You Won't Believe it's Vegan Pumpkin Pie
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Author Notes: Growing up, I always made pumpkin pie the same way: with pumpkin pie mix, eggs, and cream. When I became vegan, I thought my pumpkin pie days were over, until I realized that cashews make a killer, creamy filling. This dairy and egg free pie, made with simple ingredients, proves that vegan baking can be easy and authentic. - Gena Hamshaw
Serves 8
- 1/2 recipe of Vegan pie crust (see link below)
- 2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1 cup cashews, soaked 3+ hours and drained of soaking water
- 3/4 cups demerara, brown, or cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- pinches cloves
- Prepare one perfect vegan pie crust. You can find the recipe here: http://food52.com/recipes/19559_perfect_vegan_pie_crust.
- Roll the crust out to 1/4 inch thickness and line a greased and floured pie pan. Pinch edges decoratively.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Blend all pie filling ingredients in a food processor till super smooth. The mixture should be quite thick, but if it's too thick you can thin it with a tablespoon or two of water or non dairy milk. Spoon into the crust, smooth over, and bake until the edges of the crust are golden brown and the filling is dark (35-40 minutes). Let cool for a while before serving.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
5 months ago MollyKing
This was my first attempt at a vegan pumpkin pie. I followed the instructions to a T and it is quite delicious. Flavr is spot on. It is Very pumpkiny and quite thick, my fork can almost stand up in this pie. I might experiment with adding a touch of almond milk mixed into the tapioca, perhaps to achieve a somewhat more custardy like set.
6 months ago ninadora
I made this pie for thanksgiving and it truly was delicious, It was actually one of the BEST pumpkin pies I've ever eaten. Its not like a custard-y pumpkin pie but really heavy on the pumpkin due to the lack of egg and milk...FABULOUS! I used standard pumpkin pie puree and cooked it as per instructions for the genius pumpkin pie recipe on this website. I really cooked it a while to get out as much moisture as possible, then measured out the 2 1/2 cups in the recipe. I had to puree the mix for a long time-- longer than I've ever run my food processor before! At the end it was beautifully smooth and thick. I baked it the morning of Thanksgiving and though it was cool by meal time but it really was best cold after a night in the fridge.
6 months ago ninadora
ahh, I also blind baked, cause I hate crust that hasn't been generally...so I can not speak to the issue of undercooked bottom crust.
6 months ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
This tasted lovely but the bottom crust was sadly undercooked, even after 50+ minutes. (The crust top edge was a pretty light brown at that point.) I suspect the problem lay in my using a glazed earthenware pie pan -- a rookie error on my part, to be sure. Next time I'll use Pyrex or metal, and not worry about its appearance! ;o)
5 months ago Jennifer Dorsett
I have never used that type of baking dish before but I get flawless results by baking my pies on the lowest (not the middle) rack in the oven.
6 months ago Anna Winslow
Mmmm cashews... I'll have to try that. I just made a dairy-free pumpkin pie today by evaporating unsweetened coconut milk. the pie turned out beautifully! but i'm sure the cashews add some yummy flavor..
6 months ago msallied
I doubled the recipe and just pulled the pies out of the oven. They look gorgeous and I know they will set up perfectly. After tasting the filling, I knew it was going to be a huge hit. I don't think I've ever tasted a more delicious pumpkin pie filling, and I loved that it didn't have raw eggs in it and that I didn't have to cook a custard (one of my least favorite kitchen tasks). Even for non-vegans, I would recommend this recipe simply for the ease of it!
I used my Vitamix to blend, and I did have to thin it a tad with some almond milk, but i used maybe 3 tablespoons at most. Also, I used Trader Joe's organic filling, which was very low moisture. I think if people are having trouble getting this to set, it's because their pumpkin had a lot of water in it. If your pumpkin seems wet, drain it for a little while through some paper towels set in a fine mesh strainer (similar to how you'd drain yogurt) for a little while to get rid of some of the water.
Also, I wasn't originally going to use the blackstrap molasses in it, because I thought it might overpower. Turns out I had a whole jar of the stuff in my pantry, so I decided to just use it and see what happened. There was no problem at all with the flavor. In fact, it added the perfect depth. Also, I used light brown sugar as the sweetener since that what I had on hand.
Used the Perfect Vegan Pie Crust recipe for this as well, and I've never had an easier time of rolling dough. All in all, a perfect recipe combo, and what will probably be my go-to recipe for years to come!
6 months ago SusanIlene
I couldn't find black strap molasses. Can I substitue with "Robust"?
6 months ago Lulutalulu
Hi! This is the first time I've made a pie. The crust, just as you said, is perfect! Unfortunately, for the filling, even after baking an additional 30 minutes and letting it cool, it has turned out a bit runny. The inside of my pie also looks lighter in color than the top of the pie that has browned; which is also different from your pictures :(. I used organic pumpkin puree. The raw cashews had soaked for 24 hours and I'm wondering if that added too much moisture? I also had to add some almond milk, not more than 1/8 cup, to get the cashews and pumpkin to blend well in the vitamix (I know you used a food processor). Were my deviations from your original recipe my mistakes or is there something else that could have gone wrong? Even runny though, it tastes REALLY good. Thank you!
6 months ago Lulutalulu
Update! I put it in the fridge last night, and sliced into it today, and it's perfect! You are the best!
6 months ago leah_shelton_pucciarelli
I would love details on avocado or coconut cream success. Also has anyone tried flax "eggs" in the filling?
6 months ago Gena Hamshaw
I don't care for flax egg in the filling, Leah: the tapioca starch is far more palatable, if you ask me!
6 months ago Allison Dickson
I'm really looking forward to trying this. However, I'm really not a fan of blackstrap molasses. Would maple syrup be a suitable substitute?
6 months ago Gena Hamshaw
Absolutely!
6 months ago devendra
Looks like no need to pre-bake the crust. Does it bake through thoroughly?
6 months ago Gena Hamshaw
It does!
6 months ago Claire from Hivequeen
Any idea if coconut milk or cream could be substituted for the cashews?
6 months ago Gena Hamshaw
I think coconut cream would work, but only the cream -- it'll get watery if you use the whole can!
7 months ago lilbigs2001
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! It's so hard to find good vegan recipes for some of the stuff I ate growing up :)
7 months ago Gena Hamshaw
You are WELCOME!
7 months ago katrina_yeaw
Raw or roasted cashews?
7 months ago Gena Hamshaw
Raw if you can!
7 months ago Jordan Bourke
Really like that you are getting this out there, I have been trying to promote dairy, sugar and sometime wheat free tart shells for so long! Wheat free is a lot more difficult, but I think I have more or less cracked it now, using xanthum or guar gum to help bind it together. I have a few recipes in my book The Guilt Free Gourmet and I am going to post some more here very soon!
7 months ago Marc Osten - Marc's Culinary Compass
... and a great children's culinary activity after you are done with the pumpkin baking http://www.marcs-culinary...
7 months ago happymontycooks
For a nut free version, I've been experimenting with avocado. I also use dates to add sweetness.
7 months ago Gena Hamshaw
Good tip!
6 months ago Marc Osten - Marc's Culinary Compass
happymontycooks - can you share more about how the avocado affected the tenture