Indulge Guilt-Free: The Ultimate Healthy, Gluten-Free, and Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Prepare to fall in love with a holiday classic reinvented! This Healthy Pumpkin Pie isn’t just a smart choice for your festive table; it’s a truly delicious and satisfying dessert that caters to various dietary needs without compromising on flavor or texture. Crafted to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and entirely refined sugar-free, this pie is so incredibly good, you’ll forget it’s healthy! It’s also a perfect fit for the 21 Day Fix program and includes Weight Watchers (WW) points, making it an ideal treat for anyone on a health journey.
This beloved recipe was originally shared in November 2015, marking my first year of blogging. Since then, it has undergone significant enhancements! This updated version features brand new photos, a refined recipe for an even better crust, and helpful tips to ensure you create the absolute best healthy pumpkin pie. My goal has always been to make clean eating accessible and enjoyable, especially during the holidays.
Confession #66: Like many, I plan to savor every moment of Thanksgiving, often without strict adherence to portion containers, color coding, or other dietary rules. It’s just one day, right?
However, once you embrace clean eating, even a single meal or a day off track can leave you feeling less than your best. For me, desserts laden with butter and processed sugar often lead to an uncomfortable aftermath, despite my deep love for holiday treats. That’s precisely why recipes like this gluten-free, dairy-free, and healthy pumpkin pie are an absolute game-changer. They allow you to indulge in the festive spirit without the usual post-dessert regrets.
Table of Contents
Toggle
Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie Perfection
When I first introduced this gluten-free pumpkin pie recipe, it was just months after my son’s dietary needs shifted to gluten and dairy-free, right before we hosted Thanksgiving. Healthy, gluten-free baking felt like uncharted territory, especially working with almond flour. However, over the years, I’ve developed a true appreciation for almond flour, which has now become one of my absolute go-to flours for its versatility and nutritional benefits. It provides a wonderful texture and delicate flavor that works perfectly in this pie.
To this day, I’m still astounded by how incredibly delicious a dairy-free pumpkin pie can be! The custard achieves a flawless texture and rich flavor that rivals any traditional pie, while the crust stands out as excellent, even without a speck of butter. This pie truly defies expectations, proving that dietary restrictions don’t have to mean sacrificing taste or the joy of a classic holiday dessert.
Key Ingredients for a Healthy Pumpkin Pie
This 21 Day Fix approved pumpkin pie is thoughtfully made with a selection of my favorite gluten-free and dairy-free pantry essentials, ensuring both health benefits and incredible flavor:
- Blanched Almond Flour: My preferred choice is Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour. Blanched almond flour provides a finer texture and a lighter color, which is ideal for a delicate pie crust. It’s naturally gluten-free and adds a wonderful nutty depth.
- Healthy Fat Choices (Butter, Vegan Butter, or Coconut Oil): For the crust, you have several flexible options: traditional butter, vegan butter (like Earth’s Balance for a dairy-free approach), or even melted coconut oil or butter-flavored coconut oil. All of these work interchangeably to create a rich and tender crust.
- Eggs: Eggs are crucial for the structure and richness of both the crust and the filling. Please note, I haven’t experimented with a vegan version of this pie yet, so I cannot provide reliable substitutions for the eggs at this time. If you try it, I’d love to hear about your results!
- Pumpkin Puree: This is where the true pumpkin flavor comes in! Always opt for 100% pure pumpkin puree in a can, not pumpkin pie filling, which often contains added sugars and spices. Alternatively, you can puree your own pumpkin. I generally steer clear of Trader Joe’s Brand pumpkin puree, as I’ve found it to be more watery, which can affect the pie’s consistency.
- Maple Syrup: Use 100% pure maple syrup for a natural, unrefined sweetness. Avoid pancake syrups, which are typically high in corn syrup and artificial flavors. Maple syrup adds a lovely caramel note that complements pumpkin beautifully.
- Honey: I enjoy the depth of flavor that a combination of maple syrup and honey provides. However, if you don’t have honey on hand, you can certainly use all maple syrup for the total required sweetener.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: A pre-made pumpkin pie spice blend simplifies the seasoning process. If you prefer, you can easily create your own blend using this recipe, tailoring the flavors to your preference.
- Cinnamon: A little extra cinnamon beyond what’s in the pumpkin pie spice truly punches up the warmth and aroma of the pie, making it even more inviting.
- Vanilla Extract: Just like cinnamon, a good quality vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors, adding a layer of complexity and sweetness to the filling.
- Canned Coconut Milk: This ingredient is a double-hitter! You’ll use it in the pie filling to achieve its creamy, luscious texture, and if you choose to make the recommended coconut milk whipped cream (which I highly encourage!), it’s the star ingredient there too. Ensure it’s full-fat canned coconut milk for the best results, especially for the topping.
Mastering the Almond Flour Crust
The original photos of this pie from years ago were, to be frank, pretty awful, which meant this incredible recipe didn’t get the attention it deserved. But then, a wonderful reader in one of my Facebook communities recently raved about this pie, sharing how much she and her family adored it. Guys, hearing your positive feedback is truly my biggest motivation to stay up late working once my kids are asleep. Knowing these recipes help and are loved makes all the effort worthwhile.
