Oftentimes, the vegan dessert is a secondary thought at the holidays, pushed to the side next to the fruit cake. But just because you’re vegan doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get to enjoy the creamy deliciousness that is Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. Using coconut oil in the crust and coconut milk in the filling, I was able to replicate the richness of pumpkin pie without sacrificing any flavor. This pie will satisfy your deepest fall cravings and send your family members into a spiral about whether or not they should be vegan too.
This pie is just as easy as any other pumpkin pie recipe, if not easier. Bonus points: the crust is naturally gluten-free! This version is every bit as good as the classic, bursting with fall flavors and dolloped with ultra-silky homemade coconut whipped cream. Word to the vegans: this pie is so good, you might want to stash a slice for yourself before the whole fam gets to it.
What People Are Saying:
“This is my family’s FAVORITE vegan pumpkin pie – we make it every year…” – GoldPaw
How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Pie
INGREDIENTS
- Pecans: I love using pecans for this crust because they add even more autumnal flavor. You could also use walnuts or almonds if you prefer!
- Old Fashioned Oats: Oats replace the all-purpose flour in this recipe, making this crust gluten-free yet still completely delicious.
- Coconut oil: Coconut oil replaces the butter in the crust and makes sure that your pie dough is still flaky and full of flavor.
- Pumpkin Puree: Pumpkin puree is the star of the show here. My favorite brand is Libbys, but if you’re up for the challenge, you can make your own pumpkin puree.
- Coconut Milk: Coconut milk adds a level of richness that mimics the heavy cream and eggs of a regular pumpkin pie. I like the Thai Kitchen brand for the most flavor.
- Brown Sugar: I love using brown sugar to add a little bit more caramelization and flavor to the pumpkin pie filling.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch replaces eggs in this filling by stabilizing the moisture so that the filling sets evenly and has a custard-like consistency.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract quietly makes the whole pie filling taste better by enhancing the pumpkin spices and adding a soft, cozy note.
- Cinnamon, Ginger, and Nutmeg: Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are classic pumpkin pie spices that will bring out the best of the pumpkin puree. If you have a premixed pumpkin pie spice on hand, you could use that too!
- Full-Fat Coconut Cream: To get the best vegan whipped cream, I recommend using a full-fat coconut cream that has been refrigerated overnight. I like the Taste of Thai brand the best for this.
- Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is more finely ground than granulated sugar, so it dissolves more easily in the vegan whipped cream.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
The best part about this pie is that you don’t need to chill the pie dough at all. Preheat your oven to 375° and grease your pie plate.
Then, use a food processor to pulse the pecans, oats, sugar, and salt until they’re fine crumbs. Stream in the coconut oil and then pulse until the dough forms. Voila! The easiest pie dough you’ll ever make.
Press the dough into your greased pie plate in an even layer– make sure you press the dough up the sides of the pan as well. Place parchment over the dough and fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the parchment and bake for another 15 minutes.
To make the filling, whisk all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour it into the par-baked crust, smoothing the top.
Bake the pie in the oven for 50-55 minutes. If the crust starts to get too dark, cover the whole pie with foil. You’ll know the pie is done when it looks set and dry on top but is still slightly jiggly in the center. Cool completely in the fridge before making the topping!
For the topping, scoop the hard part of the refrigerated coconut cream out of the top of the can. Use a hand mixer to beat the coconut cream, powdered sugar, and salt until stiff peaks form as if it’s whipped cream.
The full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
Recipe Tips
- Plan ahead. Make this pie one day before you want to serve it, in order to let your pie cool completely before slicing. The moisture from the pumpkin filling will gradually transfer over and make its way into the crust as the pie chills, essentially acting as glue to bind the crust and filling together. The longer your pie can sit in the fridge before serving—we recommend at least 4 hours, up to overnight—the more cohesive your slice will be!
- How to make the perfect crust. Because the crust is made without any wheat flour, there is no gluten to hold it all together. To prevent a crumbly crust that falls apart when cut, be sure to process your oats, nuts, and oil until they can hold together when you squeeze a little bit of the mixture in your hand. The size of the grind should resemble coarse cornmeal: no bigger than a half grain of rice and not so fine that it turns into butter. Because there is no gluten in the mix, this crust does not need to rest or chill in the fridge, making this a much snappier recipe for that holiday time crunch.
Storage
Keep your pie in the fridge for up to 4 days, loosely covered with foil. Keep the coconut whipped cream separate and dollop onto each pie slice as you serve. If the whipped cream loses structure, keep it cold and re-whip with a hand mixer as needed.
