Pumpkin is one of my favorite fall vegetable. I don’t think there is any way to avoid it especially in the US (lol). They are everywhere - big, small, canned etc. But I do genuinely love pumpkin. Even though it is sweet, it lends really well to both savory and sweet dishes. Like in this creamy roasted pumpkin sambar or this spicy Auriya Kadoo or this yummy sourdough pumpkin bread. Even with all my love for pumpkin, I do not like traditional pumpkin pie (there, I said it). But the fault is with the crust not the filling. In my opinion, it is too doughy and heavy for my taste. So, in this easy pumpkin pie recipe I use chocolate crust instead of traditional pie crust and I absolutely love it. This recipe is so easy to make and tastes amazing. You won’t even know that it is 100% vegan. Filling for the vegan pumpkin pie is is adapted from Food52 Vegan cookbook. It is made with ground cashews which makes it creamy and delicious. This post was created originally as a guest post for Rafeeda’s The Big Sweet Tooth in November 2016. It has been updated in October 2019 with the inclusion of the recipe. For the chocolate crust you need: chocolate wafer cookies and vegan butter. For the filling, you need the following:
canned pumpkin puree - you can also use homemade.raw cashews vegan sugarcornstarch or tapioca starchpumpkin pie spicemaple syrupvanilla extract
Optional ingredients for serving - coconut whipped cream (homemade or store bought) and ground cinnamon.
Instructions
Start by soaking cashews. They need to soak for at least 3+ hours and up to overnight. When ready to make the mini vegan pumpkin pies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Make the crust: Crush the cookies and take them in a mixing bowl. I use a ziplock bag and a rolling pin. But you can pulse them in a food processor to make finer crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix well. Divide the mixture evenly between the four 4” pie pans. Press with the fingers to compress the chocolate crumbs and form an even crust. Place the pie pans on a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use. Make the Pumpkin Filling: Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a food processor. Add pumpkin puree, sugar, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Process until a very smooth mixture forms. Scrape the sides couple of times during blending. Divide the pumpkin filling between the prepared pie pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 28~35 minutes or until the top turns dark and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This indicates that the filling is set and not gooey anymore. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
Taste Test
It is best to serve these pies the day they are made. Leftovers can be refrigerated and slightly warmed in the microwave before serving, but the taste and texture are not the same. Do give this recipe a try for Thanksgiving or for any holiday celebration - I am sure you will love it.
Tips
If you want to make this vegan, make sure that the chocolate wafer cookies you use are vegan. I use Newton brand wafer cookies.If you want the crust to have a finer texture, then process the wafers in a food processor until finely ground. Otherwise, you can roll them in a ziplock bag.Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.Use raw cashews, that it unroasted, unsalted ones.No pumpkin pie spice, no problem. Use ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger + pinch of nutmeg and ground cloves.To make a regular sized pumpkin pie using this recipe, double all the ingredients for crust and filling. Proceed as written and bake for 35~40 minutes. It is best to serve these pies the day they are made. Leftovers can be refrigerated and slightly warmed in the microwave before serving, but the taste and texture are not the same.
More vegetarian friendly holiday recipes to try
Everything bagel onion dipSalted mocha hot chocolateVegan St. Lucia BunsVegan red velvet pancakesCranberry Apple ChutneyEgyptian GhorayebahWhole wheat chocolate chip cookies
I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don’t forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.
