Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

The smell of pumpkin pie baking in the oven is a welcome tradition in my family. This will be our first gluten free Thanksgiving and I am determined to have the same delicious favorite dishes to share at this special time. For all those new to the gluten free world, try this full-flavored, aromatic pie in your home. It is packed with savory flavors including nutmeg and cinnamon, fresh cream and pure pumpkin.

I have tried several different recipes and mixes, as well as frozen, ready-made gluten free pie crusts. For more information, you can read my review of gluten free pie crust products. Bottom line, gluten free pie crusts are getting closer to tasting like traditional, flaky pie crusts. My favorite pie crust, sans gluten, is a frozen product produced by a company called Wholly Wholesome. This product produces the flakiest crust I have tried to date. If you cannot find this brand, another good frozen option is a product by Gillian Foods, also sold at Whole Foods. Lastly, The Gluten Free Pantry makes a good pie crust mix, but the minimal improved taste does not justify the extra involved in preparing the crust.

Pumpkins are not only nostalgic for fall, they also have health benefits. Plain pumpkin is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Its also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and copper. While I find it far easier to use pumpkin puree from the can, if you have time, you can bake a fresh pumpkin and then mash it to get the same results. I have made this pie with canned and fresh pumpkin and find the canned version to be just as good. If you choose to use fresh pumpkin, save the seeds and roast them separately. Place them in a single layer in a broil pan or cookie sheet. Lightly salt them and roast them on a low broil setting for about 8 minutes. Pumpkin seeds are also a great source of nutritional value. In addition, they are a fun snack to munch on.

Baking gluten free foods can seem like a daunting task until you get the hang of it. Gluten plays an important role in breads and baked goods. It provides elasticity in dough and helps it to rise and to keep its shape. It often gives the final product a chewy texture. When you remove wheat flour from a recipe, it is difficult to substitute with ingredients that give you the same result. Frequently, all purpose flour is substituted with a combination of rice flour, tapioca starch, potato flour, xanthan gum and other ingredients. I have found it hard to mix this concoction successfully. I have tried several gluten free flour mixes that produce excellent results in recipes that call for All Purpose Flour. My favorite gluten free flours are:

1. Namaste Perfect Flour Blend
2. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
3. King Arthur's Gluten Free All Purpose Flour