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This gluten free and dairy free pumpkin pie is a shining star for the holiday season. It features a smooth, silky filling that gets its magic from coconut cream instead of dairy. This is a sweet and satisfying dessert that everyone can enjoy without compromise.
For me, pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving has always been a tradition (to put it nicely), but really more of an obligation. Because you HAVE to have pumpkin pie, but do you really want to?
That changed when I swapped the heavy cream with a can of coconut cream. It blends with pumpkin, brown sugar, and spices to create a comforting, creamy treat we actually look forward to now. It transforms a traditional holiday staple into an allergy-friendly masterpiece without losing any of its heartwarming personality.
Jump to:
Why You Need to Make this Pie
- You can do this: It's an easy Thanksgiving dessert that manages to feel special without piling on complicated steps. The best part? The flavors only get better as the pie chills and sets, making it perfect to make ahead for a holiday dessert.
- Allergy-friendly and delicious: This pumpkin pie was specially created for those with gluten and dairy sensitivities, but it doesn't sacrifice on flavor or texture. Our whole family loves this pie - allergies or not!
- Perfect balance of fall flavors: I whip up a blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice to give this pie a homey flavor. Whisking the spices with the cornstarch helps spread the spices evenly, so each bite is comfort in every forkful.
- Flaky crust meets decadent filling: My homemade gluten free crust recipe is flaky and tender, contrasting perfectly with the smooth, satiny filling.
Simple Ingredients
- Canned Pumpkin - Important note here: only use pure canned pumpkin, not canned pumpkin pie filling. The filling has extra ingredients that won't work in this recipe.
- Eggs - Use large eggs for the best texture, or measure out enough egg to equal ⅔ cup. This helps stabilize the creamy custard filling.
- Can of coconut cream -This replaces dairy in the filling and makes it rich and creamy. Warm it gently before mixing to get rid of any lumps to ensure a smooth filling.
- Brown sugar - I love brown sugar here because it gives a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness that goes so well with the spices.
- Cornstarch - This is the thickening agent that keeps the filling luscious without being runny. No chance of a watery pie when cornstarch is doing its thing.
- Spices: Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, Nutmeg, Allspice - Whisk these with the cornstarch to evenly distribute the flavors. They bring that quintessential cozy pumpkin pie taste everyone looks forward to.
- Pie crust - You really need to try my gluten free crust recipe for this pumpkin pie, which can be easily made dairy free. It's easy to roll out and shape, and browns beautifully.
The Best Pumpkin Pie Starts with the Best Gluten-free Pie Crust
Go check out my Best Gluten Free Pie Crust Recipe! Here are a few reasons why we love it so much!
🥧 My gluten-free pie crust recipe is a family favorite, and one of my most requested recipes.
🧈 It makes a delicious flaky crust which can be made with either real butter or a vegan butter substitute, like Earth Balance buttery spread.
🥧 You can make this recipe really easily in a food processor, or by hand with a few basic kitchen tools.
🥧 It makes a double crust, so you can use half of the dough to make this pumpkin pie and still have some left over to make other favorite desserts.
🧊 It can be made ahead of time and chilled or even frozen until needed.
Decorate Your Pie
If you're planning on making some pie here are some little tools that make it so much easier. You can make a really impressive pie with these super fun and easy to use mini cutters.
Make Your Holiday Pie Fun!
pie crust cutters - apple, leaf, acorn
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Pumpkin Pie, Step by Step
Do you like to skim through pictures to see what you're in for before you jump into baking? Me too. But be sure to read the recipe card below for the full instructions.
Step 1. Make a single pie crust, but do not bake it. The pumpkin pie filling and crust will bake at the same time. Here's my pie crust recipe once again
Step 2. Whisk pumpkin, eggs, coconut cream (warm it first to be lump-free), and brown sugar.
Step 3. In a small bowl, whisk together the spices with the cornstarch. This will ensure all that goodness will be evenly distributed throughout the pie.
Step 4. Add the spice mixture to the pumpkin mixture and blend well.
Step 5. Pour the pumpkin filling into the pie shell.
