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Paleo Pumpkin Pie

With a grain-free, nutty crust and luxurious custardy filling, this paleo pumpkin pie is the only one you need for your holiday menu.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Cooling Time6 hours
Total Time7 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: paleo
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Lindsey Johnson
Cost: $15

Equipment

  • Pie pan
  • Medium bowl

Ingredients

For grain-free crust:

For filling:

  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • 2 large whole eggs at room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks at room temperature
  • ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
  • ½ cup full-fat coconut milk shaken well, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For topping:

  • Whipped coconut cream optional

Instructions

  • Move oven rack to lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a deep 9" pie plate and set aside.
  • Place almond flour, arrowroot starch, maple or coconut sugar, and sea salt into a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Pulse until combined.
  • Drop the coconut oil (it should be mostly solid) by the tablespoon over the dry ingredients. Pulse a few times until combined. It will look kind of like wet sand. 
  • While pulsing, pour the egg through the feed hole. Pulse a few more times until everything is well-combined. It won't form a ball, but it will stick together when lightly pressed.
  • Transfer the mixture to the pie plate. With your hand, evenly distribute over the bottom and up the sides, pressing so the crust holds together. If desired, flute the edge.
  • Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes or until it looks "dry" and is barely golden on the edges. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
  • Meanwhile, wipe out the food processor bowl and fit with the chopping blade. Place all of the filling ingredients into the food processor and blend until well-combined. Stop and scrape down sides to make sure all of the pumpkin is evenly incorporated and no lumps remain. Remove bowl from food processor and gently rap on the counter to release any air bubbles from the filling.
  • Pour the filling into the partially baked and cooled crust. (It will still be warm, but shouldn't be piping hot.) Smooth the top of the filling and gently draw a fingertip through the filling in a circular pattern.
  • Place pie into the 300°F oven and bake for 60-75 minutes. Start checking at the 60 minute mark and check every 5-7 minutes. If using a glass pie plate, bake until the center just wobbles a little. If using a ceramic or stoneware pie plate, remove when the center is a little jiggly in the center, but the 2-3" around the perimeter are set. The filling will continue to cook after the pie comes out of the oven. Allow to cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.
  • Cut into wedges and serve topped with whipped coconut cream, if desired.

Notes

  • If using homemade pumpkin puree, remove some of the excess water by placing the puree in a clean dish towel or in several layers of cheesecloth set inside a fine-mesh sieve. Allow the water to drain off, then use.
  • Maple sugar can be found in health food stores or well-stocked grocery stores, or online. Coconut sugar can be found in the baking section of most grocery stores.
  • Other nut flours can be substituted for the almond flour, however because they have a higher oil content, the amount of coconut oil will need to be reduced. I've tried this with ground pecans/pecan flour and only used 1 tablespoon coconut oil.
  • If the coconut milk needs to be substituted for something else, do not use carton non-dairy milks or the filling will not set up. Use an equal amount of cashew cream (raw cashews blended with water to form a thick cream).
  • Arrowroot starch can be found in bulk bins and the baking section of well-stocked grocery stores and online. To substitute, use an equal amount of either tapioca starch (though the texture will be slightly different) or potato starch.
  • Egg replacers might be able to be used, but will not yield the same texture and may require a different baking time. They were not tested for this recipe.