Anyone up for a slice of vegan chocolate pie?
Wait, it’s not just vegan chocolate pie. It’s a rich, creamy, luscious chocolate mousse pie that happens to be vegan and healthy!
After months of sugary treats carrying us from Halloween to Christmas to Valentine’s and Easter, it’s time for something fresher!
Here’s the thing. Chocolatey treats don’t have to be full of sugar – or be lacking nutrition.
This vegan chocolate pie is decadent and rich, yet made with such wholesome ingredients it can be enjoyed for breakfast!
That work? I thought so!
This recipe comes from my 3rd book, LTEV… and it is DIVINE! For this vegan chocolate pie I use a food processor to make the crust, and a blender to make the filling.
I get questions every week about which food processor and blender I use. Many of you know that the Blendtec is my blender of choice. I use it every day – sometimes 2-3x/day. The Breville Sous Chef is the processor I use. I like it because the bowl is BPA-free and has a 16-cup capacity. (That means triple and quadruple batches of hummus, guys!)
Back to the pie…
I first prep the pie base (in food processor), then press into a pie plate and chill while making the filling. If you are using a high-speed blender for the filling, it works through the ingredients easily, whether using the soaked or unsoaked cashews. I like using unsoaked cashews here, because then the filling sets up a little more firm with chilling. However, if using a standard blender, you will need to use the soaked cashews. They will smooth out much easier & silkier using a standard blender when presoaked. Be sure to scrape down that blender a good few times and run it several minutes until the filling is silky-smooth.
For serving, this vegan chocolate pie is delightful with a simple berry sauce. I have a couple of recipes in LTEV, one is “Fresh Strawberry Sauce”, and the other a “Warm Berry Sauce”.
I prefer the fresh (raw) sauce with this pie, and you can easily use frozen berries instead of fresh. Or, serve this pie with fresh fruit straight up, or a dollop of vegan whipped cream. You can’t go wrong either way!
Enjoy the pie… x Dreena
Vegan Chocolate Pie (Raw Chocolate Mousse Pie)
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 3/4 cup raw pecans (can substitute walnuts)
- 1 cup lightly packed pitted dates
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp scant sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract see note
Filling:
- 1 cup avocado flesh cut in chunks or slices, roughly 1 large or 1 – 1/2 medium avocados; be sure they are soft and ripe, not hard
- 1/2 cup soaked raw cashews
- 1/2 cup nut milk or other non-dairy milk if non-raw
- 1/2 cup pitted dates
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 -1 tsp pure vanilla extract see note
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Prepare the crust: Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse briefly until fine and crumbly. Add the crust remaining ingredients and process until the mixture becomes sticky. Stop to scrape down the bowl, if needed. The mixture should hold together when pressed with your fingers. If it’s still a little dry or not sticking, pulse again, add another date (or two, if small honey dates) and process again. Use 1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon of water, as well, if not using vanilla extract. Transfer the mixture to a glass pie plate (helps to wipe the surface of the plate with a little coconut oil, or line with few strips of parchment paper, just for easier removal). Press the mixture evenly into the pan. To prepare the filling: Place all the filling ingredients in a high-powered blender and puree for a minute or so on at medium-high speed, until completely smooth and no texture of the cashews remains. Stop to scrape down the blender and redistribute the ingredients. Puree again until very, very smooth—like a velvety pudding. This will take a few starts and stops for scraping down - even with a high-powered blender. Once the mixture is readily churning and smooth, it’s ready. Pour the filling into the crust, and tilt and smooth with a spatula to evenly distribute. Refrigerate for a couple of hours to set. (Optionally, you can also freeze the pie and serve at a later time, thawing most of the way before slicing.) Slice and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Savvy Subs and Adds: If you’d prefer not to use vanilla extract, use the seeds from one vanilla bean, using half for the crust and half for the filling. Also try adding a little orange zest to the filling, the orange/chocolate flavor combo is a winner!
- Serving Suggestion: Serve as is, or topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries, or a ladleful of Fresh Strawberry Sauce.
Fran
I just want to point out that the stuff made with avocado is DELICIOUS, but it doesn’t keep well. If the pie is not finished, FREEZE IT for later use. I speak from experience. I had to throw out a ton of chocolate pudding made with avocado because of this.
Lidie
I’ve had the same problem with my Kitchen Aid. How does the Sous Chef handle bread dough? The reviews I’ve read have not been favorable with that function.Thanks!
Sarah
what a tasty dessert! love it – and so easy!!
Krista
Made this! I drizzled homemade caramel on top and sprinkled sea salt, so good.
Nat
Could I substitute something for the dates?
Dreena
In the crust Nat, or filling? They are needed for the crust, unless you use another dried fruit like apricots, but the taste will be quite different. For the filling, you could replace with some other sweetener, but it will affect the texture (helps to thicken). Is it that you don’t like dates? You don’t taste them specifically in the final pie, if that’s why you’re asking. 🙂
Rachel
I made the Raw chocolate dream mousse pie yesterday, it was a hit!! Not one crumb left. I was the only vegan in the group, and everyone said it tasted better than a regular pie. Can’t wait to make it again!!! Thanks Dreena!!
