Paleo Pumpkin Pie (gluten-free, dairy-free)
169 Comments
Updated Oct 14, 2022
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This Paleo Pumpkin Pie tastes unbelievably similar to a traditional pumpkin pie recipe. Yet this version is gluten-free and dairy-free. It’s a creamy, delicious holiday dessert win!
The holidays are right around the corner and one of the things I look forward to most at Thanksgiving is pumpkin pie. A smooth and creamy pumpkin pie with the most golden, flakey and buttery crust.
In addition to being absolutely delicious, this pumpkin pie is gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free. Lot’s of “free” – but you’d never know it by tasting it. And that’s always my goal when I’m whipping up new recipes or modifying classic recipes.
So how is this pumpkin pie recipe paleo? By swapping sweetened condensed milk for coconut milk and refined sugar for maple syrup. But I believe the most important ingredient is always the pumpkin spice mix. And fresh is best. So if you’ve got a bottle of pumpkin spice mix that’s a few years old, you might want to ditch that and buy a new bottle.
Ingredients in the Paleo Pie Crust
Some folks who follow a paleo lifestyle will opt for a crustless pumpkin pie. And that’s because many paleo pumpkin pie options have crusts that are thick, dense and unpalatable. Or they simply crumble and fall apart the moment you slice into it.
But not here. This crust holds together and it’s deliciously flakey and golden. That’s because it’s just the right blend of cassava flour and almond flour.
You can see from the photos that after making my dough I placed it straight into the baking pan, smushed it down with my fingers and then flattened it out with some parchment paper.
But if you prefer to roll it out, go for it. I’d recommend placing the dough ball between two pieces of parchment paper and rolling about 3 inches wider than the width of your pan (or 5 inches for a deep dish pan).
How to Make Paleo Pumpkin Pie
So let’s dive into this recipe! Similar to any homemade pie recipe, this paleo pumpkin pie is really two parts – the crust and the filling.
To make the crust:
- Stir together the almond flour, cassava flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Then cut in the shortening or butter (it’s up to you) using a pastry cutter or your fingers until you have a crumbly mixture.
- Add one beaten egg and one tablespoon of water to the flour and knead it all together until you’ve got a ball of dough. To make the dough more workable, you’ll need to wrap the ball with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least one hour.
- Once the dough has chilled you can roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper or use your fingers to smush it into a 9-inch pie pan, as I did above. Then poke the bottom with a fork a few times to make some holes.
- You’ll then pre-cook the crust for 15 minutes in your pre-heated 350 degree fahrenheit oven, remove it and set it aside. Don’t forget this step. It’s imperative that the crust is pre-cooked to get that perfect texture.
To make the filling:
- In a large mixing bowl combine the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, vanilla extract and sea salt. Then use grab your hand-mixer and blend on medium speed for about one minute or until it’s creamy looking.
- Pour the filling into your pre-cooked crust and (carefully) place it back in the oven for 50-60 minutes. If your crust edge starts to get too dark you can always place a pie crust shield over it halfway through.
- Your pumpkin pie is done when a toothpick comes out clean one inch from the edge. Cool your pie at room temperature for 30 minutes before placing in the fridge for proper cool down of 2 hours to firm up.
You can serve the paleo pumpkin pie straight from the fridge or you can dollop dairy-free whipped cream on top. Make sure to check out my recipe and video for coconut whipped cream. It’s delicious!
How Many Pies Does this Recipe Make?
I’ve listed the ingredients below for one pumpkin pie, but feel free to double the recipe and make two. In fact, it might be smart to make two. Because I guarantee this version of paleo pumpkin pie will be popular with your entire Thanksgiving crowd – paleo or not.
More Healthy Pumpkin Recipes
- Paleo Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding Mousse
- Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons
- Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Ginger Syrup
- Raw White Chocolate and Pumpkin Cheesecake
Paleo Pumpkin Pie (gluten-free, dairy-free)
Description
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup cassava flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 5 tbsp cold butter, or organic palm shortening for dairy-free
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp cold water
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 15 oz organic pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- To make the crust, stir together the flours and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter or shortening using a pastry cutter or your fingers until you have a crumbly mixture.
- Add the egg and one tablespoon of water and using your hands, knead the ingredients together until a ball of dough forms. If the mixture is too dry and crumbly, add the second tablespoon of water (I used two for my recipe).
- Wrap the ball of dough with plastic wrap or parchment paper and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper or use your fingers to push the dough into a 9-inch pie pan. Use a fork to piece a few holes in the bottom of the dough.
- Pre-cook the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine all the pumpkin pie filling ingredients. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, blend all ingredients together for one minute.
