Oh how I love pumpkin pie. My favorite variety is a family recipe that I shared last year around this time. But this year, I wanted to make a from-scratch vegan version that required as little effort as possible. I’m happy to report the experiment was a total success.
Though this recipe requires more than 10 ingredients and 1 bowl, hands on prep time is only 30 minutes and there’s no baking involved, making this recipe quite simple and totally worth the effort.
It starts with a no-bake, completely natural, vegan, and gluten-free crust made from dates, nuts, oats, and pumpkin pie spice.
Next comes the filling: A creamy vegan pumpkin pudding that comes together in about 10 minutes (plus chilling time). The result is a from-scratch pudding that’s thick, pumpkin-y and perfectly sweet. So gorgeous.
NOTE: While making this pie I accidentally discovered a secret way to make perfect coconut whipped cream even if you get a bad can!
It happened when I thought I’d grabbed the powdered sugar from my newly organized mason jar pantry when I’d actually grabbed the tapioca flour. It couldn’t have been more perfect timing because the can of coconut milk I’d bought was a dud, meaning it was still liquidy and unseparated after chilling. Humph.
I was ready to count it a loss when I accidentally added the tapioca flour and it thickened right up! I couldn’t believe it – literally thee best and thickest coconut whipped cream I’d ever made. And it stayed thick and luxurious in the fridge for days after. Plus, because tapioca flour is so fine it didn’t affect the flavor or texture one bit! I added in a little vanilla extract and powered sugar and ‘voila’ – perfection! I did try this method with a can that produced plenty of thick cream after my initial test and it didn’t seem to help as much. So I would only add tapioca flour in the case that your coconut milk is still liquidy after chilling as more of a “last chance” method of saving it.
More coconut whip tips:
– Make sure your coconut milk is fresh – I find the longer it’s set on the shelf the less likely it is to whip.
– Give cans a shake test in the store. If it does a lot of sloshing around it probably isn’t a good can.
Look at those peaks! Hubba hubba. Where should I put all that whipped cream? Oh yeah, ON MY PIE.
This pie is an absolute dream.
The crust is perfectly sweet and super moist, yet holds its shape.
The filling is like pumpkin heaven on a spoon.
And the coconut whipped cream MAKES it.
Make this pie this holiday season. Your family will love it! Also, stay tuned for an even simpler version coming soon. Hooray!
Creamy No Bake Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
CRUST
- 2 cups pitted dates (deglet nour or medjool)
- 2 cups raw nuts (I used half pecans, half almonds)
- 1/4 cup rolled oats (gluten-free as needed // or sub unsweetened coconut flakes for a different flavor)
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
PUMPKIN FILLING
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/3 cup sugar (raw or granulated)
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- pinch sea salt
- 1 2/3 cup unsweetened milk (any kind, though I’d recommend almond or dairy)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk chilled overnight (I recommend Thai Kitchen brand)
- 2-5 Tbsp powdered sugar (depending on preferred sweetness)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the filling, place all dry ingredients in a saucepan and whisk to combine. Then add pumpkin puree and whisk again. Slowly pour in milk and stir again until well combined.
- Place over medium heat and bring to a low bubble – not boil – whisking often. Once it starts bubbling and getting thick, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until a visible ribbon forms when spooning it across the top. It should be thick and kind of jiggly. During this process switch to a rubber spatula for stirring to ensure the pudding isn’t sticking to the bottom or sides of the pan.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla and whisk. Let set for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap TOUCHES the pudding – otherwise a film will form.
- Refrigerate for several hours or until completely chilled and set.
- In the meantime, prepare crust by adding dates to the food processor and pulse until it forms a ball – or at least until small bits remain. Remove from food processor and then add nuts, pumpkin pie spice and oats. Pulse until almost a meal, then add back in the dates a little at a time until a "dough" forms.
- Transfer to a lightly greased pie pan or small glass baking dish and press until uniformly flat and it comes up the edges 1.5-2 inches, making a crust (see photo). It doesn’t have to be perfect, just make sure there are no gaps or cracks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate or set on counter until filling is chilled.
- When the pudding is ready, place a glass mixing bowl in the freezer to chill for a few minutes so you can prepare your coconut whipped cream (make sure the can has been chilled overnight to harden – otherwise it won’t whip).
- Without shaking or tipping the can, remove the top and gently scoop out the top thick, solid portion of the coconut milk, known as the cream. Leave the clear liquid at the bottom of the can and reserve this for smoothies or other uses.
- Beat the cream to incorporate it. At this point it should start firming up, but if not add a couple Tbsp of tapioca flour and it should thicken right up! Then add in desired amount of powdered sugar 1 Tbsp at a time, as well as the vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate until serving the pie.
