Don't worry: there's no need to make pumpkin ice cream from scratch for this pie. Your kids can simply mix vanilla ice cream with pumpkin puree, sprinkle in a few spices, and then line a cinnamon-graham crust with their tasty concoction.

 

 

1. Heat the oven to 350º. In a 9-inch pie plate, mix the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Have your child crumble the mixture with her fingers until the butter is evenly distributed. Then she should press it around the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Bake for 5 minutes and cool completely.

 

2. Meanwhile, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Scoop it into a large mixing bowl. Break apart the ice cream with a spoon, then add the sugar, spices, and pumpkin. Mash until the pumpkin and spices are evenly distributed through the ice cream.

 

3. Spoon (or pour) the pumpkin ice cream into the cooled crust. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for several hours or overnight.

 

4. Before serving, decorate the pie with an assortment of dried fruit to create a colorful jack-o'-lantern face. We cut figs, dried papaya, and dates into triangles for the eyes and nose and into squares for the teeth. Let the pie sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 8.