When I peeped at the price tag on the delicious looking gluten-free pumpkin pie I nearly ate my peepers. I don’t begrudge the gluten-free bakery for charging $18 for a perfect pumpkin pie — I just don’t want to pay that much moolah for baked squash on a crust.
If living on a gluten-free diet for the last decade has taught me anything, it’s to never pay the steep price for foods prepared without wheat, barley, and rye. With a little know-how it is possible to have your gluten-free pumpkin pie priced right, and enjoy eating it too.
Whether you’re Celiac (like me), have a gluten sensitivity, or are just interested in trying some gluten-free desserts, go ahead and bake one (or both) of my favorite pumpkin pie recipes priced perfectly for the holiday season. Both are baked on an easy-to-make gluten-free gingersnap crust ’cause I’m terrible at rolling dough.
The first recipe is a fun pumpkin cheesecake baked in cute mason jars for around $9 — this recipe costs substantially less in the USA since cheese is super cheap in the United States. The second is a traditional pumpkin pie recipe using evaporated milk, and costs around $6 to bake.
Gluten-Free Gingersnap Pie Crust
This easy recipe yields enough crust for one 9-inch pie, or 6 individual 1/2 pint-sized wide-mouth mason jar pies.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free gingersnap crumbs. I use MI-DEL gluten-free gingersnap cookies.
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions:
STEP ONE: Smash. Place gluten-free gingersnaps into a large freezer bag and crush the lot with a rolling pin.
STEP TWO: Mix. Mix cookie crumbs with butter and sugar in a bowl.
STEP THREE: Press and bake. Preheat oven to 350F. Press the crust mixture into either a 9-inch pie pan, or 6 1/2 pint-sized wide-mouth mason jars.
Bake crust until slightly darkened — about 5 minutes. Set crust aside. Pick a pumpkin pie filling recipe, below.
Pie in a Jar
Bake a batch of pie using cute mason jars. A hostess gift idea.
Pie in a Jar: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
A tasty pocket-sized dessert perfect as a frugal hostess gift or for casual dinner company. Use 1/2 pint wide mouth canning jars so your pie can be removed easily. 
Ingredients:
This pumpkin filling recipe yields one 9-inch pie or 6 individual 1/2 pint-sized mason jar pies.
- 1/2 pint wide mouth canning jars
- 24 ounces of low fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- whipped cream (optional)
Instructions:
STEP ONE: Blend cheese. Using a food processor, blend the room temperature cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
STEP TWO: Mix. Add pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, and spices to the cheese mixture.
Blend until filling is even and smooth.
STEP THREE: Mix. Pour the blended pumpkin cheesecake filling onto your 9-inch pie crust or into your mason jars.
Instructions for making a gluten-free gingersnap pie crust are above.
STEP FOUR: Bake. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake pumpkin cheesecake until the center is set and the sides begin to crack — around 1 hour and 15 minutes. The pie should not wiggle around when done.
STEP FIVE: Cool and chill. Let pie rest in jars on a cooling rack. Chill uncovered until cold — around 5 hours. Cover and refrigerate for up to one day. Serve with whipped cream. Enjoy!
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
A traditional pumpkin pie recipe with a gluten-free twist.
Ingredients: Traditional Pumpkin Pie Filling
This pumpkin filling recipe yields one 9-inch pie or 6 individual 1/2 pint-sized mason jar pies.
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 can (12 fluid ounces) evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- whipped cream (optional)
Instructions:
STEP ONE: Mix. In a small bowl, mix sugar and spices. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar mixture.
Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
STEP TWO: Pour. Pour pie filling into pie shell.
Pie crust instructions and recipe are above.
STEP THREE: Bake. Preheat oven to 425F, and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350F, bake for 40 to 50 minutes — until a sharp knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
STEP FOUR: Cool. Cool on wire rack for around 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Serve with whipped cream.
There you have it — two pumpkin pies served on a gluten-free pie crust. One is traditional, and one is in a jar. Enjoy wheat-free holiday goodness for half the price of store-bought.
Love,
Kerry
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Your two cents:
I always make my pumpkin pies with ginger snap cookies, too. I have yet to master making a great traditional pie crust (and secretly, I don’t really like the lard or shortening varieties, call me crazy – or health conscious?). Crumb crusts are so much simpler to make and tasty too. Great post, Kerry!
I would love to hear more tips on going wheat/gluten free. We are trying it out and finding it very expensive and not always tasty.
I’m fascinated by the gluten-free version. I’ll be trying this soon! Thanks!
I seriously want to try this recipe!! going GF just now and need good and simple and shall I shout DELICIOUS recipes. Can’t wait to try this one!! Gotta find me some of those cookies…
I read this post with great interest as I am trying to go wheat free. I am reading a book by dr. William Davis (I think that’s the name), called Wheat Belly. Very educational and eye-opening. I don’t have gluten sensitivity but reading the book and finding out about all the foods in which wheat/gluten is lurking made me feel very sympathetic with Celiac disease sufferers.
I have never heard of the Mi-Del ginger snaps (but I have to admit I have not looked for gluten free items yet), I am curious to find out what are the ingredients in them?
I love pumpkin pie so I am bookmarking this post for a definite must-try.
I can’t wait to try the jar version of this recipe but would like to freeze them and give as gifts… Is that possible and if so, at what point in the process would I do that? Thanks!
We had the pumpkin pie as individual tarts for thanksgiving and my entire non-celiac family raved. they all said it was better then a traditional crust. Thanks for giving me a desert to both enjoy and share.
Hello,
I was just reading the recipe and noticed on the picture of the ingredients you have a can of “eagle brand – condensed milk” where in the instructions you list “evaporated milk”. There’s a big difference between the 2 so I want to use the right one
Can you clarify if you use condensed milk or evaporated milk in this pumpkin recipe?
btw… It looks really yummy can’t wait to try it.
Thanks!
Louise