- Once the crust and filling are both ready, pour the pudding over the crust and spread to smooth. Let it chill for several more hours or ideally, overnight. Top with coconut cream when serving. Will keep for several days covered in the fridge.
Notes
*Pudding recipe loosely adapted from vegetarianabout.com
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with coconut whipped cream.
Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)
RELEVANT BLOGGER RESOURCE: How to Edit Dark Photos
CJ says
The filling didn’t set at all :( it looks more like pumpkin baby food on a crust. Hope it tastes ok at least!
Samuel says
Made the pie filling (but not this crust or cream). Followed the recipe to a t (didn’t change any proportions), and the consistency is not like pumpkin pie in any way — pumpkin pudding is an accurate description. Also, it tastes nothing like what you think when you think “pumpkin pie” (it’s not bad, just not right).
Donna says
I made this for Friendsgiving tonight and while my filling set up well, it didn’t look like traditional pumpkin pie. It looked more like the inside of lemon meringue pie, except with pumpkin. I used the correct amount of pumpkin. It was tasty, but I like a more granular pumpkin pie. Help.
Mariah says
I just made this and it was delicious!
H says
Hello. Your nutrition info is incorrect. The protein content is too high and the calories do not add up with the grams provided.
Dena says
Hi!
Any ideas on a substitute for the cornstarch?
Arrowroot? If you can do eggs, 1 chicken egg would likely work. Otherwise, maybe tapioca starch?
Amy says
Hi, can I substitute the cornstarch in the pumpkin filling for arrowroot powder?? Would it set as well?
Thanks!
Hi Amy! I actually find that arrowroot can sometimes cause a gummy, sticky texture. Stick with cornstarch if possible!
Amy says
Thanks! Could I use maple syrup for the sugar? Same amount?
Hmm, that may affect the texture but it’s worth a shot!
Tracy says
I made this but unfortunately it didn’t stay together when slicing to serve. The taste was amazing, but any tips on thickening it up a bit? More Constance?
Susana says
Hi Dana,
Do you think I can substitute canned pumpkin for fresh one ? Cooking, smashing and adding it ?
Thanks !
Susana
I do!
mitzi says
great recipe, made it this weekend for my brother, the coconut whip turned out perfect for me, just followed the directions, was able to use thai kitchen brand, did add another tbsp of corn starch just to make sure it thickened up nice and firm which helped, only thing i would probably do differently is adding more pumpkin spice or more nutmeg/ginger/cloves to the filling, needed to be a bit more pumpkin-y for us. thanks for sharing this recipe!
Ron says
Can I use date paste instead of dates?
Any considerations when subbing dates with date paste?
I think the date paste could work, let us know how it works out!
Rosa says
Unfortunately this didn’t do it for me… It was all that corn starch, I could taste it through the pumpkin and spices… >.< :D My husband liked it though. :)
Leticia says
Why do Americans always eat things out of a can, when there is the perfectly good option of just making pumpkin puree yourself? Not only is it superior in flavour and fresh, but it won’t have anything added to it at all… So simple, pumpkin only takes minutes to steam and then puree with a hand mixer. I can’t think of anything worse than eating pumpkin puree from a can!
skylar says
Does this pie slice REALLY have 51g of protein? where does it all come from?
Meg says
51 grams of protein??!! I’m going to eat this pie on weight training days
Lillian says
This. was. SOOOOOOOOO. good. Like, stop everything good. I made it for my vegan roommates in Spain–so it was their first time trying pumpkin pie and they were not disappointed. I ended up topping it off with cashew whipped cream (soaked cashews blended with some sugar… actually I accidentally put honey in it and ruined the “vegan-ness” but they let it slide”. Can’t wait to make again, thanks!
Stephanie says
I made this for Thanksgiving and it turned out great! I made sure to cook the pumpkin pudding long enough so that it was solid upon cooling. Popular for the dairy free/gluten free crowd and omnivores alike!
Alaina says
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was perfect! So delicious!
Cora says
I really love this pie. The crust tastes so different. I usually make a rustic crust with spelt flour, but this definitely is a good variety from the usual. I have not tried the coconut whipped cream, but I’ll be making a key lime pie this weekend and will make it for that. All vegan, of course.