Inspired by this feedback, while planning new photos, I also seized the opportunity to tinker a bit with the Almond Flour crust. I absolutely loved the flavor of the original crust, but it was notoriously difficult to work with, tending to be more like a dense cookie crust than a flaky pie crust. This time, I was determined to achieve a texture closer to a traditional pie while maintaining its healthy profile.
And so, I experimented by adding an egg to the mixture and reducing the oil/butter by half. I also slightly reduced the amount of sweetener in the crust, as I prefer a plainer crust that allows the rich pumpkin filling to shine. The results were astounding! It worked incredibly well, creating a crust that’s easy to manage and boasts a fantastic texture. Honestly, I still can’t quite believe it!
The best part? There’s no need to painstakingly roll this crust out. Simply grab a spoon or use your fingers to press the dough evenly onto your pie plate. One crucial tip: make sure to use a crust shield or some aluminum foil to protect the edges during baking. Almond flour crusts have a tendency to brown quite quickly. As you can see in my photos, the edges can get quite dark – rest assured, they aren’t burned, but they do toast beautifully, and that’s even after I covered them!
The Magic of Homemade Coconut Whipped Cream
We believe this Healthy Pumpkin Pie reaches its peak of deliciousness when topped with a generous dollop of homemade coconut cream. And guess what? It’s surprisingly simple to make! The key is to refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight. This chilling process allows the thick, white cream to separate and solidify at the top, leaving the clear coconut water at the bottom.
Once you’ve scooped out the luscious cream, simply add a pinch of powdered stevia, or a teaspoon of coconut sugar or raw sugar (adjusting to your taste preference). Then, whip it using a hand mixer until light, fluffy, and perfectly peaked. I actually find the whisk attachment from my Immersion Blender works wonderfully for this task.
This simple extra step is truly worth it, I promise! The creamy, subtly sweet topping complements the rich, spiced pumpkin filling perfectly, creating a dessert experience that is both decadent and entirely guilt-free.
Looking for more Healthy Pumpkin Recipes? Check these out!
21 Day Fix Pumpkin Oatmeal Banana Bread [Gluten-free/dairy-free]
Pumpkin Pie Hummus
21 Day Fix Chocolate Pumpkin Cups
21 Day Fix Pumpkin Pasta with Spicy Sausage (Gluten Free | Instant Pot Option)
Pumpkin Spice Whipped Ricotta [21 Day Fix | 2B Mindset | WW]
21 Day Fix Pumpkin Pudding | The Foodie and The Fix
21 Day Fix Pumpkin French Toast | Carrie Elle
21 Day Fix Pumpkin Recipes
Looking for more Gluten Free Thanksgiving recipes? Try one of these-
40+ Gluten Free Thanksgiving Recipes
21 Day Fix and 2B Mindset Thanksgiving Recipes
Butternut Squash Soup [Instant Pot/Crock Pot/Stove Top] [21 Day Fix | WW]
Maple Cider Holiday Salad [21 Day Fix | 2B Mindset]
Instant Pot Stuffing with Brown Rice and Sausage (21 Day Fix)
Healthy Instant Pot Apple Crisp | Gluten-free Apple Crisp
Enjoy this 21 Day Fix Pumpkin Pie recipe!
Healthy Pumpkin Pie {21 Day Fix}
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST (updated recipe):
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cold butter or vegan butter I used Earth’s Balance or 2T melted coconut oil or butter flavored coconut oil
- 1 egg
- 1-2 tablespoon pure maple syrup I think it’s fine with 1, but you can add a second for more sweetness
FOR THE FILLING:
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup canned coconut milk
- 3 eggs beaten
FOR THE WHIPPED TOPPING:
- 1 can chilled coconut milk
- Pinch powdered stevia or a tsp of coconut sugar or raw sugar (or more to taste)
Instructions
FOR THE CRUST:
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and lightly grease the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.
-
Combine all crust ingredients (almond flour, salt, cold butter/vegan butter/coconut oil, egg, and maple syrup) in a bowl. Mix until crumbles form. You can use a stand mixer for this (I love my KitchenAid).
-
Transfer the dough to the prepared pie plate and evenly press it down with your hands or the back of a spoon to form the crust.
-
Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
-
Remove from the oven, and gently press the crust down again with a spoon to compact it.
FOR THE FILLING:
-
In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, honey, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, canned coconut milk, and the three beaten eggs.
-
Whisk all ingredients together until the mixture is completely smooth and well combined. Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie crust. **Important: Cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil or a crust shield to prevent them from over-browning during the longer bake time.** Bake at 350 degrees F (175 C) for 50 minutes, or until the top is slightly puffed, and the center is firmly set with a slight jiggle.
-
Carefully remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, refrigerate the pie for at least 2-3 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow it to fully set.
FOR THE TOPPING:
-
Take your chilled can of full-fat coconut milk from the fridge. Gently turn the can upside down, being careful not to shake it. Open the can and pour out all of the clear coconut water (this can be saved for smoothies or your Shakeology!).
-
Scoop the thick, solid coconut cream into your mixer bowl. Add a pinch of powdered stevia or a teaspoon of coconut sugar or raw sugar (or more, to taste). Whip with a hand mixer until you achieve soft, fluffy peaks, similar to traditional whipped cream. Taste and adjust sweetener as needed. Serve immediately on top of your chilled pumpkin pie.
Notes
WW link for personal points: Healthy Pumpkin Pie without topping; Coconut Whipped Topping
Nutrition