Get ready to fall in love! This easy recipe for no-bake vegan pumpkin pie is a classic, fluffy dessert that will have everyone asking for seconds. It's got a grain-free, perfectly spiced crust and flavorful pumpkin pie filling that's made in your blender. No oven time required!
It's time for one of the all-time best fall desserts - pumpkin pie! This is a holiday season superstar that I make every year. It's obviously a Thanksgiving dessert but it's so easy to make that you could seriously whip it up on any given weeknight!
Traditional pumpkin pie recipes can be complicated, and the last thing anybody needs is more pressure when it comes to cooking for the Thanksgiving table. This easy vegan pumpkin pie recipe is the exact opposite, using simple ingredients that come together quickly. Plus it's no-bake too, meaning you can use your oven for other dishes and have dessert on the table right after dinner!
I am obsessed with the the combination of the smooth filling and the crunchy crust. Serve it with a dollop of whipped coconut cream or a drizzle of instant vegan caramel sauce and watch your friends and family swoon.
No one will have any idea how simple it is to make, let alone believe that it is actually a healthy vegan and gluten-free dessert!
Ingredients
There are two components to this recipe, each of which takes only a few minutes to prepare: the pumpkin filling and the crust. The entire recipe consists of only 11 ingredients!
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Raw, unsalted cashews - Cashews are the magic ingredient for many creamy and decadent vegan recipes (more on this below).
- Pumpkin purée - Use homemade pumpkin purée for the best flavor, or about one full can from the grocery store.
- Pure maple syrup - My sweetener of choice! I buy maple in bulk because it is SO handy when I'm cooking and baking without refined sugar. It has just one ingredient (the sap from maple trees) and adds a natural sweetness to my favorite dishes.
- Fresh lemon juice - This adds the perfect balance to the sweeter pumpkin and maple flavors.
- Melted coconut oil - This creates a perfectly set pie as it cools in the refrigerator.
- Flavoring - Pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, salt and pure vanilla extract all give this pumpkin filling that nostalgic holiday warmth. They smell amazing, too!
Pumpkin Pie Crust
- Raw pecans - Pecans provide this naturally gluten-free crust with the perfect crunch.
- Medjool dates - This adds a touch of sweetness.
- Coconut oil - The coconut oil helps everything stick together.
- Pinch of salt
How to Make this Vegan No Bake Pumpkin Pie
This is an incredibly simple recipe. All you need is a blender for the creamy pumpkin pie filling and a food processor for the homemade pie crust!
1. Prepare the filling. Add all of the filling ingredients to a blender and blend until perfectly smooth.
2. Prepare the crust. Add all of the crust ingredients to a food processor and pulse until a coarse mixture forms. Transfer to a springform pan, cover with parchment paper and use the bottom of a glass to pack the crust mixture into an even layer across the bottom of a springform pan (no need to grease or line the pan!). Remove the parchment paper.
3. Pour the filling overtop the crust.
4. Place pie in the freezer. Freeze for 8-10 hours to solidify the filling, then remove from springform pan.
5. Thaw, garnish and slice. Let the pie thaw at room temperature for 1 hour and then slice. Refrigerate until ready to be served.
Recipe Tips
You don't need to soak the pecans that go in the crust. When pulsed with the dates and coconut oil, you get a crumbly, sweet mixture to press into the bottom of a springform pan.
The crust works best with dates that are fresh and soft. Once a package is open and left in the refrigerator for a couple days, the dates start to harden and they won't work as well for this crust.
How Far in Advance to Make a Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Once finished, cover your pie and leave it in the refrigerator to be served within a week.
You can store it in the freezer for up to two months, but it will need thawing time if it becomes frozen solid. This pie tastes best served straight from the refrigerator.
Homemade Pumpkin Purée
I use my easy homemade pumpkin purée in this recipe. It is the creamiest, most flavorful way to cook with pumpkin! The best part is that it takes so much less time to make than people realize. You just need a pie pumpkin, some water and your Instant Pot (or pressure cooker). I also have an oven version method which is just as simple!
Once the pumpkin is cooked you can easily cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and let the skin fall right off. Pumpkin becomes so soft when cooked that everything just falls apart!