Molly says
Hello to all! Reading the comments about the filling not turning out right, I used the crust recipe with a different vegan pumpkin pie filling recipe; https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-gluten-free-pumpkin-pie/ I baked the pie and it turned out pretty good. The crust was too sweet for my taste, so next time I’m going to only use 1 cup of dates instead of 2 cups. For the coconut whipped cream, I used Thai Kitchen coconut milk in a 15 oz can and needed to add arrow root powder to thicken it. The arrow root made the whipped cream have a chaulky after taste, most likely added too much. I added about 1 1/2 tbsp. The Thai Kitchen coconut cream works better and you don’t need to add anything to it. I really like to experiment with different ways of cooking, I appreciate this site and thanks for the all recipes, Dana!
Gretchen says
This was a huge Thanksguvung hit, thank you for the beautiful recipe, everyone loved it! I also used tapioca starch in the whipped cream, because it hadn’t separated that well, which worked great. I don’t know if that’s the same as flour but it seemed to work.
Katharine says
This recipe is genius- so easy and simply delicious!
For all the nay sayers- the filling didn’t set because you didn’t follow the recipe. I’ll admit I was a little intimidated by the filling but it’s really easy if you just follow the directions and turn the heat down as soon as you see bubbles. I whisked continuously and then switched to a rubber spatula and definitely saw the ribbon as the recipe described after a few stirs at the lower heat. I also let it set for a full ten minutes in the pan and let it chill in the fridge over night. It came out perfect with a great consistency. I also had all my spices on hand in case it needed more flavor, but I tasted the filling as it cooked and the seasoning the recipe calls for is just right.
I’ve always loved pumpkin pie but was never crazy about the traditional crust made from shortening. The date and nut crust is so delicious and compliments the pumpkin flavor so well. I will be making this again for sure- it was a big hit with my family and especially my husband who is allergic to dairy and gluten! Thanks so much for this recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!
Anne says
Happy Thanksgiving!! Just added the filling to the crust and gave the filling a taste— holy smokes this is gonna be amazing!!! Can’t wait to eat it tomorrow!!! It’s perfectly thick!
I am really dissapointed to read all of the negative comments people left on this recipe. There are appropriate and kinder ways of saying that a recipe didn’t work out. However, I truly believe that if everyone followed the instructions that there would be no problem. And actually read the instructions ahead of time!!! Ahhh! My mind was blown reading through some of these comments.
Anyhow, Dana I super appreesh everything you do and the work you put into this blog! Your recipes have never failed me and are full of taste and nutrition!
NH Parry says
I could have sworn I’d asked this before, but I’ll try again.
How much tapioca flour do you use in the whipped cream?
Mallory says
This looks amazing! How long will the coconut whipped cream keep?
Up to 10 days covered in the refrigerator!
Hillary says
Love the sounds of this! I have to use a different crust bc of a nut allergy. I plan to make the filling and pour in a traditional began crust. Should I cook on stove top first or will baking it be enough?
Heather says
The crust was perfect, I love raw pie and cake crusts! My only issue was that I had to use tapioca flour instead of corn starch as a thickener and the pudding ended up with a really icky texture, sticky and goopy. So, I won’t be subbing that again!
I ended up not using the pudding and making it into a cranberry tart with coconut cream on top, which was perfect with the crust!
Sara says
Hey there!
I am planning on making this pie ahead of time and needed to know your thoughts. I am traveling from Chicago to Detroit with a large cooler. I have Celiac Disease and have to bring my own Thanksgiving in a cooler and wanted to see what you recommend for travel/how much to make ahead of time for this recipe. I won’t have much use of the kitchen and appliances since they all have gluten in them. Thanks!
This should travel quite well, actually! You could even bake it, freeze it, and let it thaw to enjoy once you get there! Otherwise, prep what you know you can’t do there and finish it when you arrive! Good luck, Sara! Hugs.
Allison says
This was so yummy and simple to make! This was my first time making any vegan dessert and it was a hit! The instructions were easy to follow and the pie turned out amazing. It was for an early Thanksgiving with friends and they all loved it and could NOT believe that it was vegan! 5 stars for sure:)
Wonderful! thanks for sharing, Allison!
Evonne says
Would this pie recipe turn out good baked as well?
Kaio says
Hello Dana.
First of all thank you for everything you and John post on the blog. It’s a service to the community.
And I have a question about the coconut whip cream. The thing is that in Brazil we don’t have canned coconut milk.. it only comes in bottles.. so it won’t be possible to take the hard part out of the bottle, and I afraid that if I put it in a container before taking it to the fridge it will become a solid rock.. Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with it?
Thanks so much
Hmm, I don’t! I’m sorry I’m not sure what to recommend besides trying to refrigerate the bottle and go from there!
K says
Only one cup of pumpkin pie filling? For a whole pie?
