This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy
With an easy-to-make, perfectly flaky crust and rich, delicious filling, this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters! It’s so good that my guess is it will not only be a hit at your Thanksgiving dinner, but will also continue to make an appearance on your table year round. My wife says, “this pie is a whole mood.” I have no idea what that means, but I think it’s a good thing.
This is actually an updated version of a recipe I shared way back in October of 2016! In that version I used a pie crust based on the one from FoodRepublic.com, originally developed by Lea Valle, author of the cookbook Sweet Paleo: Gluten Free, Grain-Free Desserts, but replaced the butter/palm oil/lard she called for with ghee.
If I’m being honest, the old pie crust was very good, but it wasn’t the best. It was a combination of almond flour, coconut flour and arrowroot starch. It was tasty, easy, and gluten-free, but also very fragile and delicate, breaking quite easily when transferring it to a pie dish. I knew that I needed a more flexible dough that would be easy for everyone to make.
I’m happy to say that this gluten-free pumpkin pie is much easier to make and the dough is more forgiving than the older one I used. The pie crust is made with cassava flour, tapioca starch and a very tiny amount of xanthan gum, which acts as a binder that helps hold the dough together. It’s actually identical to the pie crust I use to make my Chicken Pot Pie, except that here I use a little less salt in the dough.
It used to be very hard to find these alternative flours. If you did manage to find them, they were super expensive. These days all you have to do is order from Thrive Market. Not only do they carry almost everything you’ll need to make this gluten-free pumpkin pie, but they also cost anywhere from 25-50% off retail prices.
New to Thrive Market?
Click here for 25% OFF your first order and a free 30-Day Trial Membership!
(no code required)
The pumpkin pie filling is the same one I used in the first recipe I shared. Thankfully that didn’t need any tweaking and is about as good as it gets! It comes out super rich and decadent! The secret to making it taste extra special is a tiny bit of orange zest. The pumpkin and orange flavours work perfectly together along with the earthy spices. Just like the alternative flours, you can buy some great organic pumpkin puree on Thrive Market. I really like the Thrive Market Private Label products because they’re high-quality and a great price, but you can find other brands as well. Just be sure to look for pumpkin purees that are free of additives and sugars because they’re unnecessary.
Making Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie in Advance
You can prepare both the pie dough and the pumpkin pie filling in advance. I don’t know if I would let things sit in the fridge for more than 24 hours, so if you plan on making this for, say, Thanksgiving dinner, than maybe prepare the dough and filling the day before and let them sit in the fridge overnight.
The pie dough will get very hard in the fridge, making it difficult to roll out. So, you can either roll it out and refrigerate it on a flat surface, like a cutting board, between two pieces of parchment paper, or let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling it out.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust
- 1 cup cassava flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- 1.5 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ cup cold, unsalted butter or ghee cut into small cubes
- 1 whole egg whisked
- 2 tablespoons very cold water
For the Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 15- ounce can organic, all-natural pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup all-natural, organic maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh orange zest
Instructions
For the Pie Crust
- In a large bowl, combine the cassava flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, and kosher salt. Stir until incorporated. Add the cold butter or ghee and use your hands to break it apart into the flour mixture until you have an even and crumbly consistency.
- Add the whisked egg and knead until you can form the dough into a ball. If your dough is too dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of cold water at a time. If your dough is too wet, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of cassava flour at a time. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it between two pieces of parchment paper dusted with cassava flour. Aim for an even thickness of around ¼-inch thick. If the dough crumbles, patch the cracks by pressing the dough with your fingers.
- Keep the dough between the parchment paper, place it onto a cutting board or similar surface and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Very carefully transfer the dough to a 10-inch pie dish. You can further mend the cracks directly in the pan. Use a fork to make holes in the bottom of the dough. Bake the unfilled dough for 15 minutes. Remove and let the pie dish cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.
For the Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until combined, trying not to get too much air into the mixture.
Make the Pie
- Lower the oven to 350˚F.
- Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon and gently tap the bottom of the dish to get rid of any air bubbles.
- Bake approximately 60 min or until the edges have firmed and the center has set and no longer jiggly.
- Remove from oven and let the filling cool fully before serving.
About the Author
Hi, i'm Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
You May Also Like
Disclaimer: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. This is one of the ways I am able to support my blog.
This pumpkin pie looks amazing! Wowed by the fact that it’s primal!
Thanks Bethany!
Ideas on if the crust would work egg free?!
A very good question. I haven’t tried it so can’t say. My guess is it would be a bit more crumbly but may possibly work.
This was probably the best grain free pie crust i’ve ever made! Super easy to work with, i was able to make a lattice top for my apple pie with it. What would be the best way to sweeten it up a little?
Wow! So glad to hear you enjoyed it! For a less savoury crust, you can always use a tiny bit less salt. I don’t know if I would add any sweeteners to it as that would likely darken the colour of the crust itself while it baked.
Hey! Thanks so much for this! I love your recipes! Any sub for tapioca flour? Arrowroot?
Arrowroot won’t give you the same texture here. Tapioca tends to have a better ability of holding the crust together.