- Pour the filling mixture into the pre-cooked pie crust and place back in the oven for 50-60 minutes. To keep a lighter crust edge, place a pie crust shield over your pie halfway through. When a toothpick comes out clean one inch from the edge, your pie is done.
- Remove the pie from the oven, cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up.
Lisa's Tips
- You can definitely make this pie one day ahead. Just keep it in the refrigerator until needed.
- This is the 9-inch pie pan I'm using in the photos above.
- Plan ahead for all you holiday pumpkin needs and buy a few cans of organic pumpkin puree online. I always use this brand.
- When it comes to cassava flour I only recommend Otto's brand. Too many people have had issues with other brands. Just read the comments on my Cassava Flour Tortillas post to see what they've said.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally posted November 2015 but updated to include new information.
This pie turned out delicious! A great Christmas dessert. Thanks Lisa!
Glad you enjoyed this over Christmas Belinda!
I made this pumpkin pie recipe for Thanksgiving
and it was amazing!
Everyone else loved it too! And I highly recommend it.
Thank you!!
Amazing! Glad everyone enjoyed this pumpkin pie Aida :)
This is such a delish recipe. You can swap out pumpkin for sweet potato and it works just as well.
This was the best pumpkin pie I’ve had! The crust was amazing. I have to be honest, I was a bit scared making it. I’ve tried other recipes that definitely do not compare. Thank you for making my Thanksgiving delicious!
So glad this pumpkin pie turned out great Nohe!
This pie is perfection! I elevated it by adding crushed pecans to the crust and substituted some coconut flour for the almond flour to make it lighter. I finished it with honey-candied pecans on top. I served it with whipped coconut cream with a touch of honey and vanilla. It was beautiful and a tasty hit with the family. They already requested it again for Christmas! I wish I could post a picture here.
Note: I pressed the pie crust into the pan. It was not rollable. But it held together perfectly. Make sure to press it thin so that it stays delicate. Refrigerate immediately after cooling unless serving immediately.
Hi John – I’m happy you loved this pumpkin pie recipe! Thanks for sharing your tips as well. :)
So delicious!!! Thank you for the recipe! So I tried making it with coconut oil in the crust, and it turned out beautifully! I put the coconut oil in the fridge beforehand so it would cut in more like cold butter, and then chilled the dough in the fridge before pressing into the pan. I made a double batch (so I could also make an apple pie with it) and also added 1 T coconut flour to the dough because I wondered if the coconut oil would need a more absorbent flour. Not sure if it helped any, but that’s what I did.
Hi Sarah – thanks for sharing your tips! I’m so happy you enjoyed the pumpkin pie!
Can you use salted butter for pie crust and Tapioca flour?
Hi Stacey – yes, that’s fine.
Hi, is there a substitute for the cassava flour? I’m not able to find it in New Zealand except for online, and I was hoping to use this recipe this weekend.
Cheers,
Rose
Hi Rose – unfortunately, I haven’t tried this recipe with any other flour alternatives, so not sure how it would turn out.
Hello, would I be able to swap gluten free flour for the two you have listed? Thank you!
Hi Bri – you could try it, but all gluten-free flour blends bake a little differently.
Perfect recipe, it turned very delicious. Thank you for sharing it!
Of course! Glad you loved this paleo pumpkin pie :)
Best Pumpkin Pie EVER!! this pumpkin pie was even better than Costco’s delicious pumpkin pie. I did not have Cassava flour so I substituted it with Tapioca flour in the same ratio and worked perfectly! Also, I did not have a 9 inch pie pan so I used an 8×8 pyrex and baked it for 60 minutes. again, PERFECT! This pie was even better the second day so great to make ahead!!! Thank you Lisa for your delicious and successful recipes every time.
Forgot to mention my husband is already requesting I make this again for Thanksgiving!!! Soo grateful!
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed this pie Dena. This will be great to keep on hand for Thanksgiving as well :)
This turned out fantastic! I was nervous about the pie crust being too wet but it eventually came together as I worked it more. I think I might stick with my regular pie crust though and just use the filling. My husbands bowels react to refined sugar so he was happy that this recipe didn’t send him to the bathroom afterwards. Haha! I didn’t have cassava flour and neither did my grocery store so I used arrowroot powder as I saw that someone else did and had success. Really delicious! My 4yo and 11 mo can’t get enough of it! Making a second one of these today.
I’m glad you (and your family) loved the recipe, Felishia! Sometimes the brand of flour can make a difference as well, for the texture. But sounds like a winner!
Can I only use the pie crust but use a different recipe for the filling? Or is the pie crust only for this pumpkin pie recipe. I would like to do a different filling, but don’t know how it will workout. May I use this recipe of the pie crust to make,say lemon meringue pie?
Hi Arielle – yes, you can use just the pie crust recipe and change the filling if you’d like.
