Friends, I have very important news:
1. I perfected COCONUT OIL pie crust!
2. I made pumpkin pie into MINIS.
3. It’s almost Thanksgiving.
Let’s bake!
In case you haven’t seen my resource page on how to make Coconut Oil Pie Crust, go there first for all my tips, methods, and step-by-step photos. Otherwise, proceed.
This recipe is simple, requiring 10 ingredients and easy-to-master methods!
Plus, there’s no specialty equipment involved – just a muffin tin, blender (or food processor or whisk), rolling pin, and pastry cutter (or fork).
I wanted to keep this recipe approachable so everyone could join the fun.
Can I tell you how excited I am that I figured out coconut oil pie crust? I tried several methods without success, all requiring to chill or freeze the coconut oil before adding to the crust. But it always made the dough rock hard, which resulted in a crust that was difficult to form and cracked. Oy!
But, in a moment of despair, I finally discovered you can just use coconut oil right out of the jar for a perfectly-flaky, easy-to-work-with crust that doesn’t taste like coconut in the final product! Three cheers for this happy kitchen accident.
Once your mini crusts are formed, simply blend your filling ingredients, pour into your tins, and bake!
The real challenge? Waiting for them to cool. But trust me! It’s worth your patience. Make your coconut whipped cream to pass the time.
These pies are PERFECT. They’re:
Mini
Flaky
Pumpkin-y
Tender
Sweet
Subtly spiced
Portable
Simple
& Delicious
Make these for Thanksgiving. Make these for fall parties. Make these for no reason at all, other than the fact that it’s November, the leaves are turning, and pumpkin pie is the best.
If you try this recipe, let us know how it goes! I love seeing your comments, ratings, and of course, your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #minimalistbaker. Cheers and happy baking, friends!
Mini Vegan Pumpkin Pies
Ingredients
FILLING
- 2 3/4 cups pumpkin puree (1 1/2 15-ounce cans yield ~2 3/4 cups puree)
- 1/4 cup Grade A maple syrup
- 1/4 cup dark or light muscovado sugar (or sub organic brown sugar or coconut sugar)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
CRUST
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2/3 cup coconut oil (scoopable- not liquid* // or, use this crust instead)
- 3-6 Tbsp ice cold water
TOPPING optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (174 C), and see notes about coconut oil before starting.
- Add all pie filling ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust flavor as needed (it shouldn’t need anything). Set aside.
- To prepare crust, add flour and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Next add coconut oil in spoonfuls (see photo) and use a pastry cutter (or fork) to cut the two together, until it resembles wet sand – about 30-45 seconds.
- Add ice cold water 1 Tbsp at a time and use a wooden spoon to gently mix. Add only as much water as needed to help it come together and form a dough – about 3-4 Tbsp (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
- Use your hands to gently knead/form the dough in the bowl and gather any loose scraps. Then transfer directly to a well-floured surface and form into a disc with your hands.
- Roll out your dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick, adding more flour if the crust sticks. Then use a large, round cookie cutter (~3 1/4-inch in diameter) to cut out as many circles as the dough will allow – you’re aiming for 12 (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), and you should have more than enough dough.
- Dust a large wooden cutting board (or other surface) with flour, and use a spatula to scoop on one circle at a time.
- Lightly flour top of circle, then use your rolling pin to gently roll it out slightly larger and thinner – about 1.5 times its starting size. Be careful not to get it too thin or it will be difficult to work with.
- Use your spatula to lift the crust, then use your hands to drape the crust into your muffin tin, allowing the edges to fold and curl over itself to accommodate its shape (see photo). Use your hands to carefully form the crust into the tins, being careful not to stretch the dough, but rather fold and push it down to meet the tin’s shape.
- Repeat until all tins have been filled and most of the crust is used – reserve any leftover for future pies or other baked goods.
