Easy Gluten-Free Ricotta Pie
This gluten-free ricotta pie is creamy, soft, and flavored with fresh lemon. Its silky ricotta filling and tender gluten-free crust come together in an easy, no-fuss pie that’s wonderfully light, subtly sweet, and impossible to resist.
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Gluten-Free Ricotta Recipes
This gluten-free ricotta pie is creamy, delicate, and wonderfully simple to make. It has a soft, custard-like texture that’s tender and creamy with a subtle hint of fresh lemon. If you love ricotta desserts, this is a must-try—it’s an easy, delicious bake with a texture that makes it especially irresistible.
Made with simple ingredients, this baked ricotta pie comes together quickly and freezes beautifully, making it a great make-ahead dessert. Enjoy it plain to let the creamy ricotta and lemon flavor shine, or top it with fresh berries, seasonal fruit, fruit compote, berry sauce, or a light dusting of powdered sugar.
For something more cake-like, try this popular gluten-free ricotta cake, which has a lighter, fluffier crumb. But if you’re looking for a creamy, tender dessert with a delicate texture, this ricotta pie is hard to resist. It’s a wonderful choice for Easter, brunch, and holiday gatherings.
What goes in: ingredient notes
Some NOTES about the main ingredients of this gluten-free ricotta recipe:
- Ricotta: the star ingredient. Whole milk ricotta for the creamiest texture and best flavor. If your ricotta contains a lot of liquid, drain it before using.
- Butter: cold unsalted butter for a tender, flaky texture.
- Eggs: room-temperature eggs are better.
- Lemon: fresh lemon zest for a hint of citrus flavor.
- Cornstarch: helps the ricotta filling set while keeping it soft and creamy.
How to make gluten-free ricotta pie
For the crust:
Food processor: Combine the gluten-free all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the cold, diced butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and process just until the dough starts to come together.
By hand: You can also make the dough by hand by cutting the cold butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry cutter before adding the egg.
Shape the dough into a disk, cover it, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For the ricotta filling:
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and fresh lemon zest. Mix until smooth. Add the cornstarch and mix until completely incorporated. If your ricotta is particularly wet, drain it before making the filling.
Assemble the pie:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch pie dish.
Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, so it is easier to roll. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface and carefully transfer it to the prepared pie dish.
Pour the ricotta filling into the crust and smooth the top.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle. If the cake is getting too brown, loosely cover with aluminum foil (don’t press it down).
Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. The ricotta filling continues to firm as it cools.
Before serving, dust the pie with powdered sugar and add fresh fruit or your favorite fruit compote, like this plum compote.
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator. Can I freeze ricotta pie? Yes, you can freeze the pie in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Good to know: baking tips
- Drain your ricotta if it seems watery. Place it in a fine-mesh strainer for 30–60 minutes before using. This helps for a creamier, firmer filling.
- Room-temperature eggs. They incorporate more easily into the ricotta mixture and help create a smoother filling.
- Bake until just set to avoid a dry filling. How do I know when the pie is done? The edges should be set while the center still has a slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan. The filling will continue to firm up as it cools.
- Let the pie cool at room temperature before refrigerating.
Make it your own: serving options
- Fruit compote/sauce: fruit compote like this blueberry compote, or strawberry sauce. My favorite is with this terrific plum compote that pairs really well.
- Powdered sugar: dust the pie or each slice with powdered sugar and serve chilled.
- Fresh fruits: serve the pie with fresh seasonal fruit like strawberries, peaches, plums, and so on.
- Candied almonds: add crunchiness to the dessert.
You might wonder: FAQ
Why does my ricotta pie have a wet filling? Excess moisture from the ricotta could be the cause. Drain watery ricotta before making the filling. Also, allow the pie to cool and chill completely before slicing.
How do I know when ricotta pie is done? The edges should look set, while the center should still have a slight jiggle when you gently move the pan. The filling will continue to firm up as the pie cools and chills.
For more Creamy Gluten-Free Desserts
If you love creamy desserts, try these gluten-free recipes next:
Easy Gluten-Free Ricotta Pie
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g), cold and diced
- 1 egg, room temperature
For the filling:
- 2 cups ricotta cheese (500g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
For the crust:
- Food processor: Combine the gluten-free all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the cold, diced butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and process just until the dough starts to come together.
- By hand: You can also make the dough by hand by cutting the cold butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry cutter before adding the egg.
- Shape the dough into a disk, cover it, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For the ricotta filling:
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and fresh lemon zest. Mix until smooth. Add the cornstarch and mix until completely incorporated. If your ricotta is particularly wet, drain it before making the filling.
Assemble the pie:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch pie dish.
- Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, so it is easier to roll. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface and carefully transfer it to the prepared pie dish.
- Pour the ricotta filling into the crust and smooth the top.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle. If the cake is getting too brown, loosely cover with aluminum foil (don’t press it down).
- Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. The ricotta filling continues to firm as it cools.
- Before serving, dust the pie or the slices with powdered sugar and add fresh fruit or your favorite fruit compote, like this plum compote.
Notes
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