Puréed pumpkin flesh is sweet, fluffy and filled with true pumpkin flavor! On the flip side, canned pumpkin can taste watery and a little bitter. Of course you can use canned pumpkin and this recipe will still be delicious...but if you've never made your own you don't know what you are missing!
Is Pumpkin Healthy?
Pumpkin is not only the favorite flavor of the season, but it's also packed with disease-fighting nutrients! It contains powerful antioxidants known as carotenoids that can protect cells from free radical damage.
Pumpkin also offers fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, folate, potassium and vitamins A, C, E and K. That gets a big jack-o-lantern smile from me!
Here are some recipes using pumpkin for every meal of the day (all vegan):
- Breakfast: I love starting my day with pumpkin breakfast cookies, easy blender vegan pumpkin muffins or a vegan pumpkin pie smoothie.
- Lunch: Nothing beats a mid-day bowl of vegan pumpkin chili or blender pumpkin soup when I need to warm up!
- Snack: Garlic pumpkin hummus or roasted pumpkin seeds always hits the spot.
- Dinner: Simple meals like one-pot vegan pumpkin curry or creamy vegan pumpkin garlic pasta are great for busy weeknights.
- Dessert: I love pumpkin pie pudding and these cute bite-sized no-bake mini pumpkin pies!
Cashew Pumpkin Pie Filling
The creaminess for this vegan pumpkin pie comes from the blended cashews. These offer plant-based protein and are also incredibly nutrient dense. Cashews are an excellent source of copper and a good source of magnesium, manganese, vitamin K, phosphorous and zinc. This makes your filling not only creamy and fluffy but incredibly nutritious, too!
I recommend soaking your cashews in advance to make the filling as smooth and creamy as possible.
This no-bake pumpkin pie is vegan (no dairy or eggs!), gluten-free, soy-free, and even made without refined sugar. That's what I call holiday magic!
My favorite coconut products are from Cha's Organics (coconut oil, coconut whipping cream and coconut rolls for garnish). Use code ELAINE20 to save 20%.
I have so many treats on my site that are perfect for anyone with allergies, specialty diets or dessert lovers looking for a healthier option. I hope you'll make and love these recipes, leave a review on the post and tag me on Instagram so I can see your holiday baking!
Insanely Good No-Bake Vegan Pumpkin Pie (Gluten-Free)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8-10
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This no-bake vegan pumpkin pie is a classic, fluffy dessert that will have everyone asking for seconds. Perfect for the holiday season!
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2.5 cups raw unsalted cashews*
- 1.5 cups homemade pumpkin purée (or one 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree)
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
For the crust:
- 8 soft pitted Medjool dates (1 cup)
- 1 cup raw unsalted pecans - no soaking needed
- 2 tablespoons melted unrefined coconut oil
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add all filling ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until perfectly smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Add all crust ingredients to a 7-cup food processor fitted with an S blade and pulse until a coarse mixture forms. You should be able to press the mixture between your fingers and it should stick together. Transfer to a 7.5-inch springform pan. There is no need to line or grease the pan. Place a sheet of parchment paper overtop the crust and use the bottom of a glass to pack the crust down into an even layer that covers the entire bottom of the pan. Remove the parchment paper.
- Pour the filling directly overtop the crust.
- Place the pan in your freezer for 8-10 hours until the filling is frozen solid. Release the springform pan and use a knife to separate the bottom layer from the crust. It should slide right off the bottom of the pan and onto a serving plate. Allow to thaw for 1 hour at room temperature and then slice into 8-10 slices (10 slices will still yield satisfying portions as the pie is rich). Place on your serving platter, cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- For smooth and creamy texture, I like to serve the pie after it has sat at room temperature for at least one hour. You can serve while still frozen and it will be more like a cheesecake texture. Both are delicious!
- Top pumpkin pie slices with homemade coconut whipped cream and a dusting of ground cinnamon if desired.
Notes
*Soak the cashews in boiling hot water for at least 1 hour in advance of blending. Once soaked, the cashews will measure 2 ⅔ cups (or more if you soak longer). After soaking is complete, drain, rinse and dry and add to blender. Learn more about how (and why) to soak cashews.