- Pour filling into pie crusts a generous 3/4 full, and use a spoon to level the top. Bake at 350 degrees F (174 C) for 40-50 minutes, or until the crust is light golden brown and the filling appears golden brown and slightly cracked on top.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving – about 2-3 hours. Serve at room temperature, or transfer to a serving platter, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours, or overnight. Will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, though best when fresh.
- Serve as is, or with coconut whipped cream and an additional sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or pumpkin pie spice (optional). These would also be amazing with my Brown Sugar Pecans!
Notes
*Make sure your coconut oil is scoopable, not liquid. If it’s too liquidy and pourable, set in refrigerator to firm up for 30 minutes, then stir and let rest another 30 minutes-1 hour at room temperature. It should be consistently solid, not solid in some parts and liquid in others. This is key to getting the crust texture right. (For best and most consistent results, be sure to store your coconut oil in a cool, dark place.)
*If you want to freeze this recipe, we recommend freezing the pie crust and putting the filling in the fridge – store separately. Then on the day of, bake as instructed.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated using the entire crust and filling and without additional toppings.
Suzanne says
Hi! What do you think of this filling compared to the filling in the vegan no bake pumpkin pie recipe? (The one with the nut and date crust)… I have made that dozens of times and LOVE it, but I want to make mini pies with the coconut oil crust …. I’m not sure the other filling would work in the crust bc I’d have to bake it. Does the filling in this recipe taste as good?! Thanks!
Hi Suzanne, both are delicious! This one is slightly more classic.
Lor says
I’m not up for dealing with a crust, since we eat gf. Would this filling work just baked in cupcake wrappers?
Hi, we haven’t tested that, but we think it would work! Let us know if you try it!
Hannah says
Hi, is the muffin tin you are using for these mini pies a standard size muffin tin or a mini muffin tin?
Hi Hannah, it is a standard muffin tin!
Suzanne says
Hi! Do you think this would work with GF flour?? Like bobs red mill? Thank you!!
Hi Suzanne! We haven’t tried that and aren’t sure it would work. We do have a gluten-free pumpkin pie that you could possibly make mini? Hope this helps!
Lauren says
These little pies are so good!! I used store bought crust but followed the filling recipe exactly and they are amazing. My muffin tin had 12 cups and I still had quite a bit of filling left over, so I may put extra filling in each cup next time. Super easy recipe, you’d have no idea these are vegan. Can’t wait to make these for thanksgiving!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Lauren. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Giovanna says
Hey there!! I am huge fan and loved these little pies. But I have one question: I made this recipe twice and in both times I found the dough really hard to work with, breaking a lot!! I took me a long time to finally get them ready, but once it dit, it tasted delicious!! Any tips regarding that issue?
Did you use the coconut oil? If it gets too warm it can be difficult to work with (coconut oil melts), so refrigerate the dough as needed to keep it on the cooler side!
Nicki says
These are so great! I’ve never made mini pies before and after these, I regret not doing it sooner! These would be perfect to take to a family function. I feel sure no one would even know they’re vegan. I made the filling as written but added a tsp of vanilla and I used a vegan store-bought refrigerated crust (Pillsbury) because I’m lazy and I had one here. Thanks Dana!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Nicki! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Cristina says
I made these for Thanksgiving so that my vegan self could enjoy a dessert too and OMG I am obsessed with them. The crust was a bit tricky – I needed to add more water than the recipe called for to get it to really come together and did lots and lots of kneading but once it finally came together it rolled out great (with lots of flour dusting on the rolling pin). The little pies were sooo delicious and so CUTE! My carnivorous family was shocked at how good they were. My dad is diabetic so I was happy he had a low sugar option too. I think I did get a dud coconut milk can – I used the Nature’s Forest and yeah it 100% did not work but I’ll use a different brand next time and try, try again. The recipe somehow yielded 20 of them and they were still great several days afterwards. I don’t think I’ll wait a full year to make these again! Thank you!!!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them, Cristina. Thanks so much for sharing! You can find our favorite brands for making coconut whipped cream here. Hope that helps!
Mic says
Is it safe to eat the pumpkin pie mix without cooking?
