Coconut Macaroon Pumpkin Pie – Make a delicious gluten free, dairy free pumpkin pie with sweet coconut macaroon crust. Dairy free, gluten free recipe, tastes amazing!
So by now you all know that the Thanksgiving and Hanukkah holidays coincide this year, which happens to be a once-in-a-lifetime coincidence. This whole idea got my imagination going. While contemplating several potential flavor combinations for “Thanksgivukah,” none made me more excited than the idea of marrying two of my favorite desserts – coconut macaroons and pumpkin pie. The idea of taking a Jewish holiday classic like macaroons and making it into a pie crust, then filling it with pumpkin custard, made my mouth water. The macaroon crust was easy enough to make gluten free, I simply used my coconut macaroon recipe as a base. Then I figured hey, as long as I’m using coconut, why not use coconut milk in the custard and make this pie dairy free as well? That way, people with a variety of food sensitivities can enjoy it. It seemed like a simple enough concept, but it actually took several tests to get this one right. Together with my assistant Ashley, we made several versions of the pie. Each one was good, but I didn’t want good… I wanted perfect! At first the crust was soggy, then the edges baked too fast, then the custard was too soft, then the sweetness level wasn’t where I wanted it to be. Finally we nailed it. I can now say with pride that this is THE BEST pumpkin pie I’ve ever tasted. For reals!
I love a lot of things about this pie, but what I love most is how many people will be able to enjoy it. Those with dairy sensitivities can have a luscious lactose-free pie experience. People with gluten issues will have no trouble here. My kosher friends can eat this after a holiday turkey without mixing milk and meat. Then there are the people who will make it just because it sounds so freaking delicious. Trust me, it is. You won’t miss old fashioned pie crust, promise!
I added a dollop of freshly whipped cream to the top of my pie slice. I’m not dairy-sensitive and I like whipped cream on my pie, plus it made for a prettier picture. I tried my hand at several coconut whipped cream recipes, but I wasn’t happy with any of them… I’m still working on perfecting that one for you guys. There are some dairy-free alternatives out there including brands made from rice, soy and Rich Whip for kosher folks. Or just eat the pie without any topping. I promise you won’t be missing anything. This pie is beyond delish. I’m so excited for you to try it! Thanksgivukah for the win!!
Note: This recipe can also be made for Passover, though strictly kosher folks may have a hard time finding coconut milk with a KFP certification. As an alternative you can make your own coconut milk.
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Coconut Macaroon Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
Macaroon Crust Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons potato starch or corn starch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large egg whites, plus one additional egg white, separated (reserve 4 yolks for filling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Parve Pumpkin Filling
- 2 cups pumpkin puree (plain, not spiced pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- 2 large eggs (plus 4 reserved yolks from crust)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch cloves
NOTES
Instructions
To Make Coconut Macaroon Crust:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together coconut, potato starch, sugar and salt until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 egg whites and vanilla until frothy.
- Pour egg mixture into coconut mixture and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes.
- Generously grease a 9 inch pie dish with non-stick cooking spray and evenly press in the macaroon crust mixture.
- Cover edge of the crust with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.Meanwhile, whisk remaining egg white with ½ tbsp of water.
- When crust has finished baking, remove from oven. Brush crust with egg white to create a seal. After brushing on the egg white, put the protective foil back around the edge of the crust.
- Bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes till the crust is golden brown.
To Make Filling
- Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.Place all of your filling ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy and smooth, about 60 seconds. I’ve found this is the best way to create a smooth, evenly mixed filling. Alternatively, you can pour the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and blend with an immersion blender or a whisk, just make sure all ingredients are very well incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat over medium for 9-10 minutes, until just starting to thicken and bubble around the edges.
- Remove foil from the edges of your macaroon pie crust. Pour the mixture into your prepared macaroon crust and smooth the top with a spatula. This recipe is written for a deep 9-inch pie dish, but you can use it to fill two smaller shallow pie dishes if you prefer. Fill to the top of the crust.
- Tent the pie with foil, making sure to leave plenty of space between the surface of the pie and the foil, otherwise you will ruin the top of your pie filling.Carefully place the pie onto the center rack of your oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove foil tent and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake for an additional 35 minutes, or until the filling sets and only jiggles slightly. If the edge of the crust is getting too brown for your liking, you can carefully cover the edge of the crust with foil-- just be sure not to touch or mess up the top of the custard.
- Turn off the oven and crack the oven door. (I use a wooden spoon to prevent the oven door from closing all the way). Allow the pie to cool slowly in the oven for 1 hour – this will help prevent the top from cracking.Remove pie from the oven and allow to cool completely to room temperature (about 3 hours) or chill in the refrigerator before cutting and serving. Keep leftovers refrigerated.
