A Healthier Pumpkin Pie
What’s better than eating dessert?
Eating dessert and knowing that it’s actually not bad for you!
This healthy pumpkin pie recipe is gluten-free, low-sugar, and has a good dose of protein.
Oh, and it’s delicious, too.
The rich crust is a mixture of nuts, dates, and oats, forming a sticky dessert-square like base for your creamy, flavourful pumpkin filling.
If you want this pumpkin pie to be completely dairy-free and vegan, you can make a coconut milk whipped “cream” to serve on top of each slice, or you can use regular whipped cream. Either way, the airy and light texture will provide a beautiful contrast to the thick pumpkin pie filling and the rich pie crust.
This healthier pumpkin pie recipe would also make a great pumpkin-date-nut square, but I know my family will expect to see a pie on our Thanksgiving table, so I aim to please!
Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- CRUST
- 2 cups pitted dates
- 2 cups raw pecans
- 1/4 cup oats
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- PUMPKIN FILLING
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/3 cup sugar - coconut sugar or white
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 2/3 cup almond or dairy milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM
- 1-13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
- 2-4 Tbsp icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- CRUST INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor until a dough forms. (About 2 minutes.)
- Lightly grease a pie plate, and then press the crust dough into the edges of the pie. Ensure that the dough is a uniform thickness.
- Smooth the edges however you prefer, and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate.
- FILLING INSTRUCTIONS
- Place cornstarch, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, sea salt in saucepan and stir until combined.
- Add pumpkin puree and milk, and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Heat gently over medium heat, stirring or whisking often.
- Cook until slow bubbles form and the mixture thickens to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in vanilla and transfer to a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, placing gently on the surface of the filling to prevent a film from forming.
- Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight, until set.
- When ready, pour the filling into the crust and spread with a rubber spatula to smooth. Let it chill again for 2 hours, or overnight.
- COCONUT CREAM INSTRUCTIONS
- Place your mixing bowl in the fridge or freezer to cool before attempting this tricky coconut cream.
- Scoop the solid coconut milk into your bowl (leaving the liquid in the can) and begin beating on medium speed. You may need to add some cream of tartar, cornstarch, or tapioca flour if your kitchen is a bit humid and the cream is refusing to thicken.
- Once thickened, about 4 minutes, add vanilla and desired amount of powdered sugar.
- (If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate.)
I made our healthier pumpkin pie with coconut sugar, but a friend tried out the recipe with white sugar and has vouched for the results. Use whatever you have on hand because really, 1/3 of a cup of sugar is not going to do much harm to your waistline – especially when spread out over an entire pie.
(It works out to about 2 teaspoons of sugar per slice, if you slice the pie into eight.)
The cinnamon, coconut milk, and dates do a great job of bringing some natural sweetness to this pumpkin pie recipe. It is a pleasant, rounded sweetness that goes great with a cup of after-supper coffee or tea, and doesn’t overwhelm your palette after a savoury Thanksgiving supper.
We have several other delicious and easy pumpkin recipes that would work for an easy Thanksgiving dessert – like our pumpkin spice rice krispies, but our apple pie recipe would also be a nice choice!
Check out our other Vegetable Recipes here:
