I had a request for how I would make a lower sugar, lower carb pumpkin pie for the fall holiday table... maybe for Thanksgiving, Fall Equinox, a Harvest Fest... you decide when and whip up a tasty, whole food pie treat.
Here is how I make my yummy Autumn pumpkin pies. Enjoy!
Lower sugar, low carb Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients Praline Crust:
- 1/4 cup melted butter*
- 1 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (almonds or coconut are other fun variations)
- 2-4 tbsp. sucanat sugar (Potsdam Coop & Nature's Storehouse)
- 1/8 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sugar Pie Pumpkins
Pie Filling: You can also use a butternut or buttercup squash.
- 1 (15-ounce) can no sugar added pumpkin filling, organic of course. To cook your own pie pumpkin, see below.
- 1/3 to ½ cup sucanat sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream* (If you buy a pint of heavy cream, use 1 cup here and 1 cup for whipped topping, just add 1/4 full fat milk* to make up the difference.)
- 4 eggs*
Long Pie Pumpkins
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the crust:
- Mix all crust ingredients together in a small bowl.
- While mixture is still warm from the butter, press it evenly into the bottom of a deep-dish pie pan.
- Bake for about 5 minutes, or until browned.
- Remove pie crust from oven.
Make the filling: Turn oven to 425 F
- Place all filling ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well with a wire whisk.
- Pour filling into your pre-baked pie crust.
- Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Continue to bake for an additional 50 to 55 minutes.
- To test to see if cooked enough, stick a sharp knife in the center; if it comes out clean, the pie is done.
- Cool and then chill before serving.
- To serve, top each slice with a dollop of low carb whipped cream.
Lower Carb Fresh Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream*
- 2 tbsp. to ¼ cup sucanat sugar
- 1-3 tsp. vanilla extract, I tend to go for the more is better, you do not miss the sugar when you add vanilla, maybe a dash of cinnamon too!
Cooking your own pie pumpkin: I take the whole little pie pumpkin and put it in a pot with about 1 inch of water in the pot. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a very gentle simmer. Check in 30 minutes, if a sharp knife slides into the flesh easily, it is done. I carefully remove it from the pot and put it in a bowl or plate with upturned edges. Cut into pieces and puree the whole pumpkin: seeds, skin, and all. A blender works best. Use what you need for the pie and make curry pumpkin soup with the rest!
Curry Pumpkin Soup: This is as easy as putting the rest of your pie pumpkin in the blender with milk* (add enough milk to blend the pumpkin into a puree and then add what you need to get the thickness you are looking for in a creamy soup) and adding your favorite blended curry spice to your taste. Blend, heat, enjoy!
*I suggest using butter, eggs, and whipping cream be from animals raised naturally: grass fed cows and chickens foraging for their own natural foods.