COOKING with CANNABIS
Infused Sugar-Free Individual Pumpkin Pies for the Holidays
by Chef Dana Cunningham
I am so excited because the holidays are now among us , which means we get to make delicious special holiday treats like this month ’ s recipe for individual pumpkin pies . In my home kitchen , I ’ m always looking for ways to incorporate simple treats in healthy ways . I love this idea because everyone loves pumpkin pie , and it is something that we look forward to every year , especially because we grow our own pumpkins . If you have ever had a pumpkin pie made from a homegrown pumpkin , then you know what I ’ m talking about . If you haven ’ t , then you need to try it .
Pumpkins are so easy to grow . I always start my pumpkins in early June , but this year , I started them the third week of May . My pumpkins were done in September , so I got early pumpkins , but they do store well , so I am not worried about them lasting until November . If you do not have a homegrown pumpkin , just go ahead and buy one at the store , or if you are trying to save some time , just get some canned pumpkin purée but don ’ t get the pumpkin pie filling . Just get canned pumpkin purée .
I always like to add my own pumpkin spice when making pumpkin treats because sometimes , I feel like the pumpkin pie filling has too much . I also love this crust because it is gluten-free . I like to try to keep my recipes gluten-free if I can because even if we don ’ t know it , a lot of times , people we ’ re serving have gluten intolerances . There ’ s almost zero sugar in this recipe , which is also very helpful because many of us suffer from insulin resistance , and some people don ’ t even know it . Cutting out the sugar and the gluten are two major things I try to do when cooking for family or other folks .
This crust is a traditional butter cookie that I love . I make my own butter , which makes it extra tasty . If you don ’ t make your own butter — most people don ’ t — just go out and get a nice grass-fed unsalted butter , which will work just fine .
I always save some cookies to dip in the extra pumpkin pie mix , just like chips and dip . This is a three-part recipe , so bear with me . Each part is super easy and quick . You can also do each part at a different time and then build them all together when you ’ re ready to have the dessert . That ’ s why I love this recipe so much .
Cookies Ingredients ( use for crust ) 2 cups almond flour ¾ cup butter room temp sup a tablespoon of infused butter for infused treats ½ cup of Swerve sweetener 1 large egg yolk 2 teaspoons of sugar-free vanilla extract
The Method
1 . With a stand mixer , blend the butter , egg yolk , vanilla , and sweetener for about a minute until smooth .
2 . Add the flour and blend until combined . The dough will form a ball and start to roll around the mixing bowl .
42 November 2024
3 . |
Lay some parchment paper on the counter . Roll the dough into a |
log and roll it up into the parchment paper . |
4 . |
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours . |
5 . |
Once you are ready to bake , preheat the oven to 350 degrees . |
6 . |
Lay some parchment paper on a sheet pan . |
7 . |
Cut cookies into ½-inch slices from the log and place them on the |
baking sheet . |
8 . |
Bake for 9 minutes or until slightly golden on the edges . |
Pumpkin Pie Mix Ingredients
1 can of pumpkin puree 16 oz of cream cheese full-fat 2 tablespoons of pumpkin spice 2 cups of heavy whipping cream 1 cup of Swerve separated into halves 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
The Method
1 . Make Whipped Cream : With the whisk attachment on the stand mixer , add the heavy whipping cream to the mixing bowl , followed by 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract . Turn on high and whip for 5 minutes . Add ½ cup of Swerve and continue whipping for up to 5 more minutes or until the cream forms stiff peaks and it will stay in place .
2 . Transfer half of the whipped cream into a piping bag for decorating with your choice of tip . 3 . Transfer the other half to another bowl . 4 . Wipe out the mixer and add the cream cheese , 1 tablespoon of vanilla , and ½ cup of Swerve . Whisk for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy .
5 . Add the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin spice seasoning and whisk until combined .
6 . Take the mixing bowl off the stand and slowly fold in the whipped cream until it is all incorporated . 7 . Refrigerate for an hour .
Build the Individual Pumpkin Pies
1 . In a paper cupcake wrapper , place cooled cookies ( one or 2 ) in the bottom for the crust . 2 . Pipe in the pumpkin pie mix until the cupcake paper is full . 3 . Top with Whipped Cream to decorate .
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone . Enjoy your individual pumpkin pie treats .
Dana Cunningham is a Kansas City Native trained in French and American cuisine . She owns Infused KC , Kansas City ’ s CBD infusion think tank and focuses her culinary efforts on the farm-to-table concept at her four-acre homestead . She provides cooking classes in Kearney , MO . Follow her on Facebook , @ infusedkcmo or YouTube @ sunsetgrovekearney . Get your CBD at , www . infusedkc . com .