Don't let wheat ruin your Thanksgiving sweet-tooth

Picky Bitch Casey Knoll holding a tasty gluten-free pumpkin
pie at Lakeview Bakery's 90th Ave SW location. 

By Casey Knoll

Picky bitch Casey shows you how to rid gluten from thanksgiving pies with kitchen practices, local bakeries, and gluten-free crusts. 

Pumpkin and apple pies are Thanksgiving favourites, but if you’re celiac, or are having guests over with a gluten intolerance, these seasonal pastries can be painful.

However, best kitchen practices and gluten-free crusts will chase away dessert drama – especially if you’re making a gluten-free pie from scratch.

Don't let wheat be a sneak

Kathy Collier, program coordinator at the Calgary Celiac Association, says clean kitchen work surfaces avoid cross-contamination with wheat flour. This is especially important if you, or your guests, have a severe intolerance.

“Flour does fly around, and you really have to watch what you’re doing,” says Collier, who explains wheat flour can creep into gluten-free desserts.

To make things easier, she advises to make gluten-free pies first, or make all your desserts gluten-free.

“In an apple pie, when you’re mixing the cinnamon and sugar, you can just add rice flour. You can use the same mix for both [a gluten-free and regular pie].”

The filling is another issue. Collier says if you’re buying canned pumpkin pie filling, purchase pure crushed pumpkin. The canned "pumpkin pie mix" has the dreaded "w" word - wheat!

Enjoy getting crusty

Now that you've got a safe work surface and pie filling, time to tackle the crust. 

Gluten-free crusts can made with a mix of tapioca and rice flour, or with nuts – crushed up to substitute wheat flour. 

Jodie Cruse, cake decorator at Calgary’s Decadent Desserts, says their nut crusts are a great option for clients with a gluten intolerance. 

“Any of our cheesecakes can be made gluten-free with a nut-crust,” says Cruse, who explains Decadent Desserts also offers pumpkin pies and gluten free cakes with nut-crusts.

Here's an example of an easy gluten-free pie crust from Simply Gluten Free.

No time to bake? Gun-it to a gluten-free bakery

If you’re looking to skip the baking and just buy a pie, there are several bakeries in Calgary which offer gluten-free goodies, including Lakeview Bakery, Earth’s Oven, and Big Star Bake House. Keep in mind Lakeview Bakery has two locations: 6449 Crowchild Trail SW, and 131, 2515-90 Ave SW. The Crowchild location still has gluten free options, but the 90th Ave location is completely gluten-free.   

Have a safe, scrumptious, and happy Thanksgiving!