The holiday season truly is the best time of the year. There are so many fun traditions, like spending time with family, listening to Christmas music, and sitting by the fireplace. However, my favorite traditions are the ones that involve food. When I first went vegan, I was afraid I would have to give up these traditions. However, the longer I am vegan, the more I realize that giving up animal products doesn’t mean giving up your favorite holiday foods!
This year, I celebrated my third Thanksgiving as a vegan, which also happened to be my little cousin’s 5th birthday. There was plenty of food for me to partake in, and my family members definitely made an effort to include more vegan options. My aunt even veganized her famous green bean casserole! On top of that, I was in charge of making my cousin’s birthday cake, so I made a vegan chocolate cake, decorated with fondant to look like a Lego Ninjago character. Everybody loved the cake and said it was the most rich, moist chocolate cake they’d ever eaten. Nobody even cared that it was vegan!
When I think of traditional holiday foods, pumpkin pie is the first thing to come to mind. Usually, pumpkin pie is full of dairy and eggs, so it is definitely not vegan-friendly. And most recipes for vegan pumpkin pie call for silken tofu or canned coconut milk, which I don’t usually have around the house. However, I couldn’t imagine celebrating Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie, so I set out to make my own recipe with simpler ingredients. I ended up replacing the coconut milk with almond milk, which worked perfectly. I also made the crust with vegetable shortening, rather than using coconut oil or vegan butter. For anyone out there who doesn’t have access to fancy ingredients, this pumpkin pie is perfect for you!
Vegan Pumpkin Pie
There’s no better way to celebrate the holidays than with a slice of pumpkin pie. This version is vegan, but doesn’t use any fancy ingredients like silken tofu or coconut milk!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup chilled non-dairy milk plus more as needed
For the Filling
- 2 1/2 cups pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup plain almond milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- Pinch ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
For the Crust
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In a large bowl, add the flour, salt, and sugar and whisk to combine.
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Using forks or a pastry cutter, cut the shortening into the flour to create a crumbly consistency.
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Drizzle in the milk and mix until the dough comes together into a ball, being careful not to over mix.
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On a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a circle that is slightly larger than a 9″ pie pan.
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Roll the dough onto a rolling pan and unroll it onto a pie pan.
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Use a knife to cut off any excess dough, and crimp the edges with a fork.
For the Flling
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
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Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.
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Bake in the oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the top is firm and the crust is just turning golden around the edges. If the crust browns too quickly, cover the crust with foil and continue baking.
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Remove pie from oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Transfer to refrigerator to finish cooling completely and to allow the filling to set.
If you enjoyed this pumpkin pie, be sure to check out some of my other pumpkin recipes!
Pumpkin Spice Pancakes (Refined Sugar Free)
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