It simply wouldn't be Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie! But this isn't just ANY pumpkin pie—it's my signature pumpkin pie, complete with a gluten free pumpkin pie crust. Full of healthier swaps (such as maple syrup and coconut sugar in place of white sugar and nut milk in place of traditional inflammatory cow's milk), this pie packs all the flavor you love without the extra calories and innutritious ingredients you don't. With this pumpkin pie, you’ll never miss the old standard full of unhealthy ingredients.
So, what makes my signature pumpkin pie healthier? Well, for starters, I like to nix unhealthy ingredients such as cow’s milk and traditional white sugar. In fact, a 2015 study revealed that adults who consumed dairy foods experienced higher low-grade inflammation. [1] And numerous studies have revealed the connection between consuming white sugar and various health concerns.
You may be surprised to learn just how dangerous consuming traditional sugar can be. A 2014 study determined that adults who consumed 25 percent or more of their daily calories from sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who consumed less than 10 percent added sugar in their diets. [2]
These reasons and more are why I choose to make a healthier (but just as delicious!) pumpkin pie that my guests just love! And I love knowing they’re being fed healthy ingredients while enjoying the holiday festivities. So, let’s dive in and prepare this incredible dessert!
Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Serves: 8
Crust:
2 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder (optional*)
6 tablespoons butter or vegan butter, cut into small squares
6-9 tablespoons ice water
Filling:
2 cups organic pumpkin puree
¼ cup maple syrup + ¼ cup coconut sugar
2 teaspoons non-alcoholic vanilla flavoring
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon nut milk
2½ tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2-3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Sea salt, to taste (optional)
Cinnamon, to taste (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. To make the gluten free pumpkin pie crust, in a large bowl, mix together the flour, coconut sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, and baking powder.
3. Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the flour mixture resembles small peas.
4. Slowly add the water (not the ice) into the mixture and mix until a dough is formed.
5. Put some excess flour onto a sheet of parchment paper and roll out the dough.
6. Use the parchment paper to help flip the dough onto a pie dish and gently form the dough into the dish, keeping any excess for optional decorations.
7. In a high-speed blender, put all filling ingredients. Blend until well-combined.
8. Pour the filling into the pie dish and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the crust is golden and the filling is solid.
9. Meanwhile, roll the excess dough and make decorations, if desired.
10. Bake the decorations on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 10 minutes, or place them on the pie during the last 10 minutes of baking.