Gluten-Free Strawberry Ginger Pie

gluten-free strawberry ginger pie!

This pie was made on one of those dusty summer days.

The kind of day where you wake up sleeping crazy diagonal in your bed with three pillows and a cat on your head… when the snooze button is more essential than luxurious.

The kind of day that’s cloudy cold… making you think that summer might be in its early farewells.  The kind of day that requires a second and a half cup of coffee, a scarf until noon, and a phone call with your sister.  The kind of day that feels somehow both unexpected and tender, in between sleep and dreams.

This pie was made on the kind of day that required a jolt of sunshine flavors and warm spices.  This pie tastes exactly like what it feels like to hear someone you love call your name.  That… with a touch of ginger.

gluten-free strawberry ginger pie!

gluten-free strawberry ginger pie!

I made this pie gluten-free because I’m absolutely smitten with Cup4Cup flour.  Remember a few months back I visited my friends at The French Laundry, traipsed around, and made a quiche?  I’ve been bonkers about this gluten-free flour ever since.  It’s a straight substitution for all-purpose flour in my regular all-butter pie crust recipe… except I add an egg for extra binding.

gluten-free strawberry ginger pie!

We’re double crusting.

These disks are individually wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated.  Chilling and resting allows the moisture to distribute and the ingredients to settle, making the dough easier to roll out come pie time.

gluten-free strawberry ginger pie!

This pie filling is a glorious mixture of summer and autumn. Where bigfatfresh strawberries meet a bit of cold weather spice.  Freshly grated ginger feels like hot spice and imagination, while nutmeg grounds the pie flavors on earth.

gluten-free strawberry ginger pie!

There is great comfort in rolling out a pie dough.

gluten-free strawberry ginger pie!

And filling it with beautiful flavors.

And sealing it up tightly (though haphazardly).

gluten-free strawberry ginger pie!

And as if this creature hasn’t received enough attention, I brush it with egg and sprinkle it generously with sugar.

Ready for the oven!

gluten-free strawberry ginger pie!

This pie is summer and spice.  It’s a sweet kick in the pants.  It’s juicy like whaaaaat!?  I love the combination of sweet strawberries and fresh, spicy ginger.  Incidentally, I peeled the ginger root and grated it on the small setting of my box grater.  I used about 2 teaspoons…. obviously, the more the ginger, the spicier the pie.

This happy pie was made using Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Flour.  But should you want to make a gluten-filled crust, try this Double Crusted Pie Dough recipe.

xox!

Gluten-Free Strawberry Ginger Pie

makes 1 9-inch pie

Print this Recipe!

For the Crust:

3 cups Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Flour, plus more for rolling out

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1 large egg

1/2 cup cold buttermilk

For the Filling:

5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced in half

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

pinch of salt

heaping 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (I peeled the ginger and used the small end of a box grater to grate fine.)

1 large egg, beaten and granulated sugar for topping the unbaked pie

To make the Crust:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.  Add cold, cubed butter and, using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture.  Quickly break the butter down into the flour mixture, some butter pieces will be the size of oat flakes, some will be the size of peas. In a small bowl, stir together the egg and buttermilk.   Create a well in the butter and flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture.  Use a fork to bring to dough together.  Try to moisten all of the flour bits.  On a lightly floured work surface, dump out the dough mixture.  It will be moist and shaggy.  Sprinkle generously with flour.  That’s perfect.  Shape dough into two disks and wrap in plastic wrap.  Allow dough to rest in the fridge for 1 hour.  Dough is easiest to roll out when it’s cold and rested.

To make the Filling:

Toss together strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, salt, nutmeg, and ginger.  Toss until all ingredients are well coated.  Allow mixture to rest in the fridge while you roll out the pie crust.

To assemble to Pie:

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

When you’re ready to roll out the crust, on a well-floured work surface, gently roll out the pie crust into about an 11-inch circle.  Press together any spots that might tear.  Carefully lift down and place into the 9-inch pie plate.  Use a pairing knife to trim the edges of pie dough, leaving about 1/2 inch extra dough overhang.  Fill pie plate with strawberry filling.  Brush edges of the pie dough with a bit of water.  Repeat the dough rolling process and carefully place second crust on top of filled pie dough.  Trim edges to 1/2-inch overhang.  Fold the excess dough under and crimp with fingers, pressing together.

Brush top of pie with beaten egg.  Sprinkle generously with granulated sugar.  Cut 4 small vent holes in the top of the pie.   Place pie on prepared baking pan and place in the oven.  Bake on 425 degrees F for 10 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 30-35 minutes or until crust is a gorgeous golden brown, and the juices are bubbling from the pie.
Remove from the oven and allow pie to cool to room temperature before slicing.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.  It’s juicy… it warned you.