Robyn says
The key (I believe) is allowing it to set overnight! I made this for Thanksgiving and it was picture perfect! I made it as a last minute thought about an hour before guests were to arrive and so I served it within hours. The crust was divine, the filling so-so. HOWEVER, if you read the recipe, they recommend allowing to set overnight. When I went back for leftovers the following day it was sooooo amazing! I’ll be making this over and over, starting with Christmas dinner! Thank you!
Thanks Robyn!
Sandra says
The raw crust was good, but the pie filling was way too jelly-like even though I left it in the fridge overnight! The texture was very odd and my guests didn’t enjoy it :(
Sorry to hear that Sandra!!
Steve says
Excellent recipe.
I modified very slightly. I baked two pies, one using the recipe as written, and the second with the following modifications:
1) Increased the pumpkin pie spice to 1 tsp in the custard.
2) Increased the corn starch to 4 Tbs instead of 3..5 Tbs. This was necessary due to the type of pumpkin used.
3) added about 1/2 Tbs molasses to the custard base, to darken and give the molasses aroma. Be careful with molasses as it has a very strong flavor.
4) I have two pie pans, one is deeper than the other, so the deeper one used more filling, about 1 and 1/2 pies worth. There was extra crust.
Notes:
This is a custard based pie, so the consistency is not as firm as a baked pie.
If making the date crust, it is sweet, which offsets the lack of sweetness in the pumpkin custard. Good combination with the dates/almonds/pecans. If using a less sweet crust, you might want to use a little more sugar in the custard base.
The type of pumpkin matters. Smaller pumpkins are sweeter. We used a left over Halloween pumpkin (not the best as they are kind of bland) which required longer cooking of the pumpkin, more pureeing, and draining off the excess moisture. The wetter the pumpkin pulp, the longer you will cook the custard or the more cornstarch you will need.
The custard may take longer to cook than 10 minutes. The critical part is to cook it until the custard kind of holds its shape when a spoon or spatula is drawn across the top. The custard needs constant stirring as it thickens or it will cling to the pot and burn.
It cooled in the refrigerator for about 2 hours before pouring into the crust. Set up well overnight.
A date crust is going to be tougher to cut through than a graham cracker crust, use a good knife.
I didn’t have tapioca flour, so I took the tapioca on hand, and pulverized it in the coffee grinder (non-burr type) until it appeared to be flour consistency.
Trish says
Made this last night. Looked great, but when cutting ended up with pudding. I think I was nervous about heating it too long so that may have been the problem. Overall tasted like pumpkin and great recipe, going to try another and add cinnamon!
Jacqueline says
Hi,
I’m making this pie now, however I am confused about the filling ingredients. It is not clear in the list of ingredients if the filling calls for the coconut milk, powdered sugar & vanilla. It looks like it may be for the coconut whipped cream recipe instead? This may be why it turns out runny for some people? Please advise, thank you!!
Susan says
Hi,
I wonder if I can use this crust with a filling I will need to cook for over an hour?
Thanks so much~ You’re doing a fabulous job! :)
xo (this is to make up for the creep above, who felt it necessary to share icky juju)
Susan! Great question (and sweet comment). I’ve never baked this crust so I’m sorry but I can’t guarantee the result! If I were you, I’d make it a little more dry (add more nuts or oats) and it should bake up fine. Report back if you give it a try!
hilda says
can the crust be backed?
I haven’t tried it, but I’d guess yes!
kevin says
I made the pudding this morning and it has been sitting for 7 hours now. It’s thick, but not as solid as I had hoped. Not sure if I should transfer it to crust and leave it to set some more, or reheat it, add more corn starch, and try again.
Emilee says
How much pumpkin did you use? mine has been unfailingly thick when I use the whole can (15 oz) rather than just one cup.
kevin says
I used one cup, according to the recipe. It thickened up pretty well, not as solid as normal pumpkin pie though. The real issue was how terribly bland it tasted. I followed the recipe exactly, but it needs much more spice. All I could taste was bland pumpkin, nothing spicy about it. Disappointing. I had one bite and the pie ended up in the garbage.
rogue1 says
Has anyone tried making this pie ahead and freezing? Also wondering if a white chia “egg” would help the pudding?
Emilee says
So I just made this recipe, except I used a different crust from Against All Grain— This is amazing! To thicken the pudding filling, I started with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and added more as needed. I also never saw a “ribbon” but just kept it at a low boil tasting occasionally until the flavors set in properly. I also ended up adding a teeny bit more sugar and pumpkin spice for my taste. SO GOOD. For the coconut whipped cream I would suggest using “Chaokoh coconut milk”. I got mine at the Asian market and when chilled overnight, the entire can is the thick white cream. I’ve never used coconut milk before but I had absolutely no problems with this kind! Thanks for the great recipe!
