This vegan pumpkin pie is a no-fuss dessert that is easy to make and absolutely delicious. The no-bake chocolate crust takes no time at all and the cashews add delightful creaminess this dessert.
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Pumpkin is one of my favorite fall vegetable. I don’t think there is any way to avoid it especially in the US (lol). They are everywhere – big, small, canned etc. But I do genuinely love pumpkin.
Even though it is sweet, it lends really well to both savory and sweet dishes. Like in this creamy roasted pumpkin sambar or this spicy Auriya Kadoo or this yummy sourdough pumpkin bread.
Even with all my love for pumpkin, I do not like traditional pumpkin pie (there, I said it). But the fault is with the crust not the filling. In my opinion, it is too doughy and heavy for my taste.
So, in this easy pumpkin pie recipe I use chocolate crust instead of traditional pie crust and I absolutely love it. This recipe is so easy to make and tastes amazing. You won’t even know that it is 100% vegan.
Filling for the vegan pumpkin pie is is adapted from Food52 Vegan cookbook. It is made with ground cashews which makes it creamy and delicious.
Why I love this recipe
- easy to make
- uses mostly pantry ingredients
- no bake chocolate crust
- filling comes together very easily and quickly
- 100% vegan
Ingredients
As I mentioned before, most of the ingredients needed for to make this vegan pumpkin pie are pantry staples. You also need mini tart pans to make this recipe. Of course, you can also use regular pie pan – check the tips section on how to.
For the chocolate crust you need: chocolate wafer cookies and vegan butter.
For the filling, you need the following:
- canned pumpkin puree – you can also use homemade.
- raw cashews
- vegan sugar
- cornstarch or tapioca starch
- pumpkin pie spice
- maple syrup
- vanilla extract
Optional ingredients for serving – coconut whipped cream (homemade or store bought) and ground cinnamon.
Instructions
Start by soaking cashews. They need to soak for at least 3+ hours and up to overnight.
When ready to make the mini vegan pumpkin pies, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the crust: Crush the cookies and take them in a mixing bowl. I use a ziplock bag and a rolling pin. But you can pulse them in a food processor to make finer crumbs.
Add the melted butter and mix well. Divide the mixture evenly between the four 4” pie pans. Press with the fingers to compress the chocolate crumbs and form an even crust.
Place the pie pans on a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Pumpkin Filling: Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a food processor. Add pumpkin puree, sugar, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Process until a very smooth mixture forms. Scrape the sides couple of times during blending.
Divide the pumpkin filling between the prepared pie pans and smooth the tops.
Bake for 28~35 minutes or until the top turns dark and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This indicates that the filling is set and not gooey anymore.
Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
Taste Test
It is best to serve these pies the day they are made. Leftovers can be refrigerated and slightly warmed in the microwave before serving, but the taste and texture are not the same.
Do give this recipe a try for Thanksgiving or for any holiday celebration – I am sure you will love it.
Tips
- If you want to make this vegan, make sure that the chocolate wafer cookies you use are vegan. I use Newton brand wafer cookies.
- If you want the crust to have a finer texture, then process the wafers in a food processor until finely ground. Otherwise, you can roll them in a ziplock bag.
- Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Use raw cashews, that it unroasted, unsalted ones.
- No pumpkin pie spice, no problem. Use ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger + pinch of nutmeg and ground cloves.
- To make a regular sized pumpkin pie using this recipe, double all the ingredients for crust and filling. Proceed as written and bake for 35~40 minutes.
- It is best to serve these pies the day they are made. Leftovers can be refrigerated and slightly warmed in the microwave before serving, but the taste and texture are not the same.
More vegetarian friendly holiday recipes to try
- Everything bagel onion dip
- Salted mocha hot chocolate
- Vegan St. Lucia Buns
- Vegan red velvet pancakes
- Cranberry Apple Chutney
- Egyptian Ghorayebah
- Whole wheat chocolate chip cookies
I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, tag in your creations on Instagram @cook_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie on Chocolate Crust
Ingredients
For Chocolate Crust:
- 16~18 Chocolate Wafer Cookies (about 1½cups when ground)
- 4 tablespoons Vegan Butter, melted
For Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- 1¼ cups Pumpkin Puree (make sure it is not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup Cashews, soaked in water for at least 3+ hours and drained
- 6 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
To Serve:
- As needed Coconut Whipped Cream
- For Sprinkling Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
- Start by soaking cashews. They need to soak for at least 3+ hours and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the Crust:
- Crush the cookies and take them in a mixing bowl. I use a ziplock bag and a rolling pin. But you can pulse them in a food processor to make finer crumbs.
- Add the melted butter and mix well. Divide the mixture evenly between the four 4” pie pans. Press with the fingers to compress the chocolate crumbs and form an even crust.
- Place the pie pans on a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Pumpkin Filling:
- Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a food processor. Add pumpkin puree, sugar, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Process until a very smooth mixture forms. Scrape the sides couple of times during blending.
- Divide the pumpkin filling between the prepared pie pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake for 28~35 minutes or until the top turns dark and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This indicates that the filling is set and not gooey anymore.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
Notes
- If you want to make this vegan, make sure that the chocolate wafer cookies you use are vegan. I use Newton brand wafer cookies.
- If you want the crust to have a finer texture, then process the wafers in a food processor until finely ground. Otherwise, you can roll them in a ziplock bag.
- Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Use raw cashews, that it unroasted, unsalted ones.
- No pumpkin pie spice, no problem. Use ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger + pinch of nutmeg and ground cloves.
- To make a regular sized pumpkin pie using this recipe, double all the ingredients for crust and filling. Proceed as written and bake for 35~40 minutes.
- It is best to serve these pies the day they are made. Leftovers can be refrigerated and slightly warmed in the microwave before serving, but the taste and texture are not the same.
Nutrition
This post was created originally as a guest post for Rafeeda’s The Big Sweet Tooth in November 2016. It has been updated in October 2019 with the inclusion of the recipe.
[email protected] Big Sweet Tooth
Thank you so much for gracing my little space! I have pie fans at home too but just like you, I am scared of making them because of the over buttery crust… 🙂
Ruxana
Saw this at Rafeeda’s space…lovely post..Awesome clicks!
Liz
I really like the twist of using a chocolate crust. I can’t wait to try it! I like regular pie crust but this is super special!
Byron Thomas
Wow! Such a beautiful post! I always think I can visually “see” vegan food, but this one had me fooled. Ha!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks
That chocolate crust looks AMAZING!! I love the photography in this, too. What a delicious pie!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
That crust is amazing. I am the total opposite of you. I love the crust the most in the pie and always choose a piece with the thickest crust. This is so perfect for the season!