Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

Crust
1/2 cup pecan pieces finely chopped
1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
1 envelope (1/4 oz.) unflavored gelatin
1 8oz pkg cream cheese (at room temp)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup apple butter

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9" pie plate with cooking spray. Make crust: spread pecans on a baking sheet, toast until nuts are golden and fragrant about 8 mins, shaking pan twice. Transfer to bowl to cool; chop finely. Mix pecans, graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until evenly moistened. Press into pie plate. Bake until edges are golden brown (about 10 mins). Let cool on wire rack.

Make filling: In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup of cool water and let stand 5 minutes to soften. Using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin spice and salt until smooth. Mix in pumpkin puree. Place bowl of gelatin in a pan of simmering water and warm, stirring until melted (about 2 mins). When gelatin is clear and smooth, remove bowl and stir in 1/2 pumpkin filling. Spoon filling. Fold gelatin mixture into remaining pumpkin filling. In a smaller bowl whip cream until stiff peaks form then fold into pumpkin filling. Spoon filling into pie crust and smooth top. Spoon apple butter around top of filling; press lightly into filling with spoon. Drag a small knife through apple butter in a swirl pattern to create a marble effect, taking care not to hit crust. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.

Serving Size: Makes 12 servings

Number of Servings: 12

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LAC936.