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Questions

124 Responses

  1. Joy, we love your recipes! But we recently tried this pie, and love the filling, but the crust did not bake. Even after leaving it in the oven and extra 30 minutes, the dough was still mostly raw. We used a different crust recipe, a gluten inclusive one from Smitten Kitchen (https://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/pie-crust-102-all-butter-really-flaky-pie-dough/), which we have had success with before. We even used a pie bird to help with the moisture. Any thoughts? Should we have prebaked the crust?

  2. Made this for Pi day! With my normal gluten-ful crust. I have to admit I babied out and only added 1 tsp of ginger…big mistake! I could sort of taste it, but wanted more for sure. Such a lovely cut to the sweetness of the sugar and the strawberries. Thank you so much for your work.

  3. Hello Joy,
    I found your blog recently, like two weeks ago and since then I baked (or tried) your recepees twice already. I love it, always warms my soul, catches my eyes and interests my tummee.
    There is only one thing I sincerely hate in general for most of the internet and cookbook recepees ever created in the wast world and that is the measurments.
    You live in USA, I am from Europe and now you will see the problem: how big is your “butter stick”? Our usual sticks come in 250g. So if you write two sticks, should I use half a kilo of butter for this pie? 0__0 and experimenting and throwing away half a kilo of butter is wasteful and definitely stealing the joy of baking away.
    Another question: How big is your cup? (Comparing for example flour to egg/milk) Would the result be same if I used my usual half a litre cup to one egg? How many grams of flour is your cup?
    Do you have somewhere on your page comaparement tables with cups to grams/ml? I must admit I did not find any. Would it be possible to share the recepees in several measurement systems, please?
    Thank you for your answer.
    MBS

  4. How can I adapt the pie crust recipe to not use buttermilk? my gluten-free friend is also dairy free, though butter is ok.

  5. Pingback: #47 » vallarina
  6. Hi! This pie looks amazing and I want to make it in a couple days for Thanksgiving, as my best friend has a gluten allergy, but I don’t want her be left out of the dessert festivities. I don’t have time to order this amazing gluten free flour (cup4cup) in time for Thanksgiving. Do you have an idea for a gluten free substitute to make the crust for this pie, that I can buy easily and quickly at the grocery store?

  7. Hi Joy! I’m allergic to dairy. Can I use coconut milk instead of buttermilk in this recipe? This looks wonderful and I’m going to make it soon!

  8. Just catching up. Wonderful pie. I could kick myself for being in the states all summer and not ordering that cup4cup. I’m anxious to try it. I’ve been trying some GF flours and can’t seem to shake the grit… maybe heavy on the garbanzo bean flour. Next try – Christmas.

  9. Ah, but I have never seen cup4cup gluten free flour. I’d love to try it, but locally it is Bobs, King Arthur and Arrowwood mill (I think). It is always a plus when a gluten free flour doesn’t require other substitutions for a recipe to work.

  10. Hi joy,

    I noticed there is a lemon in one of your pics. Did you use any lemon juice for the filling? Also, am I able to make that same pie crust using 3c of regular flour instead of gluten free? (not sure if that matters)

    Thanks!

  11. ommmgosh i LOVE anything with ginger in it! I’ve never had the ginger + strawberry combo before, but it sounds amazeballs! props to you for creating a flavor masterpiece in this pie! *drool*

  12. Joy, love your blog which I just discovered awhile back. I’ve tried several of your recipes including some I tested for Leite’s Culinary website, your Bourbon Banana bread (heavenly or sinfuly good not sure which), and Chili Cheese Fries (ingenious). I’m also in love with the Blue Cheese Biscuit Tomato Cobbler and Sweet Corn Hash. I have so many more recipes on your blog marked to try. Now I also have your cookbook, thanks to winning one from The Inspired Dish Blog. I want to thank you so much for autographing it personally to me. That means so much that you took time to do that before mailing it off to me.
    xoxo back to you
    Joan

  13. It’s been so long since there’s been a cool day here, I feel like someone may have broken the thermostat outside ;) But you’re so right – when damp and chilly, all I really want is a comforting slice of homemade pie. And this one really sounds amazing with the combination of ginger and strawberries – so intriguing…

    I’ve never used gluten-free flour, but I’ve wondered how well it worked and now I have the answer! Thanks so much for sharing and I’m featuring this post in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and always so much fun to drop by your blog for inspiration…

  14. Ohmygoodness Joy!!! How do you always top yourself!? I used to just avoid making things for gluten-free peeps, but you have so much good stuff, it’s not a problem anymore! BTW, you gotta come check out the creamy butterscotch popsicle dipped in Fritos that I just reviewed here in LA! It’s. The. JAM. :)

  15. I totally agree with sarah h b. Gluten-free foods are no healthier for you, are often higher in fat and calories, and usually taste worse! It’s nice that you’re posting recipes for the unfortunate few, but I wish you would spread the word that gluten-free foods are for people with allergies! The food industry is marketing it as a healthy trend when it is certainly not.

    1. did i say that this was a healthy alternative? it’s pie for goodness sake! i took it to a party where several people had gluten allergies and i wanted the dessert to be friendly and delicious for all. gluten free foods are for anyone who chooses to eat that way. praise god we all have choices!