Hi Mic, we don’t think it would be an issue from a food safety perspective, but cooking will help it thicken.
Lisa says
Can I use coconut milk in this recipe? My brother is allergic to almonds.
That should work!
Aleisha says
These were so yummy! Was able to make 14 of the mini pies. Had some left over filling so I will freeze that for another time! Didn’t have allspice, and I added a bit more cinnamon but the pumpkin pie spice still turned out great! Will definitely be making this again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Aleisha! Thanks so much for sharing!
Kaelyn says
So delicious and the crust blew me away! I’m obsessed with the mini pie idea and I’m definitely gonna make these again and maybe experiment with different fillings too. Thanks for another great recipe!
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kaelyn! xo
Melissa McClelland says
Excellent treat! Quick, healthier pumpkin pie treat.. and the pie crust recipe is da’bomb!
Melissa McClelland says
My go-to pie crust recipe! simple and always perfection. (unless your summer temps melt your coconut oil) Highly recommend this beauty of a recipe.
Julia says
I love this recipe! I’ve found more success using puff pastry instead of the coconut oil pie crust, and I add more maple syrup & brown sugar to sweeten up the filling a bit. They’re super easy to make & taste delicious. I’m excited to bring these over to my in-laws for Christmas!
Thanks for sharing, Julia! We’re so glad you enjoy them! xo
Elizabeth Briggs says
Should I grease the muffin tin?
You can, but we didn’t find it necessary.
Luisa Campos says
Hi! Love your recipe and can’t wait to try this one. I have a question, if I want to make a full pie, how much time will it bake? I would love to recibe your answer. Thank you! <3
Hi Luisa, we would recommend using this recipe for reference! Hope that helps!
Karen Rajan says
Hello, I haven’t made this recipe yet but would love to! The only thing is that I would need to use gluten free flour. Would that work?
Many thanks!
Karen
Hi Karen, we haven’t tried it, but think that would work. You can use this recipe as a guide! Let us know if you give it a try!
Carolyn says
Can I make this without the maple syrup?
I wouldn’t recommend it!
Liz says
Can’t wait to try this!
Do you think any other fillings would work with the crust? I’m specifically thinking of a sort of lemon tart filling….
Rebecca says
Can I use puff pastries for the crust?
Yes, that should work!
Kelli says
I made these along with your coconut whipped cream and brown sugar pecans. Perfect amount of sweetness and just-right size. I’ll make these again and again. Thank you!
Ash says
Fantastic! Another perfect recipe. I’ve been marathon baking several of your recipes today for thanksgiving. Thank you!
Kami says
Could I use this recipe with any filling or would I have to adjust the temp and bake time? These look really good by the way, I’m planning on making them for Christmas!
Hi! Yes you can, but you would want to adjust accordingly!
krysti murphy says
Can you pre-bake/pre-make these and freeze 4 days before severing at thanksgiving? And then bring to room temp before eating?
Hi! I think you could freeze the pie crust and put the filling in the fridge – store separately. Then on the day of, or day before, bake as instructed!
Stesha says
Do you think I could make this crust in advance?
Hi! Yes you can! Form it into a ball, then wrap it in plastic and refrigerate the homemade pie crust for up to 3 days.
Yulca says
In the oven right now, can’t wait to try them. Replaced 3/4 cup of pumpkin puree with unsweetend apple & pear sauce, bc that’s what I had at hand. Smells delicious :)!
Courtney says
So so good!!! I have made these tarts countless times and every single time everyone raves about them! I have tried them with real pumpkin puree and canned pumpkin puree – and both options are great.
Delfina says
I’m making several of your recipes for the first time for this Thanksgiving (green bean casserole, coconut whipped cream, and this one). I’m not a great cook so hopefully they’ll turn out ok!
For this recipe, can I make a full pie instead of making minis? I don’t have a mini cupcake pan. How would you adjust the cooking time/temp for a full pie?
Hi Delgina! I’d suggest this recipe!
