Pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving classic, but there is absolutely no reason to wait until late November to make this delicious dessert—especially when it’s prime pumpkin-carving season and it’s a great way to use the innards of your gourds. (If you’re intimidated, don’t be—canned pumpkin puree works just fine.)
Experts in This Article
chef, nutritionist, and the founder of RASA, a company specializing in individualized nutrition programs
Whenever you put a pie on the table, you want to make sure as many people can dig in as possible, right? (Right? Come on, don’t be greedy…) That’s where the dairy-free, gluten-free pumpkin pie in the latest episode of Alt-Baking Bootcamp can come in handy. Even if you’ve never baked a pie before, you can hands-down whip this one up. It’s easier than you may think, including mastering the flaky crust.
The crust is exactly what nutritionist and chef Mia Rigden, MS, CNS, starts making first in the episode. “We know this is a very important part of the pie. It’s got to be flaky, it’s got to be the right consistency, all those things,” she says. Here’s what she uses to make it: gluten-free all-purpose flour, refined coconut oil (in place of butter), egg, coconut sugar, and sea salt. (She also adds xanthan gum, an optional ingredient to help with binding.) In the episode, Rigden shows exactly how to turn the ingredients into the perfect gluten-free crust, step-by-step.
Now for the real star of the show: the filling. Besides the pumpkin puree, which can be straight from the squash or bought canned, one very key ingredient is coconut milk. This alt-milk is thicker than the others and also slightly sweet—perfect for silky, pumpkin pie. The filling also includes eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and the Spice Girls of Fall (that would be cinnamon, ginger, clove, and allspice.) “The eggs are good for blood sugar balancing and also add good nutrition to the pie,” Rigden says, pointing out that they’re a good source of protein and healthy fats. Just like the crust, Rigden shows exactly how to make the filling step-by-step in the video, including how to combine the two, making an absolute scrumptious pumpkin pie.
“[This pumpkin pie] is super creamy, silky, smooth…the perfect amount of sweetness, it’s not overly sweet but it definitely has a hint of that maple syrup in there,” Rigden says after taking a bite of a whipped cream-topped slice. “It has nice spices, the crust is nice and flaky…I think we nailed it.”
Ready to give it a try? Scroll down for the complete recipe and watch the video to see how it’s done.
Gluten-free pumpkin pie recipe
Ingredients
For the crust:1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough2 tsp coconut sugar1/2 tsp sea salt1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (optional)1 cup refined coconut oil1 egg
For the filling:1 can pumpkin puree1 cup full fat coconut milk1/2 cup maple syrup3 eggs1 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp ginger1/4 tsp clove1/4 tsp allspice1/2 tsp salt
1. Start by making the crust. Add the flour, coconut sugar, salt, and xanthan gum (if using) to a food processor and pulse until combined. The xanthan gum helps bind the dough in the absence of gluten. Some gluten-free flours already have xanthan gum; add if yours doesn’t. If you omit the xanthan gum, the crust will be a little more crumbly, but it still works!
2. Next, add the refined coconut oil. Make sure the coconut oil is cold, not melted, and pulse until the dough looks like small pebbles.
3. Then, add the egg and pulse to combine.
4. Transfer your dough to parchment paper and let sit in the fridge for at least one hour.
5. When you’re ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 400°F.
6. Combine all the filling ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
7. Place the dough on a piece of parchment and flour both sides. Then, place another piece of parchment on top and roll the dough out.
8. Transfer to a pie plate and add the filling.
9. Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F, then lower to 350°F for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. If it is not done after 50 minutes, continue to set the timer in 5-minute increments.
10. Let cool for at least 2 hours before serving.
Get more healthy dessert ideas in Well+Good’s Cook With Us Facebook group.
Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter
Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.
Got it, you've been added to our email list.