      1. Wait, pie isn’t healthy?!
        P.S. I love when my friends consider my gluten allergy in bringing dessert. Makes me feel like royalty. With this pie, I’m sure your friends felt the same.

  16. Pie looks awesome! I am sort of a hater of gluten-free baked goods. I totally am into it if someone actually does have a gluten allergy. But being a baker I am constantly asked for gluten-free goods—when they don’t even have a gluten allergy! I just don’t understand. I LOVE GLUTEN. Why keep yourself from amazing baked goods if you don’t have an allergy. Okay sorry for my rant….your pie actually makes me think that I should try this C2C thing. But I think Ill make it with my non-gluten free crust for now.

  17. i love how rolling out pie dough is methodical and soothing for you. i feel the same about making cookie dough. although i typically end up eating far too much raw dough and wind up feeling ill – decidedly not soothing. but i dig it! and i dig YOU!

  18. lovely! i’m not GF but i have been really curious about cup4cup. how does it taste as a pie crust? any detectable differences vs. wheat flour?

  19. i have spent 80$ on cherries in the last week in hopes of perfecting cherry pie. the crust. THE CRUST IS SO HORRIBLE. it tastes good but it is so ugly – sad, sagging and patch-worked lattice. your crusts are so gorgeous!! i would like to attempt this strawberry pie but will wait patiently for you to give a crust tutorial! Thank you, have followed and enjoyed your blog for years!

  20. I am going to agree with Lisa. You are one inspiring lady.

    And thank you for sharing more and more gluten-free recipes. It is so wonderful to see food I can eat without modification on popular sites.

    Keep up the awesome work!

  21. So feeling the Cup4Cup love! Joy I’m always on your blog, as you would say I’m totally smitten as well.

    nice pie crimping! hopefully you had some dough leftover for dumplings…

  22. This pie just feels like it would suit any season for me with a latte in autumn, a hot chocolate in winter, a fruit tea in spring and a lemonade in the summer. Love it!

    I know the kind of day that you are talking about in the beginning of your post! That day for me is usually Wednesday though (hump day) and this pie would definitely get me over that hump!

    Must try this recipe!

  23. Love how you captured these lazy summer mornings, so perfectly.

    “Where the snooze button is essential versus luxurious.”
    So damn true.

    I’m a bit of a skeptic about delicious baking with gluten free flour, but my friend CJ has been ragging on me to make her a pie that’s Gluten free for months, so perhaps this will be just the kick in the butt needed.

    Because if Joy the Baker says it can be done…than it must be so, right?

  24. Your post is especially poetic this morning. This is the reason I want to learn to make pie. I want to just make this and give it to people I love! Thanks for a great post.

  25. Joy, I love to make strawberry rhubarb pie, but I always had the issue of my pie weeping when it was cut. A friend recommended using tapioca starch instead of cornstarch in the filling. Turns out, the acids in the fruit bread down the corn starch, but lets the tapioca be. No more sad fruit pies.

  26. Nice to see i’m not the only one leaning towards fall with my baking flavors. Your pie looks beautiful Joy! Oh and i made your peach cobbler scones the other day, they were totes bonk!

  27. I wish there were more pie in Oklahoma. It’s just not a “thing” the way it is in New England and elsewhere. Unfortunately, it doesn’t feel like summer is coming to a close here. The inferno continues at 110 today. I’d give anything to be on the coast – any coast, with sunglasses, a bubbly drink and my feet in the sea. P.S. Beautiful writing today, Joy :)

  28. Oh how I do enjoy my glutens… lol. My husband loves strawberry pies, but they always come out too sweet for him – I think this is the perfect answer! Thanks Joy and thanks for reminding me I needed to call my sister.

  29. Have you tried making a crust from coconut flour? I’ve been playing around with that lately and have yet to make a pie crust.
    This pie looks delicious.

  30. There isn’t anything more comforting than warm pie and I can tell that this just hit the spot for you! Its a great pie to enjoy summer and slowly ease into fall.

  31. We’ve been having a few days like that here in Philly – a welcome relief from the scorchers a few weeks ago. Lovely pie! I always knew pies were slightly superior to the average cake :)

  32. OMG JOY!!!!!!! That’s one of the most gorgeus pie i’ve ever seen!!! It’s too bad you don’t capture a photo or two of the pie slice(s), i bet it will be much more mouth-watering. I’m definetely going to try this.

  33. My THAT crazy morning is when I get up and there three pillows and two kids pushing me at the side of the bed…

    Anyways, the images look great, going gluten free is excellent, would love to try it. One thing I need to ask is can I made it with either lychee or mangoes

  34. Thanks for making gluten free pie! It looks so delicious and perfect for a rainy day like we’re having here in London. Can’t wait to try. :)

  35. That looks heavenly! I love the way the sides are tucked in. It reminds me of a Christmas pie; must be the red peeking out. Yum!

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