This Vegan Pumpkin Pie is the best one you’ll ever taste. It’s even better than the traditional recipe that comes on a can of pumpkin! All you need is a handful of ingredients and a blender to whip up the filling, so it can be baking away in your oven in just minutes.
What Can You Substitute for Eggs in Pumpkin Pie?
Instead of using eggs, this recipe uses arrowroot starch as a binder. (Cornstarch and tapioca starch should also work similarly, if you have that on hand instead.)
This option makes pie taste like the real thing, rather than using a flax egg which might create a different taste or texture.
How Do You Thicken Pumpkin Pie Filling?
The rest of the pie filling is thickened by using dates and coconut cream. Coconut cream is the solid part found at the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk that has been chilled.
I used to thicken my vegan pumpkin pie with almonds, but I think this version tastes a little more authentic, while also being a nut-friendly option. (Coconut is technically a fruit, despite its name.)
This recipe also has half the calories and fat compared to my old almond-based recipe, but you can still find the original recipe at the bottom of the post if you prefer that one.
When you blend all of the filling ingredients together, they become silky smooth. You can pour the filling directly into your favorite vegan pie crust, and then bake. You’ll only have the blender to clean up when you’re done!
Top with coconut whipped cream for an extra-pretty presentation, or enjoy it however you like.
I do recommend keeping this pie chilled for the firmest texture, but it can be left on the counter for a few hours without getting too soft to serve.
Tip: This recipe calls for pumpkin pie spice, so that you only have to get out one jar of spice to measure. If you can’t find a convenient blend at the store, try my homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe, instead!
Vegan Pumpkin Pie (Soy-free!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup Medjool dates , pitted (about 6 oz by weight)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut cream (the solid part in a can of chilled coconut milk)
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch (or cornstarch or tapioca)
- 1 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and have a 9-inch unbaked pie crust ready to be filled.
- Add all of the filling ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides, as needed, until you can no longer see any pieces of dates in the mixture.
- Pour the filling directly into the unbaked pie crust, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is darker and has set, and the crust is golden.
- Let the pie cool at room temperature for up to an hour, then transfer it to the fridge to chill for at least 2 more hours before serving. (You can also make this the night before and let it chill overnight.)
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, keeping it tightly covered.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Notes:
If you can’t have coconut milk, you can replace it with another non-dairy milk of your choice, just keep in mind that the resulting pie won’t be as creamy.
Looking for my original recipe?
This recipe was updated in November 2019 to make it the best vegan pumpkin pie ever. (In my humble opinion, anyway.) If you miss the old pie filling that I posted back in 2011, here’s the previous recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup raw almonds, soaked at least 4 hours (or 1/2 cup almond butter)
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 (16 oz.) can of pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
Blend the filling ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into an unbaked pie crust, or directly into a greased pie pan for a “crustless” pie, and bake at 400F for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350F and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes, then chill for 2 hours in the fridge before serving.
If you have already tried my old recipe, I’d love to hear if you like this new one better! I think it would fool ANYONE expecting a traditional pumpkin pie. Please leave a comment below letting me know what you think!
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Reader Feedback: Are you doing any holiday baking? What are your favorite holiday desserts?
Pumpkin pie is my favourite by far! And I love making healthier versions – this sounds delicious!
This is seriously the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever tasted. Austin and I have nearly polished it off already!!
Can you use almond butter with water for faster ?
There once was a similar recipe, but with butternut squash and blanched/peeled almonds. What happened to that? I loved that recipe! Help!
I don’t recall a recipe like that on my site, but I think you could substitute butternut squash for the pumpkin very easily.
love pumpkin pie!!! and love it when it is super easy to make 🙂
You could do coconut milk instead of almonds to thicken it…
What an awesome recipe…I luv it! 🙂 It looks like it turned out fabulous!!!!
It’s SO GOOD– Austin and I have nearly polished it off already!
I have all of those ingredients, yay! I’m going to make this in the next couple of day, thanks!!
Hope you enjoy it!! 😀
Delish! xox
Hi
I just made a similar version of this to serve as a dip for GF gingerbread (from the babycakes book). I’m not baking mine, leaving it fluffy like a whip topping. I used cashews, pumpkin puree, the pie spice, and a few drops of vanilla stevia and a little agave. Whipped it up in the vita mix. I’m hoping the extended family will enjoy it too.
