When I set out to create this recipe, I wasn’t content with a passable imitation of the classic. I wanted to make an objectively excellent pumpkin pie—that just happens to be gluten- and dairy-free. More a rethink than a retrofit, the result is still recognizably pumpkin pie—arguably better. Coconut milk brings more to the table than simple substitution—it’s a natural companion for pumpkin, balancing its earthy depth with aromatic sweetness and a bright, rounded richness that keeps the custard light on its feet. Extra yolks lend body, and a gentle bake sets the custard evenly so it’s supple but sliceable once cooled. I kept the spice profile classic but balanced against the custard’s lushness—dialing back the clove to check its spikiness and adding a pinch of cayenne for warmth and dimensionality. Molasses ties everything together—its bittersweet minerality grounds the sugar and gives the spices something to grab onto. If you don’t have molasses, dark brown sugar works too; it softens the bass notes a bit, but the harmony still holds. The gluten-free, dairy-free dough rolls out easily into a crust that bakes up crisp, rich, and tender. A quick par-bake ensures against custard seepage, so every slice stands tall and keeps its snappy contrast. All this to say, what you’ll get isn’t “good for gluten-free”—it’s just really good pumpkin pie.
Active time: 1 hr • Total time: 5 hr 45 min
1 (9-inch) pie → 1.25 lb of dough (12 oz for shell + 8 oz left over) + 1 qt of filling (1.5 lb)
1 slice
8-10
• Stand mixer with paddle attachment • Kitchen scale • Parchment paper (15 × 15-inch sheet) • Rolling pin • 9-inch pie plate • Pastry brush (or wadded paper towel) • Instant-read thermometer (not imperative, but helpful for temping dough)
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 55 g brown rice flour
- 50 g sweet rice flour
- 40 g sorghum flour
- 40 g gluten-free oat flour
- 20 g tapioca starch, plus extra for dusting work surface
- 25 g potato starch
- 88 g corn starch
- 3.5 g xanthan gum (1⅛ tsp)
- 3.5 g kosher salt (1¼ tsp Diamond Crystal; reduce to ¼ tsp if using Morton)
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- 75 g room temperature coconut oil
- 1 large egg
- 15 g apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp)
- 15 g honey (2¼ tsp)
- 48 g ice-cold water (3 tbsp + ½ tsp)
- 75 g Miyoko’s Salted European Style Butter, cut into ½‑inch cubes and chilled
Pumpkin Filling
- 210 g granulated sugar
- 20 g unsulphered molasses (see Substitution Tips)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg, whole
- 425 g canned pumpkin purée (1 standard, 15-ounce can)
- 8 g gluten-free vanilla extract (1½ tsp)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground allspice
- Light pinch ground clove (roughly half of ¹⁄₁₆ tsp)
- Scant ¹⁄₁₆ tsp cayenne chile powder (a generous pinch; optional, for subtle warmth)
- 2 g kosher salt (½ tsp Diamond Crystal; reduce if using Morton)
- 210 g full‑fat coconut milk (¾ cup + 1 tbsp)
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp full-fat coconut milk
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt
Substitution Tips:
Ghee can be substituted 1:1 for Miyoko’s European Style Butter This swap will impart a nutty, caramelized note to the dough. From an allergy standpoint, it will no longer be fully dairy‑free but, rather, casein‑ and lactose‑free—ghee being butterfat that has been browned and clarified of milk solids. Worth noting: Straight from the fridge, ghee is rock hard—making it unpleasant to portion cold. To work around this, measure the ghee at room temperature, portion into ½‑tablespoon‑sized globs with a spoon, then chill until firm (about 20 minutes) while you measure the other ingredients.
Dark brown sugar can be substituted for unsulphured molasses: To make the switch, replace the combined quantity of granulated sugar and molasses with an equal weight of dark brown sugar. This will approximate, but slightly reduce, the quantity of molasses in the filling, nudging the finish a bit brighter and more spice-forward. For a 1× recipe, 210 g granulated sugar + 20 g molasses → 230 g dark brown sugar.
Instructions
- Make the pie dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, starches, xanthan gum, salt, and nutmeg. Mix on low until evenly combined.
- Add the coconut oil. Mix on medium until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the egg, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Add ice-cold water and whisk again to combine.
- With the mixer running on medium-low, gradually pour in the liquid ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes.
- Scatter your cold butter alternative over the dough, breaking apart large clumps. Mix on medium-low just until evenly distributed. Stop when the dough is dotted throughout with visible bits of butter. You’re looking for lightly marbled, not homogeneous.
- Portion out 12 oz (340 g) of dough for the pie shell and flatten into a ¾‑inch‑thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and chill to a workable 65–75°F, about 45–60 minutes. Reserve the remaining 8 oz (225 g) for another use. While the dough chills, prepare the pumpkin filling.
- Make the pumpkin filling:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream sugar, molasses, whole egg, and egg yolks on medium‑high until pale yellow‑brown and increased in volume—about 2 minutes.
- Add pumpkin purée, vanilla, spices, and salt. Mix on medium to combine.
- With the mixer running on medium, steadily stream in coconut milk. Continue mixing until smooth and uniform in color. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Roll and shape the pie shell:
- Remove dough from the refrigerator. At a workable 65–75°F, it should feel cool to the touch and firm yet pliable, yielding gently when pressed—like playdough. If the dough cracks apart when rolled, it is too cold. Rest at room temperature momentarily, or knead lightly just until the pieces come together.
