You know that rich and creamy pumpkin pie, loaded with heavy cream and eggs? Well my family does, and it got an overhaul this year! Not 1 person (I will bet unless they are reading this post before they eat this) will know I swapped out the high cholesterol laden ingredients, because this pie rocks!
I swapped the heavy cream for coconut milk (sorry not reduced fat-it won’t firm up enough) and the egg yolks for flaxseed. The gelatin normally in my recipe was replaced with an vegan alternative called agar agar. It sells for under a $1 at out local Asian market. Go grab some. Unlike gelatin however, it does need to be heated until boiling. It helped to set the pie beautifully.
If you don’t have time to make this a day ahead, think about it for another upcoming holiday celebration. The best part is that all parts can be prepped a few days ahead from when you want to make it, and can be assembled the day you serve. I love desserts like that!
I made a ginger almond crust for the pictures in this post, however, a chocolate almond crust would be great too (see my peanut butter pie for that crust).
**Important Note: To make this, it’s best to refrigerate a can of coconut milk ahead of time (1 day before). This helps the milk to solidify. Open the can and remove solidified coconut cream, saving the coconut water for a later use, like making rice or oatmeal (yum!). Measure and use 1/2 of the solidified cream, which will be about 1/2 cup, to make the initial filling (follow directions on when to add), and the other 1/2 for making the needed whipped cream. You may desire to chill 2 cans. The additional can be whipped up for serving. Add a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and a splash of maple syrup to flavor.
Ingredients:
Filling:
- 1 1/2 tbsp flaxseed plus 4 1/2 tbsp water-mixed to create 1 1/2 flax eggs
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp agar agar powder (not flakes)-is the vegan version of gelatin (if using gelatin, you use 2 1/4 tsp)
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp raw or brown sugar
- refrigerated can: 1 1/2 cup of coconut milk divided (not reduced fat) I have used Whole Foods and Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk brands
- 1 1/4 cup of organic (preferred) canned pumpkin-save left overs and add to your oatmeal in the morning!
- pinch of salt
Crust:
- 1/2 cup of oat flour (if wanting grain free, add 1/2 cup of additional pecans, and omit oats)
- 2 cups pecans
- 1 1/2 tbsp crystallized ginger
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Blend crust ingredients in a food processor and press into a pie plate, bake for 20 minutes until crust is golden and you can smell it
- Add agar and 1/2 cup of the solidified coconut milk to a pan (see note above), place on low heat, and stir to combine. Place remaining cream into fridge for step 5. Add spices & sugar, and bring to a low boil for 2 minutes (cream will melt).
4. Remove from heat and stir in flax eggs and pumpkin. Place in fridge to cool, along with remaining coconut milk (at least a few hours or day before). Can speed chilling along by placing bowl inside an ice water bath to cool (bowl with pumpkin filling resting inside another bowl with ice water).
5. Once coconut milk/cream is cold to the point of solid (see note above, you need an additional 1/2 cup coconut cream), beat using a mixer with a whisk attachment, on high speed until a thick whipped cream is formed (about 3-4 minutes). Add in pumpkin filling, and continue to whip until incorporated.
6. Pour filling into pie shell and refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving. Filling can be made 2-3 days ahead of serving, crust can be made day ahead. Assemble in morning or a few hours before serving.
7. If desired, use an additional can of full fat coconut milk to make additional whipped cream to serve along side, or pipe on top. I recommend adding a little cinnamon, vanilla, and touch of maple syrup to flavor the cream for serving purposes. Add some freshly grated nutmeg on top for presentation.
- Filling:
- 1½ tbsp flaxseed plus 4½ tbsp water-mixed to create 1½ flax eggs
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp agar agar powder (not flakes)-is the vegan version of gelatin (if using gelatin, you use 2¼ tsp)
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp raw or brown sugar
- refrigerated can:
- 1½ cup of coconut milk divided(not reduced fat) I have used Whole Foods and Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk brands
- 1¼ cup of organic (preferred) canned pumpkin-save left overs and add to your oatmeal in the morning!
- pinch of salt
- Crust:
- ½ cup of oat flour (if wanting grain free, add ½ cup of additional pecans, and omit oats)
- 2 cups pecans
- 1½ tbsp crystallized ginger
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Blend crust ingredients in a food processor and press into a pie plate, bake for 20 minutes until crust is golden and you can smell it
- Add agar and ½ cup of the solidified coconut milk to a pan
- (see note above), place on low heat, and stir to combine. Place remaining cream into fridge for step 3. Add spices & sugar, and bring to a low boil for 2 minutes (cream will melt).
- Remove from heat and stir in flax eggs and pumpkin. Place in fridge to cool, along with remaining coconut milk (at least a few hours or day before). Can speed chilling along by placing bowl inside an ice water bath to cool (bowl with pumpkin filling resting inside another bowl with ice water).
- Once coconut milk/cream is cold to the point of solid (see note above, you need an additional ½ cup coconut cream), beat using a mixer with a whisk attachment, on high speed until a thick whipped cream is formed (about 3-4 minutes). Add in pumpkin filling, and continue to whip until incorporated.
- Pour filling into pie shell and refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving. Filling can be made 2-3 days ahead of serving, crust can be made day ahead. Assemble in morning or a few hours before serving.
- If desired, use an additional can of full fat coconut milk to make additional whipped cream to serve along side, or pipe on top. I recommend adding a little cinnamon, vanilla, and touch of maple syrup to flavor the cream for serving purposes. Add some freshly grated nutmeg on top for presentation.
