Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie – Not only is this super healthy gluten free pumpkin pie also dairy free, but it’s sweetened naturally. So, if you’re a huge fan of Libby’s Pumpkin Pie classic recipe then you will want to try this recipe. You definitely won’t have the sugar crash or gut discomfort that follows the classic recipe.
This gluten free Pumpkin Pie is our new go-to fall dessert and perfect to make ahead for Thanksgiving dinner. Plus, you can make it crust-less too.
Just like Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie
Sometimes it is hard to recreate a favorite childhood recipe when you grow up. Lucky for me, Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie recipe is still in print on the back of their canned pumpkin puree. So, I can see exactly what was in the pumpkin pie of my childhood memories.
One thing is for sure though, what I ate growing up was not gluten free pumpkin pie. It certainly wasn’t dairy-free either and my gut could definitely tell.
Growing up my grandma made pumpkin pie pretty much year round, mostly just for me. Grandma made Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie recipe and a store-bought crust. And to this day, that is what I feel like a “real” pumpkin pie should taste like.
Pumpkin pie with mounds of whip cream right out of the can was one of my all-time favorite desserts. In fact, I’m almost certain pumpkin pie was the first pie I ever made. Needless to say, I am very nostalgic about this particular dessert, especially around Thanksgiving.
But, re-creating this to be a gluten free dairy free pumpkin pie was a necessity. Plus, why not completely overhaul the recipe to be naturally sweetened too!
Revisiting Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie Recipe to Make a Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie That Tastes Better!
My grandma wasn’t exactly into “health” food, nor did she like to deviate too much from the rules. Thus, the thought of not using the evaporated milk that the recipe on the back of Libby’s canned pumpkin puree called for surely never crossed grandma’s mind.
I guess if grandma were serious about her pie-making matters she’d have made her own crust, but store-bought crust was less hassle and nobody seemed to care if the pie was totally homemade or not, certainly not me.
I am pretty sure grandma didn’t even know what gluten was either, so the last thing she did was try to make a gluten free pumpkin pie. Who had ever even heard of such a thing?!
Boy have times changed… especially since we eat totally clean.
Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie — That Still Tastes Like Libby’s!
There are three major things that I changed when re-creating this gluten free Pumpkin Pie recipe for Thanksgiving… and year round! I switched up the crust to be a homemade crust that is super easy to make (no rolling pin). Then, I made a dairy free pumpkin pie filling that is so creamy and delicious. Last, we switched out the tons of refined sugar in Libby’s Pumpkin Pie recipe for natural sweeteners.
Let’s dive in.
Swap #1: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Crust Recipe
If I could find a store-bought crust that was ultra-healthy and tasted good I would absolute buy it. Trust me, I’m definitely not above taking short cuts in the kitchen! But, to date I haven’t found one that totally meets my standards for clean eating and good taste, so I have to make my own.
The recipe for the crust below is probably about as healthy a crust as you can get. The gluten free Pumpkin Pie crust is made with a delicious flour combination and no added sugar. Instead, the sweetness in the crust comes from organic pitted dates. It is easy as pie to make!
While the gluten free pumpkin pie crust does not taste like the store-bought crust of my childhood pies, the most important part of this gluten free pumpkin pie recipe is the filling. It literally tastes just like Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie filling.
Swap #2: Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie recipe has been on the back of Libby’s canned Pumpkin labels since 1950 and it is undoubtedly a classic. Considering how nutrient-dense pumpkin is and how Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie recipe only has about 30 calories of sugar per serving the pumpkin pie of my youth really wasn’t such a bad choice after all (except for the terrible trans-fat laden store-bought crust!!)
Did you know? Pumpkin is ridiculously low in calories while also being very high in potassium, antioxidants vitamin A and beta-carotene. Plus, it has lots of disease-fighting phytonutrients.
My biggest issue with Libby’s classic recipe is that it calls for a whole can of evaporated milk. I just can’t bring myself to use that stuff. I decided to substitute organic coconut milk instead (read more about why I like coconut milk over dairy milk.) I’ll admit, I thought for sure my pumpkin pie would end up with a definitively undesirable tropical taste…but I am happy to say the traditional classic flavor is not compromised in the least.
