Category: Pie

Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Pie

I was shocked to find out I hadn’t yet posted this recipe on my blog.  It’s the recipe I’ve used for holidays over the past few years.  Actually, as soon as I finish this post, I plan to go make two of them for our Thanksgiving celebration tomorrow.  A photo will be posted when I am finished :-).  As for toppings, there’s a new product called CocoWhip put out by SoDelicious which I have been using in place of CoolWhip.  I found it at Sprouts in the frozen section.  If you can’t find it, you can always make your own coconut whipped cream (see below or google it.)

 

Ingredients and Directions:

Crust:

Combine:

1 c. brown rice flour

1/2 c. potato starch

1/4 c. tapioca starch

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp salt

1-2 T. sugar (use only in sweet pies such as this one)

Add in 1/2 c. oil and stir just until incorporated.

Add 3-4 T. cold water and stir gently until incorporated.

 

Press into 9-inch pie shell (don’t bother trying to roll it out- just use your fingers and press it gently until there are no gaps.)

 

Filling:

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 heaping* teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 heaping* teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 heaping* teaspoon cloves

1/4 heaping* teaspoon nutmeg

3 T. arrowroot powder

 

Stir together.

 

Add:

2 T. golden flaxseed meal mixed with 6 T. warm coconut milk (from a carton)

2 tsp vanilla

15 oz. canned pumpkin puree

13.5 oz. canned coconut milk (the higher fat content, the better)

 

Combine all filling ingredients and pour into pie crust.

Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Normally, you could stick a knife in the middle to tell if the pumpkin pie was cooked.  However, because this one relies heavily on coconut milk, it will still look a little gelatinous when you take it out.  Allow it cool for two hours and then stick it in the fridge overnight.  In the morning it should be normal pumpkin pie consistency.

Top with whipped coconut cream or SoDelicious CocoWhip.

Coconut whipped cream ingredients:

Solid part of a can of coconut milk (shake the can in the store to see if it sounds like pure liquid or like there’s some solid coconut in there).  Refrigerate the can for 4 hours and then just scoop out the solid part for use.  Whip it with powdered sugar (start with 1 T. and taste and add from there) and dash salt.

 

*If you want the pie to be a little less spiced, you can level off the teaspoons instead of using heaping portions.

Note:  There is always some extra filling left when I make this recipe.  When I doubled this, I actually had enough extra filling for an extra pie, so now I have 3 pies.  Another option is to bake it in ramekins or a pie shell without a crust as a treat for the kids if they want to try it but the pie is being saved for an event later…

This is a conglomeration of several recipe ideas.  I have modified the ideas significantly since then.  As to what the original sources were, I’m not really sure…

 

Pie shell before adding filling.
Pie right before going in the oven.
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Key Lime Pie

So many of the recipes I saw online for key lime pie called for things I couldn’t eat.  I decided to try my hand at making up my own recipe for pie filling and the result was better than I hoped!  It is so easy and I hope you give it a try!

Ingredients:

4 1/2 T. cornstarch

1 can coconut milk (don’t get the lite version), about 13.5 oz

1 packet of gelatin (not vegan, but I’m not actually vegan- I just can’t eat gluten, dairy, and eggs.  There are probably other substitutes if you need it to be truly vegan.)

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. key lime juice

1 1/4 tsp. lime zest

 

Directions:

Zest and juice the limes before putting anything on the heat.  Stir together cornstarch and coconut milk in a 2-quart saucepan.  Boil and whisk constantly until thick.  Add in package of gelatin, sugar, key lime juice, and lime zest.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture is very thick and smooth.  Pour into a crust of your choice.  I tried it with an unbaked crumb crust and it was good (using Kinnikinnick gluten free graham style crumbs).  I am trying it next with a baked walnut crust.  May be topped with whipped coconut cream or SoDelicious’ CocoWhip.  If you want it to be greener, you could add food coloring.

IMG_5955
It sliced so nicely!  This is with the unbaked crumb crust.  Next time I will bake the crust first because it started getting a little melty.

Crumb crust:

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (I used Kinnikinnick graham-style crumbs)

1/3 c. sugar

6 T. butter, softened (I used SmartBalance- the green tub)

Combine sugar and crumbs.  Add in butter and mix well.  Press into a pie plate.  Chill for at least one hour before adding filling.

