I’m down to my last two yellow squash from the rescue‑produce boxes, so I decided to turn them into two keto‑friendly mini pies for Pi Day. Am I on a keto diet? No. I just don’t love overly sweet desserts, and I’ve found that real Vermont maple syrup gives this pie a deeper, more comforting flavor than sugar ever could.
So what is Pi Day? It’s a modern mathematical celebration created in 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw to honor the constant π on the date that matches its first digits—3/14. Over the years, it has grown into a global festival blending math, science, and plenty of pie. It also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday and the day Stephen Hawking passed away, which gives the date an extra layer of meaning for science lovers.
As the daughter of a fairly well‑known mathematician, Pi Day was always a little more special in our house than in most. My dad and I looked forward to it every year—part celebration, part inside joke, part excuse to bake something delicious. These yellow‑squash pies feel like a sweet, rustic nod to those memories.
Yellow Squash Pie
Keto-Friendly Coconut Crust:
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 lg egg
1 tbsp browned butter
1/2 tsp bourbon vanilla extract
1 tbsp maple syrup
pinch of pink salt
1/4 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
a neutral oil
Custard:
2 medium-sized yellow squash, deseeded, cut in half, and roasted according to instructions below
a neutral oil
1 lg egg
6 tbsp whole milk, divided
1 tbsp browned butter
3-4 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp blackstrap molasses
1/2 tsp bourbon vanilla extract
3/4 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of pink salt, plus extra for squash
3/4 tsp coconut flour
pinch of ground cloves and allspice
Makes two mini pies.
First, brown the butter for the crust and custard, and set aside. Be careful not to burn it. Usually, it is done as the butter starts to smell nutty and starts to turn from yellow to a light brown color.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take a baking sheet and cover it with parchment paper. Add the squash and brush it with a neutral oil and sprinkle with pink salt. Roast for 30-35 minutes. Edges should be golden and slightly browned. If it looks pale or watery, give it another 5 minutes. After roasting, I slice the squash and add it to a skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes. This will further dry out the squash, helping it have a more "pumpkin" like texture. Add the squash to a blender with 3 tbsp milk and blend till smooth. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350. Grease your two mini pie pans or ramekins. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix all the crust ingredients together. Let it sit for about 2-3 minutes. So that the coconut flour rehydrates. Press these into your pans as you would do with a graham cracker crust or cookie crust. This crust can be used as a keto-friendly version for pies calling for either a cookie or graham cracker crust. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Just as the edges barely start to color. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, add the egg, 3 tbsp milk, butter, maple syrup, molasses, spices, and salt. Whisk till combined. Add the squash mixture and the coconut flour, and turn the heat to medium-low. Whisking constantly. Cook for 3-7 minutes or until the liquid starts to reduce. It should look like this:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Now put this mixture through the blender again. You will see the mixture becomes even smoother. Let the mixture sit for 2-3 minutes. As the coconut rehydrates, it will thicken even more. Place your pie pans on a baking sheet. Divide the mixture between the two pie crusts. It may go up to the top of the pie crust; that is fine. Bake the pies for 18-25 minutes. The center should jiggle slightly, not slosh. Let it cool for 15 minutes. After that, place in the fridge for about 2 hours to fully cool. Though I think it is best cooled overnight in the fridge. The filling will shrink a little bit as it cools. Serve with whipped cream and sprinkle with a little cinnamon.
Every pie tells a story; it's up to us to listen.
- Tyler Brown
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