The BEST Vegan Pumpkin Pie (Easy & Perfectly Set!)
And if you’re looking to show off how amazing vegan takes on the holiday classics can be, you definitely have to try my easy caramelized vegan pecan pie and gooey vegan apple pie! They’ll go perfectly alongside any Thanksgiving feast, vegan or not.
Quick Look: Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Method: Whisk or mix the pumpkin pie filling, pour into your par-baked crust, bake, and chill
- Why Make THIS Version? Everything you love about classic pumpkin pie, but made unbelievably without eggs or dairy
- Secret to Success: Avoid aerating the pumpkin pie filling, use the correct amount of starch, and allow the pie to slowly cool to prevent cracks
- Key Ingredients: Pumpkin puree, vegan heavy cream, cornstarch or arrowroot starch, maple syrup, light brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice
- Best for: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Friendsgiving, or make-ahead fall & winter celebrations and dinner parties
- Make ahead: Recommended for optimal chilling!
Table of contents
Why this vegan pumpkin pie recipe works:
I’m not exaggerating, this pie has completely replaced not only my own non-vegan family’s pumpkin pie, but that of our friends’ families and readers as well.
My first year I made this recipe, we had two pumpkin pies- a regular one and this vegan one. There were no slices left of the vegan. That says it all. Here’s why everyone chose my pie over one made with dairy and eggs- even if they weren’t vegan:
- Creamy, custard-like pumpkin pie filling, all without eggs and dairy. Just as a pumpkin pie should be. The filling sets beautifully thick because we’re using a combination of cornstarch or arrowroot and vegan heavy cream instead of evaporated milk!
- It’s ridiculously easy to make. You can use a hand mixer or even a good old fashioned whisk and bowl, and this pie will turn out perfect every time.
- Only 8 simple ingredients. And most of which are already in the pantry.
Serve this with my vegan pecan pie and vegan chocolate pecan pie, and you are guaranteed the dessert maker for every holiday forthcoming!
Key ingredients:
- Pumpkin puree: 1 full can is all you need! I really like Farmer’s Market canned Organic Pumpkin Puree. I’ve also tested this with Trader Joe’s organic pumpkin puree and Whole Foods. The best results are with Farmer’s Market in my opinion!
- Vegan heavy cream: I’m not a big fan of using coconut milk here. Personally, I definitely taste the flavor come through. And you really don’t want that in a classic pumpkin pie!
- Cornstarch: This is one of my favorite vegan egg replacements for pies that require a custard-like filling (like my vegan banana cream pie!). The cornstarch really acts like egg yolks and creates the perfect custard texture, all without actual eggs. You can also use arrowroot starch if you’re allergic to corn!
- Light brown sugar: Using light brown sugar over regular sugar adds extra flavor and moisture in the pie because of the added molasses.
- Maple syrup: This will help not only thin out the vegan heavy cream just a smidge so that it’s not superrrr thick. But it will also add a really rich flavor to the pumpkin pie!
- Pumpkin pie spice blend: I really like to use Simply Organics’ blend here. It’s my absolute favorite! Or you can find an easy DIY blend with a quick search. All you’ll need is ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Vanilla extract & sea salt: Flavor enhancers. Do not skip!
How To Make the BEST Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Easy vegan pie crust:
I also give the option for making a gluten-free pie crust. All of the details on how to customize this pie crust all are in my Perfect Pie Crust Guide. For gluten free, you can use my oat flour pie crust or traditional flaky gluten free pie crust!
Best ever vegan pumpkin pie filling
Key pumpkin pie baking tips:
This vegan pumpkin pie recipe is very foolproof to ensuring that your pumpkin pie won’t have any cracks in it.
However, there are a few tips that I want to go over to ensure that your pumpkin pie doesn’t crack:
- Bake at the correct temperature: do not stick your pie into the oven until it is fully preheated. I would actually recommend waiting an extra 5 minutes after the initial “ding” that it’s preheated to ensure that it’s at the right temperature.
- Bake the pumpkin pie on the middle or low rack. I personally have had great success baking on the middle rack, so that I can put a baking sheet below in case of any accidents of pie crust. However, if you know that your oven is more powerful than most, I would stick the pumpkin pie on the lower rack to be safe.
- Look for the middle being “set”: what this means is that the pumpkin pie won’t be as glossy as it was when it first went in. The edges to the very middle should be mostly baked in place, but it will wiggle a bit when you remove it. It will also look darker at first. You didn’t burn it! This pumpkin pie recipe will need at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) to chill in the fridge after it has baked.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie FAQ:
Absolutely- in fact, this pie is designed to be made ahead of time. You shouldn’t bake this vegan pumpkin pie the day of serving, as it needs time to set overnight. I recommend baking at least 1 day ahead. But you can actually prepare it up to 3 days ahead of time!