The gingerbread was baked in a jelly roll pan. Then I used cookie cutters to cut out stars, candy canes and gingerbread man. Much easier then making cookies where you need to roll out the dough and chill the dough etc.
Mmm, that gingerbread sounds delicious! I love the Babycakes book. 🙂 Great idea to use the jelly roll pan, and make the shapes after baking!!
I looked this over and have been realllly excited about making this since it was posted. Was planning on making this tonight but I realized some of the measurements were missing on the recipe. (Maple syrup, & pumpkin spice)
I’m assuming you used the whole box of puree.
Thanks & can’t wait to get baking!
Just noticed the link to the original recipe! woops! I’ve been a total holiday fluster. 🙂
I can totally relate to the holiday fluster! Glad you found the recipe link, and I hope you were able to enjoy it, too!! 😀
The pie looks so good!!! Urrgh yesterday i was trying to make a crustless pumpkin pie as well, and didn’t realize the bottom of the pan was not sealed well (I had those clip-on cake pans). The oil I used for greasing and the contents leaked to the bottom and produced tons of smoke 🙁 Pumpkin pie failure…
I’ll try this recipe next time!!
Ahh, sorry to hear about the pie disaster! Hope this one turns out better for you next time. 😉
Have been looking for a crustless pie recipe like this. Can hardly wait to try it! Our temperature is cooler outside today so baking pumpkin pie just seems like the right thing to do. Do you ever use Coconut Nectar instead of maple syrup? It has worked really well for me in other recipes. Think I’ll give it a try!
No, I’ve never tried Coconut Nectar! I’ve heard great things about it, so perhaps I’ll pick up a bottle soon.
Let us know how it works for you in the pie! 🙂
just making this recipe and trying to figure out how many ml is in 16 oz. I’m getting different answers when I google this. I’m hoping that it’s about 1.5 cups?
Ive only found pumpkin purée in cans. Where did you find it in a box, like in the picture?
I found it at Whole Foods last year, but I haven’t seen it this year! I hope they order it again before Thanksgiving!
I just made this cake today with honey indstead of maple syrup and sunbutter instead of almonds. I only used cinnamon for spice. We loved it. Nice and sweet and very addictive.
Do you think if I wanted to cut some of the maple syrup out (maybe only use 3/4 cup) and used 1/4 cup applesauce to replace the lost liquid volume it would still taste sweet enough? Just trying to cut a little of the sugar out (and maple syrup is expensive here!)
Yes, that might work! Please let us know if you try it!
i dont have a high powered blender,so instead i use 1/2 cup of almond butter and then blend the rest of the ingredients?
Yes, blend in the 1/2 cup almond butter with the rest of your ingredients, and you should have a smooth filling!
I used an avocado instead of the almonds/almond butter and soaked dates instead of the maple syrup. My food processor and blender are out of commission but I was able to use a hand mixer to incorporate all the ingredients (this would be easier if one used maple syrup or honey as the dates didnt completely dissolve/incorporate).
Def trying it for the upcoming holiday!
Wish me good luck!
I made this and loved it. Do you think I could substitute butternut squash for pumpkin and reduce the amount of syrup?
I haven’t tried that myself, but it sounds like it might work. Please let us know if you have any success!
this was the worst pie I ever ate & made. very disappointing. had guests over & they were polite but could tell they hated it.
I’m sorry to hear that! I guess crust-less pie isn’t for everyone. This pumpkin pie has become a staple at our house, and I’ve been asked to make it every year.
Okay, I made this with butternut squash today, which enabled me to reduce the maple syrup–used approximately 1/4 cup + 2 Tbps. Turned out great! Probably almost identical to the pumpkin version. I love this recipe. Thank you!
Thanks for the update! I think I’ll have to reduce the maple syrup in our next pumpkin pie, too– it seems our taste buds have adapted in the last year, and now my family prefers slightly less-sweet desserts. Good to know that we can use butternut squash, too!
I brought this pie to my family’s Thanksgiving this year, and everyone loved it. I forgot to pick up a bag of almonds, so I used raw cashews instead, and it worked great. Thanks for another delicious recipe!
Hi Megan,
It is a cold but sunny Sunday here in France, and it is the perfect time to try this wonderful pie. We are not used to cook pumpkin in a sweet way but I am very tempted… Will keep you updated about the result!