Jen says
I made this for my Celiac niece, who I found out after the fact, doesn’t like coconut…her loss, my gain! I used the standard 2 pack aluminum pie plate package for this recipe & it turned out great in spite of my philosophy that recipes are simply a organized list of suggestions vs instructions. Here are my observations on failing to destroy this wondrous recipe. Due to the thinness of the aluminum pan the crust started browning up early so the total oven time was about 45 minutes. Placing the pie plates on a cookie sheet may make a difference here and adds support when pouring the custard. Since, my package of unsweetened coconut from WF’s was 1/4 cup short of the amount called for, I made up the difference with the sweet, flaky stuff. For the custard, I used a can of TJ’s whole coconut milk which is also extra thick & coconutty AND the whole 28oz can of pumpkin purée. Since I only had medium eggs, I upped the egg ratio by 2. In spite of all this, the recipe still worked until my husband asked me why the oven door was open…after he closed it… and now I am thankful for crack covering whipped cream.
Tori Avey says
LOL Jen! Glad it worked out in spite of everything.
Natalie says
Tried for Thanksgiving – the taste the was really good, but with my oven, I think it would have been better to skip the 2nd crust baking step, and the boiling of the custard prior to filling the pie
elyse says
I want to try it..it will be the first pumpkin recipe I’ve made
Rebecca says
Hi Tori!
I made the pie yesterday for Thanksgiving here in Israel. I was looking for a pie without butter because of the turkey dinner.
The pie was amazing!
As one of my guests put it “A perfect synergy with the coconut crust and the pumpkin filling” and another guest “Bursting with flavor!”.
The only substitutions I made were using fresh pumpkin (drained through a cheesecloth to get out moisture after baking) and 1 cup of cane sugar instead of the two half cups of white and brown.
My husband says he sees more of this pie in our future.
Thank you so much for contributing to my first Thanksgiving in Israel and married (:
Rebecca says
Happy Thanksgiving! I just finished making the pie & kept aside a little sample of the custard — amazing!! So I’m now getting my son down for a nap before dinner & thought I’d post a question for later. What is the reasoning behind the pre-cooking of the custard? Is it essential? With a 16 month old running around the kitchen I’m always trying to be as expedient as I can. Thanks again! I can hardly wait to share & eat this pie.
Tori Avey says
Hi Rebecca, cooking the custard helps to thicken it and starts the cooking process before it is poured into the shell. This macaroon “crust” cooks quickly and can burn if you leave it in the oven too long; thickening the custard before pouring it into the shell helps to speed the baking process.
Gloria says
🙁 my pie crust got burnt. I forgot to turn the heat down right away…. Do you think it might still be salvageable?
Tori Avey says
Hi Gloria, unfortunately I’m not sure how to salvage a burnt crust. Best to start over again. Better luck next time!
doctor's girl says
I’m just wondering how far in advance I could make this. Would it be okay to make today (Tuesday) for Thursday?
Tori Avey says
Yes you can make it up to 2 days ahead, keep it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
Tina says
I subscribed to the weekly newsletter. Dying to see what other recipoes you come up with. 🙂 GF baking especially is such a challenge. I just auditioned for masterchef and brought gf eclairs. What an adventure it was to get those right. I know the work involved in creating delicous gf dishes. Thanks for your hard work.
Mindy says
Tina, Would you be willing to share your eclair recipe? That’s one of my favorites and being gluten free has meant no eclairs.
Thanks!
Lucy says
OMG I am so making this for Thanksgiving! I was just searching for a coconut pumpkin dessert and am glad I ended up here! Would you mind if I featured this recipe on my blog? I would love to have it on there!
Tori Avey says
Lucy, I’m glad you like the recipe! I would be happy if you share the recipe with your readers, however I would prefer if you link back to my site and lead your readers to my recipe rather than reprinting the recipe on your own blog (unless you’ve made a significant/major adaptation). I would do the same for you if I found a recipe on your blog that I liked. Enjoy the pie!
Lucy says
Will do! Thank you!!
Tina says
Thank you for posting this recipe. I was diagnosed with celiac and other food allergies 7 months ago. I was thinking I’d have to miss out on my favorite pie at Thanksgiving. Happy there are other alternatives. I baked this pie last night. It wasn’t bad. For me the crust really didn’t taste crust like. I noticed from viewing your photos though that your coconut looked like it was shreeded a lto finer than the one I bought. Maybe I will try running it through the food processor first next time. I also had some difficulty keeping the edges from getting too dark even though I kept them covered with foil. Also noticed once again from your photos that you kept your crust pretty tucked in and mine was spread out more. Having the photos is super helpful. Thanks for providing a recipe for all us people out here with food allergies.
Tori Avey says
Hi Tina, FYI the crust isn’t supposed to be “crust-like” but more “macaroon-like.” It’s a macaroon base.
