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Think pumpkin, warm spices, custard, and a dollop of whipped cream - isn't that the taste of fall? This gluten free pumpkin pie recipe will let you conjure that fall feel any time of year!
I recommend using my pie crust recipe with this pie, but with a little bit of sugar and spices added. Putting some of the sugar in the crust makes it so much more flavorful, and compliments the filling better. I find that a less sweet filling with a slightly sweet crust makes for the perfect pumpkin pie.
It is so easy to just buy a can of pumpkin from the store. Its cheap. Its smooth and well puree'd. The perfect base for pie... in theory.
It also tastes a little bit like the can it came in, doesn't it?
The thing is, it is not actually that difficult to prepare and keep fresh pumpkin puree on hand. It just takes a little bit of planning.
Every fall, I buy a bunch of pie pumpkins. Usually around 6-7, of good size. Each pumpkin gives approximately 4 cups of cooked pumpkin, or enough for 2 pies.
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(1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
(2) Start by making your pie crust. I suggest adding a little bit of sugar (1-2 tablespoons) and ginger to the crust, so that it will better compliment the sweet pumpkin filling.
(3) Put the crust in the oven to bake for 10 minutes. You want it to be light brown. This step will help keep the crust from becoming soggy.
(4) While the crust is pre-baking, make the pumpkin pie filling. Start with the pumpkin puree, and whisk in the eggs, cream, and milk. Then move on to the dry ingredients and spices: sugar, tapioca starch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
(5) Once the crust comes out of the oven, pour the filling into the crust. Do not overfill! The filling is going to puff up because of the eggs. If you are making a deep dish pie (which you should), you should be able to fit most, if not all, of the filling in the pie dish.
(6) Bake for 50-60 minutes. The center should be set, and not wobbly. Bake a little bit longer if you need to!
(7) Allow the pie to cool for a few hours before eating. Enjoy warm or chilled!
Homegrown pumpkin, ready to be processed
I cut off the tops, and scoop out the middle. Then I chop them in half, and bake them in the oven at ~250 degrees Fahrenheit for a few hours - until the flesh is soft. I take them out, let them cool, and then slip the skins off. Mash the soft pumpkin together, and the result is pumpkin puree, ready to be baked into a pie, or bread, or scones... whatever your favorite fall treat is!
I usually freeze the pumpkin in quart containers or bags, to be used throughout the year.
In case it was not enough that pumpkin pie is delicious, and a Thanksgiving staple, it is also the state pie of Illinois! Yes, Illinois has had a state pie since 2015, and that pie is pumpkin. Why? Because Illinois produces 85% of the pumpkin consumed in the United States.[source] So if you are from Illinois, it isn't just a pleasure to enjoy a slice of pumpkin pie from time to time. Its a duty.
Pumpkin is a New World food, and pumpkin pie is an invention of New England. The fact that pumpkin isn't a historical part of the European diet is hinted at in the name. Pumpkin comes from the older word pumpion, which traces its routes back to ancient Greek, and just meant "melon."[source] I don't really think of a melon when I think of pumpkin, but they are both gourds, so I suppose it made sense at the time.
Pumpkins were a staple of the New England diet in the 1600's. They were easy to grow - being native - and used in a wide variety of dishes, including pie. There was an older version of the pumpkin pie, made with pumpkin slices instead of stewed, roasted, or puree'd pumpkin. But by the end of the 1700's, the pumpkin pie had become the custard pie we know it today, made with stewed pumpkin, eggs, sugar, cream, and spices.[source]
Of course, the historical pumpkin pie was not gluten free. But this one is!
