How to Make Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie
It's the season for pumpkin pie! And pumpkin pie never tastes better than when we make it ourselves with our delicious plant milk. It also means you can control what goes in it and don't end up with a pie loaded with unnecessary additives.
If you want to make a smooth, creamy, and tasty vegan pumpkin pie to enjoy during this fall, read on to learn how to do it in a little over an hour!
First…the crust
Granted, a ton of the pie crusts you find in the store are “accidentally dairy-free,” but what’s the fun in buying one when you can make one at home and get the kids involved?
And just because it’s dairy-free or vegan, doesn’t necessarily mean that pie crust will also be free of other added junk. Making it yourself is the perfect way to ensure you’re getting nothing but the good stuff!
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ cup cold Vegan Butter
- ¼ cup of cold Plant-Based Milk, or more if needed. Our Cashew Milk is great for baking!
- *Optional - ½ tsp Sugar
How to make your dairy-free pumpkin pie crust?
1. Making your dough
Put the flour, salt, and sugar into a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Next, cut your vegan butter (the colder the better) into cubes and scatter them into your mixture. Then, take a fork or pastry cutter and cut the butter into the flour until you end up with a crumble-like mixture. Next, add the milk – pour it around the mix rather than in one place – and combine. Continue mixing until you have a ball of dough, then stop so you don't over-mix!
2. Roll out your dough
Spread a tea towel and lightly sprinkle it with extra flour. Push the dough into a ball, take it out of the bowl, and place it on the tea towel. Roll your dough until you have a circle a few inches bigger than your pie dish. This ensures you have enough for the sides and edges and to cut away at the end. Remember you want a consistent thickness, too.
3. Finishing your pie crust
Lift the tea towel and flip your dough into your pie dish. Gently press, so it takes the shape of your pie dish. Next, cut any excess dough away from around the edges and use this to fill any holes that may have appeared. Finally, pinch the edges to form the pie crust. And you're done! If you're often looking for a dairy-free pie crust, bookmark this one to use again and again. If you ever need to bake your crust first, pierce the dough with a fork and bake it for 15 minutes at 450°F.
Making your pumpkin pie filling
Set your crust to one side, so it's ready for you to add your pumpkin filling.To make your pumpkin pie filling, you’ll need:
- 2 ½ cups Pumpkin Puree – this is not the same as pre-made pumpkin pie filling
- ½ cup Elmhurst Unsweetened Plant Milk of your choice
- 4 Tbsp Elmhurst Pumpkin Spice Oat Creamer*
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar
- ¼ cup of Maple Syrup
- 4 Tbsp Arrowroot Powder
- 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Salt
- Your dairy-free pie crust
*If opting to skip the oat creamer, we recommend using our cashew milk for this recipe. Up the amount of milk from ½ cup to ¾ cup, and add 1 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice.
How to make your pumpkin pie filling
This is very easy and should only take five minutes, so preheat your oven to 350°F before you get started.1. Making the filling
Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. Mix well until you have a consistent mixture. Remember to taste it as you go – but leave some for the pie! Recipes are guides, so add a little extra something if necessary to get it just how you like it.
2. Add it to your pie crust
Pour your perfect pumpkin pie mixture into your pie dish. Use a spatula or knife to spread your filling evenly - you want to have a smooth, level top.
3. Bake your pumpkin pie
Bake your pumpkin pie for about an hour, careful not to overbake. When it’s ready, your crust will be a golden, lightly browned color and the outer edges of your filling set, while the center should still be a bit wobbly.
4. Cool and refrigerate
Set your pumpkin pie to the side and allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, loosely cover and place in your fridge to fully set. Your pie will need a minimum of four hours – leaving it overnight is ideal.
5. Enjoy!
Serve your pumpkin pie to your guests (or keep it to yourself!) as is or top with your favorite vegan whipped cream. Enjoy! Your dairy-free & vegan pumpkin pie will stay fresh in your fridge for 3 – 4 days, meaning you can make it ahead of Thanksgiving or another occasion and give yourself the time to focus on everything else!
Dairy-Free & Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients For The Crust
- ¼ cup of cold Elmhurst® Plant-Based Milk or more if needed. Our Cashew Milk is great for baking!
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ cup cold Vegan Butter
- *Optional - ½ tsp Sugar
Instructions For Making The Crust
- Add flour, salt, and sugar to a large bowl and mix. Cut chilled vegan butter into cubes & add to mixture. With a fork or pastry blender continue to cut into flour mixture until you get a crumble-like consistency.
- Add milk evenly throughout and gently mix just until dough forms. Shape into a ball.
- Spread a tea towel out & lightly flour. Roll out dough on the towel into a circle a few inches larger than your pie dish.
- Lift the tea towel to flip your dough into your pie dish. Gently press and trim the edges. Use excess dough to fill any holes, then pinch edges to crimp.
Ingredients For The Filling
- ½ cup Elmhurst® Plant-Based Milk of your choice
- 4 Tbsp Elmhurst® Pumpkin Spice Oat Creamer*
- 2 ½ cups Pumpkin Puree – this is not the same as pre-made pumpkin pie filling
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar
- ¼ cup of Maple Syrup
- 4 Tbsp Arrowroot Powder
- 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions For Making The Pie
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Add all filling ingredients to a large bowl & mix until combined. Pour into your pie crust, spreading evenly.
- Bake at 350F for about 1 hour. Your crust should be a golden lightly, browned color. The filling will be set around the edges but should be a bit wobbly in the center.
- Set aside and cool to room temperature, then loosely cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to fully set.
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 10 min
Mix Prep Time: 5 minutes/Cooking Time 1 hour
Mix Additional Time: (Pie in the fridge) Minimum 4 hours
