AIP Pumpkin Pie Filling

A perfect slice of AIP pumpkin pie. Gets its silky yet firm texture not from eggs, but a combination of Gelatin and Arrowroot Starch.

This filling goes great with a more traditional crust, a coconut flour based crust or get wild and go completely crustless! Sorry, I’m not much help here, I’ve yet to find or engineer an AIP compliant crust that is versatile enough to use for any pie that is 100% doing it for me. **read more about my recipe creation philosophy after the recipe.

November 2021 update: After many attempts and much fretting, I think I've got it, at least for now check it out here.

Ingredients

1 small pie pumpkin, split, cleaned, roasted ( or 2x 15 oz cans pumpkin, or a 29 oz can) roughly 3 cups puree

2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon (use half if you aren't accustomed to spice forward flavors)

1 Tbsp Ground Ginger(use half if you aren't accustomed to spice forward flavors)

1/4 tsp Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp Ground Mace

1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup (*add more to taste, some pumpkin is sweeter than others)

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp Arrowroot Powder

2 Tbsp Unflavored Gelatin

1/2 cup Coconut milk, *or use 3/4 cup Coconut cream and omit the oil but bloom the gelatin in 2tbsp cold water before adding it to the pumpkin butter mixture

1/4 cup Coconut Oil, melted*

Method

Prepare the pumpkin (roast and puree or open those cans!) Transfer the pumpkin to a heavy bottom sauce pan over very low heat.

Add an irresponsible amount of Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves and Mace plus a bit salt and the Maple Syrup. If your palate isn't used to strong spices, start with HALF the amount of cinnamon and ginger and taste it after it has cooked for 5 minutes or so.

Continue cooking until the color deepens and the texture changes from grainy to silky— we’re making AIP pumpkin butter! We’re looking to reduce to about 2 1/2 - 3 cups. Taste for sweetness, add more maple if desired; this will depend on your personal taste as well as the natural sweetness of your pumpkin.

Combine arrowroot with coconut milk, then add gelatin granules. Let bloom one minute until gelatin is hydrated, it may be lumpy, thats ok. *If you're using coconut cream, first bloom the gelatin in 2 tbsp cold water before proceeding. Measure out 2 1/2 cups of the pumpkin mixture, add coconut milk/gelatin/arrowroot mixture, coconut oil and thoroughly incorporate.

Pour in to desired deep-dish par-baked pie crust and give it a good wiggle to level. Bake at 350f for 25-35 minutes, the custard will take on a consistent baked appearance around the crust, it looses some of its shine and will retain a bit of its “wiggle” in the middle. Don’t be tempted to cook until set. Remove from oven, let cool to room temperature before placing in fridge for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.

November 2021 Recipe notes: I absolutely still love this filling in spite of my inner crust turmoil. One thing to note here is that it makes a luscious pumpkin butter, which can be used on its own or incorporated in to many pumpkin based recipes. It is also worth noting that it scales very, very well and freezes amazingly to boot—go ahead and make a HUGE batch and portion it up in the freezer so you can whip up a delicious pie any time the mood strikes, not just when pumpkin is in the stores. Side note: I like things VERY flavorful, and any time an herb or spice has a functional benefit, like cinnamon that helps to regulate blood sugar, I go all in. If your palate is not into spices served with a heavy hand, by all means scale it back. Taste the pumpkin butter before you add the remaining ingredients and ensure you love the taste or adjust accordingly.

Also, the two part starch + gelatin thickener that is used in place of eggs can be thickened on the stovetop before pouring in to the pie shell, which means it only requires refrigeration once its in the prepared pie shell. I don’t typically do it this way because i personally prefer the extra caramelization and souffle like top that can only be achieved by baking—its worth 20 minutes in the oven to me. Because it will set significantly after cooling due to the gelatin, it will remain quite wobbly when cooked. Continuing to bake until it is set all the way through is likely to cause cracking in the center of the pie, as is going from the oven to refrigerator.

Enjoy!

**On the topic of my apparently insane standards, I’ve got to let you know that I might be a bit obsessive about nailing the taste AND texture of classics such as this, sometimes it means an extra step/ingredient or two (or an additional pan on occasion). I want to be able to enjoy meals with non-AIP family and friends so they can see how delicious real food can be without the deprivation mindset. Living grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free (I’m sure I forgot someone ha!) can feel daunting at first, I don’t want that to be the thing standing between someone and their healing.

I made Thanksgiving dinner for extended family the year I went fully AIP (and started this little adventure) Not only did I want to ensure I could enjoy ALL of the things I remembered fondly about Thanksgiving(without placing the burden on family to provide this for me), I wanted to shine a positive light on AIP/Paleo eating to quell all the previous comments about dietary restrictions and deprivation. I wanted them to see food can leave you feeling great, not bloated and ready for a nap and I wanted it to leave a good taste in their mouth while doing it. An AIP ambassador to the masses you could say.