Stephanie says
Thank you for the inspiration. I used this as a template and worked with what I had at my house. For some reason I ended up with 12 crusts and had to make another batch to accommodate the filling. I made the 2nd batch of crust with butter as I didn’t have enough coconut oil and you couldn’t tell the difference! My boyfriend actually asked me to make the crust again for another recipe!
Nicole says
Is it possible to make this gluten free as well?
Hi Nicole! Check out previous comments for recommendations for making these gluten free!
Morgan says
Hi. I was wondering if it would be possible to make this crust with Almond flour?
Hi Morgan, check out the recipe for vegan, gluten-free pumpkin pie to use as a reference if you’d like to avoid using all purpose flour but be mindful that I do use coconut oil in one and vegan butter in the other! I haven’t tried this recipe with almond flour so I can’t comment specifically on how it will turn out, sorry!
Ai @ marecipes says
This is a great thing to do and I am going to try it this weekend for sure! Thanks for the info!
M says
I made these beautiful things last night, and they are ssoooo delicious. We actually can’t stop eating them. And it was my first time making pie crust! Thank you for the amazing recipe!!
Sarah says
Thank you so much for this creative recipe. I ended up doing a vegan butter crust instead of coconut and made this today for Christmas Eve desserts. They are adorable and turned out fantastic! I absolutely love your site, the photography and amazingly good recipes.
Thanks!
Alejandra says
I love your food photograpy! I found your website two days ago and I am loving and enjoying it.
What is your yellow background? I love it.
I joined and I’m following you!
Love,
Alejandra
?
Jenni says
I made these for Thanksgiving and they were so delicious. I don’t think anyone knew they were vegan. I had a little trouble making the crust for the minis- and I doubled the recipe- so on the second round I just put the crust in a regular pie pan. I must admit I have never made home made crust before. Anyway I will make these again with store bought crust or just do a regular size pie. And the coconut whip cream was a HUGE hit.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Jenni!
simone says
My sister recently became vegan and this recipe looks great. Would it be possible to make one big pie instead of multiple mini ones?
Rocio says
You are awesome! I love the simplicity of the recipes and your printable sheets.
I will be baking the mini pumpkin pies!
BTW I´ve tried to be vegan for a couple of times but haven´t succeeded. I kind of decided to be a flexitarian, as I don´t eat meat or dairy products but occasionally have chicken, eggs or fish. My meals consist mainly of whole plant-based foods. I am a health coach from IIN and own a small deli and organic shop (La gallina verde/The Green Hen) in a city called Querétaro, located in central Mexico. I have two boys and really enjoy cooking! Thanks for sharing your amazing creations and congratulations on your work. You´ve inspired me to create my own website, which I hope to launch before the year ends. It is not a food blog but more a healthy lifestyle resource for busy mums. Anyway, just wanted to say hi!
Have a great week!
Best Regards,
Rocío Río de la Loza
Dana says
Hi again :-)
What do you think about these little guys being made with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour? These look amazing!!!
I think that would work!
Betsy says
I made these a couple of days ago and loved them. My anti-pumpkin pie, wary of vegan desserts BF really loved them. Especially after they sat overnight (we couldn’t wait to try them). I made a second batch and rolled the crust out very, very thin, then covered them with tin foil while baking because I was worried the thin crusts would get too brown, and they were perfect. Really liked the thin-crust batch the best. I’m not a big pie crust person so it improved the pumpkin:crust ratio for me. The second batch also got a dollop of the coconut whipped cream. Delish. Making em for Thanksgiving. Thanks for a great recipe!
Gina says
I like the idea of rolling the crust very thin and covering with foil. Did you cover the whole pie, filling and all? I made these mini pies–my first homemade pie crust ever. I think I over-processed and over-kneaded the dough, as they were very heavy. When I tried to roll thin, the edges cracked and were not pretty and round like the pictures. And that was the second batch! When I purchased the rolling pin and pastry board, the gal at the store said I must wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least half an hour. It was hard as a rock!! My filling also sunk and had a thick “film” on top (like the pudding of my youth). Not sure what that was about. They were tasty despite their look, and much better the following day. I am open for any suggestions and can’t wait to try them again.