Tina says
Yes, Tori that makes sense that it is not meant to be like pie crust. It definetley is not anything like a normal pie crust. I am going to try another crust recipe and use your filling recipe. I found one that uses coconut, toasted pecan and a little gluten free flour. Might be more crust like and not so sweet for me. If that doesn’t work I will use your recipe because it was not bad at all just not what I was looking for. Maybe I might decrease the amount of suagr in the filling to counter act the sweetness of the crust. My husband really liked it. Thanks again for posting the recipe and thinking outside the gluten box.
Tori Avey says
You’re welcome! 🙂
Tina says
Doh-I was re reading the recipe and realized my coconut was sweetened. Mystery solved! No wonder it was too sweet and browned too much while baking. I bet using unsweetned will help a lot. Sometimes I think my brain isn’t attached!
Tori Avey says
Oops! Yes, that would make it WAY too sweet. I should make a note for other readers so they don’t make the same mistake.
Bridget says
Made this for my daughter who has Celiac. She loves it. I was wondering if I can freeze the leftovers.
Tori Avey says
Hi Bridget, that’s an excellent question. I’m not sure if the pumpkin custard will freeze well because I’ve never tried it before. If you test it out can you please let us know the results? I’m so happy your daughter enjoyed it!
Marry says
Thank you for your speedy reply. Yes, please e mail me the gingersnap recipe-I like the sound of the ginger/pumpkin combo. Does this pumpkin pie filling taste a lot like coconut? Thanks again. (I’m cooking my 1rst Thanksgiving dinner ala Shiksa recipes).
Tori Avey says
Hi Marry, the pumpkin filling is not overly coconut-ish, it’s really yummy. Here is the gingersnap crust recipe, but I really do prefer this new coconut crust– the gingersnap crust was somewhat crumbly. Still good, but this new coconut one is better. 🙂
Ingredients
10 oz. dairy-free gingersnaps (use GF gingersnaps for a gluten free crust)
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
5 tbsp melted non-hydrogenated margarine
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Pulse gingersnaps together in the food processor until they crumble. Add brown sugar, salt, and melted margarine. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides. Process again for 15-30 seconds longer until the crumbs are evenly moistened and clumping together. Pour mixture into a deep 9 inch pie plate or dish, then pat the mixture firmly and evenly onto the bottom and sides. Bake pie shell for 10 minutes till partially baked. Remove from oven and re-seal any cracks that have formed by pressing the crust together gently with your fingertips. Cool to room temperature before filling.
Marry says
Hi Tori, The link to your Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust is linking to Coconut Macaroon Pumpkin Pie. Oh no! Hope you can fix it, thanks, Marry
Tori Avey says
Hi Marry, I replaced the gingersnap crust recipe with this one because I feel this is a much better and more reliable recipe. The gingersnap crust was one of the first recipes I put on the site, and I wasn’t totally happy with it. The filling in this pie is basically the same, just the crust is different. If you still want the other recipe let me know and I can email it to you. 🙂
Kristin says
This pie is delicious. Just made a ‘test’ pie for the family to try before Thanksgiving and half the pie was gone within a half hour. Thank you for this great recipe.
Tori Avey says
So happy you liked it Kristin! I tested it so many times to make it perfect. I’m thrilled to know readers are already enjoying this one!
Sharon says
This looks great. Could it be made a day ahead and stay in the fridge? Have you used this crust with other recipes?
Tori Avey says
Hi Sharon, I have only tested this crust with this recipe, but I’m sure it would work for any similar custard-like pie. It would also work for chilled custard pies once it’s fully baked. I don’t foresee any issues with making it a day ahead, but I would suggest bringing it down to room temperature before baking the custard in it. Enjoy!
Tasha says
Tori – I have looked high and low for potato starch. Are there any substitutes, such as corn starch? I can find potato flour, but not starch.
Tori Avey says
Corn starch should work well too Tasha.
Paula says
Could corn starch be substituted for the potato starch?
Tori Avey says
Hi Paula, I didn’t test the recipe with cornstarch but in my experience it should work fine as a sub.
Tori Avey says
Update- since writing this comment I have also tested the recipe with cornstarch, it worked like a charm. 🙂
Barbara says
Love your recipes! I follow Wheat Belly and do not use potato starch. Will konjac flour do? Xanthan gum? Any suggestions?
Tori Avey says
Hi Barbara, cornstarch is the only sub I feel comfortable recommending. Other subs may work, but I haven’t tested them so I couldn’t give you the proper amounts needed.
Ayal says
Wow that looks ridiculously good. Love the concept of combining two classics into something new and delicious!
Melissa says
I love this idea but is this not something that could be baked in a water bath? I just worry about burning the custard…..
Tori Avey says
Hi Melissa, you certainly could bake it in a water bath, though I’m not sure it’s necessary. I tested this recipe multiple times and never had an issue with burning the custard.