- Dust a large square of parchment paper (about 15 × 15 inches) generously with tapioca starch. Place the larger 12-ounce portion of dough in the center and dust the top lightly with additional starch. Rub a little starch on the rolling pin.
- Using the pin, roll the dough away from yourself with steady, even pressure, easing up slightly at the edges to avoid over-thinning the perimeter. Alternate rolling angles and rotate the parchment occasionally until you have a roughly 12-inch circle, about ⅛-inch thick.
- Using the parchment for support, slide one hand under the paper and place the other hand gently on top of the dough. Lift the dough, center it above the pie plate, then swiftly flip and lower the dough into the plate so the parchment is on top.
- Gently peel back the parchment. Supporting the outer edges with your hands, lift and lower the dough to fill the bottom and sides of the plate—avoid pressing straight down, which risks creating thin spots and tears. The goal is a fully lined pan with about 1 inch of dough overhanging the rim.
- Even out the border by gently pulling off excess from places with extra overhang and pressing those scraps into sparse spots, sealing any seams as you go. This transfer‑and‑press technique also works for larger repairs if the dough tears or breaks during transfer or shaping—she’s delicate but forgiving.
- Fold the overhang under itself to form a ½‑inch‑thick border that rests on the outer ridge, flush with the rim of the pie plate. Crimp as desired. No need to fret over ragged edges or hairline cracks—these can be easily mended after egg washing.
- Fork Crimp: Dust the tines of a fork with starch. Hold the fork perpendicular to the edge of the plate with the tines pointed toward the center. Press the tines into the folded border to create an indentation, without pressing through to the plate. Continue around the border at regular intervals, rotating the plate as you work to create a continuous ridged pattern.
- Classic Flute: Place your non‑dominant thumb and index finger on the inside of the dough border, about an inch apart. With your dominant hand, use the second joint of your index finger to create a scallop by pushing the dough from the outside down and in toward your pinched fingers. Begin the next flute where the previous one ended, repeating around the pie edge at even intervals. Rotate the pie plate occasionally as you work to create a continuous border of wide V’s around the entire pie. Different fluting styles are achieved by adjusting pinched finger width, using a fingertip instead of a knuckle, or pressing from inside rather than out—each creating a distinct edge pattern.
- Chill the shaped shell until very cold and firm—about 30–60 minutes in the refrigerator or 15–30 minutes in the freezer.
- While the shell chills, preheat the oven to 325°F and prepare the egg wash.
- Make the egg wash:
- Blind bake the pie shell:
- Remove the shell from the refrigerator or freezer. Using a pastry brush, a wadded paper towel, or—in a pinch—your fingers, brush the dough with a light, even layer of egg wash. Smooth out any unsightly cracks or raw edges with your fingertip, rubbing gently to fuse and seal.
- Prick the base 5–6 times with the tines of a fork.
- Bake at 325°F until set, fully opaque, and lightly golden around the edges—about 18 minutes. The shell is ready when the base feels firm—not soft or pliable—when pressed lightly with a spoon or fingertip.
- Fill and bake the pie:
- Whisk the filling to thoroughly recombine, then carefully pour into the blind-baked pie shell.
- Bake at 325°F until the edges are set and the center wobbles slightly when shaken—about 1 hour 25–35 minutes.
- Cool the pie at room temperature for at least 2 hours, allowing the filling to fully set before slicing.
Crimping Options:
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, coconut milk, and salt. Leftover egg wash will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for 2 days. Whisk before using to recombine.
Cool briefly at room temperature before filling.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
- Serve Temp: Slice and serve at room temperature.
- Pairs well with: Whipped cream is classic—for good reason—but personally, I prefer the subtle tang of lightly sweetened full-fat coconut milk yogurt.
- Storage / Best by: For best results, make the pie no more than 1 day ahead. Fully cool, wrap, and refrigerate. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for an additional 4 days.
- Options for putting the 4 leftover egg whites to good use:
- Whisk into a breakfast casserole or frittata. In recipes calling for 8 or more whole eggs, 4 extra whites will have little effect on flavor or texture. For smaller batches, substitute as follows: 2 whole eggs = 4 egg whites + 3 tbsp full-fat dairy or dairy alternative.
- Shake into a round of festive cocktails — fizzes, sours, or flips generally call for 1 egg white per drink.
- Freeze for later use in an airtight container or portioned individually in an ice cube tray.
Make-ahead guidelines
- Pumpkin filling:
- Up to 24 hours: Refrigerate in an airtight container.
- Up to 1 month: Freeze in an airtight container. Defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using.
- Pie dough:
- Up to 3 days: refrigerate, well-wrapped. To bring to a workable 65–75°F, set out—still wrapped—at room temperature for 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the ambient conditions in your kitchen.
- Up to 2 months: freeze, well-wrapped in tight, double layers of plastic. Defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then bring to workable temperature as described above.
- Unbaked pie shell:
- Up to 24 hours: Refrigerate. Once the shell is well chilled and firm, wrap it in plastic.
- Up to 1 month: Freeze. Once firm, double wrap in plastic. Egg wash and bake directly from frozen, increasing bake time by about 5 minutes.
Did you make this?
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