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
Megan says
This absolutely did not set up for me and I desperately need it for my kiddos birthday today. It’s the only he asked for and he’s having such a hard time right now. Can I bake it to make it set up? I’m so disappointed! No idea what I did wrong. The reviews were so good! Mine is like a thicker butternut squash soup sitting on top of a pie shell. Please tell me I can just bake it!
Oh no! We’re so sorry it didn’t set up for you, Megan. It sounds like the filling needed to cook for longer. It’s possible baking would help, but it’s hard to say without testing it ourselves. We hope it ended up working out!
Cindy says
I put all the ingredients in the blender with a cup of dates instead of sugar and blended until smooth. Then heated on the stove until thick. It turned out great, all my kids loved it!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Cindy! xo
Colleen says
Has anyone tried using sweetened condensed milk with no granulated sugar?
It’s what I have on hand.
We haven’t heard of anyone trying it, but it could work! Let us know if you try it out!
Annie says
I made this for thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! I substituted cornstarch for arrowroot powder and it worked and tasted great. The crust with dates was fantastic. Will be making this one again!
We’re so glad it was a hit, Annie. Thank you for the lovely review! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! xo
Karissa says
Can I use maple syrup instead of raw sugar?
Hi Karissa, we haven’t tested with maple syrup, but our hesitation is that the additional liquid might cause it to not set up properly. Coconut sugar might be a better option, but it will change the flavor a bit.
Amber says
Hi!
Just wondering why the oats need to be gluten-free. Can regular oats be used?
Thanks
Regular is fine! Gluten-free oats is only mentioned for those wanting to keep the recipe gluten-free.
Rachael says
Hi! What size pie pan/dish is recommended?
Hi Rachael, we’d recommend a standard-size pie pan.
Martine says
Can whipped cream be folded into the chilled filling before placing it in the crust, to give a firmer, but lighter mousse consistency to the pie?
We haven’t tried that, but sounds amazing! Let us know if you try it!
Martine says
I beat 1 cup of lightly sweetened whipping cream into stiff peaks with 1/4 tsp cream of tarter, then gently folded about 3/4 into the finished filĺing. It gave the filling a light, mousse like texture. The pie was firm enough to slice after chilling about 6 hours. An extra 3 Tbsp of sweetener and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice was also added to the filling. Will definately use this modified recipe again.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Martine!
Laura says
My all time favorite pumpkin pie recipe. It tops traditional pie for me by a mile. All my family and friends always love it whenever I make it and are always shocked when they find out it’s vegan/raw/gluten free!
Woohoo! We’re so glad everyone enjoys it! Thank you for the lovely review, Laura! xo
Chanel says
Hi!
I stored the filling covered with plastic wrap overnight and then just filled the pie today. How much should i expect it to solidify? It was pudding textured when I removed it today. In addition, I did not store it with the plastic wrap touching the surface once in the pie crust. Will a film form?
Thanks so much!
It shouldn’t form a film, but we do that for protection. It should be slightly firmer than pudding!
Kelly N. Whittaker says
I’m having a major traditional pumpkin pie craving. Would this filling work with a blind baked pie crust?
Yeah, it should!
Heather says
Can this crust be used with another pie recipe and baked in the oven?
Hi Heather, we’ve never baked this crust and aren’t sure how it would turn out! If you give it a try, we’d suggest making it a little more dry (add more nuts or oats). Report back if you give it a try! Otherwise, you may want to try one of our other crusts instead: https://minimalistbaker.com/1-bowl-pumpkin-pie-vegan-gf/ or https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-gluten-free-pumpkin-pie/
Lisa says
Can you make it ahead of time and freeze it?
That should work!
Simone B says
Hi, I was just wondering if you have a recipe for pumpkin purée, or if you can recommend an existing recipe online? In the UK it isn’t so easy to find tinned pumpkin purée so I’m uncertain whether it is meant to be sweet or savoury. Also, can I use corn flour instead of corn starch?
Many thanks,
Hi Simone, Here is our recipe for pumpkin purée. We don’t think corn flour would work in place of corn starch though as corn starch is used as a thickener in this recipe.
Amy says
I made a normal graham cracker crust, then made the filling described here, except I poured it right into the crust and put the whole pie in the fridge to chill. It was so easy, and delicious. I used almond milk and topped the pie with canned nondairy whipped cream. I’ll definitely make this again!
