Incredible Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Here’s your perfect vegan pumpkin pie recipe! This plant-based rotation is (dare we say it) even more delicious than the original.

What makes this cake so amazing? Count the ways. has pumpkin pie quiet was one of my favourites: and of course my grandmother’s cake is the best. So, when we were preparing this Vegan pumpkin pie Recipe, Alex and I didn’t expect it to be any more enjoyable than the original. But this vegan cake is so packed with pumpkin spice sweetness and the flavors are so deliciously uplifted that no one would guess it’s plant-based! We’re firmly in vegan pumpkin pie camp, so much so that we’ll be making this recipe for years to come. Here are all our secrets!

what does it matter better vegan pumpkin pie?

Oddly enough, coconut milk works wonders in vegan pumpkin pie. Something in the light fruitiness of milk goes hand in hand with the bright orange pumpkin! Condensed milk, which is used in a regular pumpkin pie, is not necessary. We’re happy to throw it on the sidewalk for a healthier plant-based food option! You need this for a delicious vegan pumpkin pie filling:

• Pumpkin puree: Don’t use pumpkin pie filling: it’s already flavored! They want the blank slate of a plain mush
• Whole Coconut Milk: The richness of whole milk is absolutely necessary here; Do not substitute light coconut milk
• vanilla extract
• Light Brown Sugar
• granulated sugar
• cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• Kosher salt
• Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

All you have to do is blend all of the above ingredients in a blender, then pour into the crust and bake. The filling is creamy and wonderfully flavorful: like a larger-than-life version of grandma’s cake! Does it taste like coconut? Not really! It’s hard to discern even a coconut flavor: all you taste are silky, tangy pumpkin flavors.

Prepare vegan cake dough: some tips!

The most technical part of a vegan pumpkin pie is the pie crust! We have a separate Vegan Pie Crust article with all of our tips and tricks. But here is a quick overview of the process you will follow:

• You can use coconut oil or vegan butter. Both of these plant-based butter substitutes work great. You may be wondering if the coconut flavor is too strong when using coconut oil. But if you use refined coconut oil, you can hardly detect that taste.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes while you prepare the filling. Cooling the pie crust makes it easier to work with, no matter what butter substitute you use.
• Spread it out in an even circle: A baking sheet can come in handy. It’s not required, but a dough sheet is useful for rolling out pie dough as it helps reduce sticking.
• Use a standard 9 inch pie plate: not a deep bowl! This vegan pumpkin pie recipe is for a standard pie: not a deep dish! You won’t have enough filling for a soup plate.

How to make a pie crust shield

For this vegan pumpkin pie recipe you will need a pie crust protector. What is that? A cake base protector is a shield that prevents the cake base from burning in the oven. It just covers the crust, allowing the filling to bake normally. Here’s what you should know about using a pie crust protector:

• It’s easy to make a tin foil pie crust! All you have to do is cut a hole in the center of a large sheet of aluminum foil the diameter of your cake tin. The foil will rest on the crust but leave the pie filling uncovered. Here is a video with instructions for more details. (We just used a utility knife to cut the right size hole in our foil.)
• You can also buy a Metal Pie Crust Shield. If you cook a lot, you might already have one! Here is a link to buy a pie crust protector online.

Pumpkin Pie Seasoning: Use store-bought or homemade seasoning

The easiest way to flavor the filling of this vegan pumpkin pie is to use store-bought pumpkin pie spice! But did you know that you can also make them at home? If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice but have a well-stocked spice collection, this is easy to make. Here are the spices you will need:

• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Put them together and that’s ¼ cup of pumpkin pie spice! Store in a sealed jar and it will last up to 1 year, although of course it’s best when it’s freshest.

Vegan pumpkin pie filling

What is the best filling for vegan pumpkin pie? Most people are used to a dollop of whipped cream: which certainly makes the experience complete. This cake is really delicious without whipped cream. But if you want the full experience, here’s how:

• Make a batch of vegan whipped cream. This vegan whipped cream recipe is light and fluffy, made with… you guessed it, coconut milk!
• Consider using vegan butter for the crust. If you’re planning on topping with vegan whipped cream and are concerned about too much coconut flavor, consider using vegan butter in the crust. Personally, we don’t mind the extra fruity finish of the coconut flavor in this fall dessert, but it’s an option to mix the flavors.

More vegan Thanksgiving recipes

This vegan pumpkin pie is the crown jewel of our list of vegan Thanksgiving recipes! Here are some other holiday favorites:

This vegan pumpkin pie recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan and plant-based.