Maple Pumpkin Pie (Gluten Free + Paleo-Friendly)
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Maple Pumpkin Pie – This naturally sweetened pumpkin pie recipe might be the best I’ve ever had. Perfectly spiced and perfect for the holidays! (Gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo-friendly)
Does anyone else get SUPER excited about the pie part of the holiday meals? (Raises hand)
Pumpkin pie is probably the most iconic Thanksgiving dessert in the US, and I’m always looking for yummy ways to spin it.
This maple pumpkin pie recipe is my favorite yet. It’s perfectly spiced, takes just a few easy-to-find ingredients, and doesn’t involve a lot of extra fuss. Maple Pumpkin Pie is the perfect holiday dessert and one I think you’ll come back to again and again. Here’s what I put it in it to make it feel special…
HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO MAPLE PUMPKIN PIE:
- A GOOD PIE CRUST. You can use whatever your favorite crust is for this maple pumpkin pie–a traditional crust, a gluten-free crust, or a paleo crust (see the FAQ!)
- PUMPKIN PUREE. I love that this pumpkin pie recipe uses a whole can of pumpkin puree. Simple to measure and no extras to worry about! Do be sure to look for unsweetened pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- EGGS. Eggs add binding power to the pumpkin pie filling and give it that velvety smooth custard texture you’re looking for.
- PURE MAPLE SYRUP. It wouldn’t be maple pumpkin pie without pure maple syrup! I love that it’s naturally sweetened, and the maple syrup flavor is subtle but gorgeous. So complementary to the other flavors!
- VANILLA & WARM SPICES. The flavoring for this pumpkin pie is so delicious and straightforward. I use a blend of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. (I use these same spices in my pumpkin cake, and it’s UNREAL.)
- A LITTLE SALT. Lastly, we temper the sweetness and spices with a bit of salt. I promise it’ll make the other flavors come alive!
Feeling extra fancy? Try making our maple pumpkin pie with homemade pumpkin puree! Learn how to make pumpkin puree here.
4 YUMMY WAYS TO SERVE THIS MAPLE PUMPKIN PIE:
- WITH A HEFTY DOLLOP OF WHIPPED CREAM OR COCONUT CREAM. My favorite way to eat any pumpkin pie is with a nice, big dollop of whipped cream. I love the cool, creamy combination! Store-bought or homemade will do the job. (You can make your own coconut whipped cream, or you can pick up a store-bought variety that’ll be a bit more stable.)
- OR A SCOOP OF VANILLA ICE CREAM. Another option is a scoop of a yummy vanilla ice cream. (NadaMoo vanilla, and SoDelicious cashew milk vanilla ice cream are two of my favorite dairy free vanillas!)
- WITH LEAF CUT-OUTS. If your pie crust recipe makes a double crust (one for the top and bottom), you’ll have a spare crust. One pretty option is to roll out the second crust and use leaf-shaped cookie cutters or a pie crust punch (like these or these) to make leaf cut-outs. Brush them with a little melted butter/ghee or an egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of coarse turbinado sugar or cinnamon sugar for an extra special finish! (I bake mine at 375 for 15-20 minutes or so.)
- FOR BREAKFAST! I’m *mostly* kidding? But I’m just saying, if you’ve never had a slice of leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast the day after Thanksgiving, have you really lived? Try it! Your life will never be the same.;)
FAQ + TIPS FOR PERFECT MAPLE PUMPKIN PIE:
DO I REALLY HAVE TO PRE-BAKE THE CRUST? Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Otherwise, your crust’ll likely be soggy in the middle. Follow the steps for pre-baking/blind baking the crust (lightly line with parchment, weigh down with dry beans or pie weights, bake, remove parchment, etc.) and you’ll end up with a crust that’s cooked through and beautifully golden.
DOES THIS TASTE STRONGLY OF MAPLE? Yes and no? It doesn’t taste like pancake syrup, nor does it taste like a spoonful of pure maple syrup. It’s got subtle maple flavor throughout the pie, but the warm spice blend keeps it from being too strong.
HOW CAN I MAKE IT TASTE MORE LIKE MAPLE? If you want some serious maple flavor, you may like adding a tiny bit of maple extract. It’s not quite the same as the pure maple syrup taste, but it really punches up the maple flavor. I’d start with 1/4 tsp.
PALEO? READ THIS! The filling of this maple pumpkin pie is 100% paleo, so the only swap you’d need to make this a paleo pie is to use a paleo pie crust. This one and this one get great reviews!
TIPS FOR A PERFECT BAKE. You want to pull the maple pumpkin pie out when the edges are set and the center is a little wobbly. It will continue to set as it cools.
HELP! MY FILLING CRACKED! You know? It happens. It won’t impact the taste in the slightest. (Just dollop with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream!)
Love Pumpkin Desserts?
Play around with these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars, Almond Flour Pumpkin Cake (So fluffy!), or this Pumpkin Crumble Pie–it’s like all the best things about pie + crumble!
MORE GLUTEN-FREE HOLIDAY RECIPES TO LOVE:
HELPFUL FOR THIS RECIPE:
Maple Pumpkin Pie
- Total Time: About 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 (9″) pie 1x
Description
Maple Pumpkin Pie – This naturally sweetened pumpkin pie recipe might be the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever had. Perfectly spiced and so delicious! (Gluten free, dairy free, paleo-friendly)
Ingredients
- 1 (9″) Pie crust (I like this gluten free one or this traditional one)
- 1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. cardamom
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
PRE-BAKE (“BLIND BAKE”) YOUR CRUST:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Gently press a large square of parchment paper into the unbaked pie shell.
- Pour in about 1 cup of dried beans or rice or a set of pie weights to weigh down the crust.
- Bake the pie crust for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges of the crust are turning golden. (This is called “blind baking”)
- Carefully remove the parchment paper and weights/beans (I gather all four corners of the parchment in my hand and lift so the pie weights/beans come with it).
- Bake an additional 5 minutes to help set the bottom a bit more.
- Remove from oven and lower the temperature to 325 degrees F.
MIX UP THE FILLING & BAKE THE PIE!
- While the crust is pre-baking, mix up the pumpkin pie filling.
- In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs, syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt.
- Whisk until completely smooth (so you don’t get any eggy or uneven bits in your filling).
- When the crust is pre-baked and the pie weights/beans are removed, carefully pour the pumpkin pie filling into the crust.
- (For security, you may want to put your pie plate on a baking sheet, in case any of the filling sloshes as you put it into the oven)
- Place pie in the oven (temp should be lowered to 325 degrees F.) and bake 40-45 minutes, or until edges are set and the center is just slightly wobbly.
- Let the pie cool completely before slicing and serving (the residual heat will set the center of the pie as it cools).
- Top with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream, or serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: About 1 hour
- Category: Dessert, Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Originally shared Nov 2019. Updated Nov 2021.
I just found this recipe, and it looks simpler than the one I used this year which had me cook down the pumpkin puree before you use it. I’ve never seen a pumpkin pie without evaporated milk or coconut milk in it. I’m curious about that omission since pumpkin is a custard pie, and custard is typically defined by the presence of a sweetened base of baked eggs and milk. Question #2 is how does the consistency of the filling compare to the traditional pumpkin pie with a milk or milk substitute? Thank you.
Julie – I feel like this pie has a gorgeous texture and flavor. The eggs & maple syrup help with the custard-like texture and the flavor is delightful with the maple and blend of spices. We highly recommend it!