Gluten Free and Vegan Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Over the years as my food restriction list has grown, so has my determination to find ways to continue to eat all my favorite foods. When I went vegan in 2019, one of the foods I really struggled to find that met all my needs was pumpkin pie.
Don’t get me wrong, there are loads of vegan pumpkin pies on the market. There’s also a wide variety of gluten free options. Nuts aren’t common in pumpkin pie and neither are the fruits I’m allergic to. So it should be easy, right?
The problem comes into play is that while each of these things are easy to find on their own, other allergens are usually brought in to make the recipe work.
Can’t have gluten? Let’s make an almond crust! Let’s replace eggs with applesauce! You get the idea.
But I was determined that I would have my pie and eat it, too. It only took a couple of tries, but I eventually perfected my pumpkin pie.
The crust is buttery and flaky, the filling smooth and silky. The sweetness and spices are just right. It’s passed the taste test of those with and without restrictions so I know it’s a winner!
Bonus, it’s actually a really easy recipe. Often times pies are looked at as a tricky, but I promise this is beginning friendly.
The most difficult part will be the pie crust. If you have a recipe you know and love, feel free to use it. Otherwise, pay attention below as I’ve got a few pointers to make it easier and less intimidating.
The recipe below makes a large pyrex pie dish worth. If you’re using a smaller metal tin or disposable tin, you can make half the filling.
Let’s get baking!
Ingredients:
1 package Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix
2 sticks Country Crock Plant Based Butter sticks (or other safe butter)
6 TBS ice water
2 cans pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup canned coconut milk (refrigerate the night before)
3 TBS cornstarch
4 TBS unsweetened coconut milk beverage
4 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Directions:
You’re going to start by making the crust. This isn’t as hard as it sounds. I follow the instructions on the back, using all plant based butter as recommended to make it vegan.
Cut your butter into small bits, working quick to keep it cold. Grab your blender or food processor and layer the crust mix and the butter trying not to clump too much of the butter together.
Once it’s all added, give it ten, 1-second pulses to make a crumbly mix. Transfer it to a bowl and add the 6 TBS of ice water. Using your hand, mix everything together to form your dough.
Remember, there’s a whole lot of butter in there and butter melts. So try not to handle it too much or the butter will get warm.
Here’s where I cheat! Instead of chilling the dough in a ball and then rolling it out cold, which is hard to do with GF crust, place about half of it in your pie dish. (The crust mix makes enough for two pies.) Using your hands, press the dough into all the corners and up the sides trying to keep the thickness even.
NOW you can chill it for 1 hour. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
Once it’s done chilling, preheat the oven to 350f. You’re going to prebake the crust for 10 minutes.
Honestly, that’s perfect because it’s all the time you need to make the filling.
Start by pouring your pumpkin, sugar, and syrup in a large mixing bowl. Next up, you’re going to add your canned coconut milk. There’s a reason it was in the fridge. When you open the can, the layers should have separated and the fatty part of the liquid should have risen to the top and solidified. That’s the part we’re going to use.
Go ahead and add that to your bowl and mix everything together. This might require a little effort and feel free to use the back of your spoon to smooth out any lumps from the coconut milk.
Set that aside and grab a smaller bowl. You’re going to add the corn starch and unsweetened coconut milk and mix them together to make a slurry. This will be used to help achieve that thick and silky texture pumpkin pie is known for!
Add that in to your other bowl and mix it up.
We’re on to our last batch of ingredients! In a small bowl, mix up your spices, then add it to your filling. Stir it up until everything is well incorporated. It should already be smelling great!
If things went smoothly, you’re crust should just be finishing that prebake. Pull it out of the oven and fill it up with your pumpkin mixture and put it back in to bake another 60-75 minutes.
I know that’s a big window of time there, so you’ll need to be on it at the end of the baking. If you check and the center still seems very wet and jiggly, it needs a little longer.
The other way to test is by taking the flat part of a butter knife to the center and touch it lightly. If the top seems mostly dry, it’s done. If the knife comes away very wet and gooey, it needs more time.
Once you take the pie out of the oven, let it cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving.
Your pie is ready to enjoy! My favorite way to eat this is with a dollop of cocowhip. It’s a true treat!
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know in the comments below.
