Reduced Carb Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie has been a Thanksgiving tradition for as long as many of us can probably remember. But, just how long has this sweet treat been a star at our Thanksgiving feasts?

The first Thanksgiving took place in 1621, however it wasn’t until eighteenth century that pumpkin pie became a mainstay of the Thanksgiving spread. Pumpkin pie recipes date back as early as the seventeenth century in English cookbooks with American cookbooks following behind approximately 100 years later, during the early 1800s. While it is believed that pumpkin was present at the first Thanksgiving, these orange squashes were likely served as a stew instead of the sweet pie we have come accustom to enjoying.

The average slice of pumpkin pie contains approximately 46 grams of carbohydrate. For those of you who choose to follow a reduced carbohydrate diet you may have put pumpkin pie on the “Forbidden Foods” list.

But what if you could enjoy a lower carbohydrate version of a holiday favorite?

Check out the following recipe for pumpkin pie. This recipe features almond flour in place of all-purpose flour as well as fresh pumpkin puree in place of canned pumpkin puree/pie filling. This recipe has less than half the typical carbohydrate amount of regular pumpkin pie.

Ingredients for low carb pumpkin pie :

Crust

• 1 ½ cups Almond Flour
• 4 oz. Cream Cheese
• ½ cup Vegetable Shortening
• ½ tsp. Salt
• ¾ tsp. Splenda Sugar Blend

Filling

• 1 cup Homemade Pumpkin Puree
• ¼ cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
• 2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. Splenda Sugar Blend
• 3 Eggs (2 whole eggs and 1 yolk)
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream
• 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

Makes 1 pie (8 slices)

Directions for low carb pumpkin pie:

Prepare pumpkin puree:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Cut pumpkin in half
3. Remove seeds and pulp
4. Cover each half of pumpkin with foil
5. Put both halves on baking sheet (foil side up)
6. Bake at 325 degrees, until tender (approximately 1 hour)
7. Scrape out pumpkin meat and place into blender
8. Pulse until pureed consistently
9. Strain pureed pumpkin to remove any remaining pulp
10. Put aside until ready to assessable pumpkin pie filling

Prepare pie crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine almond flour, salt, and Splenda Sugar blend in food processor. Pulse for a few seconds.
3. Gradually add in cream cheese and vegetable shortening. Pulse all ingredients together for a few seconds.
4. Sprinkle countertop with almond flour
5. Remove dough from food processor
6. Gently knead dough (with clean, cold hands)
7. Wrap dough in plastic wrap
8. Let dough rest in refrigerator for 1 hour
9. Take dough out of refrigerator and let sit for a few minutes
10. Roll dough with rolling pin
11. Gently press dough into 9-inch pie dish
12. Prick dough with a fork
13. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes
14. Remove pie crust from oven and let cool

Prepare pie filling

1. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to combine pumpkin puree, Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, Splenda Sugar Blend, eggs (2 whole eggs and 1 yolk), salt, heavy cream, ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
2. Continue to mix all ingredients until well combined.

Assemble and bake pie

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Pour pie filling into pie crust
3. Bake pie for 1 hour at 350 degrees
4. Let pie cool to room temperature

Do you have a favorite recipe that you have modified from high carb to lower carb? Please share your unique recipe creations with the type2diabetes.com community: https://type2diabetes.com/recipes/.