And thank you for this great idea!
Karine
Hi Megan, as promised: the feedback. One word: SUCCESS! My guests were absolutely delighted with my dessert. And as I told them, it is an absolut “non guilty but healthy” pie. My friends asked for the receipe and I was pleased to send them the link of your blog. Thank you again for this wonderful pie!
Karine (and all her French Girly Friends 😉 )
Hi Megan,
I make at least two of your recipes a week and my family and I are really enjoying it ALL!
I baked the Pumpkin Pie last night but used pecans instead of Almonds. Everything else was the same. Left it in the fridge overnight and the pie did not fully set. It tasted WONDERFUL though. Did I not cook it long enough? Or did the pecans make the difference? Any pointers would be great!
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie! After making this pie a few more times, I’ve had varied results with how it sets up, too. When using a pie crust, it is usually sturdy enough to slice and serve. However, when making it crust-less, as I usually do, I’ve learned that the pie pan you use really matters! For best results, I use this Emile Henry pie dish (very well greased). For some reason, my crustless pie slides right out of it! This year, I made the pie in a glass baking dish, and it wasn’t easy to slice and serve– it was more like an under-baked pumpkin custard. I ended up scooping it out and serving it in little bowls instead! Still delicious, just not as pie-like.
I’m not sure if the pecans would make a difference in how it sets up, but I hope it tastes good, regardless!
Yes, me too! Just made it in a glass dish with macadamia nuts instead of almonds and it is more like a custard as well. Tastes so good though!!
Looks good..but SO much sugar. Nearly 2 tbsps of syrup per serving. Dangerous to me because I tend to eat the WHOLE pie 🙂
You can try reducing the maple syrup and adding stevia for some extra sweetness if you prefer. I haven’t tried this myself, because I’m afraid that the caramelized maple syrup is why this pie holds together– you may risk the pie not setting by reducing the syrup. But, my family usually doesn’t care what the pie looks like, as long as it tastes good! 😉
I used half a cup of maple syrup and it was still nice and sweet. It is more of a custard but the taste is still awesome.
Not a fan of pumpkin pie, but I would love to try mashed sweet potatoes for a slightly different version. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
OMG this is sooooo amazing! I baked mine in a glass Pyrex & it came out fine! It’s only been a few hours & it’s almost gone! Has anyone tried this with walnuts instead of the almonds?
Hi I just made this last night for canadian thanksgiving…my husband is vegan, can’t eat gluten so I wanted him to have a pumpkiny treat. I gave him the choice between this recipe and the pumpkin pudding, he chose pie. He’d eaten all his almond butter, so I tried coconut oil. My oven does not work properly, so I was a bit worried. The pie did not set even though I used the whole cup of maple syrup! so it was gooey pudding and SUPER SWEET. Too sweet for my husband, so he will only eat a tiny bit of it at a time. But agreed, very yummy and would love to try it with nut butter or nuts.
Is it normal for the filling to move and look gooey when it comes out of the oven??
I notice you said to use a blender, will a food processor work? I would use the almond butter instead of whole almonds. Thanks!
Ok, this was AMAZING!!! I never thought I would say this but, it was actually TOO sweet! I’m wondering if I could reduce the syrup to 3/4 cup? Would I need to replace that 1/4 cup of liquid? Thanks so much!
This pie is exactly perfect for me! Thank you for your creations! I made mine in a glass pie plate and it set just fine. I did bake it longer to achieve that pie consistency. I need to be gluten free now so thank you again!
Made this over the weekend to start testing recipes for the upcoming Thanksgiving. Was very good. Baked in a glass pyrex dish and came out great. Loved the consistansy which was just like pumpkin pie. You never know when you try a new recipe how it is going to be. I used 1/2 cup of almond butter instead of soaking almonds. I may try 1 tsp of cinnamin next time to see how it taste. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I have made a dozen of your recipes (no, probably more) and I have never been disappointed. This looks like another recipe that will be an amazing succes! One question, I was asked to bring pumpkin pie, but I love pecan pie. Do you think pecan butter would work instead of the almond butter?
Hi! I was wondering if I substituted the maple syrup with an artificial sweetner like stevia would I still put in the same amount? or less? Thanks!
Stevia is not artificial, and no, don’t use the same amount. 1 tsp of stevia equals 1 cup of sugar. Look up sweetener substitutions to see what you can use.
