Nothing says fall like pumpkin pie. Is there anything cozier than when the cool weather sets in, the kitchen is warmed by the oven and the house is filled with the aroma of pumpkin spice?
Why make healthy pumpkin pie?
This healthy pumpkin pie can be enjoyed entirely guilt free. There’s not too many pies that can help you get one of your five-a-day without the sugar overload. The filling is naturally sweetened with monk fruit sweetener.
The combination of textures that comes with pumpkin pie is just something special. The firm but soft filling combined with a bite of crisp pie crust? Yes! The pie crust is made with almond flour so it’s naturally gluten-free and provides protein and healthy fats for an extra nutritional boost.
Pumpkin pie is the perfect dessert to follow Roast Turkey in Two Simple Steps.
Notes on ingredients for pumpkin pie
Almond flour
This can be kinda pricey so feel free to swap it out for almond meal instead, Almond meal is less processed so it’s generally less expensive. The almond skins are usually ground up with the almonds so your crust will have a speckled look to it.
Butter
Use grass-fed butter if you can afford it. Cows did not evolve eating corn so it makes sense that grass-fed butter has a higher nutritional value. One great thing about butter is that it is high in fatty acids which can aid weight loss. Yay!
Eggs
Happy eggs are healthy eggs. Studies have found that eggs from pasture-raised chickens have higher levels of vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. ‘Cage-free’ doesn’t necessarily mean that the chickens are outside or are not in a very crowded shed so look for ‘pasture-raised’.
Vanilla Extract
Look for extract not essence. Extract is made using vanilla beans soaked in alcohol, essence is an artificial flavoring often with added food coloring
Pumpkin
A 15oz can of pumpkin puree is the easiest way to go but if you want, you can totally carve up a pumpkin, roast it and puree it yourself. Make sure you get sugar pumpkin which is for eating, as opposed to the ones meant for carving. They have a thin shell and large cavity. The flavor isn’t as good as sugar pumpkins.
Simply wash the outside of the pumpkin, halve it, rub with olive oil, place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 45-50 minutes at 350F until tender. Allow to cool and puree in a food processor.
Coconut Cream
This a great alternative to heavy cream which traditional pumkin pie calls for. It is made by boiling coconut meat with water. Buy a can of coconut cream and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. The cream and water will separate and the chilled cream will sit on top of the water. It’s easy to scoop it off. Some people open the can upside down and pour the water off. However, when I tried this I ended up mixing the coconut cream and water together again. Maybe you’ll have better luck! You only need 1/4 cup for the recipe so make sure you hold some back for serving (it’s tempting to just eat it with a spoon).
Monk Fruit Sweetener
The sugar substitute which I used has erythritol as the base so it can be subbed 1:1 for sugar. Erythritol is keto-friendly and insulin resistance-friendly because it passes through the digestive system before it can be metabolized. As a sugar alcohol, it can cause digestive discomfort for some people. It would be a good idea to try out a small quantity to see how it affects you before making a whole pie.
Pumpkin Spice
Pumpkin spice has so many health benefits! It’s usually a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger with some optional additions like cardamom. Each of these spices can help women with PCOS. The great thing about cinnamon is that it helps increase insulin sensitivity. Ginger can lower blood sugar levels. Nutmeg can help reduce chronic inflammation. Cloves are high in antioxidants.
I find that it’s more economical to just buy the blend unless you will use the leftover spices for something else.
Tips for making pumpkin pie
Make a fluted edge
To make a pretty fluted edge, press the crumb mixture evenly into the greased pie dish. Using the index finger of your left hand, push the mixture away from the edge of the dish. Place the index and middle finger of your right hand on either side to form a curved shape. Repeat this the entire way around the pie to make the fluted edge.
Use a pie crust shield to prevent burning
If the pie edge starts to darken too much, place a pie crust shield around it. You can buy special pie crust shields or a piece of aluminum foil works too.
Allow cooling time
After making the crust it’s important allow it to cool. If you add the filling while it is still hot the eggs around the edge will start to cook sooner than the egg in the center and the filling will most likely crack. Good pies take patience and time!
Allow the pie to cool completely before putting it in the fridge to chill. You don’t want to raise the temperature inside your fridge because it could potentially make other foods go bad. It is tempting to cut the pie as soon as it comes out of the oven, but it slices so much better when it’s cold.
Don’t use a whisk
When mixing the filling, don’t whisk it. This will introduce bubbles into the mixture. When the air bubbles expand in the oven they’ll pop on the surface of the pie and it won’t look smooth and pretty. If you only do whisk the filling, gently tap the pie on the counter before putting it in the oven to release any trapped air.
What to do if the filling cracks
If the filling starts to crack as it’s cooling, gently press it together with the back of a spoon. Or cover the cracks with whipped coconut cream! It’s up to you but either way it will taste delicious.
Serve with chilled, whipped coconut cream.
The Best Healthy Pumpkin Pie
Equipment
- 9-inch pie dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
Almond Crust
- 2½ cups almond flour or almond meal
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 large egg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract not essence
Pumpkin Filling
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup coconut cream
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup monk fruit sweetener
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- whipped coconut cream to serve
Instructions
Almond Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch pie dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the ingredients together until combined. Press into pie dish and crimp the edges (see recipe notes).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool before filling
Pumpkin Filling
- Mix all the ingredients until smooth. You can use a food processor or simply a wooden spoon.
- Pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust.
- Bake at 325°F for 40-50 minutes. If the edges of the pie start to brown cover with a pie crust shield or some aluminum foil.
- Cool completely to room temperature before chilling in the fridge.
- Serve with whipped coconut cream.
