Vegan pumpkin pie by The Clean Plate Collective on a yellow napkin and wood slice.

It’s that time of year again…fall, winter and thus, pumpkin season! A classic recipe for the holidays is pumpkin pie, and while this is not a classic recipe…it also is. I’ll explain. We know homemade pumpkin pie is wonderful. Not only is this pumpkin pie homemade, it’s clean (gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free) and it’s vegan! Say what, how can a clean and vegan pumpkin pie taste delicious?! After continuously making and editing this recipe, it is definitely one I can say I’m proud of.

This recipe started out as a clean pumpkin pie. It was almost vegan, and I edited the recipe so a vegan family friend could enjoy it as well. After taking it to Thanksgiving dinner with family, a notoriously picky eater (as there are in pretty much every family, right?!) said this was the best pumpkin pie they ever had, and our vegan friend loved it as well. Needless to say, every time I’ve brought this vegan pumpkin pie to family functions, it gets demolished and it’s become our favorite dessert to look forward to during the holiday season.

Prep

This recipe does take some prep and planning and it is all worth it in the end. First off, the heavy coconut cream will need to be refrigerated overnight so the cream will separate from the water. If you are familiar with coconut cream, it will float to the top of the can when chilled. From there, you’ll want to carefully scoop out the thick cream. There should be enough cream in one can for this recipe.

The Crust

Crust ingredients for vegan pumpkin pie. Super-fine almond flour, gluten-free rolled oats, golden monk fruit sweetener, ground ginger, chopped raw walnuts.

One of the worst things a pie can have is a bland cardboard tasting crust. When making this crust, I wanted something that complemented the flavors of the pie, and worked in tandem with the filling. Rather than feeling like we have to subject ourselves to the obligatory crust. Some people I’ve seen just avoid the crust entirely and eat the filling. I’ve been guilty of this too.

This (anti-cardboard tasting) crust has:

Almond flour
Gluten-free Rolled Oats (optional)
Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener (Lakanto)
Ground Ginger
Raw Walnuts, finely chopped (optional), or your choice of nuts like pecans
Coconut Oil

However, if you prefer a simpler crust, don’t like walnuts, or don’t have them on hand, then no need to add it! The crust will still be delicious. If you want to add the walnuts (to be extra, cause I’m all about that when it comes to food), they should be finely chopped. To save time, I just toss them in a small coffee grinder.

Mixing bowl with crust ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Mixed crust ingredients in a mixing bowl.

After mixing the crust ingredients together and pressing the dough flat (use your hands and give the crust some love), it will need to bake for about 13 minutes. Or until the edges are golden brown. Let the crust cool and then brush with avocado oil. It’s like the egg wash, but no egg. This will help keep the filling from seeping into the crust and making it soggy. Once you’ve done the oil wash, place back in the oven for another 10 minutes and then let the crust cool.

Crust in porcelain pan after first baking.

Crust in porcelain pan being brushed with avocado oil.

The Filling for Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients shown for vegan pumpkin pie filling. Heavy coconut cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract, monk fruit sweetener, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and black pepper.

You’ll need:

A can of Pumpkin Puree
Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener
Maple Syrup
Heavy Coconut Cream (put in fridge beforehand)
Vanilla extract
Pumpkin Pie Spice (preferably contains ginger in ingredients)
Cinnamon
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper (yup, you read that right, pepper!)
Arrowroot Powder (made into a slurry)

Whisk all the ingredients, except the arrowroot slurry, in a large bowl.

Ingredients for filling being mixed in a mixing bowl .

Filling poured on top of crust ready to bake.

It’s best to mix the arrowroot powder with cold, filtered water to make a “slurry.” This slurry incorporates the arrowroot powder seamlessly into the filling and avoids clumping. Once the slurry has been made, gradually pour and whisk into the filling mixture. Pour the filling on top of the cooled crust and bake for about an hour, until the center is no longer jiggly.

Finished ready to serve vegan pumpkin pie by The Clean Plate Collective.

Let your vegan pumpkin pie cool and then place in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. If using the recommended 10 inch ceramic/porcelain pan, you can cut and serve from the pan. This goes great with some coconut whipped cream on top! Hope you and your loved ones enjoy this guilt-free, crap-free pie made from a place of love.