Gluten-Free Mini Pumpkin Pies and Pastry Recipe!

Gluten-Free Mini Pumpkin Pies!

My first attempt at a gluten-free pastry was quite successful!  To be honest, I've never made pie from scratch - even before gluten-free.  I was diagnosed with Celiac at age 19 and never ventured into much baking, aside from cookies.

This post features the pastry crust recipe plus what I used to make my Mini Pumpkin Pies and Veggie Pot Pie :)  The pastry recipe was enough to do 12 mini pies plus cover two small pot pies.

Sweet rice flour is extremely important!  Do not substitute other flours.  You can find this flour in Asian food stores or health food stores.  Tapioca flour and tapioca starch are actually the same thing.

This recipe is based on Bette Hagman's pastry mix but I changed it a little based on what I had in my cupboard.

Gluten-Free Pastry Recipe

Flour mix
1 cup sweet rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch/flour
1/4 cup white rice flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

Other Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1 egg (cold)
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/4 cup water (cold)
Extra flour for rolling

• Mix flours together in a large bowl.
• Cut in butter/Crisco.
• Beat egg and add the vinegar and water.
• Mix all ingredients together, kneading with hands.
• Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.
• Sprinkle lots of flour on a large surface area before rolling out dough.

I used the lid of one of my travel cups to cut out circle shapes to fit.  Next time, I would cut slightly bigger circles so the dough would protrude from the muffin tins.

Things I've learned from trying to make pastry:
1. It's not easy.  And it's very sticky. Don't be afraid to use lots of flour!
2. It is difficult to handle if you have long nails.  I kept trying to shape the dough in the pan and my nails would pierce through.
3. I have a new found appreciation for pastry chefs, gluten-free or not.

Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin Pie Mix

I used this Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin Pie Mix.  It is gluten-free.  I like it because I don't have to fiddle with spices to find the right combo - it is all done and sweetened already!

The directions are simple: add 3/4 cup evaporated milk, 2 eggs and the can of pumpkin pie mix.  Mix together and you're good to go!

I used a soup ladle to scoop out the pumpkin mixture into the pastry.  As I said, I wish I had made the circles a bit bigger so they would fill the muffin tins better.

Bake at 375* for between 30 and 40 minutes.  The crust will turn flaky and the filling with set when ready.

Tada! Here is the finished product!

Gluten-Free Mini Pumpkin Pie

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I used the leftover pastry dough to make Gluten-Free Veggie Pot Pie.  Essentially, you just throw a bunch of veggies in a pot and simmer until soft.  Add some broth, seasonings and assemble in an oven safe dish.  Cover with the pastry and bake!  Yum!

Just place the pastry over top the veggies, tuck in the ends and slice an X in the top to let the steam out.  Brush the top with a beaten egg.  It's a good idea to place a cookie sheet underneath to catch any juices that overflow or you will end up with a mess in the bottom of your oven (oops).

 I used a little too much liquid... tasted good but definitely too runny.  I will know for next time!

Gluten-Free Veggie Pot Pie

Looking forward to enjoying these gluten-free additions for Thanksgiving dinner!