I made a few tweaks to Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie classic recipe by adding my very own Pumpkin Pie Spice mixture.
Definitely do not skip the freshly grated ginger! I also eliminated the refined sugar in the filling and sweetened only with “whole” food pureed dates (or, for those of you who do not have a high-speed blender, unrefined coconut palm sugar will also work)….
Swap #3: Make It Sweet as Pie with ZERO Added Sugar in a High-Speed Blender
If you have a high speed blender, you can make the filling with zero added sugar. To do this, simply follow the ingredients for the filling in the recipe below using the pitted dates. If you just have a regular blender, use coconut sugar instead.
What is coconut palm sugar? Coconut palm sugar is an unrefined sweetener made from dried coconut palm nectar. So, unlike regular table sugar, it is not an empty calorie food. I wouldn’t classify it as a “superfood”, but coconut sugar is definitely a good option when it comes to natural sweeteners.
No Time to Make a Homemade Crust?
If you don’t have time to make the gluten free pumpkin pie crust, simply make the filling and make pumpkin pie custard instead.
To make the custards, follow the directions for the pumpkin pie filling in the recipe below. But instead of pouring the filling into the unbaked pie crust, you simply pour it into 6, 4 ounce ramekins. You will still bake the custards at the same temperature and reduce the time to 30-40 minutes instead. If they are not quite done, continue baking them another 5 minutes or so. Serve the custards cold, just as you would the pie.
Kitchen Favorites
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
Loved Libby’s Pumpkin Pie? Then you will absolutely love that this gluten free pumpkin pie tastes just like the dessert and dairy-free too.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8
Ingredients
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Crust Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup organic coconut oil, softened
- 1/4 cup organic maple syrup
- 1 organic egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup organic almond flour
- 1/2 cup organic coconut flour
- 1/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon gluten free baking soda
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Filling Ingredients:
- 1 – 15 ounce canned pumpkin puree
- 3 organic, pastured eggs
- 1 cup
- 1/2 cup organic pitted dates OR coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Garnish with Whipped Coconut Cream
Instructions
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Crust Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- To a food processor, add the oil, maple syrup, egg and vanilla and process briefly, until ingredients are well combined.
- To the food processor, add the almond flour, coconut flour, salt and baking soda and process again until ingredients are well blended.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. If sticking to your finger tips, get them slightly wet.
- Bake the crust for 5 minutes. Then, allow the crust to cool completely before adding the filling.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a high speed blender, add all of the ingredients and process until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the par-baked pie crust. Bake in the middle rack in the center of the oven for 45-55 minutes. Set pumpkin pie on wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour before serving.
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Notes
In my opinion, this gluten free pumpkin pie tastes best super cold. I like to refrigerate mine overnight and serve it cold with whipped coconut cream.
I used coconut sugar and the pie was absolutely delicious – and the crust was so easy to make. Thank you!
Hi ivy!
Do you think I could substitute the dates / coconut palm sugar for stevia, or a “keto-friendly” sweetener, like swerve? If so, what type of ratio do you recommend?
i love your blog and recipes….. you have absolutely changed my life! Thank you so much!!! Keep up the *amazing* info and work!!! Xo
Hi Anne! I am SO sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that it is all helping and making a difference 😉 Thank you for taking the time to let me know! As for the sweetener, I think stevia would be the best option if you wanted it to be zero calorie. However, you do have to be careful with stevia because a little goes a LONG way! I would start by using just 1 teaspoon and then taste before adding more. I so hope this helps? Please do let me know if you give it a try. XOXO
Do you think we can substitute the eggs in this? I am vegan and gluten free and have been looking for a vegan (mayeb raw) pumpkin pie!!
Hi Kristen,
I’m not sure what you would use to substitute the eggs? The eggs help firm the pie filling when it is baked (they don’t contribute to the flavor though, so if you know of a good substitute you could certainly try!) If you do give it a try please let me know what you used and how it turns out. Good luck!!