Original crust recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/228423/graham-cracker-crust/

Chocolate Cream Pie

I served this pie at Thanksgiving and Christmas and it was a hit!  It sets up very nicely in the fridge overnight.  Hope you enjoy this as much as we did! For best results, keep it refrigerated until ready to serve.

 

Chocolate Cream Pie

Crust: 1 package Glutino chocolate cream cookies (may contain traces of egg), crushed

1/4-1/2 c. Smart Balance butter (use enough to make the cookie crumbs stick together)

Puree the cookies in a blender until they are crumbs.  Melt the butter and mix in the crumbs until they are just wet enough to stick together.  Press the crumb mixture into a pie shell.  Put the crust in the freezer for 20 minutes while you are making the filling.

 

Filling:

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 c. granulated sugar

3 T. cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 and 1/4 cup coconut milk (from a carton- I usually use Silk or So Delicious)

1 can of coconut milk (I used a 14-oz can of coconut cream- the kind with no sugar or anything added.  The extra creaminess helps the pie set up well.)

4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped (I use Baker’s brand semi-sweet baking chocolate.  I microwave it on a plate just until it is slightly softened but not melting.  Then it is easier to chop on a plate.  Read the label closely if you are allergic as it may contain traces of some things.)

1 tsp vanilla

 

Directions:  In a saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar, cocoa powder and salt.  Stir well.  Add in both kinds of coconut milk and use a whisk to combine.  Turn on the stove to medium high and stir constantly until the mixture starts to boil.  Stir for two more minutes as it thickens and then remove from heat.  Stir in the chopped chocolate and vanilla until all the chocolate is melted.  Pour into frozen crust and let cool.  After it is cooled, put it in the fridge overnight so it will set up.

 

May be served with whipped topping.  So Delicious just came out with a coconut whipped topping and it is wonderful!  Make sure to read the directions- I didn’t thaw it out soon enough for the pumpkin pie…

 

Original recipe: http://hellyeahitsvegan.com/chocolate-cream-pie/

Apple Crumb Pie

This is one of my favorite holiday pies.  It works for most holidays- Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July, etc. Best of all, I usually have at least one person say, “This is gluten free?” If you’ve ever made something gluten free, you know that that is a compliment.  So, here it is, and I hope you get to surprise someone that it is gluten free :-).  Also, do yourself a favor and make the crumb topping I have listed below rather than trying to make a top crust.  In the picture I used gluten free oatmeal, but it is just as good with pecans or walnuts.

 

Crust:

1 c. brown rice flour

1/2 c. potato starch

1/4 c. tapioca starch

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp salt

1-2 T. sugar (granulated)

1/2 c. oil (I usually use canola or vegetable- whatever I have around)

3-4 T. cold water

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients together.  Add the oil and stir until it is all incorporated, but don’t over stir.  Add 3 Tablespoons water and begin stirring.  If it looks like it’s going to be dry, add the 4th or part of the 4th.  Stir just until it’s all stirred in.  Place the dough ball in the pie shell and press it into the pan.  Don’t bother trying to roll it out.  You want the depth of the shell to be fairly uniform, but it doesn’t have to be perfect as there will be apples on top of it to cover any unevenness.   If there’s extra, I just pinch it off and eat it :-).  Yum!

 

Filling:

1 c. sugar (granulated)

1/3 c. brown rice flour

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

dash salt

3 T. melted butter (I use Earth Balance or Smart Balance dairy free)

8 c. thinly sliced apples, unpeeled and tart (I use mainly Granny Smith but I usually use one or two red apples like Gala.)

Directions:

Slice apples (I use a food processor on the slicing setting).  Mix dry ingredients in a very large bowl.  Add in butter and apples and stir until they are completely coated.  Put filling in pie shell.

 

Crumb topping:

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. brown rice flour

2 T. butter (Earth Balance or Smart Balance dairy free)

1/2 c. chopped walnuts, pecans, or gluten free oatmeal (I use Chex or Bob’s Red Mill Brand- make sure they say gluten free.)

Directions:

Stir ingredients together and press onto top of filling in pie shell.

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and cover the edges of the pie with foil or a pie shield.  Bake 35-50 minutes until the sides are bubbling and top is lightly browning.  Remove foil for the last 15 minutes if the crust isn’t looking cooked.

 

This pie is good served still warm.  It reheats well and it also freezes well.  If you look closely at the picture, you can actually see a few ice crystals where it hadn’t quite defrosted yet.  Oops!

 

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