To make homemade pumpkin purée in the oven rather than the pressure cooker method linked above, place a 2.5-3 pound pie pumpkin on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Pierce a couple holes in it with a knife and bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes (cook time will depend on the size of your pumpkin - you will know it is finished cooking when the skin starts to brown). Once the pumpkin is cool, slice in half and remove the seeds and "guts" of the pumpkin. The outer skin should peel right off. If not, use a spoon to scoop the flesh of the pumpkin away from the skin. Place all the pumpkin flesh in a blender and purée using a tamper/plunger on low speed until smooth and creamy. This should make about 3 cups of pumpkin purée.
Store leftover pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator if you plan to enjoy within a week. Otherwise, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.
- Prep Time: 20
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Freezer
Elizabeth says
Thank you for the recipe! I wanted to make a vegan pumpkin dessert for Thanksgiving and couldn't pass your tasty looking recipe by when I saw a photo on Instagram! I love how it's no bake and isn't too sweet. I didn't have time to make my own pumpkin puree but the canned variety worked just fine for me. I've had a couple of refrigerated slices and might try freezing a portion next to try it out that way! Thanks again 🙂
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Elizabeth! Thank you so much for letting me know! Yes, the no-bake aspect of the recipe is totally clutch for oven-heavy holidays. O do highly recommend trying the frozen version as well - it is more like cheesecake. You could even add a little lemon juice to it next time to give it that cheesecake tang.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! Best, Elaine
Kylie says
Excited to try this out. Never made pumpkin pie before but I have recently had to cut out all dairy products and I'm keen to try new recipes.
I just made the base first and refrigerated while I do filling and soak the cashews. Do you think you could substitute the cashews with another nut? Or do half cashews and half another nut? I bought cashews but forgot how much I needed when at the shop. They only came in small 100g bags.
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Kylie. Great question! You could substitute raw blanched slivered almonds (unsalted and not roasted). These are different from sliced almonds which have the skin which you do NOT want here. You want a smooth neutral flavor. You could also potentially use raw macademia nuts. If you have raw sunflower seeds that could potentially work but I'm guessing you would need to use less and it might have a slight flavor. I would stick with raw cashews or the raw blanched slivered almonds if possible. Do you have enough for that? Best of luck and I hope you love the end result! Best, Elaine
Kylie says
Ok, perfect! I had a cup and half of the cashews and found a cup of almonds in the cupboard so have just blanched them and removed the skins. Now letting both nuts soak and will see how that goes.
Elaine Gordon says
Oh wow, I have never blanched almonds myself - very ambitious of you! How did it turn out for you?
Emma Eckley says
Just made this recipe! It is setting up in the freezer as a write up this review. I am doing an experiment this year at our family's Thanksgiving gathering. I am making this vegan pumpkin pie and a traditional pumpkin pie to see which the family enjoys more. I have not tried this yet but I did taste test the filling and the crust - and boy oh boy, is it tasty good. Can't wait to try a piece of the pie on Thursday.
Thanks for the recipe Elaine!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Emma! Sounds like a fun experiment and I'm excited to hear how it turns out! May the best pie win! Happy early Thanksgiving! Best, Elaine
Bobby Gordon says
Mary J says
Hey looking great Elaine!
Questions for the medjool dates replacement, do you think that pitted prunes would do the same job?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Mary: I apologize for the delay. I hope I'm not too late. For this recipe while it might work in terms of texture I don't think it will be sweet enough so I would not recommend for this dessert. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you! ~Elaine
Spillt User says
april says
It would have been REALLY helpful for you to have included that the cashews needed to be soaked. I almost never read the asterisk in a recipe and unfortunately I didn't here until it was too late. Why not just say "2.5 cups cashews, soaked in hot water for an hour"?? Fingers crossed my pie filling won't be chunky. I had to transfer it to my food processor to blend it bc it was too thick for my vitamin. Results TBD.
Elaine Gordon says
Hi April, The soaking will produce the best results if you don't have a high quality blender. The quick soak method is explained further in the notes and you can get away with 20-30 minutes for that. I do not recommend using a food processor for this recipe as the results will not be smooth. Does your blender come with a tamper? How did it turn out for you? Best, Elaine
Sharon says
My mom used to make a frozen pumpkin dessert with ice cream. This is very reminiscent of that, but non dairy. I'm so glad I found this recipe!
Elaine Gordon says
Aw that is so great to hear, Sharon! Thank you! I love that this was a bit nostaligc for you. Thank you for the five star review!