Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Made Easy

While the cheesecake I made on Thanksgiving was great, the meal wouldn’t have been complete without gluten free pumpkin pie. Luckily, Libby’s pumpkin and the recipe on the can is naturally gluten free. That leaves only the crust to make.

Now I know many people buy pre-made pie crusts – well not in my family. The thought of buying a pre-made crust or even a whole pre-made pie would never cross our minds. Well, I’m sure figuring out a gluten free pie crust becomes that much harder if you are used to buying a pre-prepared curst or pie.

There are a wealth of gluten free pie crust recipes that require one to purchase multiple types of flour and ingredients such as xanthan or guar gum. Well lucky for us The Gluten Free Pantry makes a “Perfect Pie Crust” mix to help out those of us without the time or inclination to experiment with flours every time we bake.

It’s not as easy to roll out or work with as a crust made with gluten flour, but the final product is the perfect balance of flaky and sweet to complement a pumpkin pie. I follow the directions on the package with a few hints.

It is absolutely necessary to refrigerate the crust before rolling it out.
Lightly spray two pieces of plastic wrap and roll the crust out between the two sheets. Hold the pan above the crust to check for size. (While the instructions say that the mix will make four pie crusts, I find it much easier to work with it for three pies to allow more “wiggle room.”) To place the crust in the pan, remove the top piece of plastic wrap, slide your hand gently underneath the bottom sheet then with your other hand, place the pan on top of the crust upside down. Flip it all over and hopefully the crust is about centered. Remove the last piece of plastic wrap, cut the edges of the crust off and smooth out any uneven parts gently with your hands. Voila, fill the crust with the pie filling and bake!