Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch! {gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free}

Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch!

It’s that time year again! Thanksgiving! Ever since I was a little girl, I absolutely loved Thanksgiving. It was a time to spend with family without any of the frills of Christmas. Just lots of cooking and baking and quality family time. Of course one of the main reasons I loved Thanksgiving was for the pumpkin pie. I waited all year to eat my favorite dessert. While my mom generally cooked the savory part of the meal, I was always in charge of the dessert. For most of my childhood I made the recipe in the Joy of Cooking book. I would buy a frozen pie crust and then make the filling with either precut pumpkin pieces or canned pumpkin puree. While those pumpkin pies were delicious, nothing can compare the taste to a pie made with fresh pie pumpkins. It wasn’t until about 5 years ago that I started really experimenting with my pumpkin pies. I first made the jump to vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free pies until my health made me start incorporating animal fat back into my diet. Fast forward to today, I follow a ketogenic diet for my concussion recovery. Don’t worry I will have lots of posts on my health and nutrition background. But today let’s focus on one thing and one thing only. PIE.

This is without a doubt the BEST pumpkin pie I have ever made. It has the custard like consistency that most vegan pumpkin pies are missing and the coconut milk adds a sweetness to it that just doesn’t compare with the canned evaporated milk I used to use. Not to mention 1) I can literally have this pie for breakfast its that healthy and 2) no stomach ache after eating it! Most dairy filled desserts leave me bloated and feeling nauseous. The almond flour crust is even more delicious than your regular flour crust while not overwhelming the pumpkin flavor like other healthy crusts do. I used to make a date and pecan crust for my vegan pumpkin pie, which overpowered the pumpkin flavor too much. Secondly, the crusts I made with coconut oil had too strong of a coconut flavor. The almond flour and butter are just the perfect blend.

And don’t be scared to bake a pie pumpkin! They are small and easy to bake in the oven. Bake them just like you would a butternut squash! It’s really that simple.

Here are the easy swaps I made in this recipe.

Refined Flour >> Almond Flour
Regular butter >> grass-fed butter or grass-fed ghee (use ghee to make the recipe dairy free)
Evaporated milk >> full fat coconut milk
Refined sugar >> coconut sugar, maple syrup, and molsasses. This year I will be using Lakanto’s golden monk fruit extract an erythitrol blend for a low carb/low sugar keto version of this pie.
Regular eggs >> pasture-raised eggs.

The recipe:

First, cut the pumpkin in half and remove all of the seeds and fibrous interior. Save the seeds to roast later! Wash them, dry them, toss with butter or olive oil and himalayan pink salt and roast for 45 minutes at 300 F.

Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch!

Roasted Pumpkin SeedsSecond, rub them with coconut oil or butter and place them face down on a baking sheet.

Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch!Third, bake in the oven at 375 F for about 1 hour until it feels tender with a fork. Remove from oven and cool.

While the pumpkin is baking, prepare the crust. Combine 1/4 cup of grass-fed butter or grass-fed ghee with 2 cups of almond four and a pinch of salt. Combine with your hands and then press onto a pie pan. Cook for 15 min at 350 F, then set aside to cool.

Almond Flour Crust - Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch!Now that your pumpkins have cooled, peel away the skins from the pumpkin meat. Then place the pumpkin in a food processor and puree until smooth.

Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch! Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch!

Place in a large mixing bowl and add in all the dry ingredients first, followed by the coconut milk and eggs. Whisk together until it forms a custardy consistency.

Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch

Pour in the pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, the reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. I always make my pumpkin pie the day before Thanksgiving since the oven will be occupied with the turkey!

The day of I whip up some Coconut milk whipped cream to top the pie. Always a crowd pleaser! I always have to make more because it gets eaten so quickly! I place a can of full fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight or just place it in the freezer for an hour if I forgot! Flip the can upside down. Open it and pour out all of the liquid. The cream should be hardened at the bottom. Using an electric mixer (I use my Kitchen Aid stand up mixer), whip with 1 teaspoon of vanilla and two tablespoons of maple syrups. You can add more maple syrup if you like yours sweeter. If looking for a keto version, use the Lakanto sweetener instead.

And there you go, the healthiest, most delicious pumpkin pie ever.

Paleo/Keto Pumpkin Pie from Scratch!

 

Ingredient List:

Crust:
2 cups almond flour
1/4 butter
A pinch of salt

Pie Filling:
2 cups of pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk
2 eggs (you can use 3 eggs if you like a firmer pie)
1/2 tablespoon molasses (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or sub Lakanto Golden Monkfruit Erythritol blend for a low sugar/ketogenic alternative)

Coconut Whipped Cream:
1 can full fat coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons maple syrup or sweetener of choice