There is nothing I like more in the world than dreaming up a really decadent dessert, and then finding a way to make it without sugar and without gluten. Gluten-free baked goods have a reputation for being dry and flavorless, and when you tell someone that a dessert is sugar free, they look at you like you just grew a second head. Tell them it’s both low carb and gluten free, and they look at you like you grew another head AND sucked out all the joy in the world. They just can’t believe that anything made without flour or sugar could possibly taste any good.  Trust me, I know this look well because my kids look at me this way all the time.

 

Baking without flour and sugar is a challenge, no question, but it’s one I’ve come to appreciate in many different ways. It pushes me to think about how my ingredients behave and what I have to do to make it similar in taste and texture to conventional recipes. It’s also opened me up to a wide variety of healthy ingredients I probably wouldn’t have thought to use in the past. In fact, I’d almost say that going gluten and sugar-free has actually unlimited my food choices, because there seem to be so many more options out there; wonderful ingredients like nut flours and coconut oil.

 

For this recipe, I was a little worried about my crusts sticking to the pans, so it gave me the opportunity to use the Kelapo cooking spray, which works like a charm. I highly recommend it to people looking for a healthy alternative to cooking sprays. I made 6 small pies because I had these sweet little pie pans I wanted to use, but the recipe would easily make one large 9-inch pie.  Alternatively, if you want to make them even smaller, you could use a muffin tin to get 10 or 12 individual servings.

 

Frozen Peanut Butter Pies

 

Crust:

1 ½ cups almond flour

½ cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup granulated erythritol

¼ tsp salt

1 large egg, slightly beaten

2 tbsp Kelapo coconut oil, melted

½ tsp vanilla extract

 

Peanut Butter Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

¾ cup powdered erythritol

½ tsp vanilla extract

15 drops liquid stevia extract

¾ cup whipping cream

 

Chocolate Sauce:

2 tbsp Kelapo coconut oil

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3 tbsp powdered erythritol

 

For the crust, preheat oven to 325F and spray 6 small pie pans with Kelapo coconut oil cooking spray (if you don’t have small pie or tart pans, you can use a regular muffin tin, and make 12 smaller pies.  Alternatively, you can make one big pie).

 

In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder, erythritol and salt.  Stir in egg, coconut oil and vanilla until dough comes together.

 

Divide dough evenly among prepared pans or muffin tins and press into the bottom and up the sides to create an even crust.  Bake 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.

 

For the filling, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered erythritol, vanilla and stevia together in a large bowl until smooth.

 

In another large bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Fold whipping cream into peanut butter mixture until combined.

 

Divide filling between cooled crusts, mounding and swirling on the top.  Freeze until firm, 2 to 3 hours. Remove the pie crusts from the molds.

 

For the chocolate sauce, combine coconut oil, chopped chocolate and powdered erythritol in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir continuously until melted and smooth.

 

Place pies in refrigerator 20 minutes before serving.  Drizzle with chocolate sauce.

 

Serves 12 (if made into 6 small pies, half a pie is more than plenty!).

 

-Carolyn Ketchum

All Day I Dream About Food