Holiday baking! Yay!
I have a nut allergy and cannot eat almonds. Any ideas? Would pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds work? Thanks so much, for ALL your recipes.
Hi there! I just wanted to let you know that I made this for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, halfway through the recipe (on Thanksgiving day) I realized I had no pumpkin! So I chopped up a butternut squash and steamed it, then substituted it for the pumpkin called for. I also lessened the maple because the butternut was so sweet and flavorful. It was amazing! We put the leftovers in the freezer, and enjoyed it even more the next day (kind of like the way we enjoy your pumpkin cookies– out of the freezer). I hope this helps someone else who might not have pumpkin on hand. I will definitely make this again with the butternut.
I can’t seem to rate any of your recipes on my phone, I’ve made dozens of your recipes and never once been disappointed!
I’ve made this about 3 times now and my whole family loves it! I’ve never liked the crust on pumpkin pie, so I think it’s awesome! This has officially become a yearly tradition around Thanksgiving.
Anyone who reduced the maple syrup in this recipe: how much did you use?
Going to try this today, what do I use for “pumpkin pie spice”, was thinking just cinnamon and nutmeg, would that do it? Giving 5 stars even though I haven’t made it yet cause I’m sure it will be awesome (everything else I’ve made from this site has been…. : )
I found a really good organic pumpkin spice at my favorite local health food store (Fiddleheads). I made this crust-less and with a crust, and I found I liked the crust-less version much better. Although I really enjoyed this, it was not quite as good as “traditional” pumpkin pie, but certainly an excellent vegan alternative!!!
I would like to bake this in a crust would you let me know what recipe you would use? Thanks by the way I have made a lot of your recipes and loved every single one!
Just made this last night and it was amazing! However, I only put in 1/2 C of honey – I cannot imagine this recipe with 1 full C of sweetener? I added a dash of salt, too. When I make it again though, I will pop the skins off the almonds after soaked because they would not fully blend up. I used the smaller of the two Vitamix containers – maybe if I used the larger one it would’ve blended better. It still tastes great, just has flecks in it. Some people may not like the slight texture change from it. I’ll definitely be spreading the word about this recipe 🙂 Thanks!
Delicious and I love the idea of making pie without the hassle and calorie load of crust. I have made this a couple of times now and find that 1/3 cup of maple syrup is a good sweetness for me and the reduction in liquid made it a pretty sturdy pie. I also made it once with a vegan “egg” — 3 tbs of water to one tbs of ground up chia and flax seeds. Tasty pie!
does it have to be kept in the fridge?
I always keep everything in the fridge to be on the safe side, but I imagine you can leave it out for a couple hours while serving.
Love this recipe and made it twice. I don’t have a vita mix and didn’t want to use almond butter so I substituted 1 cup of almond flour for the soaked almond. The pie didn’t set up. The second time, I again substituted 1 cup of almond flour but added 2 tablespoons of chia seeds soaked in 5 tablespoons of water (the equivalent of 2 eggs) and reduced the syrup to 3/4 cup. Still the same delicious pie, and I can now cut it into slices.
Hi! Woyjd you be able to substitute the maple syrup with sugar? Or dates? Thanks!!
Mind blowing! I never thought about crust less. Totally going to try this.
I have such a problem getting everything smooth with my vita mix. I used soaked almonds and fresh roasted pumpkin but not yet purred. I ended up having to add about 1/4 cup of water and still couldn’t get my vita mix to go past 3, it would always stall. Any tips for getting things as smooth as possible?
I made this on Sunday, and I’m glad that I don’t need to bring anyone else a slice on Thanksgiving, because it’s half gone. The flavor is perfect, the texture is perfect, and I don’t miss the crust one little bit. I would like to figure out how to convert the recipe to cook in custard cups, however, because it is true what people say about slices coming out a bit squishy. I think they would be adorable in little ramekins, so if anyone knows how to convert such a thing time and temperature-wise, please let me know. Either way, I will definitely be making this recipe again — and quite possibly as soon as this pie is gone!
https://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/coconut.html
Cocnuts are both fruit, nut, and seed, botanically speaking. Many people who have nut (pecan, walnut, cashew…) sensitivities are also sensitive to coconut. I don’t eat raw, plain tree nuts any more, incl coconut, but I am able to enjoy coconut cream and milk, and I will be trying this pie!