This is my first comment ever on a recipe! My family has been doing gluten free, dairy free, sugar free for health concerns and we were amazed at this recipe. I swapped honey instead of maple syrup and it was so delicious. The crust was so perfectly real! Yum!
Hi Arielle- I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed this apple pie recipe!
I would love to try paleo gluten-free pecan pie recipes. If you can, can you pls post the recipe for pecan pie as well?
I tried a few recipes and all of them are a huge hit! Thank you for simple, healthy and tasty recipes!
Hi Archana – I will definitely keep that in mind for possibly a Thanksgiving recipe :)
Hi Lisa,
The maple syrup is an unacceptable form of sweetener for me, as is honey. Is there a substitute you can recommend?
Hi Wendy – those are the only two sweeteners I’ve tested this recipe with. You’re welcome to try something else, I’m just not sure how it would turn out.
Amazing recipe! I sub tapioca flour for cassava flour and it always turns out great! It’s a definite crowd pleaser! Thank you!
Hi Amber – Glad to hear that this recipe continues to be a winner :)
Hi I would like to try this pumpkin pie recipe I have a very sensitive allergies with the Celiac Disease and the can pumpkin doesn’t seem to work for me or the crust mix I used. I like my pumpkin pie . I like to see if this recipe will work and I have people who are keto and want to make a pie they can eat too.
I hope this recipe works for you Patty, let me know how it turns out!
Best Pumpkin Pie I have ever had by far!
Hi Michelle – Thrilled to hear that!
Absolutely amazing filling! (I cheated and used store-bought crust – I’m sorry !!) – but it was still a huge hit. Can’t wait to try it with the crust next time! Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Hi Emily – Haha! Not to worry at all :) But I’m glad you made the filling and still enjoyed this pie!
I’ve made this pie three times and each time it was a hit. The crust is flakey and the pie mixture is creamy. It’s the best I’ve ever tasted. Thank you, Lisa!
Hi Christine – I’m so glad this is on your pie essentials :)
I made this last year and again yesterday, (really wanting to master it before Thanksgiving this year.) It came out much better for me this go around! I used 2 tablespoons of water this time for the dough, and it made all the difference. It was much easier to work with. The whole thing came out perfect and my family raved about it! What other pie filling recipes or ideas might you have for this crust? It seems like a very versatile crust and now that I finally have it down, would love to bake other flavors of pie! Thanks so much!!
So happy to hear this came out perfectly in one go! Looks like you’ll have a pumpkin pie ready for Thanksgiving :)
I love this recipe! It’s been my favorite pumpkin pie ever!! I’ve made this recipe about 20 times since I discovered it in September 2019
Hi Michell – Wow! 20 times.. That’s amazing! I’m so happy to hear this recipe is a keeper in your books :)
Absolutely loved this pie! It was a big success during our thanksgiving dinner. I love the crust recipe and used for many other kind of pies on a regular basis at home! :D
Hi Dea – That’s great to hear this was a success during your Thanksgiving :)
Can I use coconut sugar instead of maple syrup?
Hi Corrine – I think it will be gritty if you use that. But you could certainly try.
I made just the filling and poured it into a pyrex soufflé dish. Baked 50 mins, then chilled for 2 hours. Delish custard dessert.
Perfect! Yes, you can certainly make this without the crust if you’re looking for a faster, easier option. So happy you loved it Hillary!
Us there a flour I could use in place of the almond flour? I’m allergic. I’m wondering if tigernut flour would work? Thanks for your thoughts and it looks so yummy!
Hi Megan – I haven’t tried using tigernut flour yet, but I believe I have had a few others that have tried to use that flour and it was okay for them! Do try it out and let me know how it goes :)
Can I use coconut oil in the crust as a sub for butter or palm shortening? If so, how much would you recommend?
Hi Sheri – I haven’t tried this recipe using coconut oil, so not sure how it would turn out (though I suspect it would). And I’d use the same amount. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
I’m curious if you tried the coconut oil! I’m hoping to make for a last minute Thanksgiving change of plans.
After baking the pie and freezing it for about 4 days should I unthaw it outside the refrigerator the day before I serve it?
Hi Susan – Yes! You should unthaw it outside the day before :)
Could I substitute coconut oil for the butter?
Hi Susan – that’s a great question. I haven’t tried that substitution, but I think it should work. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Did you happen to try making with the coconut oil?! I’d love to know how it went!
Can I make this pie and freeze it for about 5 days before serving? Then when I’m ready to serve would I just unthaw it?
Also I plan to make my own coconut milk so I’m assuming that I won’t remove any fat from it?
Hi Susan – Yes! You can freeze this pie ahead of time :) As for coconut milk, yes, try to keep the fat when making your own.
