Healthy Pumpkin Pie

This recipe for a healthy pumpkin pie is low sugar and needs just 6 ingredients to make! A rich and creamy filling in a light pie crust, no one will know it’s completely dairy free! 

Healthy Pumpkin Pie

When the holiday season rolls around, I know my stomach is in for a treat full of delicious pumpkin desserts. I have a few favorites up my sleeve. I love a good pumpkin cake or some glorious pumpkin muffins.

In an effort to offset all the indulgence, I love to lighten up some of my favorite desserts. One that I’ve been working on has been a classic pumpkin pie. 

Why this pumpkin pie is healthy-

You may be asking, is pumpkin pie healthy? Well, traditional pies can clock in up to 500 calories a slice and full of butter, sugar, and corn syrup. However, this one is the polar opposite without sacrificing taste! 

This healthy pumpkin pie recipe is- 

• Low sugar!– There is no granulated sugar or corn syrup needed for this pie. It also doesn’t require any artificial sweeteners either. Instead, it is sweetened with pure maple syrup, perfect for a low sugar pumpkin pie!
• 6 Ingredients! Unlike most pie recipes out there, this one has an ingredient list of just 6 ingredients! Sure, you could make a pie crust from scratch 
• No dairy needed. No cows milk, no condensed milk, no buttermilk- Just unsweetened almond milk, which is both dairy free and low calorie! 

The secret to making this healthy pumpkin pie taste incredible is using freshly made pumpkin puree- It takes the flavor and texture to another level. No pie filling mix is needed. 

With the festive season in full swing, this is the kind of dessert to share at Thanksgiving that NO ONE will be able to tell has been made healthier- It is THAT good!

How do you make a healthy pumpkin pie?

The Ingredients

• Pie crust– A homemade pie crust or a healthier store bought one, like Wholefoods or Trader Joe’s. 
• Pumpkin puree– 100% unsweetened pumpkin, either from a can or homemade. 
• Milk of choice– I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk will work fine. 
• Maple syrup– A refined sugar free sweetener that pairs beautifully with the pumpkin flavor. You can also use agave nectar or honey. 
• Pumpkin pie spice– What is a pumpkin pie without pumpkin pie spice? If you have none on hand, use a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg! 
• Cornflour– To thicken the pie. If you don’t have cornflour, you can use cornstarch. 
• Whipped cream– I dare you to serve me pumpkin pie without some whipped cream.

The Instructions

1. Add all your ingredients into a saucepan and whisk well, until the cornflour has dissolved completely. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly, until it is thick and bubbling.

2. Use a stick mixer to blend everything together until completely smooth.

3. Once the mixture has cooled, transfer to a pie crust. 

4. Bake the pie crust for 40 minutes, until firm on top. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating to firm up. 

Tips to make the best recipe

• If you don’t have a stick or hand mixer, you can add the pumpkin pie filling in a blender instead. The filling must be perfectly smooth before adding it to the pie crust to be baked.
• Avoid overbaking the pie, as it continues to cook as it is cooling down. Furthermore, the pie will be refrigerated to firm up even more, giving it an almost custard-like texture. 
• You can make this pie up to 5 days ahead of time. Simply remove it from the refrigerator an hour before serving. 
• Serve this pie with some healthy frozen treats, like sugar free ice cream or vegan caramel. 

Dietary swaps 

This pumpkin pie is very forgiving and with a few tweaks is suitable for several main diets out there-

• Keep it vegan! This pie is naturally vegan provided you use a pie crust made without butter, shortening, or eggs.
• Make it gluten free. Use a gluten free pie crust. 
• Make it paleo. Replace the cornflour with arrowroot powder and use a grain free pie crust. 
• Enjoy a crustless pumpkin pie. Make this a healthy crustless pumpkin pie by omitting the crust completely and baking it in a glass dish. Each large slice will come in at under 70 calories! 

Storing and freezing pumpkin pie

• To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week. 
• To freeze: Place slices of the pumpkin pie in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

More healthy dessert recipes to try

• Apple crisp
• Apple pie
• Banana cake
• Cheesecake
• Chocolate chip cookies