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Welcome back to my kitchen!


“You made what?” The Folks asked. “Cinnamon pie!” I texted back. “We know our pies. We’ve never heard of it!” they responded. They certainly do know their pies—I think they’ve eaten a pie a week during their stay-at-home order. I never heard of it either until last week. Here’s the result–you will find cinnamon pie to being fluffy, tasty, sweet, savory and pleasing.

Within minutes, another text. “Your Grandma Jones couldn’t eat cinnamon.” At first, I mistakenly read the text and thought it said, “Your Grandma Jones loved cinnamon.” That warm thought made me instantly love this new recipe, before I even tried the finished pie! If my Grandma Jones loved it, I’d love it too.
Grandparents are special people. I’m thankful that my niece and nephews are able to live European style with their grandparents, our taste testing neighbors see their grand-daughters numerous times a week, and Em + The Folks = a tight squad. The Hubs repeatedly laughs that Em + The Folks will live under the same roof someday. He always adds, “Can you imagine—what would go on?”

The Hubs and I come from complete opposite family structures. He’s the oldest grandchild with many aunts, uncles, and cousins. I’m the youngest grandchild with one set of aunts/uncles on each side. My paternal cousins are double my age. Within the last two years, The Hubs grandparents have all died. My grandparents died very early in my life, including a grandfather I never met.

There was something different about my Grandma Jones. First her name—have you ever met a ‘Wilsie’? Second, she was a gutsy heart determined to help at-risk youth. In the 1960s, she retired from teaching, packed up her car, and drove from Minnesota to New Mexico to teach underserved Native American kids to read. Did I tell you—she went all by herself? Third, she always chose her words wisely, was modest, never bragged, nor had jealously, thought of serving dessert at every dinner, and was a devout Christian. Fourth, she’d sit for hours marveling at my “acts of pretending to be Barbara Mandrell” as a preschooler in my nightgown.
In my life, I have three of my most favorite items that are my “jewels.” The Hubs knows not to touch them. 1) My Grandma Jones’ marked up pen lined Bible; 2) her yellow “china”; and 3) a $2.00 check I got on my 2nd birthday. This yellow business-like check written over 44 years ago is in mint perfect condition. I just love it! Plus, I get to see my Grandma’s signature and how she wrote, Jayne J. Jones—too cute! Too special!

Cinnamon is an aromatic spice derived from the bark of several species of Cinnamomum trees. While you may associate cinnamon with rolls or cereals, it has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine and food preservation. To obtain cinnamon, the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees must be removed. The bark then undergoes a drying process that causes it to curl up and yield cinnamon sticks, or quills, which can be further processed into powdered cinnamon.

Cinnamon can lower blood sugar by acting like insulin and increasing the insulin’s ability to move blood sugar into cells. Several studies have linked cinnamon to better blood sugar levels. Some research shows that cinnamon curb blood sugar by lowering insulin resistance. One study showed that consuming 500 mg of cinnamon extract daily for 12 weeks decreased a marker of oxidative stress by 14% in adults with prediabetes.

Turns out, Grandma Jones couldn’t have cinnamon. She was allergic. I found that out from The Folks after I raved about this cinnamon pie recipe. For me, the pie made me smile—reminded me of her unwavering love and me being the apple of her eye. She was my grandma. A blue-ribbon grand champion of a grandma. In her own way, she changed lives, believed in the good in all people, and her silent teachings of life carry on today.

I don’t regret life decisions. I never look back. But it has always broken my heart that The Hubs and Em didn’t get the superb opportunity to meet my Grandma Jones. However, I believe in my heart—that they have.

Make this pie. Eat the cinnamon. You will love it! Share it with your grandchildren, grandparents or that blue-ribbon supporter of yours. I hope it brings a smile to your face and warms your heart too.

We’re on a roll. Life is sweet.
All this made with LOVE!

Jayne (aka The No Sugar Baker!)

No Sugar Baker’s Cinnamon Pie

Crust Ingredients:

2 Cs. Almond Flour
½ C. Swerve Granular
½ t. Salt
½ C. Butter Melted.

Easy Directions: Combine all the ingredients. Place firmly in heavily greased or sprayed pie pan. Prick the top with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes at 325. Let cool.

Filling Ingredients:

1 C. Swerve Brown
1 ½ C. Heavy Whipping Cream
8 ounces Cream Cheese
2 Large Eggs & 1 Egg Yolk
¼ C. Flour (You can use almond or coconut flour)
4 Ts Cinnamon
3 ts. Vanilla
1 t. Salt
1 t. Nutmeg

Easy Directions:

In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and Swerve together until creamed and light. Beat in the eggs. Add in cream, flour, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Mix until smooth and silky. Pour on top of crust prepared pie pan. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Let cool and place in refrigerator. I let our pie rest in fridge overnight. I also topped our slices with homemade whipping cream. I used my electric mixer and whipped together heavy whipping cream (approximately 1 C.), vanilla (1 T.) and Swerve Confectioners (1/2 C).

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