M says
This was fantastic! I had the whole pie to myself & slowly have eaten the whole thing! I added a lot more spices as to my taste (aboyt 1 tbs of pumpkin pie spice, an extra shake of cinnamon & pinch of ground ginger. I also used a very dry type of pumpkin that I had roasted myself. But I think the liquid problem could happen if you cook it too long. Cornstarch stops thickening at about 10-15 minutes of cooking & then everything goes back to liquid.
Julianne says
Made this for the 2nd Thanksgiving in a row. I actually just use a full can of pumpkin puree and add a bit more of all the other ingredients for the filling, and it fits perfectly into the crust. It set great both times (I made it the night before and kept it chilled till serving). The date and nut crust is THE BEST! (I don’t have a food processor – the first year I used the Nutribullet and almost killed the motor from the dates, and this year I used my housemates powerful blender. Not the best, but I did what I could and then mixed it all by hand and it turned out awesome both times.) And of course, who needs pumpkin pie at all – I’ll just have the coconut whipped cream!. Thanks so much for all your amazingly yummy and easy recipes.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Julianne!
jessica says
What are your thoughts on using date sugar. This often thickens things and sometimes can get clumpy but thickening may not be bad. Have you baked with this before?
PS: I love your blog…I talk about you like we are old friends who cook together, but not in a weird creepy way
thanks!
We’re so glad you love the blog, Jessica! I am not sure that date sugar will work well for this recipe because whole, pitted dates are used to make the sugar, their fiber leaves a gritty texture in the sugar that won’t dissolve in hot liquids or baked goods. If you experiment with it though, report back on how it goes. Good luck!
sarah says
I used this as a filling between layers of spice cake because my friend is lactose intolerant and it is AMAZING, especially with a bourbon soaking syrup.
Suzanne says
Hi! I’ve made this pie sooo many times over the past couple years and I lovvvvve it!!!! And everyone who eats it loves it!!
Question: I want to try to make ‘mini’ pies in a muffin tin, like individual servings. Do you think they’d freeze well and how long do you think they’d last in the freezer?
I’m pregnant and I want to stock up on healthy sweets for when these babies come!!
Hi Suzanne! Yes I think these would freeze well! You may actually be interested in this recipe ;)
Tasha says
This is the ultimate pumpkin pie recipe! I absolutely love it. I changed up the crust and added pumpkin seeds and sunflower instead of almond plus I add a bit of shredded coconut as my husband has issues with almonds. Definitely add more cornstarch!! I add 5 Tbls to make sure it’s nice and thick. I’ve made this recipe 3 time. Super yummy!!
Lajla Jane Dale says
Happily, I can vouch for this recipe. A friend served us this pie on Thanksgiving. It was spectacular!
AJ says
Hi! Couple questions before I start, (1) can I use arrowroot instead of cornstarch with the same measurements? and (2) can I use coconut sugar for the “sugar” portion of the ingredients, with the same measurements?
I’m making this for Christmas and will not have time to test it out before hand so any advice will be helpful. Thank you!
Hi! – I actually find that arrowroot can sometimes cause a gummy, sticky texture.
– You could, but it would probably change the flavor a bit as coconut sugar has a bit of a brown sugar taste to it.
Hope this helps!
AJ says
Thank you for your reply!
julianne says
I was afraid, too, this wouldn’t set so left it home on Thanksgiving with our larger family. Their loss!! Even with all my fails: tin pie dish, mixing all filling ingredients at once, blending dates in a Nutribullet (careful not to burn out motor!) and had to hand mix the crust “dough” the rest of the way (nuts were finely ground btw), it was the BEST PIE EVER! Soft filling but held its shape when cut, crust easily came off pie tin. To die for. For the filling, I used a bit less sugar (coconut sugar) than in recipe, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead of 1/2 tsp and a bit extra pumpkin. Added some cornstarch to the coconut whipped cream but don’t think I really needed to. Thank you! Can’t wait till next year! Do recommend making it 24 hours before event to set best.
Abby says
I made this for Thanksgiving 2017 and it was a delicious success. I have to admit I was worried that it would not set up, especially after reading all the questions and comments. Mine looked very creamy and I was afraid it would not slice. Fortunately, it sliced nicely, yet remained very creamy. I made the pie the day before, and I noticed it definitely firmed up in the refrigerator for Thanksgiving. The day after Thanksgiving it firmed up even a bit more. I am happy with the results, and I will certainly make this again. And do not miss making the coconut whip. This was my first time trying coconut whip and I can say without reservation that it adds another level of pleasure to this fine dessert. Thanks Dana!
