GLUTEN FREE ICE CREAM PIE IN A NO-BAKE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST with DAIRY FREE & VEGAN INSTRUCTIONS

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     It’s summer here in New Jersey.  It is hot and sometimes we have 100% humidity even if it is not raining.  My air conditioner was not working up to par so I was UN-baking for two weeks until it was replaced.  The things I have been UN-baking include a No-Bake GF Cheesecake, GF Waffles, GF Belgian Butter Cookies (on a cookie iron), puddings, pancakes and this delicious GF Ice Cream Pie.  
     Originally I had intended to make a dairy free cheesecake in the crust, but I was in a hurry and wanted to do something easy and fast for some dairy free guests.  I bought some So Delicious Butter Pecan Almond Milk Ice Cream and spread it into the frozen graham cracker crust.  Easy as pie! (excuse the pun) Everyone loved it!
     I am so impressed and surprised at how good the no-bake cookie crusts come out.  You cannot tell that they are not baked and they taste wonderful.  I thought that the graham cracker crust would pair well with a butter pecan ice cream. It did! 
     A fruit ice cream such as strawberry or peach would go well in a graham cracker crust as well.  If I had used vanilla ice cream I would have felt compelled to also make some sort of sauce, chocolate or caramel or strawberry.  I think that mint chocolate chip, chocolate or raspberry ice cream would go better in a chocolate cookie crust baked or no-bake. 
     I highly recommend this dessert, it is simple, easy, fast and a real crowd pleaser. 

GLUTEN FREE ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients

CRUST

7-8 oz. (about 2 cups of finely ground cookie crumbs)	Gluten Free Graham Crackers For Vegan make sure the crackers are made without eggs or dairy and for Dairy Free that they are dairy free.
1/4 tsp.	Xanthan Gum
3 Tbs.	Sugar
6 Tbs.	Unsalted Butter - melted  For Dairy Free or Vegan use 3 Tbs. Margarine such as Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and 3 Tbs. of Shortening such as Spectrum Organic.  Be sure that the margarine and shortening are non-hydrogenated and dairy free.  Melt the margarine and shortening.

FILLING
Use any flavor of ice cream or non dairy ice cream that you would like.  I used about 2½ cups of ice cream to fill the crust.  

Directions

1. You will need one 9-inch pie pan.  
2. Crush the cookies into fine crumbs by running them in a food processor.  You can also place the cookies in a sealed plastic zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin until very fine crumbs form. 
3. Add the crumbs, xanthan gum and sugar to a bowl and mix until well combined.
4. Add the melted butter or melted margarine & shortening and mix well.
5. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom and sides of the pie pan.
6. Cover well and freeze until firm - for at least an hour or overnight.  It will store well frozen for several months.  The crust needs to be firm before you fill it or the filling will dislodge and mix in with the crust when you try to spread the ice cream in.
7. To fill the pie crust, let the ice cream stand at room temperature for 5 minutes to make it easier to spread it evenly into the crust.  Then spread the ice cream into the crust, taking care to fill in the bottom edges and not leave gaps.
8. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.
9. When ready to serve, use a firm knife and slice into individual portions.  Make sure you cut through the crust when slicing.  Enjoy!

Whole pie frozen solid.

GLUTEN FREE ICE CREAM PIE Ingredients CRUST 7-8 oz. (about 2 cups of finely ground cookie crumbs) Gluten Free Graham Crackers For Vegan make sure the crackers are made without eggs or dairy and for Dairy Free that they are dairy free. 1/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum 3 Tbs. Sugar 6 Tbs. Unsalted Butter - melted For Dairy Free or Vegan use 3 Tbs. Margarine such as Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and 3 Tbs. of Shortening such as Spectrum Organic. Be sure that the margarine and shortening are non-hydrogenated and dairy free. Melt the margarine and shortening. FILLING Use any flavor of ice cream or non dairy ice cream that you would like. I used about 2½ cups of ice cream to fill the crust. Directions You will need one 9-inch pie pan. Crush the cookies into fine crumbs by running them in a food processor. You can also place the cookies in a sealed plastic zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin until very fine crumbs form. Add the crumbs, xanthan gum and sugar to a bowl and mix until well combined. Add the melted butter or melted margarine & shortening and mix well. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Cover well and freeze until firm - for at least an hour or overnight. It will store well frozen for several months. The crust needs to be firm before you fill it or the filling will dislodge and mix in with the crust when you try to spread the ice cream in. To fill the pie crust, let the ice cream stand at room temperature for 5 minutes to make it easier to spread it evenly into the crust. Then spread the ice cream into the crust, taking care to fill in the bottom edges and not leave gaps. Cover and freeze until ready to serve. When ready to serve, use a firm knife and slice into individual portions. Make sure you cut through the crust when slicing. Enjoy!