CG says
Hello – I made this filling– although healthy, it is quite bland. I’ll be adding agave nectar next time around to try and sweeten it up :) I did not have the time to make the crust or your version of whipped cream, but I hope to try in those recipes in the future. Thanks for posting.
Rustic says
Followed your instructions for a pie at our party. I thought it would be fun to make the pie out of one of those white pumpkins that are beginning to populate during the holiday season. The whole thing turned out great, very sweet. The whip was amazing, you were right! I have a little remaining and would happily put some on your pie. Well worth the info. Thanks!
Mariel Lipari says
This pumpkin pie recipe turned out quite delicious! I’d make it again AND…
while thinking about Thanksgiving, I’ll share this fun song written
by a clever vegan college student (it’s from a turkey’s viewpoint):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvIFDhZ3Ejw
Anita Walsh says
In your filling, I KNOW you didn’t mean ‘dairy’ ! ( “almond or dairy” )
shula says
this is food porn at its worst (best). it should be outlawed (emulated). I am literally salivating at my computer. you saucy minx.
meow?
Heather says
Yeah, this was a gigantic fail. My family has been begging for a pumpkin pie so I was excited to try this. The crust crumbled if I looked at it the wrong way and the pudding never firmed up like it was supposed to. Luckily, I used a whipped cream recipe I was comfortable with or I probably would have ended up with three useless things.
Danielle says
what can you use the clear liquid in the bottom of the coconut milk can for?
smoothies!
Chelsea says
Let me just say that this pie is amazing. I used homemade pumpkin puree instead of the canned stuff but other than that I followed the recipe exactly. Unlike some of the other reviewers, my filling turned out really smooth and firmed up in about two hours. I did have a thin film on the top but I skimmed that off with a spoon and it was super easy to spread.
My whipped cream was a disaster- it tasted disgusting, looked disgusting, and no matter how long I whipped it for I could never get it to the right consistency. I just gave up on that and used store bought stuff instead which tasted just fine.
Overall, I’d say this pie was a success and I will definitely be using this recipe again.
Sarah says
I just finished putting it all together. It tastes so great! My children can’t keep their fingers out of it. I have one question. I’m chilling the entire pie until later this evening. Do you do this with or without plastic wrap? And if so, do you touch the filling with the plastic as to prevent the film like you mentioned above? Thanks so much for this recipe! I’ll be making it many times!
With plastic wrap! And yes, touch it. Good luck!
Zoe says
Made this for thanksgiving. Everyone loved it! The coconut whipped cream was amazing. The pudding didn’t quite stand up but didn’t matter. Will definetly make again also the crust can be used for so many things. Thank you!!
Margaret says
This looks delicious. I’m wondering if it’s possible, and how one might do it, to use the crust for a baked pie. (Sorry if you’ve already answered this question.) Thank you!
jen says
Am I missing the instructions on how to make the crust?
They’re tucked into the middle of the instructions after the filling, since it has to chill. Good luck!
Niki says
What brand of pumpkin puree did you use in this recipe? Also, could I sub for sweet potato puree?
I don’t recall what brand I used at the time, but sweet potato puree would work beautifully!
Melissa says
Sounds to me like you didn’t cover it like she mentioned and it formed a film or you overcooked filling.
Teresa says
Oh my goodness, can I just say…give me your magic brain that comes up with this kind of stuff!!! :D I made this on the weekend for our thanksgiving dinner. My family was absolutely in love with it!! I’m so so happy I managed to find this recipie! Thank you so much for sharing your recipie!!
Yay! So glad you all enjoyed it!!
Leticia says
Hey lovely,
Just finished making this and from my bowl-licking taste test, I think it’s going to turn out as epic as other recipes of yours that I have tried. Just one thing though…I was wondering why there are 2 different chilling stages for the pudding mixture. I just poured mine straight into my pre-prepared raw pie crusts, and will leave them overnight. I hope this doesn’t compromise the end result!
Thanks for the mouth-watering recipe and photos. Happy Thanksgivin’!
Thanks for the tip/notes! It’s always so helpful when people share their experiences.
Lisa L says
I made the coconut milk whipped cream. Just want to let everyone know that I think your suggestion of shaking the can in the store, to see if it sounds sloshy, is maybe not a good idea. I think that’s why mine failed. I always buy the Native Forest brand and it’s always so thick you could eat it with a fork. Much thicker than Thai Kitchen. So I bought the Native Forest, refrigerated it for a couple of days, and when I carefully opened it, it was completely a milky liquid, nothing solidified and no liquid on the bottom. I think it was probably from shaking it in the store because that’s the first time I’ve seen it like that. Also, it tasted more coconutty than usual, so perhaps the coconut taste is more in the liquid at the bottom, that the cream at the top. I tried adding 2 tablespoons of arrowroot flour but it didn’t help. Just FYI.
