Pumpkin Pie
Makes a 9-inch pie, Preparation Time 60 minutes
Save the cow the effort, this is a delicious plant-based Pumpkin Pie. We make a form of this Pumpkin Pie every year for thanksgiving. We have to be pressed for time to use canned pumpkin or squash for the filling. Instead, we prefer to buy a small pumpkin or two, and we bake our little pumpkins until they are soft.
To make your pumpkin mash. Wash the pumpkin to ensure there is no soil still on the fruit. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and place the pumpkin on a baking dish in the middle of the oven. Bake the pumpkin for 30 minutes or more depending on the size of your pumpkin. Using a pointed knife, you will know your pumpkin is cooked if the knife passes easily through the pumpkin. Once cooked, remove the pumpkin from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cool, you are ready to cut it in half to remove the seeds and stringy insides and remove the outer skin. Your pumpkin mash is now ready for your pie or a nutritious soup.
Crust Ingredients
- ½ to 1 cup rolled oats. Useless if you prefer a thinner crust.
- ¾ cup walnuts
- ½ cup dates, pits removed, which is about 6 good-sized dates
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water, or more if needed
Filling Ingredients
- 15 oz (450 ml) can of pumpkin filling, or bake your small pumpkin for its orange flesh.
- 1 cup coconut milk, full fat or blend ½ cup of cashews, ½ cup pitted dates, and ½ cup of water to make cashew cream.
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 prepared 9-inch pie shell lined and baked with the ingredients above or your own homemade or store-bought alternative.
Making the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a food processor or blender, combine the oats and the walnuts and blend until it becomes a flour-like mixture. Add in the dates, vanilla, and a little water. Blend until the mixture is thick, like a cookie dough texture.
- In a 9-inch pie pan, spread out the crust as evenly as possible with the back of a spoon. The crust will be sticky. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
Preparing the Filling and Baking Your Pumpkin Pie
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, coconut milk or cashew cream, syrup, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, corn starch, salt, and vanilla until very smooth.
- Pour into the par-baked pie crust and carefully transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until the pie becomes dark. Check the pie every 15 minutes to be sure it doesn't burn. Remove from the oven and let the pie cool completely.
- The filling will need to sit overnight to become firm. Once the pie has cooled, cover the pie, and transfer it to the refrigerator to set overnight.
- Once your Pumpkin Pie has chilled and set you are ready to serve, adding whipped cream or ice cream if you please. Try to keep with the dairy-free, plant-based condiments.
You can make your own Pumpkin Spice by combining 1 tablespoon cinnamon. ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground clove, and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
Adzuki Chocolate Pudding
Raspberry Cashew Cream Cake