That is so bizarre! Sorry you had trouble, Gine. I definitely don’t recommend chilling this crust. It’s easiest to form when it’s unrefrigerated. As for the filling, I’ve made this pie filling many times over and had never had an issue except this last time for Thanksgiving, which led me to believe it was something with the pumpkin puree I bought! I tried it again with an organic, higher quality puree and it went over much better. Perhaps that could’ve been the issue? Glad they still tasted good! I hope it works out better next time!
Gina says
That is funny that you mentioned the pumpkin. I usually use ‘Farmers Market’ brand Organic Pumpkin Purée in a 15oz can. This year Whole Foods only carried this product in aseptic (shelf stable) 16oz cartons. I wonder if the packaging made a difference. I have only ever made a whole pie (frozen crust), with a pumpkin/tofu blend. So this was all new to me and I wasn’t sure how it would or should turn out. Yes, refrigerating the dough was definitely not a step that works with this dough (haha). And I will get a pastry blender for next time. Thanks for your reply, beautiful photos, great recipes, and wonderful tips for novices (like me) and experienced cooks alike!!
Troy S. says
This looks delicious and although I am not vegan, I may just give this a whirl this week. Thanks for sharing.
Let me know how it goes!
Hannah says
How do you think I could (or couldn’t) freeze these pies?
I think you could freeze the pie crust and put the filling in the fridge – store separately. Then on the day of, bake as instructed!
Caroline says
Absolutely need these in my life.
Stephanie says
These are a great way to have a bit less sugar over the holidays that is if you can resist eating all of them!
Molly says
Dana, though I use and love your recipes every week I was hesitant to try this crust. My husband wants a vegan pumpkin pie and crust that tastes like his moms non vegan version. I made these last night and he loved them the crust included!!! ( and I have tried a lot of different ones he hated the crusts on all of them so this is a big deal in our house) Yea!!! I am so excited to get your actual cookbook. My printer keeps running out of ink!
Molly
Mikaela says
This one looks tasty.. and cute too… Thanks for the recipe.
Casey says
These look absoutely scrumptious! Hoping to try them out with a gluten free all purpose flour blend! YUM!
Let me know how it goes!
Elena says
Hi Dana, I’m using the pie crust portion of this recipe to make hand held pumpkin pie pockets in the shape of pumpkins! (i.e. with a cookie cutter) I just wanted to give you some fan love. I’m a relatively new vegan, so whenever I’m craving one of my favorite dishes but am unsure of how to vegan-ize it, I consult your site and of course you have an amazing recipe that fits the bill. Thank you for all your hard work, and I look forward to whatever you cook up next!
Ah, thanks Elena! So kind! xoxo
Liora @ Allthingsloveli says
These looks so delicious, and I love how everyone can get their own!
Jan says
Hi, Dana! Thanks for all the awesome recipes. To date, I think I’ve made about eight things from your blog.
Was wondering if you had any good ideas or are willing to make a recipe for vegan cranberry chutney! I think it’d be perfect for Thanksgiving.
Thanks,
Jan
SO kind! Cranberry chutney is a great request! I’ll add that to my list. In the meantime, my friend Monique made an awesome cranberry orange sauce that looks AMAZING!
Jane says
These look great; I was thinking about doing something similar, since last weekend I went to a pre-Thanksgiving get together with omnivores, and I wanted to bring a dessert for myself. I ended up making pumpkin hand pies with coconut oil crust, which traveled really well (I froze them and then baked them on site), but with pumpkin pie, I found, there’s a reason they’re always open–the crust-to-filling ratio was too much. That’s when the idea for cupcake-tin mini pies came to me, so I shouldn’t be surprised you thought of them, too!
I did like the fact that I didn’t need any thickener/egg replacer for a hand pie, just lightly sweetened and spiced pumpkin puree. But your recipe is still simple, looks delish, and I can’t wait to try it!