Lisa, I’ve never had luck with Native Forest, and always use Thai Kitchen or Trader Joe’s coconut cream. And I don’t recommend “shaking” the can, rather gently tipping it to see if it sloshes. Sorry for any confusion! Coconut whip can be a tough one to crack.
Lisa L says
Thanks Dana, I’ll try Thai Kitchen next time, which is actually my old brand that I used to use but when I discovered Native Forest, so thick and creamy and yummy without even putting it in the fridge, thought it’d be the better choice for whipping. Yah, I full out shook the thing. I think I’ll just forego that entire step next time, and take my chances, hehe.
Sarah says
I made this yesterday. It is heaven on a plate! I also had problems getting the pudding to set. I live in Germany and wondered whether the cornstarch you can buy here is somehow different – like maybe I needed more? Anyway, I cooked it again with a sachet of Agar and it turned out beautifully after I let it cool in the fridge. It really has the perfect consistency. I also used fresh pumpkin because you can’t buy canned here, and that worked out really well.
Thanks also for the idea of whipping coconut cream – I’d never have had the idea myself. My omnivore husband was also very impressed with the whole thing.
Jillian Anjali says
I just made this pie for my family today and WOW- Easy and delicious! I especially love that this crust recipe can be a base for any pie filling of choice. Love it to the moon and back- will be making this one again for sure! Gratitude!
Yay! Glad you loved it. Thanks for sharing!
am says
When you say coconut milk do you mean the solid cream in a can or the liquid milk
The solid cream. I note that in the instructions as well.
avril says
I’m sorry you had such a bad experience with coconut cream. I’ve purchased from Whole Foods before, but its the same size can as the coconut milk (I don’t remember the brand). I usually get the can from Trader Joes. The Skinny Bitch cookbook recommends Coco Lopez brand
Taylor says
I saw some comments about the pudding not setting up right and you said it is supposed to be sort of runny but still slice up nice. Would putting a flax egg in with the mix help make it a bit thicker?
Miranda says
Has anyone had or do you know if this would work with thawed frozen from fresh pumpkin from the garden instead of canned? I saw some others had trouble with the texture, and I don’t want to mess it up.
avril says
Great recipe! Looking forward to trying it. For even better coconut whipped cream I use actual canned coconut cream – its all of the thick yumminess & rarely more than 2 tbsp of liquid.
Gini says
Avril,
My Whole Foods was out of coconut milk, so the gal took me to another aisle with small cans of coconut cream. I bought two. I chilled it for two days. It had a lot of liquid and a strange, grainy texture. The taste was very different than when I made it with coconut milk, and it did not set up. Same with the second can. It was Native Forest brand. I thought maybe I had made a mistake as this said coconut cream like you would use to make a Piña Colada.
Kali says
^Forget the previous comment, it turned out amazingly. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I’ve been off dairy/gluten since I was 15, and haven’t had pumpkin pie in 6 years because I never thought to search up a vegan recipe. This recipe is wonderful, and I’ll definitely be making this again!
Kali says
I just finished adding the pudding to the pie base, and I have one question – is the pudding meant to be jiggly like jello (won’t fall out of the glass bowl when tipped over) when you spread it over the pie base? I had to sort of press on the pudding with a spoon in order to spread it over the pie. It was easy to spread after that and everything… but I’m just wondering if that was the kind of consistency we’re meant to aim for? I used 4 1/2 tbsp of cornstarch. It’s now chilling in the fridge until after dinner, and I’m excited albeit nervous as to how it’ll taste.
Eellyn Ramos says
Sorry but I have a dum question kkkk, you wrote “1 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk” Do you mean I should use 1 can of 13.5oz??? Have you tried the whip with other sugars or agave maybe. I try not to use sugar. Thanks.
Yes, one can of 13.5 ounce coconut milk. You can sweeten with agave, it just doesn’t firm up as well. Hope that helps!
Katy says
Hi!!! The whipped cream was heaven!! I wonder how long will it last if f
Refrigerated or is it not ideal to refrigerate?
Beth says
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the whipped cream recipe!!! One of my children has multiple, severe food allergies. She is allergic to all the usual stuff plus tons more. Previously, she was allergic to coconut, but has outgrown it (YAY!). Today I made the coconut whipped cream to put on our drinking chocolate. Oh man! It was so delicious. My oldest (non-allergic) declared that it was better than regular whipped cream. I have to agree! And it was so easy, a huge plus in a house where every meal is a chore. Thanks for sharing!!