Dreena
So fabulous! Thanks for the feedback, Rachel. Would you be okay with me sharing that with my readers sometime?
Veggie
This cake looks amazing, can#t wait to make this next weekend!
Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking
These look so delicious!
Jess
I remember that I used to say all the time: I don’t know why I don’t cook everyone of my meals from Vive Le Vegan (this was the book of yours I had at the time), because they always turned out perfect and delicious.
I made your amazing mousse pie yesterday evening and it has gone over incredibly well. You nail it every time!
Thank you for the always great tasting recipes.
Dreena
<3 Thank you Jess! That is music to my ears. Thanks for the cheer, and I'm thrilled you love the pie!!
Cal
My inexpensive blender took forever, but eventually eliminated all of the grit from the cashews. Then made a parfait with the filling in alternate layers with coconut whipped cream. Yum, but not low fat.
katy sparrow
I loveee your mousse pie recipe and heart-y ideas, Dreena :))
This Valentine’s, I am bringing in some sunflower cherry oatmeal bars, a Whole Foods recipe (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/sunflower-cherry-oatmeal-bars) for my college labmates.
Growing up, my mom would pack me a heart-shaped sandwich on V-Day, filled with strawberry jam + cream cheese. And my aunt and I would go to town with red and pink icing to decorate crazy cookies, like heart-shaped people faces, or heart shaped pink and purple shredded coconut mice. So much fun.
I have yet to experience a romantic V-Day, but love celebrating it by baking for others–It’s a fabulous way to share and renew the love in my vegan heart any day of the year!
Dreena
thanks Katy!! What a sweet childhood memory to have about Valentine’s – and super easy to ‘veganize’ those sandwiches too (just the cream cheese)! I’d love to see a pic of those pink and purple mice – cute!
What a beautiful sentiment too – I hope you do experience a romantic Valentine’s soon, you have a big vegan <3!
Leslie
That looks delicious!! I can’t wait to make it this week. I have a kitchen aid food processor and have the same problem with the handle getting all gunked up inside. What a design flaw!! The plastic bowl and lid are also starting to crack so I will definitely be in the market for a new one soon. Good to know you are happy with your new one.
Dreena
Wow, so I’m not the only one with the KA processor?! YES, gross, right?! And, Leslie, my bowl and lid also cracked. I know I put it through a LOT of use, but I guess I figure appliances should last more than a few years. Good luck with your shopping!
Jane Plass
I’ve had the same problems with my KA processor. The motor has held up fine, even with making a lot of nut butters, but I’ve replaced the bowl once and the lid a couple of times. Keep us posted on how your Breville processor lasts. I’ve had a Breville juicer and coffee grinder, but haven’t been satisfied with how they held up.
Anna {Herbivore Triathlete}
I am in love with LTEV and so excited to see this pie, it looks divine!
Dreena
<3! Thanks you bunches Anna - hope you love the pie!!
Jamie
This looks delicious! Funny – we bought a sous chef right after purchasing your cookbooks. I was doubling recipes for my family of 5 (for leftovers) and I needed the big bowl! I have never used a food processor so much in my life. I love it! Now I just need to invest in a better blender to put an end to chunky smoothies!
Dreena
Awesome you picked up the Breville, Jamie! I agree, for a fam of 5 and needing to double-batch recipes, it’s a huge time saver. Have you used the slicing discs much? And, yep, once you move into a rambo blender, you’ll wonder how you lived without that too, lol! Thanks for the note!
mattheworbit
So. Darn. Pretty.. I wish I had that magical ability to pick avocados at the “sweet spot” when they’re just the right level of ripeness and texture!
Dreena
haha, I *never* buy them ripe, Matt. Have to buy bulk quantities for this crew. Like dozen + a week. So, keep some in garage cool, some in kitchen, and then when they start to ripen I pop a few in the fridge to get a few more days from them. But our girls can eat 4 between them (or more) mashed for guac or into a sauce. I need an avocado tree!!!
James
Oh my gosh, I WISH we could afford to eat that many avocados! They’re about $3 ea at the moment, and they were even more expensive not too long ago. I tried to grow an avocado tree but no luck 🙁 I’ll have to try it again when I can actually afford to buy an avocado again 😛
Katie
Don’t you just love your new sous chef? Not sure which I love more, my vita mix or the sous chef! How long does this pie last having the avocado in it?
Dreena
oh Katie… LOVE LOVE it. Have never used a food processor that comes close to this machine. The pie lasts several days – the great thing is that you don’t see any of the oxidation of the avocado in the pie, and it doesn’t get watery either. So, I’d say about 4 days tops – doesn’t usually last past 2 or 3 in our house! 😉