Betty says
I used the recipe as a parfait on purpose. Thanks for posting it. It is great.
Pam says
Doesn’t using milk negate the vegan properties
Cheryl says
Did you publish the easier version you mentioned was coming soon?
Suzanne says
Do you think coconut sugar would work instead of regular white sugar?
I have made this 3x, it is sooooooooooo goooood. And makes me look like I know what I’m doing.
It’s literally the first dessert I’ve ever made other than store bought cookie mix, but you’d never know that from the look and taste of this!!! Thank you!
Hi Suzanne! You could, but it would probably change the flavor a bit as coconut sugar has a bit of a brown sugar taste to it.
Suzanne says
Thanks for the quick reply! I ended up making it exactly how the recipe says bc it’s soooo good. I can’t wait to serve it tonight!
julianne says
I used coconut sugar and it tasted wonderful!
Haley says
I used coconut sugar and it tastes amazing! Highly recommend!
Sharon Wegner says
Hi Dana, I’m going to be making 50 mini pumpkin and cheesecake tarts and I’m looking for an alternative to traditional crust. I’m wondering how the crust on this pie would hold up if cooked. And the other issue is if the tarts would release from their individual tins. Thanksin advance
Christine says
Dear Dana,
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it this morning and served it tonight for (Canadian) Thanksgiving dinner. It came together like a dream. It was delicious and a huge hit! I put the filling in a glass baking dish thinking that it would cool faster in a thinner layer than it would by putting it in a deep bowl. I also put it in the freezer for one hour before transferring it to the fridge in order to speed up the cooling and setting. That worked great. I will definitely make this again. I also thought the pumpkin pie shooters sounded awesome and I couldn’t decide what to make so I sent an email to my family members to vote on which dessert they wanted to eat and the pie won. Next time I’ll make the shooter. ?
Sarah says
That pumpkin pie looks like it’s ready to go on the Charlie Rose show!
Laurel says
Is it possible to freeze this to get the pudding to set a bit faster? I found the recipe this morning and am planning on serving it tonight! I want to make sure the filling doesn’t just fall apart when I cut the pie
Hi! It seems as though others that have made this recipe found it helpful to freeze prior to serving. I haven’t tried that myself, but if you give it a try, let me know know how it turns out!
Lani says
Coconut CREAM works better than the Milk! Check the Bar & Wine section.
Vegan Mummy says
Can I use store bought crust? I’m hoping to make a pumpkin pie among other things for my little girls and my first vegan Christmas and I’m getting recipes together to make a grocery list of what I will need to buy.
Yes!
Vegan Mummy says
Thank you =) I will be making this with coconut milk and I even bought some coconut cool whip =) I can’t wait to make this.
AJ says
Though I recommend following the recipe first time…on this one I did not. I did not add vanilla. My regular pumpkin pie recipe from the name brand pumpkin label does not call for it. I added an egg, something that does go in regular pumpkin pie and I wanted to be sure it set up. (Ruins it for vegans I realize). I used 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, regular recipe would call for 1-3/4 teaspoons. And I used sucanat sugar, a rich brown sugar from my health food store. Don’t remember if I added the salt or not. Once the pudding was cooked, I poured it into the date nut crust and set it in the fridge to cool. It set up beautifully, and tasted great. No problem getting it out of my stainless steel pie plate. I did find the one recipe made enough crust for two pies. So next time, and there will be a next time, I will double the pudding, using the whole can of pumpkin and have TWO pies:)) Oh yeah, Topped it with Tru-Whip, another great product from my health food store. Very much like cool-whip but much healthier!!
I think the crust would be good for other no-bake pies, maybe varying the nuts.
Riiiicoooooolaaaa says
Sooooo you didn’t follow the recipe at all … and gave your own version five stars. LOL.
“Gee, I hope the readers make mine instead of the one listed on this blog.”
Nope. Not happenin’. Start your own blog!
Amanda says
Made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was amazing! A super easy, very healthy, but delicious treat. I definitely plan on making this again!
Denise says
Made this for Thanksgiving.
It is a very good recipe. I took it upon myself to add more pumpkin spice.
Our daughter-in-law was touched that I took time to do this for her clean eating, vegan lifestyle. The filling was little loose…more pudding like. Curious to know if I needed to cook the mixture a little longer, to firm it more. It is very tasty, don’t get me wrong! I thouroughly enjoyed it too!
Thank you for the opportunity to put out a pie I was proud of!