Vegan Pumpkin Pie

My smooth & creamy vegan pumpkin pie with a deliciously crisp pastry crust and a drizzle of decadently rich, warm caramel sauce makes THE best vegan Thanksgiving dessert. It's great made ahead and tastes just like (if not better) than the classic version. No-one will have a clue it's vegan!

This is not just any vegan pumpkin pie, okay? It's the best vegan pumpkin pie recipe. We're talking fall-inspired, simple, sweet, custardy magic all topped off with a big drizzle of caramel sauce, and it absolutely should grace your vegan Thanksgiving table, along with my vegan butter tarts and vegan trifle of course. It will be love at first bite!

Jump to:

• Is pumpkin pie vegan?
• How to make Vegan Pumpkin Pie
• Success tips
• Serving suggestions
• Making ahead, storage and freezing tips
• Variations
• Recipe FAQS
• Hungry for more desserts?
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

Is pumpkin pie vegan?

Wondering if vegans can eat pumpkin pie? Well, most pumpkin pies are not vegan because the filling usually contains eggs and milk. Sometimes the pastry contains animal fat too. This egg and dairy-free pumpkin pie recipe is vegan though and tastes just as good! The filling is egg-free and uses a combination of full-fat coconut milk and arrowroot powder or cornstarch to set it and the pastry is made with vegan butter or coconut oil. If you prefer though, you can buy a pre-made crust. Many store-bought pie crusts are accidentally vegan.

How to make Vegan Pumpkin Pie

(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).

Wondering how this egg-free pumpkin pie comes together? Well, we are primarily working with:

• A pie crust made with the usual suspects, flour (all purpose or whole wheat flour), fat (vegan butter or coconut oil), water and salt- See how to make your own vegan pie crust recipe or go buy one (a lot are accidentally vegan). There'll be no judgement from me! Or for a healthier or a gluten-free pie crust option use my healthy pie crust recipe.
• The filling - A super delish combo of pumpkin purée, coconut milk, brown sugar, and pumpkin spice that is simply blended up then poured in the crust. The arrowroot in the filling is super important because it helps the pie set to perfectly soft, creamy, custardy perfection. You could use cornstarch or tapioca starch instead.
• The caramel drizzle - Totally optional but recommended! It's a super easy caramel sauce that comes together in a few minutes and really compliments the pumpkin flavors perfectly.

It might sound like it is going to be complicated to make but I promise it's not. The crust is made in minutes in a food processor (you could even buy a pre-made pastry case if you like), the filling takes a minute to two in a blender and the caramel sauce takes a few minutes tops.

• Step 1 - Make the pastry dough and line a pie pan, line with parchment paper and pie weights (or dried beans) and blind bake, or have a store-bought pie crust ready to go.
• Step 2 - Blend the filling ingredients together, pour into the pastry case and bake in the oven.
• Step 3 - Chill the pie then refrigerate to set.
• Step 4 - Make the caramel sauce. It only takes a couple of minutes.

• Step 5 - Decorate pie with the caramel sauce and optional chopped nuts.

And the most important bit? Cutting into it and enjoying your first, creamy, custardy, perfectly pumpkiny, caramel saturated bite!

Success tips

Want the very best results from this easy vegan pumpkin pie recipe? Then follow these tips:

• Be sure to keep the pastry cold and don't handle it too much. Over-handling makes pastry tough and keeping it cold improves the texture.
• Blind-bake the crust for a perfect crispy bottom. If you don't blind bake you risk a soggy bottom.
• You must use full-fat canned coconut milk. Light coconut milk, coconut milk in a carton or any other kind of milk won't work.
• Don't over-bake. Slightly under is better. When you think it's done, give it a little wobble. The center of the pie should have some give and jiggle a bit.
• Cool slowly to avoid cracking.
• Canned pumpkin bakes better and is best in this vegan pumpkin pie recipe. If using homemade pumpkin puree the bake time may be longer and the filling softer.
• Don't accidentally buy/use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree or your pie will end up over spiced and sweetened.

Serving suggestions

This really is the best vegan pumpkin pie! Serve it cold or at room temperature. With its crispy pastry case, rich, velvety and creamy pumpkin custard filling along with a drizzle of the most delicious caramel sauce it really doesn't need much more, but if you want to take it way over the top try serving it with:

• more caramel ;O)
• a dollop of vegan whipped cream
• whipped coconut cream
• a rich dollop of vegan ricotta
• candied nuts
• sugared cranberries
• vanilla ice cream
• vegan yogurt

Making ahead, storage and freezing tips

My vegan pumpkin pie recipe is perfect for entertaining because it needs to be cool before serving so you can easily make it in advance and not have to worry about preparing dessert on the day.

Crust - You can easily make the pie crust ahead of time. Store it wrapped very well for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze it for up to 3 months then defrost overnight in the refrigerator before use. You can even make the pie crust as per the recipe, blind-bake it then freeze it as long as your pie dish is freezer safe.

Caramel - Can be made ahead and stored in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. It thickens when chilled but once warmed up it will loosen again. Warm really gently in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave. If it needs thinning add a drop of water or plant-based milk and stir it in well.

The entire pie (and leftovers)- Wrap it well and store for up to a week in the fridge.

Freezing - If you intend on freezing the pie it is best to use a disposable foil pie dish. Bake the pie and allow it to cool completely. Wrap the whole pie (including the pan) in plastic wrap then wrap again in aluminum foil or place in a large freezer bag and seal. Freeze the pie for up to 3 months. The day before you need it, remove from the freezer, leaving it in its wrapping and defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Variations

This vegan pumpkin pie recipe is pretty perfect as is it but here are a few subtle ways you can adapt it:

• Make my vegan pumpkin pie with no crust. Simply pour the custard into ramekins and bake
• Use cornstarch instead of arrowroot
• Add some orange zest to the filling
• Add ⅛ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper to the filling (sounds strange but it totally works!)
• Use my date caramel instead of the caramel recipe included here
• Decorate with piped coconut cream instead of nuts
• Make some seasonally shaped baked pastry cutouts to decorate the pie with
• Use sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin
• Add a couple of tablespoons of dark rum or brandy to the caramel sauce
• Use 1½ teaspoons cinnamon and ½ teaspoon nutmeg instead of pumpkin pie spice. ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves too if you have it.
• Make a vegan gluten-free pumpkin pie by buying a pre-made gluten-free pastry case or by making your own gluten-free pastry
• Make an oil-free healthy pie crust.
• Use a graham cracker crust.

Recipe FAQS

Hungry for more desserts?

📖 Recipe

This recipe was originally published on October 9th 2015. I've tweaked the post a bit, added a video and now I am republishing it for you. The actual recipe remains the same. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!