I’d like to try to make the crust with all cassava flour because I need to stay away from nuts. But would using full fat real cream in this work instead? Because of the same issue of needing to stay away from nuts.
Hi Kristen – unfortunately I haven’t tried that, so not sure how it would turn out. But if you do try it, let us know how it goes!
I’ve made paleo desserts in the past and I’ve never been as satisfied with a recipe as this one. My husband and I ended up finishing the whole dish in a day, that’s how addicting and guilt-free it was. Best paleo pumpkin pie recipe!
Hi Liv – I’m so happy you and your husband loved this recipe! My goal is always to make paleo desserts as delicious as they can be :) You’ll have to try my Paleo pumpkin bread as well!
Sorry if this sounds dumb, but I’ve only ever used the creamy part of the canned coconut milk. In this recipe, would you shake the can and use it that way? Hope that makes sense!
Hi Beth – Yes! You will be using the can fully mixed in with the fat :)
Nice always wanted to try but I’m nervous. You should make this as a video for your Youtube.
It’s definitely an easier recipe than it looks. You should give it a try! And maybe I’ll do a video before the holidays. :)
What pumpkin pie spice brand did you use?
Hi Michelle – I use Simply Organic pumpkin spice: https://amzn.to/2HCECPO
Amazing just as good if not better than the normal pie. Loved It!!
Thanks so much Rhonda! I’m happy you loved the recipe. :)
I just made this pie. It was amazing!! I am vegan so I made flaxseed egg and I used Tapioca flour instead of cassava flour. The crust was by far the best crust I’ve ever made. Will be making it for all my pies going forward. And I only used the coconut meat on top not mixed. The filling was so rich and creamy. By far the best pumpkin pie we have ever had. Everyone was in love with it! And everyone said they had no idea the pie was Paleo Vegan. A Win for us health nuts! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Yay, I’m so happy you loved the recipe Kristen! And yes, I do use this pie crust for apple pies and other fruit pies as well. It’s really versatile. Enjoy!
Tried this – it was wonderful. Also used the crust recipe to make a mince meat pie – best crust i’ve ever made.
Yes, the crust is really versatile. So glad you enjoyed it with mince meat pies – yum!!
This pie was perfect. We couldn’t hold out till tomorrow to taste it, it just looked too good. The crust is awesome and flaky. For those wondering, no there is no coconut flavor. Thank you for sharing this with the workd!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Karisa! Happy Thanksgiving!
This sounds delicious! I was wondering about using honey instead of maple syrup?
Thank you.
Yes, that’s fine. :)
Sounds perfect, except I need egg free also. Does anyone know of an egg substitute in a pudding type recipe?
I wonder if aquafaba would work in this recipe? You’d have to play around with it. :)
This was an excellent recipe! Loved it…
Glad you enjoyed it! :)
Do you think this dough will freeze OK? I would like to make it ahead of time and then just thaw it and bake.
Yes, no problem. :)
Hi! This pie looks beautiful. Can we replace almond flour with coconut flour? We have a nut allergy in the family. Thank you
Coconut flour can’t be subbed for almond flour 1:1 as it’s highly absorbent and more dense. So for this recipe you may need to tweak some of the other ingredients to obtain a good consistency.
is cassava = tapioca flour?
Tapioca flour is a more processed version of cassava flour, but they’re not interchangeable. They do cook/bake differently.
This sounds delicious! I’m newly Paleo, no gluten/dairy due to health issues. My birthday falls on Thanksgiving this year and the thought of no Pumpkin Pie was heartbreaking!! Looking forward to trying your recipe. Can another flour be used in place of Cassava?
The cassava really gives it the proper texture for the crust. You could try a sub, but it might not stay together and be as flakey.
Love pumpkin pie…this looks delish. Does this taste like coconut being that coconut milk is being used to replace the condensed milk? I don’t have much experience using coconut milk as many in my fam are not fans of the coconut flavor.
Not at all! The pumpkin spice flavor takes center stage. :)
Is there a substitute for coconut milk? My stomach doesn’t tolerate anything coconut sadly, it’s such a healthier alternative for recipes. What about oat/rice or almond milk? suggestions?
Hi Melissa – you could use any dairy-free milk in this recipe. But I would try to use one that’s more on the creamy side, to better mimic that creamy coconut milk texture.
This recipe looks absolutely perfect! I will definitely have to give this one a go! :D
All the best to you and your family, as your Dad heals up. He sounds like such a wonderful man. <3
Thanks so much Kate for your kind words – they’re greatly appreciated!! My dad’s doing great this week, up and walking about like a rockstar! Hope you enjoy the pumpkin pie. :) x
Wonderful, heartfelt sentiments and a delicious, nourishing pumpkin pie recipe. Thank you for sharing all.
A good reminder that there’s always so much to be thankful for. :) Thanks Liz!