Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie – Dairy Free

This gluten free pumpkin pie is holiday treat…any time of year!  Fragrant pumpkin goodness, flaky crust, and no refined sugars or grains to boot!  It’s also easily made dairy free too!

 

My whole family was in absolute heaven when I created this recipe…a pie you can swoon over, and not feel too guilty about eating! 

My daughter exclaimed, “If all my vegetables tasted like this, I wouldn’t even eat my dessert first at school, I would eat my vegetables!”  Sigh.  Out of the mouth of babes!

Alas, I didn’t want to clarify that anything sweetened should be called a dessert and not a vegetable: this is a wholesome treat to be feeding my family regardless!

Making pumpkin pie from scratch requires minimal ingredients and just a bit if technique when it comes to the crust!  I often make a double batch while I am at it to make my favorite dairy free chicken pot pie with root vegetables…you’ll never look at the humble pot pie the same again!

Pumpkin pie using fresh pumpkin

I use fresh pumpkin puree for my pies….it really takes them to the gourmet/utterly amazing level. 

Unfortunately, not all pumpkins and squashes SHOULD be baked and eaten. 

Like any fruit or vegetable, picking the best and ripest ones ensure success and mouthwatering results. 

I go into some detail about choosing and baking your own squash and pumpkin in this post. 

Ultimately, you can use a can too, but I wanted to encourage you to try using fresh!  It will set your pie over the top!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie?

Since I opted to use all grain free flours for this crust recipe…creating a totally dairy free and paleo pumpkin pie was in order!

I rarely used refined sugars, and I love the caramel flavors palm sugar adds to this recipe.  BUT, you can use plain ole sugar if you like…or even some erythritol for a lower carb version!

For the milk in this pie, I have tested the recipe with a variety of FULL FAT milks (the fat is needed to have the ideal creamy texture).  

I used coconut milk first…but if you have anyone who hits the hills at any whiff of coconut….then turn to your own homemade creamy nut milk!  I whir 1 cup of raw cashews into 3 cups water in my blender.  Super creamy and rich is the key…the thin carton milks with a nut or two in a cup of milk won’t cut it!

If dairy is tolerated, half and half or evaporated milk are great options too!

And if you are low carb, try using this keto low carb pie crust as a base!

Tips and tools for making the perfect paleo pie crust:

I have spent a lot of time making pie crusts over the years.  In the beginning, I was SO intimated by them!

I have learned that more than anything, the TECHNIQUE is most important here, not as much the flours you choose!

Here are a few tips and tricks I have learned over the years that I can now share with you!

1. COLD ingredients make for a the flaky texture!  So I have stripped that down to using FROZEN butter chunks, OR placing the whole food processor bowl in the freezer to chill.  It is also why I place the crust in the freezer after shaping the dough in the pie plate!
2. It is important that there visible chunks of whatever fat you choose….it is NOT supposed to be blended all in! Cold ingredients help to make sure the fat doesn’t melt and disappear.
3.   While I have done this with a good old pastry cutter by hand, I much prefer using my food processor to handle this job.  It makes it SO much easier!
4. It’s important that the right amount ice water is added.  Just enough to press together easily and not crumble!  Please refer to picture, that is my completed dough dumped out onto my pie crust bag!  Once formed and kneaded a couple of times…note the look!
5. The pie crust bag transformed crust making for me!  It takes al the guess work out of it size wise, and enables me to easily pick up and move my rolled pie crust.  I HIGHLY recommend you invest in one!  They have inexpensive plastic ones which are great, but they do not last as long as the silicon version.
6. Finally, the pie crust shield just ensures that the crust edge is not overcooked after the extended cook times.  Inexpensive and easy!  Alternately, you can gently place a piece of parchment or foil over the whole pie half way through the cooking time.  Just be careful the paper does not rest on the pumpkin custard and mar the surface.

Finally, I really like this simple video on different ways to shape your pie crust edges!

Additional gluten free Thanksgiving recipes to try:

• We love my tender and fragrant paleo pumpkin bread!
• This paleo chocolate cake with pumpkin is for all the chocoholics in your life!
• A bowl of Whole30 pumpkin chili would warm you up on any cool day!
• We love my gluten free egg free pumpkin rolls for a special breakfast treat!
• These oven roasted garlic, bacon, and brown sugar green beans look special!

Gluten free pecan pie is another classic Thanksgiving treat, and this one has no corn syrup!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe:

If you try this special from scratch pumpkin pie, be sure to come back and leave a comment and review!

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