Absolutely! The best results will be with my homemade vegan pie crust. However, a store bought crust will work fine. Just make sure you follow the instructions for how to prepare your chosen store-bought crust!
Yes! I’ve tested this before. As long as you’ve pureed the cooked pumpkin to be the same consistency as a can of pumpkin puree (i.e. superrrr silky and smooth), it will be lovely!
Absolutely. The only component you’ll need to be concerned about is the pie crust for this vegan pumpkin pie. You can use my vegan pie crust recipe (linked in the recipe card) and use gluten-free 1:1 flour or use my gluten-free vegan pie crust, which is slightly different but designed just for gluten-free flour for the best results.
Yes, you can! The flavor will be slightly different. However, I’ve tested this option, and it works great.
🌟MADE THIS RECIPE & LOVED IT?🌟Leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below! This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
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The BEST Vegan Pumpkin Pie (Easy & Perfectly Set!)
- Prep Time: 30
- Chilling time: 240
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Ingredients
- 1/2 recipe vegan pie crust or gluten free vegan pie crust *
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup (110 g) light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup (240 mL) vegan heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (50 g) cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Prep: Measure out all ingredients for the pie crust and the pumpkin pie.
- Make the pie crust first: Follow the instructions for making the pie dough through the linked recipe. You can either halve the recipe or make the full recipe and save one pie dough disc for another pie (like my vegan pecan pie).
- Follow the instructions for par-baking: Follow the instructions listed in the pie recipe to par-bake the pie. Once the pie is par-baked, you can make the pumpkin pie filling.
- Make the pumpkin pie filling: If you just baked the pie crust, reduce the oven temperature to 350F. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to mix together pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, maple syrup, heavy vegan cream, cornstarch powder, vanilla, sea salt and pumpkin pie spice until smooth and there are no clumps of cornstarch.
- Pour the filling into the pie crust: Pour filling into the pie crust and cover the edges of the pie crust with either a pie crust saver or tin foil. If you have cut outs, place the parchment paper with the cut outs on a baking sheet and not onto the pie to decorate it just yet. Bake the cutouts only for 7-8 minutes then remove from the oven. I recommend baking them towards the end of the pumpkin pie baking time.
- Bake the pumpkin pie: Place the pie into the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the tinfoil, and continue to bake for another 15-20 more minutes. The center of the pie should be wiggly still! That’s okay!
- Allow the pie to cool: Turn off the oven and crack the oven door to allow the pumpkin pie to begin to cool. Let the pie sit in the off oven for 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and allow the pie to cool for 15 minutes at room temperature. Then transfer the pie set overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Serve and enjoy: When ready to serve, decorate with the pumpkin pie cut outs and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Gluten free: Use King Arthur Measure for Measure flour for the gluten free pie crust. You can also use this amazing oat flour pie crust.
Homemade pumpkin puree: I recently tried this, and it totally works! This recipe will work great with homemade fresh pumpkin puree. Just make sure you’re weighing out how much pumpkin you’ve made (aiming for 15 ounces).
Pumpkin spice: If you like a heavily spiced pie, you can add 2 tbsp. Otherwise, stick with 1 tbsp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 178
- Sugar: 13.1 g
- Sodium: 182.2 mg
- Fat: 8.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.1 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 11.3 mg
I made this in an 8” pie plate and it had enough filling for 12 cupcake tins.
The crust: I tried chilling the coconut oil but it turned out so hard, I couldn’t cut it into the flour (I don’t have a food processor). It ended up globby and unworkable so I chucked that batch and tried again with room temperature coconut oil. It was much better! I put the crust in the 8 “ pie plate and then cut rounds out of the left over crust for the bottoms of the cupcake tins. I then cut strips of crust to line the sides of each cupcake tin. I par-baked the pie plate with paper and oat grouts for weights. I par-baked the cupcake tins with silicone cupcake liners for weights. They all turned out great!
The filling:
I omitted the sugar and just used the maple syrup for sweetener (1/3 cup). I baked the cupcake tin for only about 10 minutes. The pie took about 30 minutes. The pie is delicious and I appreciate this recipe so much!
Hi. I just made this last with a store bought pie crust. Unfortunately the filling did not set. I’m glad I made it days in advance as it would be very embarrassing to bring this to Thanksgiving dinner.
Hi Liz, I’m so sorry to hear that this didn’t work for you. The pie needs to set overnight in the fridge- did you make sure to give it enough time? Additionally, was your cornstarch still good? That’s the most important part of the recipe, as it acts like the eggs. I’m so sorry this didn’t turn out for you, I make it every year for my family for Thanksgiving, and they love it! Hope you still enjoy your dinner!
