnamon, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

To prepare the crust: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is dry around the edges and just beginning to brown, 25 minutes. Carefully remove parchment and weights and lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Brush inside of crust (not edges) with egg wash and continue to bake until crust is set and beginning to lightly brown in the center, 10 to 15 minutes.

Cover the edges with foil if they’re browning too quickly. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

To prepare the ganache: Place white chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small bowl, mix espresso powder into heavy cream until dissolved, then add the coffee-infused cream to the chocolate. Set the bowl over a small saucepan of barely simmering water and heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is thick and smooth. When the parbaked pie crust is completely cool, pour the ganache into the bottom of the crust and spread into an even layer. Chill until ready to add the filling.

To prepare the filling: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves and nutmeg until no clumps remain. In a small bowl, mix espresso powder into heavy cream until dissolved. To the sugar mixture, add eggs, pumpkin, condensed milk, coffee-infused cream, maple syrup and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Pour into the chilled crust. Bake pie until edges are set and slightly puffed but center is recessed and wobbles like Jell-O, 60 to 75 minutes (it will continue to set after baking). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 3 hours.

To prepare the meringue: Bring a medium pot filled with about 2 inches of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Set a medium bowl over the pot, add the egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar, salt and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Then heat, whisking constantly or beating with a hand mixer, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees on a thermometer. Remove the bowl from the heat and add espresso powder to the mixture. Continue to whisk or transfer the heated mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Whip the mixture on medium-high speed until it reaches medium peaks, 2 to 3 minutes.

To serve: Pile the coffee meringue on top of the cooled pie, keeping it mounded a bit higher in the middle. If desired, toast the meringue with a kitchen torch. Garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon. Makes one 9-inch pie.

Tribune News Service