Gluten-free pumpkin pie features a deliciously nutty crust made with almond flour and a wonderfully creamy filling.
This creamy and flavorful pie has a nutty, delicious almond flour crust and a creamy, honey-sweetened pumpkin filling. 🥧
I don’t really like jiggly pie fillings, so I really wanted this to be creamy but not jiggly. I did it! The secret ingredient? Adding a bit of coconut flour to the filling. It’s an excellent flour substitute, and it helps solidify and stabilize the filling.
I worked hard on this one!
I typically try recipes 2-3 times before I feel I can publish them here (or before I give up on them). But in the case of this gluten-free pumpkin pie, I’ve made so many attempts that my husband started calling me “Monica.”
Remember the “Friends” episode where she makes 22 batches of chocolate chip cookies in an attempt to “make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world?”
So yes, I worked very hard on this one. But the result is amazing. This pie is truly wonderful, and I say this as someone who’s generally not very fond of pumpkin pie!
The ingredients you’ll need
These are the ingredients to make this tasty gluten-free pumpkin pie. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
For the almond flour crust: Egg, kosher salt, honey, and blanched almond flour.
Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Pumpkin puree: I use canned pure pumpkin puree. My favorite brand is Libby’s. It’s not fancy or organic, but it has the best texture, in my opinion.
Honey: I haven’t experimented with using a granulated sweetener instead, but I believe it should work.
Pumpkin pie spice: I use the store-bought spice blend. You can make your own blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice.
Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing – pure vanilla extract – and not the artificially flavored stuff.
Coconut flour: This is a highly absorbent flour, so it helps stabilize the filling and makes it less jiggly.
Canned coconut milk: Be sure to use full-fat milk. The reduced-fat isn’t very good, both in terms of flavor and in terms of texture.
How to make gluten-free pumpkin pie
It’s easier than you think! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Make the crust. Simply mix the crust ingredients by hand, then press the dough over the bottom and halfway up the sides of a greased 9-inch pie plate. There’s no need to bake the crust.
Prepare the filling. Whisking all the filling ingredients together by hand until very smooth. Then pour the filling into the pie crust.
Bake the pie. Bake it for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven, at 350°F.
Cool the pie. You’ll need to cool it for two hours on a cooling rack, then refrigerate for at least two more hours before slicing and serving.
Almond flour crust is easy to work with
The best part of making this gluten-free pumpkin pie: it’s actually easier to make an almond flour crust than to make a wheat flour crust.
There’s no need to roll the dough out or to worry about overworking it. Overworking elongates the gluten strands, creating a tough crust.
But this is not a concern with a gluten-free crust. I used to bake a lot with wheat before transitioning to a gluten-free diet, so I should know!
Consider giving up the crust
As much as I love this pie, I usually end up making crustless pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I just can’t get over how much flavor you get with a crustless pie, for so few calories and carbs.
Plus it’s ridiculously easy to make. But if you can’t give up the crust (and who can blame you?), then this recipe is certainly a good option.
How to store leftovers
To store leftovers, cut the entire pie into slices. Then place the slices in a sealed container on paper towels to absorb extra moisture. This will ensure the almond flour crust doesn’t get soggy. Replace the paper towels daily.
My pie lasts this way for four days and the last slice is just as good as the first!
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Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
INGREDIENTS
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil for the pie plate
Crust:
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 1/2 cups blanched finely ground almond flour Super Fine Grind
Filling:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup honey (112 grams)
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour (14 grams)
- 1 cup canned coconut milk, full-fat, unsweetened
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch glass pie plate with coconut oil.
- Prepare the crust: In a medium bowl, use a fork to whisk together the egg, salt and honey. Add the almond flour and mix with a fork, then with your hands until dough forms. Transfer the dough to the prepared pie plate and flatten it with your hands, pressing it into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pie plate. Do not pre-bake the crust.
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, using a hand whisk, lightly whisk the eggs. Add the pumpkin, honey, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and whisk until well-incorporated. Sift the coconut flour into the mixture, whisking it in, then stir in the coconut milk.
- Using a rubber spatula, transfer the filling to the prepared pie crust. The filling will go fairly high, higher than the crust, almost reaching the top of the pie plate.
- Bake until the center appears set and a toothpick inserted in it comes out just a little moist and free of batter. This can take anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven. Start checking the pie after 45 minutes. If it’s not set yet, continue baking, but loosely tent the edges with strips of foil if they seem to be getting too dark. (I actually find that I don’t need to do that most times, because the filling reaches so high that the edges of the crust are not exposed.)
- Cool the pie 2 hours on a cooling rack, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours before slicing and serving. When ready to slice the pie, gently run a knife along the edges of the pie to help release it from the pan. Use a sharp cake knife to slice the pie, and firmly slide a cake server underneath each slice before you lift it up – almond flour pie crust is not as sturdy as regular pie crust, so slice and serve with care.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container, on paper towels to absorb extra moisture. Replace the paper towels daily.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.