Great idea on the date sugar, Ivy! I will certainly give your recipe a try with the date sugar. Thank you for your quick response and suggestion…I love your blog! Happy Thanksgiving, Ivy. 🙂
-Lauren
Hi Ivy, do you think I could replace the 3/4 cup of brown sugar with a combination of agave nectar and honey? I look forward to trying this recipe for Thanksgiving this year.
thank you,
Lauren
Hi Lauren,
I’m a little nervous to say that would work because the “liquid-y” nature of the agave & honey are going to bake different than the brown sugar and also could totally change the texture of the filling. However, if you want a healthier sugar option why not try date sugar? You can find date sugar in the natural foods store and unlike brown sugar it is not an “empty calorie” sugar—it’s made from dehydrated dates (it’s actually a much better choice than agave and honey!) The date sugar cooks just like regular sugar, but its not as sweet–so you may want to use a smidgen more. Hope this helps? And hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!!–ivy 😉
Ivy, thank you so much for this great recipe. The pie had an excellent flavor and I was so pleased to be able to make a clean-eating version of this holiday favorite. It was a big hit with everyone who tried it. I’m going to be making it again for an upcoming Christmas party.
Hi Niamh,
Oh good! I’m just thrilled you (and everyone else!) liked the pie =) Thank you so very much for taking the time let me know. Pumpkin pie is one of my all-time favorites so I too am happy to have found a way to make it healthy. I hope everyone likes it for X-mas too…
Thanks again for getting in touch. Happy holidays!!!
Hi Ivy. Just wanted you to know I tried your pumpkin pie recipe for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit for all age groups! I thought maybe some might comment on the crust, but everyone seemed happy. (FYI: also tried your apple crisp with cranberries and your peanut butter blondie bars..both with positive reviews!)
Hi Betsy!
Thank you SO much for taking the time to let me know! I’m THRILLED everyone liked it. I know the ingredients in the pie crust are a big “odd” but I haven’t had anyone complain either 😉 So glad you liked the other recipes too. Hope you are having a happy holiday season. Thanks again for getting in touch.
Ivy – I tried the substitution of coconut milk and but used a “lite” Taste of Thai version. I also used 12 ounces and I notice you recommend only one cup. I was a bit disappointed but couldn’t put my finger on why. It was just so so. It didn’t have a strong coconutty flavor but the spices were dulled and the consistency was just lacking.
So here I am tonight searching for an alternative and I found your website and recipe. Have you ever tried a lite coconut milk instead of a regular version? I’m wondering if that was my problem. I was going to try a do over with silken tofu. Have you tried that?
Thanks for the help.
Hi Kathleen,
I definitely do not recommend using “Light” coconut milk…I am sure that’s the reason your other recipe did not work. The regular coconut milk will give you a full-bodied and rich flavor.
If you are worried about the saturated fat in coconut oil read the article I wrote below:
https://cleancuisine.com/is-the-saturated-fat-in-coconut-harmful/
Hope this helps? Please let me know how it turns out!
Having just recently found out that I’m gluten intolerant, I have to say this is a golden treasure of a find during the holiday season! Thank you for the recipe Ivy 🙂
I’m so happy you like it Jessica! Thank you so much for commenting =) Later today I’ll be posting a recipe for a gluten-free entree featuring butternut squash that is also very seasonal!
Hi Ivy,
I’ve contacted you before… and I am right in sync with your thinking. Only the other day at work, I went to the Internet to search for a dairy-free and gluten-free crust and pumpkin pie filling! Yours sounds a lot tastier than the one I found–and probably more nutritious too.
Thank you for your timely post!!
Joan
Hi Joan! So good to hear back from you =) I’m thrilled you like the sound of the gluten free pumpkin pie crust. Hope to hear from you again soon!
P.S. Clean Cuisine is on Facebook too so this is a great way to keep in touch with me (and also give suggestions for recipes you’d like to see)! Or, you can also sign up for my free weekly newsletter (up at the right top hand corner of site)
We will be looking forward to it for T-day!!!
oh good! glad you like the sound of it Elaine 😉
I can’t wait to try this crust! It sounds really yummy!
Thanks so much Rebecca! You’ll have to let me know if you make it.