Yay! So glad you’re able to enjoy dairy free whipped cream. I also prefer this version now over dairy versions!
Annalise says
Made this for the first time for Thanksgiving this year. The kids could not tell it was dairy-free and my hubby liked it so much that he made a second one the following day. Great recipe! Thank you!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing Annalise. Glad the fam enjoyed it!
k says
This was terrible. Goopy and gross. I followed it and used an organic pumpkin can from Trader Joe’s. Very gross texture. I figured it would thicken up with the corn starch–which it did. But it wasn’t creamy. It tasted like a weird gelatinous mess. Needless to say I will never make it again. The fact that it was no-bake and had all the ingredients I had on hand was nice but icky flavor. This is coming from someone who was a vegan for a year and made TONS of these types of recipes. Sorry, I’m glad others liked it. It had a very pumpkiny flavor, but not a pumpkin PIE flavor, if that makes sense.
K, sorry you had trouble with this pie! It’s hard to know what went wrong but I genuinely hate to hear when readers have trouble with a recipe. Perhaps it was the pumpkin puree as I’ve never worked with organic TJ’s and don’t know how reacts in pudding. I know others had success with the recipe so it’s hard to know what went wrong with your attempt. So sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
Vienna says
My pie also didn’t taste all that great, sadly. It set just fine and I used fresh pumpkin. The crust came out like date paste, probably the nuts got ground too fine. The filling set firm, but was indeed like a bland pudding, not silky and rich or spicy like a traditional pie. To each his own, I guess.
Melody says
WOW! I made this for my special diet kids this year and was completely amazed at how delicious it was. I liked it as much or more than traditional pumpkin pie! You really did the world a service by publishing this awesome recipe! THANKS!
Natalie says
I made the pie filling and whipped topping. I just placed the filling in a graham cracker crust but both the crust and filling were not stable at all so it became a pumpkin pie and crumb blob. However, this made a absolutely wonderful parfait.
Emma says
Do you just gradually at the tapioca/cornstarch to the coconut milk or is there a particular amount you suggest?
Emma, good question! You just gradually add it in. I added about 1 Tbsp at a time – probably 3. But this will depend on your particular coconut milk. Hope that helps!
Melissa says
I made the pudding last night and the crust today for Thanksgiving, and while everyone still enjoyed the taste (myself included) the pudding did not set up and the crust was very difficult to pry from my pie dish. I greased it pretty well with coconut oil, too. Why do you think the pudding was so runny?
Hmm, I don’t know! Did you use a glass pie dish? If so you shouldn’t have had any problems. Perhaps you added too much coconut oil? Hard to say! Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Judy says
Can the crust be baked?
Hi Judy! We’ve never baked this crust so I’m sorry but I can’t guarantee the result! If I were you, I’d make it a little more dry (add more nuts or oats) and it should bake up fine. Report back if you give it a try!
Sage says
Melissa, I had the same problem. The flavor and everything was great but the filling did not set and so to help it out I put the pie in the freezer. This made it worse. The pie then became soggy and while the filling still tasted fine, the crust was soggy due to the liquid sitting in the bottom. I think the issue was the amount of cornstarch is very vague. 3-5 tbsp are suggested, and I used 4, thinking the middle ground would work best. I think the instructions need to be modified because it’s the cornstarch which binds the filling. If I had used 5 tbsp my filling might have set better.
Iena says
I made this pie this morning and the crust was a nightmare to make. I bought fresh dates from the co-op because they were softer than the ones I had on hand, and they still nearly ruined my food processor. I ended up scrapping the whole thing and using dried figs instead. There’s a bit more moisture and they added a nice flavor – just a tip in case someone else had the same trouble as me.
Hilary says
O-to the double M-G! This pie is soooooo delicious! I made this Monday. I used rice drink and a premade graham cracker crust. I found that the second day and beyond the “pudding” was perfect. It set great and the taste was amazing!
I tried making the coconut cream (this was my second attempt) and it did not work. The pie honestly does not need the cream. It was fantastic without it! Although I would have loved to have been successful with it this time!
Thank you SOOOO much for this recipe. I will be making it again for Christmas!
Britt says
Girl, I must be a pro at buying the “dud” coconut milk cans. Thanks to you, I was able to have whipped cream for my punkin pie fest. I wanted to let you and all the other punkin lovers know that arrowroot powder works too, in case you’re fresh out of tapioca flour. Which I was. It may not be as “peaky” but still has that whipped texture, and great flavor. Thank you so much for that tip, I would have cried if I couldn’t have whipped cream on my pie. (it’s been too long.) :)
Margaret says
Thanks for the tip about arrowroot powder, my preferred choice.
