Make this super simple dairy free pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving! It's gluten free too and made from scratch with a simple pie crust and coconut milk filling. You'll be amazed how thick and creamy this recipe is!
If you're eating a dairy free Thanksgiving, this recipe is for you! You won't have any idea that the dairy is missing. It's the best pumpkin pie!
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour: purchase blanched (peeled almonds) from the store. They're usually in the baking aisle!
- Tapioca flour: this gluten free flour is affordable and easy to find in the baking aisle.
- Palm oil shortening or vegan butter: Make sure they're very cold for an extra flaky pie crust.
- Coconut sugar: I like to use coconut sugar for a healthier version, but brown sugar is great too.
- Eggs: this is the binder for the pie, but you could try using a vegan option like Just eggs.
- Pure pumpkin puree: make sure you're using the plain puree and not the pumpkin pie filling.
- Canned full fat coconut milk: the extra thick cream in this makes the filling so creamy. Make sure to get full fat, that is key!
- Pure maple syrup: for sweetness!
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin pie spice: we're keeping it simple with a pre-made pumpkin pie spice, but you could make your own. See below!
Homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
How to make dairy free pumpkin pie
Make the gluten-free pie crust
- Start by adding all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor until a dough forms and starts to pull away from the edges of the bowl.
- Gather the dough into a loose ball and wrap in plastic then chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 days prep ahead!).
- Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Pierce the dough with a fork then place a piece of parchment paper on top of the crust and add pie weights or dry beans to the top of the crust so it doesn't bubble. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes until the bottom is set.
Make the dairy-free pumpkin pie filling
- While the crust is baking, whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolk then pour it into the partially baked pie crust.
- Cover the outsides of crust with foil or a pie cover to avoid burning and bake for 55-65 minutes.
FAQs
The best way to tell when the pie is done is by gentle shaking the pie to see if it jiggles. If it jiggles it needs a few more minutes.
Yes, you can overcook pumpkin pie. Because every oven varies, start checking on the pie in the last 5 minutes to ensure the top is set. You'll know it's overcooked if it begins to crack. You can buy a pie shield to cover the outside crust if it looks like it's getting too brown before the inside is finished cooking.
You can use homemade pumpkin pure if you have that on hand. If you're having trouble finding the canned version you can make your own. I recommend placing the pumpkin in a clean dish towel or coffee filter to strain out any additional moisture. From there, replace the canned pumpkin in the recipe with 2 cups of homemade pumpkin pure.
What to serve with dairy free pumpkin pie:
Pumpkin pie is best served cold with a large dollop of whipped cream. Use this whipped coconut cream tutorial to make homemade dairy free whipped cream in a few minutes!
Make-ahead options
- Make the dough: prep the dough up to 2 days in advance. Leave the dough in the fridge until you have time to finish the pie.
- Make the whole pie: this dessert is served room temperature or chilled, so it makes a great dessert to make fully in advance. You can make dairy free pumpkin pie up to 2 days in advance. Cover and store it in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More dairy free desserts
- Paleo pumpkin bars
- Vegan pumpkin cheesecake
- Pumpkin cobbler [GF | DF]
- Healthy pumpkin cookies
- Paleo pumpkin chocolate chunk blondies
Easy dairy free pumpkin pie
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- 2/3 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup palm oil shortening or vegan butter cold
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 egg
Filling:
- 1-15 oz can pure pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk shaken to blend
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or make your own
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk room temp
Instructions
Make the gluten free pie crust
- Start by adding all of the pie crust ingredients to the bowl of a food processor, except for the egg, and pulse until a crumb forms. Next, add the egg and pulse until a dough forms and starts to pull away from the edges of the bowl.
- Gather the dough into a loose ball and wrap in plastic then chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 days if you want to make it in advance.
- While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Pierce the dough with a fork then place a piece of parchment paper on top of the crust and add pie weights or dry beans to the top of the crust so it doesn't bubble. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes until the bottom is set.
- Pierce the dough with a fork a few times to it doesn’t puff up while baking. Bake the pie crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until the bottom is set. Remove and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Make the dairy free filling
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, being careful not to over-mix.
- Pour the filling into the partially baked pie crust. Cover the crust only with aluminum foil or a pie shield, and bake again for 55-65 minutes or until the center of the pie is set.
- Allow to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, serve or keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Serve with coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired!
Macie R says
What can I substitute for tapioca flour in the crust? Would Cassava flour work?
Molly Thompson says
You could try arrowroot starch! Cassava might work! I haven't tried it and it's a different protein structure but could work:)