Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pie (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

With a maple pecan crust, a creamy pumpkin filling, and billows of chai coconut whipped cream, this vegan and gluten-free pumpkin pie is sure to be a win at any holiday gathering.

It’s this time of the year again. Thanksgiving is right around the corner! For me who was in Hawaii not later than a week ago, it’s almost impossible to believe we made the switch from summer to the holiday season so quickly. But still, I’m ready, more ready than ever to kick off this long weekend of Thanksgiving.

What are your plans for Thanksgiving by the way? Are you hosting or are you the lucky one invited? I’m headed to some friends in Phoenix, Arizona. They are true foodies themselves and I’m thrilled to be taking part of this awesome Thanksgiving to be, bringing my little touch to the menu while tasting some of the most Thanksgiving classic dishes they take from their grandparents. The best.

Talking about food, you are probably almost ready with your menu now, and if you are still looking for some inspiration, you should definitely have a look at my 40+ Thanksgiving recipes or my 25 vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes, to which you should add a bunch of other new recipes from the blog, such as the pecan sweet potato casserole, the vegan sweet potato Shepherd’s pie, or the balsamic Brussels sprouts with a creamy goat cheese polenta, to name just a few. Last but not least, I believe we should all add the decadent chocolate chestnut fondant to our Thanksgiving traditional menu.

Now the best part: the pumpkin pie, the quintessential Thanksgiving dessert! Last year, I shared my Classic American Pumpkin Pie, made entirely from scratch with wholesome, plain ingredients only, and it has become a great success among everyone who tried it. It’s creamy, soft, with just the right amount of spice, and served on top of a perfect flaky crust. What else to ask for you might think? Well, this year I’m back with a completely new version, made entirely vegan and gluten-free.

The idea of baking a vegan pumpkin pie was in my mind for quite a while and I really wanted to recreate the exact same texture we have in the classic version (the raw pumpkin pie is not for me, sorry guys). No dairy, no eggs in this recipe. Instead, we use, along with the real pumpkin puree, some coconut milk and cornstarch in order to help the mixture to thicken while baking. The rest is the same: sugar, spices… although you might want to replace the light brown sugar with coconut palm sugar if you would like to. The recipe? Just combined all the ingredients until smooth. SO easy!

Then I created a gluten-free and vegan crust, made out of pecans and oats. Again, it is ridiculously easy. All you have to do is pulse pecans and oats in a food processor, then add the other ingredients, and line the bottom of the pie dish with the crust. I like to pre-bake the crust to make sure it will hold its shape and won’t let the filling go through afterwards. That being said, I also tried without pre-baking the crust and it works too, so if you run out of time it’s good to have it in mind.

Now what makes the pumpkin pie really special are the extra toppings, i.e. the chai coconut whipped cream and the candied pumpkin seeds. The fluffy coconut cream brings some lightness to the entire dessert. The key is to use a very cold can of coconut milk as you want to extract the cream only, so make sure you place it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before, ideally overnight. As for the candied pumpkin seeds, this part is completely optional but highly recommended. It brings a sweet crunchy taste to the all dessert and is slightly addictive. Happy Thanksgiving!

Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pie (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8 slices 1x
• Category: Cakes and Pies
• Cuisine: Vegan

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Description

With a maple pecan crust, a creamy pumpkin filling, and billows of chai coconut whipped cream, this vegan and gluten-free pumpkin pie is sure to be a win at any holiday gathering.

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Ingredients

For the pecan-oat crust:

• 1 1/2 cups (190g) raw pecans
• 1 cup (90g) rolled oats, gluten-free
• 2 Tablespoons rice flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 Tablespoons coconut oil, gently melted

For the pumpkin filling:

• 1 (15 oz./425g) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup (30 ml) full-fat coconut milk
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the toppings:

• 1 can (13 oz / 403 ml) full-fat coconut milk, very cold
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/3 cup (40g) pumpkin seeds (raw pepitas)
• 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

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Instructions

For the crust:

1. Process pecans and oats in the food processor until crumbly (don’t go too long or you might end up with pecan-oat butter). Transfer to a large bowl, add in the remaining dry ingredients, and stir well.
2. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch (23 cm) round pie pan and pre-bake for 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C).

For the pumpkin filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, spices, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Pour into the pre-baked pie crust and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the pumpkin pie filling has set. Be sure to check half way through baking and cover the crust edges with foil or a crust shield if they are getting dark. It’s okay if it still jiggles a bit, it sets while it cools overnight.
4. Remove from the oven and let the pie cool completely. Transfer to the refrigerator to set up over night.

For the toppings:

1. For the coconut cream, make sure you use a can previously refrigerated for at least 3 hours. Extract the solid part (coconut cream) only and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy. Add the spices and beat a little longer. Set aside.
2. For the candied pumpkin seeds, toss together pumpkin seeds with maple syrup in a small bowl. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toast in the oven at 350°F (180°C) until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Let cool.
3. Spoon the coconut cream over the pie, add the cooled candied pumpkin seeds, and serve.

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Shop the recipe

Here are a few items I used for this recipe:

Cuisinart Food Processor | Kitchen Aid Hand Mixer | Marble Pastry Board | Ruffled Pie Dish | Stainless Steel Measuring Cups | Measuring Spoons | Glass Mixing Bowl Set of 10

Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Del’s cooking twist.

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