Windsong says
Another amazing win you brilliant baker! Making this today for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving… so far, everything is coming together great! I may have already eaten a fair amount of the separate parts. :) I’m hoping I can pull off the coconut whipped cream. I made a fresh batch of coconut milk last night; when it separates, the thicker cream is on top and not really hard. I’ll report back on efforts to whip… thanks for including tips on this! Regardless of my personal success, this is a wonderful recipe and the pictures are making me hungry…again.
Windsong says
Just a follow-up, my coconut whipped cream was a bust, but this was phenomenal even with the regular, or on its own!! My family adored it as well! Thank you so much!
Nikki says
This is SOOO good! New vegan here and this is the first dessert I tried to make, out of a real pumpkin, for Thanksgiving. Oh man, it’s a real confidence booster. I am going to try out making this exact sort of pie with all kinds of different puree… actually reminded me a little of a light cheesecake. Thank you so much for sharing!
Ive Anderson says
I love ypur recipe for the Mini Pumpkin Pie Shooters, but I made a mistake I buy organic coconut milk light. What can I do to make a good whipped cream with this?
Ive, you should try chilling it overnight and then scraping off any thickened parts of the milk, reserving any clear liquid parts for later. Then, in a chilled bowl whip it and add tapioca flour (or cornstarch) to help it thicken. It still won’t be as good as full fat, but it should be fine!
Florence says
Thanks for the tapioca starch advice ! it reminds me that in vietnamese tapioca pudding , you use it for the thick coconut layer on top.
Lisa Taylor says
I would love to use this crust recipe with another vegan filling that requires baking. I wonder, though, if the crust will do well being baked. Thanks!
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Donna says
The IMAGES here…you have truly outdone your usual excellent framing/formatting..and these pics simply draw the eye onto this exquisite pie!..Question about the coconut cream (which looks positively dreamy by the way!). Could one use a “light” canned coconut milk…adding the tapioca (or arrowroot?) starch to achieve a similar firm, long-lasting effect?…
I KNOW it’s Thanksgiving and all…and we should “allow” ourselves a special, healthified piece of this magnificence…but I cannot seem to wrap my brain around all of the calories involved!…This is about half of my daily kcal “quota”…alas!
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
WOW! This pumpkin pie looks so easy to make and delicious! I love that it is vegan and no-bake. I can’t wait to try this and your coconut whipped “cream” ! :)
Shikha @ Shikha la mode says
I’ve never made coconut whipped cream before – I never even knew that existed!
Alanna says
What a beautiful pie! I wish it were MY hand on the handle of that fork… yum!!!
Lee says
So glad you figured out how to salvage that bad boy! I’ve totally done that before where I’ve thought I’ve purchased one thing and it was actually another. #improvise
Anna says
So I made this and it is delicious however the pudding did not set up. Could it be that I did not cook it long enough?
Anna, perhaps that was the issue. It’s not meant to be a super thick pudding, but it should slice and serve up nicely. Try cooking it a little longer next time to ensure it’s plenty thick. Hope that helps!
Carla says
I followed the recipe to the letter, even letting it chill over night and it did not set at all. I noticed that the filling didn’t really ever get that thick when I cooked it either so I would deduce that the amount of cornstarch should be increased. Looks like I’ll have to experiment with this recipe for a bit longer…
Crista says
AWESOME recipe! I’ll be using it this year……..
Melanie says
Love that first photo – so dramatic!
anna says
This recipe is a blessing. My aunt recently had to go on a dairy free, gluten free, refined sugar free diet and I promised her a pumpkin pie that fits those requirements for thanksgiving. I am going to replace the sugar in the filling with date syrup. I cannot wait to try it out!
Kelly @ The Pretty Bee: Cooking + Creating says
This looks amazing, and I love that I can make this ahead of time! Win! I am going to give this a try for my vegan brother.
Joy //For the Love of Leaves says
I was planning on posting almost the exact same recipe this week! Great minds think alike. Great tip on the coconut milk! I hate when I get duds!
Renée Yoxon says
This blog should be illegal! *drools onto keyboard*
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I love this. The crust looks perfect!
Laura @ The Green Forks! says
YAY- I can’t wait to make this! It looks fantastic.
Jessica (bakecetera) says
this looks insane(ly good)!! i love the idea of the raw crust and the pumpkin filling is to die for. what a perfect holiday dessert. yum!