Step 6. Bake at 350℉ for 50-55 minutes. Use a lower rack (not the center). This helps the bottom crust to brown and cook all the way through.
Step 7. The pie is done when the center jiggles like firm jello when you wiggle the pie gently, but not so liquid that it flows like a milkshake. It will continue to solidify and set as it cools.
Step 8. Cool the pie at room temperature for 2 hours. Then chill it in the fridge for several hours more, or overnight. The flavor will continue to develop with time.
Tips & Tricks for the Best Pumpkin Pie
#1 Bake on the lower rack
Pop the pie on the lower rack just below the center of your oven. This little trick makes sure the bottom crust browns all the way through - no underbaked bits.
#2 Use the 'jello jiggle' test
When the pie looks done, gently wiggle it. The center should jiggle like firm jello-not liquidy like a milkshake. Trust this over exact timing; the pie will firm up as it cools.
#3 Warm the coconut cream
Before adding coconut cream to the mix, warm it just a touch. The microwave is great for this. This helps dissolve lumps and blends everything into a super smooth, creamy filling.
#4 Let it cool and chill
Let the pie cool at room temperature for two hours before popping it into the fridge for several hours or overnight. Your time spent waiting totally pays off as the flavors deepen and the filling sets perfectly into a creamy custard.
Delicious Pumpkin Pie Recipe - Gluten Free & Dairy Free
This gluten free and dairy free pumpkin pie is a shining star for the holiday season. It features a smooth, silky filling that gets its magic from coconut cream instead of dairy. This is a sweet and satisfying dessert that everyone can enjoy without compromise.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 pie, 9 inches 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 can of pumpkin puree, 15 oz.
- 3 large eggs, or enough egg to measure ⅔ cup
- 1 can of coconut cream, 13.5 oz, or enough to equal 1 ⅔ cup
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
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Make a single pie crust, but don't bake it. My gluten free pie crust recipe is here.
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In a large bowl blend together the pumpkin, eggs, coconut cream, and brown sugar.
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In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with the spices and whisk to combine.
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Add to the pumpkin mixture and blend to combine.
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Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell. Heat oven to 350℉.
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Place the pie carefully on a lower rack in the oven (just below the center). This will help the crust to brown evenly on the bottom and get cooked all the way through.
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The pie is done when the center jiggles like firm jello when you wiggle the pie gently, but is not so liquid that it flows like a milkshake. It will continue to set and solidify as it cools.
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Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Then chill it in the refrigerator for several hours more, or overnight. The flavor will continue to develop with time and is even better tasting the next day.
Allergy Friendly Pie Toppings
Once your perfect pie is ready to eat, you just need to add some whipped cream.
Here are some dairy free whipped cream brands that are available in grocery stores here in the USA. A quick online search will help you find stores in your area that sell them.
- Silk Dairy free heavy whipping cream
- Country Crock Homestyle Dairy Free heavy whipping cream
- Favorite Day brand coconut whipped non-dairy topping (sold at Target)
But hey, for Thanksgiving, the super bowl of dinners, go the extra mile and top each whipped cream blob with a few yummy decorations.
- candy corn: top the whipped cream on each slice with a single piece of candy corn
- chocolate chips: top each slice with a few regular or mini chocolate chips. A good allergy-free brand is Enjoy Life.
- Sprinkle the top with maple sugar or coarse sugar like turbinado sugar for a sparkly finish.
- A drizzle of dairy free caramel sauce or maple syrup adds beautiful shine and color.
- Toasted coconut: Sprinkle toasted coconut on top of the pie to enhance the coconut flavor and introduce a light crunch.
- Cinnamon sugar: dust the whipped cream with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
I've updated my popular (and free!) ebook, Gluten Free Baking for Beginners. I've been listening to your gluten free baking questions, and I've learned some new things over the past few years. I knew it was time for a big update.
With all the extra info I've added, plus the 3 new recipes I've included, it has gone from a 20 page PDF to a 41 page ebook! Any typos or other glitches have been fixed, questions answered, and photos updated.
Important: If you're already on my email list, you will get the link to the new version in an email.
