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Healthy Pumpkin Pie, Baked in the Shell
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Healthy Pumpkin Pie, Baked in the Shell

2 hrsServes 6–8

Ok, now THIS was a fun one to figure out! I wanted a fully REAL food pumpkin pie — nothing processed. And I wanted to bake it in the shell. And I wanted it to be fairly easy. Here you go: simple, healthy, and beautiful! If you're thinking of making this for Thanksgiving, you may want to make it once or twice ahead of time — not because it's tricky, just because it's delicious.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium 'Sugar Pumpkins' (NOT jack o'lantern pumpkins — look for ones marked 'sugar pumpkins' or 'baking pumpkins')
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 3–4 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cup raw cashews
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • Optional: freshly ground nutmeg and a little fresh ginger
  • Pepitas for garnish
  • Optional: 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese (makes the pie super-creamy — omit for vegan)
  • Optional: 2 eggs (not needed, but some prefer the texture)

Instructions

  1. 1Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. 2Cut the tops off both pumpkins, and cut one into halves, leaving the other whole. Scrape out seeds and tissues and set aside (roast the seeds later if you like!).
  3. 3Mix the maple syrup, spices, and salt, and pour into the 'bowls' of the halves and the whole pumpkin, spreading around the inside surface. Place on a large baking sheet, lay a piece of aluminum foil over all, and bake 30–50 minutes until softened but the shell of the large pumpkin is still solid.
  4. 4Remove pumpkins to cool. Put the cashews, a little water, and vanilla in a high-speed blender. Process until smooth, adding a little water as needed. Add mascarpone and/or eggs now if using.
  5. 5When pumpkin pieces are cool enough, pour the remaining maple syrup/spices from the halves directly into the cashew mix and continue blending. Scrape the soft pumpkin pulp from the halves (discarding skin) and add to the blender. Scrape about half the pulp from the whole pumpkin (leaving enough to preserve the structure) and add. Process until smooth.
  6. 6Taste and adjust seasonings — usually a bit more spice is needed at this point.
  7. 7Slowly pour the filling back into the whole pumpkin and bake for another 40–50 minutes until the top is browned and the filling seems set. Remove and let cool to room temperature, or refrigerate.
  8. 8Serve topped with a little cashew cream or mascarpone blended with maple syrup, plus toasted pumpkin seeds. Slice from top to bottom and put slices flat onto plates.

Jennifer's tip

The filling will expand a bit in the oven, so expect it to overflow if you fill to the edge. Most people prefer pumpkin pie chilled — it slices much more cleanly.

Step by step

Healthy Pumpkin Pie, Baked in the Shell step 1
Healthy Pumpkin Pie, Baked in the Shell step 2
Healthy Pumpkin Pie, Baked in the Shell step 3

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