Pumpkin pie, specifically my great grandma’s recipe, is the most quintessential Thanksgiving food in my opinion. But creating an AIP version of her pumpkin pie has been a bigger challenge than I anticipated (and has involved multiple failed attempts). Once I combined Great Grandma’s pumpkin pie flavor profile with her gingersnap cookie flavor profile, I finally came close to something that tasted like the “normal” holidays.
This holiday season is my first time navigating major holidays while following the Autoimmune Protocol. I’m very much into tradition, especially when it comes to holidays & holiday foods. Coming to terms with the realization that not every dish I try to recreate AIP-style will taste (or look) exactly like it’s original can be really a challenge.
Also, can I just say that grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, egg free, nut free baking is really hard? I’m still very much learning how new-to-me ingredients act during the scientific processes involved in baking. My multiple attempts at a traditional pie crust turned AIP were unsuccessful, but repurposing my AIP Coconut Macaroon recipe into a crust worked really well. And to make it taste a bit more holiday-esque, I substituted a bit of the honey for molasses & added some ground ginger. Trying to create a custard-like pudding without the aid of eggs steered me towards the panna cotta side of things. Both the crust and the filling could be made & enjoyed separately, but I really enjoy them together. It might not taste exactly like “normal” pumpkin pie, but it’s still a flavorful treat that won’t derail healing processes.
Speaking of the holiday season, a group of AIP bloggers have put together a free holiday guide full of AIP-friendly holiday recipes. And Phoenix Helix has a great podcast about surviving the holiday season. If you need some inspiration, check those out. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Pumpkin Panna Cotta Tart with Gingersnap Macaroon Crust
Yields 8 servings
Gingersnap Macaroon Crust
120 g (1 1/2 c) Shredded, Unsweetened Coconut
7 g (1 Tbl) Coconut Flour
1 tsp Ground Ginger
Pinch of Sea Salt
26 g (2 Tbl) Coconut Oil
, melted65 g (3 Tbl) Honey (local or organic is best)
21 g (1 Tbl) Unsulphured Molasses
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Pulse the shredded coconut, coconut flour, ground ginger and sea salt in a food processor until combined.
- Add the oil, honey and molasses & pulse until well mixed.
- Press the mixture into a 4" x 14" Rectangular Tart Pan
- Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Rotate the pan & bake for 10 additional minutes, or until the tart crust has turned a bit more golden, but is not scorched.
- Cool completely. Remove the tart pan & place the crust onto a baking sheet. Proceed with the panna cotta filling.
Pumpkin Panna Cotta Filling
6.75 Fl Oz Organic Coconut Milk
4 g (approximately 1 tsp) Grassfed Gelatin 
123 g (1/2 c) Organic Pumpkin 
20 g (3 Tbl) Grade B Maple Syrup
2 tsp Vanilla Extract (optional for AIP)
1 tsp AIP Pumpkin Pie Spice
Coconut Whipped Cream, for serving
- Place the coconut milk into a small sauce pan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the coconut milk & mix gently--I usually use my fingers & break up any clumps that I can. Set aside & allow the gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Heat over medium heat for five minutes, whisking constantly.
- Pour into the prepared crust (note, you may not need all the filling; place any leftovers into a small ramekin-type vessel). Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. The tart may be made a day in advance.
- Cut the tart into diagonal slices. Serve with coconut whipped cream.
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