Let me know if you give mine a try, Jane!
Sam ~ it doesn't taste like chicken says
These are the cutest!! I love pumpkin pie, but didn’t think of making them into minis! Perfect for a Thanksgiving cocktail party…. now I think I have an excuse to host a Thanksgiving cocktail party. Haha!
These would be great for cocktail parties! Hope you love them, Sam!
Stella @ Stellicious Life says
These sound delicious, and everything is much cuter when mini :-)
I’ve been making pie crust with coconut oil (and wholewheat or spelt or oat flour) for some time now and was pleasantly surprised that it isn’t crumbly without the butter.
Can’t wait to make this recipe, I LOVE anything pumpkin, and love how these mini pies are just 2 bites/pie :-D
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
I too would love to know what gluten free flour option you’d recommend!
Stella @ Stellicious Life says
Hi Jess,
I’ve made coconut oil pie crust with whole wheat, spelt and oat flour (sometimes I mixed them, other times I used just one type), and it worked well.. (Spelt flour is also great for yeasted doughs).
Thanks for sharing, Stella!
I would recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 blend. Use this recipe as a guide!
Elizabeth says
These look amazing!! Do you have a gluten free sub for these? Thanks!!!
I don’t currently, but you can use this recipe as a guide!
elizabeth says
I did actually!! I made them for something I did today. I used the crust from that recipe with the filling from this one! They turned out great, the crust may have been a little too thick, but that was my fault. I was afraid of it crumbling so I think I over compensated. Also, the filling seemed to “shrink” (the best word I can think to describe it). The taste was great though, and they were a big hit! Thanks!
Traditionallymodernfood says
Looks delicious.. Perfect mini pies for individual serving
Emilie @ Emilie Eats says
Finally, a reliable coconut oil pie crust!! Dana, thank you for constantly gracing us with your knowledge and cooking abilities. My stomach is happy.
Thanks Emilie! Hope you give it a try!
Samantha says
These look fantastic Dana! I’ll be baking these under the category of “just because it’s November” as Canadian Thanksgiving has already come and gone! Can’t wait to try these!
Ha! Hope you love them, Samantha!
Holli says
Wow! So yummy looking! What would you recommend for a gluten free sub for the flour?
Try this recipe!
Ramona says
Literally Drooling by the description already O_O this. sounds. amazingly. tasty!
kathryn - The Scratch Artist says
Coconut oil crust…niiiiiice work! My mom can’t eat dairy and I’ve been figuring out ways to get a flaky authentic crust without butter. You’ve solved my problem (As long as it doesn’t end up tasting too coconut-y). So freaking cute too!
Hope you love it, Kathryn! xoxo
Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says
Hip hip hooray for coconut oil pie crust! I have tried making it before with frozen coconut oil and the whole thing was a cracked mess. Can’t wait to make this version.
Right? Hope you love this version!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
These seriously look dangerous. And they’re so cute!! I love a good small treat for when I’m craving sugar :)
Agreed! Portion control ;D
Emily | Robust Recipes says
These mini pumpkin pies look so cute! And tasty! I want to stuff all of them in my face haha. Your coconut oil pie crust sounds interesting, I will have to give it a try. I am slowly becoming more confident with pie baking. :)
Hope you give it a try! It’s really very easy to work with!
Erin @ The Almond Eater says
Love these, though I doubt I’d be able to just eat one!
Celeste @The Whole Serving says
These look like a one bite dessert, I’d have to be careful not to eat too many. Ironically I’m making apple pumpkin tarts I’ll be sharing on my blog next week.
Dani Mendocha | Styled Variety says
These little pumpkin pies are so cute! I love that they’re vegan and filled with delicious ingredients :)
Dani
Laura ~ Raise Your Garden says
These pies are almost as cute as my 3-year-old. I said almost!!!! But her eating these…okay, that’s gonna be pretty cute. I love experimenting with different crusts. Never have used coconut oil this way before!!! Will try.
Ha! Let me know if you give them a try, Laura!