Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

All my fellow pumpkin pie lovers, you are in for a treat! My dairy-free pumpkin pie is the perfect fall-time dessert, and it’s going to knock the fuzzy socks off your feet.

This recipe was originally published on November 7, 2021. It was updated with new information on October 12, 2023.

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Ingredients

The ingredients are fairly simple but make for a delicious pie! Here is what you'll need:

• Dairy-free pie crust - You can use storebought or homemade pie crust but make sure it doesn’t include any dairy butter. I made my own crust using all-purpose flour, almond flour (for flavor), and vegan butter among other ingredients.
• Canned pumpkin - Make sure you're using a can of pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling!
• Vegan sweetened condensed milk - I used sweetened condensed oat milk by Nature's Charm, but you can use any non-dairy sweetened condensed milk. I've also tested this recipe using sweetened condensed coconut milk and it works great!
• Eggs - You'll need two whole eggs and two egg yolks. The egg yolks make the filling extra rich and creamy!
• Pumpkin pie spice - Make sure your pumpkin spice is fresh and hasn't been sitting in your spice cabinet since last year! Old pumpkin pie spice is going to make the pie taste dull... No thank you!
• Salt - You need salt in any dessert, to heighten the flavors and balance the sweetness!

Additional Ingredients to Make the Dairy-Free Pie Crust

You can use a storebought pie crust to make your life easier, but if you choose to make it from scratch, here are the ingredients you'll need:

• All-purpose flour - Also known as plain flour. To make gluten-free dairy-free pumpkin pie, substitute an equal amount of gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend with xanthan gum.
• Almond flour - I love to add a little bit of almond flour to add a depth of flavor. You can substitute this with more flour if you don't have any almond flour on hand, or if you're allergic to nuts!
• Cornstarch - Adds a nice crisp texture to the crust.
• Granulated sugar - The filling is sweet, but we still need to add a little sweetness to the crust in the form of sugar.
• Vegan butter & Shortening - Vegan butter tends to be lower in fat than traditional butter, so adding extra fat in the form of shortening makes for a crisp pie crust.
• Water - Ice-cold water helps to bind the dough. Always add it little by little so your dough doesn't become gloopy.

How to Make Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

Both the crust and filling in this dairy-free pumpkin pie are made from scratch! It might sound intimidating, but it's fairly easy and beginner-friendly.

Make the Pie Crust

When baking any pie recipe with homemade pie crust, it’s important to start by making the pie crust first, because it needs time to chill.

Step 1: In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, almond flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

Step 2: Add the cubes of cold vegan butter and shortening. Using your fingers, pinch the butter and shortening, working them into the flour mixture.

Step 3: Add the ice-cold water in 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together.

Step 4: Shape the dough into a circular disk, wrap it up, and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour.

Step 5: Take the rested dough out onto a floured piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle more flour on the dough or add another layer of parchment paper on top and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a roughly 12-inch circle.

Step 6: Take the dough and fit it into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Lift the edges of the dough, settle it into the pie plate, and press it down. Check the bottom of the pie plate and make sure there are no air bubbles between the pie plate and the dough.

Step 7: Use scissors or a knife to trim off the edges of the pie crust. You can decorate the edges of the pie however you like. Prick the bottom and sides of the pie crust using a fork. Put the pie plate into the freezer for 10-15 minutes (it should be the same amount of time it takes for the oven to preheat).

Step 8: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Take the pie plate out of the freezer, put a large piece of crumpled parchment paper into the pie crust, and fill it to the top with pie weights (use dry beans or uncooked rice as a cheap alternative).

Step 9: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Take the pie out of the oven, remove the pie weights out of the crust by lifting the parchment paper, and put the pie crust back into the oven for another 10 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it cool.

Make the Filling

Step 1: While the crust cools, keep the oven preheated to 425°F (220°C).

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, egg yolks, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.

Step 3: Pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust. Tent the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil or a silicone protector to avoid burning. Bake the pie for 15 minutes.

Step 4: Without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 320°F (160°C) and bake for another 35-37 minutes, until the center is jiggly but not loose. You can check for doneness by inserting the tip of a sharp knife into the filling about an inch from the pie crust. It should come out moist but clean. Let the pie cool completely on the counter before serving. Store in the fridge, preferably uncovered to avoid condensation.

Tips for Making the Best Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

• Use chilled ingredients for the pie crust. For a crisp pie crust, it’s very important to use chilled butter and shortening, and ice water. To help the fats stay cold, you can even chill all the other pie crust ingredients before making the dough.
• Use room temperature ingredients for the filling. Unlike the pie crust ingredients, the filling ingredients should all be at room temperature so it bakes evenly in the oven.
• Chill the pie dough before baking. To make sure the pie crust doesn’t melt away in the oven, chill it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before baking it.
• Blind bake the pie crust. You want to fully bake the crust so that it can maintain its crispiness even after adding the pumpkin filling. No soggy bottoms for this non-dairy pumpkin pie recipe!
• Don't overbake the pie. Pumpkin pies are notorious for cracking. The culprit: overcooked eggs.
• Let it cool completely. The pie will continue to cook and set as it cools, so let it cool completely and chill it in the fridge before you cut into it.

Storage and freezing directions:

Refrigerating: You can keep leftover slices in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 days. Pumpkin pies have a tendency to “weep”, where the moisture rises to the surface. If your pumpkin pie starts to weep, just blot the excess moisture with a clean paper towel.

Freezing a whole pie: If you’re planning to freeze the whole pie, bake the pie in a disposable pie pan. Cool the pie completely, and wrap it tightly in a couple of layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Put the pie in a large freezer bag for extra protection against freezer burn. Put the pie in the fridge for 24 hours to let it defrost.

Freezing individual slices: You can wrap each slice tightly in a couple of layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil before putting it in a freezer bag or airtight container. Let it defrost in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes

• If you love soup, try my creamy pumpkin soup! Bonus points if you top it with cornbread croutons.
• You can't have a dairy-free Thanksgiving without my cornbread! It's moist, fluffy, a touch sweet, and very corny.
• Are you a fellow Brussels sprouts lover? My roasted Brussels sprouts recipe has bacon, pecans, and dried cranberries in it, making it super fun and delicious to eat!
• If you want to try something unconventional, try my rice stuffing! It's vegan but super flavorful.

I hope you love this Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe as much as I do! For more tasty dairy-free and gluten-free recipe ideas, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook. You can also sign up for my email newsletter to get all of my new content delivered straight to your inbox — I solemnly swear to not spam you.