Hello! I am making this pie for Thanksgiving and wondering how far in advance I can make it? And any tips you have for storing it after making it and before serving it? Thank you!
Hi Melanie! I would say you can make this no more than 2 days before! Make sure to wrap it tightly and store it in the fridge after it’s cooled from baking 🙂 Enjoy!!
You’re recipes are absolutely amazing. I’ve tried your chocolate chip loaf cake, a basic vanilla cake and now this pumpkin pie recipe – you have not led me wrong yet! My go to vegan dessert queen 👑!
Hi! What’s the topping you are using here? Is it vegan whipped cream? Thank you!
Hi Patricia! I used vegan whipped cream that I made homemade just using vegan heavy cream and a tbsp of sugar! 🙂
We have loved your recipes
The Oreo cake and the biscoff cheesecake were a huge huge hit- everybody raved!
Thank you!🙏🏼😊
Aw my goodness I’m so happy to hear it!! That Biscoff cheesecake is one of my favorite recipes ever!! Thanks for the reviews!
Hi
Was the 2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice supposed to be 2 tsp?
It seemed like a lot when I added it and the flavor is so strong that we can’t eat the finished pie 😞
Hi Elizabeth! I’m so sorry about that! It is 2 tbsp (NOT tsp) but if the flavor seems too strong, you can absolutely reduce it next time to 1 tbsp! I’m so sorry about that!
I made this pie today exactly like the recipe except the spices since I can’t have cinnamon. I used my food processor, so processed probably longer than I would have with a hand mixer. I baked 1 hour. My pie was no jiggly. It was fabulous. Thank you for the recipe. Definitely my new pumpkin pie recipe!!!
Oh this is wonderful!! So so happy to hear it 🙂 Also- love your name! Lucinda is one of my all time favorite names 🙂
Hi Britt,
Do you think I can substitute date sugar for the coconut sugar?
Thanks!
Nick
Hi Nick! Absolutely! Enjoy 🙂
I dont have the pumkin pie spice, can you tell me the recipe for pumkin pie spice? Thank you!
Hi Bonnie! Of course! Here’s the blend I make if I’m doing DIY 🙂 https://cookieandkate.com/pumpkin-spice-blend-recipe/
I made this pie with a different crust & it was really good, although I neglected to read that it needs to set in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight so our first piece was more like pumpkin pudding! But very tasty!
I do have a question about cooking time. My pie plates are extra big & deep, taking about 1.75 x the filling recipe. What would you recommend for cooking time? I did 60 min with a pie crust saver on & then another 20min, but I wasn’t sure how to tell if it was done. I would say it was still a little soft after setting overnight.
This is wonderful!! Thank you so much for this review!! For being able to tell if it’s done, I’m guessing it was a bit trickier because of how deep your pie dish is- more filling means longer in the oven! You’ll look for when most of the pie is set, a little bit of the middle of the pie can still be a bit wobbly. Then transfer to the fridge after cooling at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. If it’s still too soft overnight, I’m wondering how fresh your arrowroot starch was? I’ve had that happen to me when the arrowroot is a bit past it’s prime, and I notice my cheesecakes, pies, custards etc. aren’t thickening as well!
I made this for thanksgiving and everyone loved it. I used eggs instead of arrowroot, however. Great recipe 🙂
Aw I’m SO happy to hear it!! Thank you so much for letting us know the swaps too- so helpful for other readers! Enjoy!!
hi! could you tell us how many eggs you used? I would like to try the same. Thanks!
My rating is for the pie crust. I used your recipe for a pumpkin pie at “Friendsgiving”. The crust was incredibly simple — a key for me, someone who had never made her own pie crust before — and the perfect companion with the pumpkin filling. I used cornstarch instead of arrowroot powder. This is the pie crust recipe I will be making again!!
Oh my goodness!! Just the sweetest!! So happy to hear that and so glad it went so well with your friends!! Happy holidays!
It calls for 2 cans of pumpkin but what size cans? I have 2 different sizes. Thanks.
Hi Shannon! Apologies for that! it’s a 15 ounce can, so 22.5 ounce total!
This pie was PERFECTION. as someone else said, the crust is amazing!! It was like a cookie crust. Anyways, the spices in the pie were just enough and not too overwhelming. Definitely making again!!
Aw you are just so sweet! So happy to hear it 🙂 Enjoy and thank you!
Amazing!!! I’m allergic to eggs and I’ve tried a few pumpkin pie recipes over the years and have always been disappointed. But this was amazing!!! I used tapioca starch because it’s what I had, and I used a different crust but the filling (which is the important part) was absolutely delicious!!! My kids all said it was better than their traditional pumpkin pie. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Oh my goodness!! So so wonderful to hear!! Truly thank you so much, and so elated that your kids loved it as well!! Enjoy!