Description
This White Chocolate Candy Cane Pie is a festive, creamy dessert perfect for the holiday season. Featuring a crumbly almond and tapioca flour crust speckled with colorful sprinkles, it is filled with a luscious white chocolate and cream cheese peppermint filling. Topped with whipped coconut cream and crushed candy canes, this pie offers a delightful combination of sweet, minty, and rich flavors, suitable for those avoiding gluten and dairy (with dairy-free cream cheese and coconut cream).
Ingredients
Scale
Crust:
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 4 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 2 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp red and green sprinkles (plus more for decorating)
Filling:
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 16 oz cream cheese (softened; use dairy-free if needed)
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
Topping:
- Whipped coconut cream
- Candy canes, for decoration
- Extra red and green sprinkles
Instructions
- Beat the wet ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a mixing bowl, beat together the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, melted coconut oil, and coconut sugar until well mixed and the sugar is partially dissolved. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment works best for this step.
- Combine dry ingredients: Fold in the almond flour, tapioca flour, and baking soda. Mix just until the flour is well incorporated. The dough will be soft and slightly crumbly. Gently fold in the red and green sprinkles.
- Prepare crust: Grease a 9-inch springform pan with oil. Pour the dough into the pan and use a measuring cup or spatula to press it evenly along the bottom and up the sides to form about a 1-inch border around the edges, creating a sturdy crust for the pie.
- Bake the crust: Poke a few holes into the bottom of the crust using a fork to prevent bubbling. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 24 minutes until the edges turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely while you prepare the filling.
- Melt the white chocolate: In a skillet over low heat or using a double boiler method, gently melt the white chocolate chips. Stir continuously until smooth and fully melted. Set aside to cool slightly so it doesn’t curdle the filling.
- Beat the filling base: In a mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with coconut sugar and peppermint extract until smooth and creamy. Minor coconut sugar clumps are acceptable and will dissolve during further mixing.
- Mix in white chocolate: Slowly add the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and beat thoroughly until fully incorporated. Continue beating until the coconut sugar dissolves and the mixture turns a tan, peanut butter-like color.
- Assemble the pie: Pour the filling batter into the cooled crust. Use an uneven spatula or the back of a spoon to level off the top but keep a rustic texture.
- Chill the pie: Transfer the assembled pie to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight, until fully set.
- Decorate and serve: Once set, pipe whipped coconut cream around the edges of the pie. Sprinkle extra red and green sprinkles on top and place two candy canes in the center as festive decoration. When ready to serve, use a thin knife to slice, cleaning the knife between slices for clean cuts.
Notes
- This pie is gluten-free due to the use of almond and tapioca flour.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute cream cheese with a dairy-free alternative and use whipped coconut cream for topping.
- To avoid clumping, make sure the melted white chocolate is slightly cooled before mixing with cream cheese.
- The pie must chill long enough for the filling to fully set; overnight is best.
- Use a clean, sharp knife wiped between cuts for neat slices.
- Red and green sprinkles add festive color, but can be omitted or replaced with crushed peppermint candies if preferred.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking and chilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of pie)
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
Keywords: white chocolate, candy cane, peppermint, holiday dessert, gluten free pie, cream cheese pie
