Meet the GREAT Pumpkin Pie, a vegan pumpkin pie recipe that’s also soy-free, gluten-free, and oil-free!
Wait… Do we really need another pumpkin pie recipe? Why is this one special?
Indeed, there is no shortage of pumpkin pie recipes – even vegan. A quick google search will confirm that.
I’ve baked my fair share of pumpkin pies. Crusts made with graham or cookie crusts, fillings with silken tofu or chocolate, the list goes on.
But, ever since creating the Pumpkin Pie Custards in LTEV, I’ve wanted to somehow transform the recipe into a pie. It needed tweaks, to thicken and stabilize for a successful pumpkin pie made with vegan ingredients.
Plus, I wanted to develop a crust that is (1) wholesome and (2) easy (we need some breaks during the holidays).
After quite a few tests, success!
Vegan Pumpkin Pie: The Filling and The Crust
The Filling
The filling of this pie is everything to me. I can eat it on its own, even before baking (though the arrowroot powder does need to cook, but I still like tasting the blended filling).
I use my Blendtec to puree the filling, and I recommend a blender rather than a food processor. The filling just won’t get smooth enough in a food processor. You can use a standard blender, but you will need to blend it longer than using the Blendtec. (For 20% off Blendtec, link here and use code YAY-BLENDTEC).
When the filling is finished cooking, it becomes creamy and luscious, like a custard – and with just enough spice from cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. The pumpkin pie spice is not overpowering.
The Crust
Then, the crust. I developed this crust as an alternative to a traditional pastry crust. It’s made with rolled oats, nut butter, and dates, and it isn’t too sweet. And, unlike a traditional pastry crust, it isn’t oily. and isn’t too sweet. You can use it for other pies you love as well, such as pecan or chocolate pumpkin pie!
But perhaps the biggest bonus of this crust is how easy it is to make. All the ingredients for the crust whiz together in the food processor, and then you simply press it into your pie plate.
So let’s get to the recipe, shall we?
And, if you love this vegan pumpkin pie, here are some other seasonal recipes you might love:
Vegan and Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups rolled oats use certified gluten-free for a GF option
- 2/3 cup pitted dates packed
- 1/3 cup nut butter I like raw, can also use roasted
- 1/8 tsp sea salt omit if almond butter has salt
- 2 tbsp non-dairy milk or more if needed to bring the crust together
Filling:
- 1 can 15 oz, 398ml pumpkin puree (pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2/3 – 3/4 cup raw cashews 2/3 for slightly softer set, 3/4 for firmer; for this photo we used 3/4 cup
- 1/3 cup plain or vanilla unsweetened non-dairy milk almond or soy preferred, but choice is yours
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- few pinches ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder
- 1/4 tsp rounded sea salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare a pie plate (I use a glass pie plate) by lightly wiping inner surface with a dab of oil (or spray).
- In a food processor, add the oats, dates, and salt for the crust. Puree until fine and crumbly. Then add the almond butter and puree for about a minute. Add the milk and pulse through until the mixture becomes sticky (it should hold together when pressed/pinched). If it's not holding together, add a little more milk, 1 tsp at a time, until it does. You shouldn't need more than another 3-4 tsp.
- Remove and transfer to prepared pie plate. Press mixture in with your fingers until evenly distributed on the base and a little up the sides of the plate (not fully up the sides to prevent burning of the crust).
- In a blender (high speed works best, for regular blender you will need to blend longer and scrape down jar several times) combine all ingredients for the filling. Purée until very smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- Pour mixture into pie crust (scrape out bowl) and gently tip back and forth to distribute evenly. (Optional: cover rim of pie plate with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning of any edges of the crust.)
- Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F (180C) and continue to bake for 25 minutes, until the pie is golden and has mostly set (the center may be soft, but it will set further as it cools).
- Remove from oven, transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing and serving (can refrigerate to chill first).
Notes
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This post was originally published November 2013 and updated for October 2021.
Elizabeth says
This pie was amazing! My 10 year old picky eater son loved it and we fought over the remaining pieces. I used fresh pumpkin I had baked ahead of time and I used both maple syrup and dates in the pie filling because I ran out of maple syrup. It tasted amazing raw, given the ingredients I think we could have just eaten it that way. However it smelled heavenly and was delicious both out of the oven and the next day, too.
I am your new biggest fan! (I asked for your cookbook for Christmas.)
Maggie G says
This turned out wonderful! Ive been looking for a healthy pumpkin pie that my daughter will accept as an alternative to the traditional recipe. She wasnt happy with the texture the first day but after sitting overnight in the fridge it firmed up beautifully! She gave it a thumbs up. Quite a compliment from my picky eater. It feels so good to have a recipe to make her favorite holiday dessert that is healthy! Thank you so much!
Dreena says
Well I’m so pleased to read that, thank you Maggie! Hope you enjoy it for years to come. 🙂
Sara Woolstenhulme says
Hi! THANK you for this recipe! I have made it twice now in the last week and it’s delicious! I am wondering if you have any tips for keeping the top from cracking during or after cooking? Thanks!
Dreena says
Oh excellent! Wonderful, thanks for sharing that cheer, Sara. You can try baking a little less, or lowering the rack. Oven temps can differ. However, if it does – try topping with a touch of whipped cream – solves it. 🙂
Elizabeth Madsen says
Hi Dreena, I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! When I took it out of the oven and let it cook it looked perfect. Although it was not it time to eat it so I covered it with saran wrap when it was cooling off and stuck it in the fridge. When I grabbed a few hours later the colors have changed but not the whole thing. Some of the pie was a darker pumpkiny color and then the other part was lighter? And the parts that were lighter tasted creamier almost like the cashews hasn’t totally blended? But I know they totally did because I have a vitamix and it was very very smooth and creamy when I poured it into the pan. It still all tasted good but why do you think this happened? I did sub cornstarch as I couldn’t find arrowroot powder, but I can’t believe that would change the color. Maybe it was the plastic film? This was a test run but I will be making one for my famiy this week. Thoughts?
Amanda says
What a charmer! Made it last year, why do I wait a year to make it again! Love it love it love it. thanks for sharing with us .
Dreena says
Haha, not sure why we wait so long! Thanks Amanda. 🙂