Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie That Nobody Will Notice (Gluten-Free Too)

This dairy free pumpkin pie is gluten-free too, and it has no refined sugar.

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Every Thanksgiving there is someone at the table who gets a sad little plate on the side, because the pie has butter in the crust and condensed milk in the filling. This pie fixes both, and the person who can eat everything will not notice anything is missing.

Why coconut milk works in a dairy free pumpkin pie

Condensed milk does two jobs in a classic pumpkin pie: it brings fat, and it brings body, so the filling sets silky instead of watery. Full-fat canned coconut milk does both. The coconut flavor is faint once the spices go in, and a little tapioca starch makes sure the center sets.

The recipe (one 23 cm (9-inch) pie, 8 slices, or 12 minis)

Crust: the recipe card below includes my press-in almond flour crust, with no butter and no rolling pin. Any blind-baked gluten-free crust works too.

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie (Gluten-Free)

A dairy-free pumpkin pie with a silky, sliceable filling: full-fat coconut milk brings the richness, three eggs and a little tapioca starch set it, and the press-in almond flour crust means no rolling. Gluten-free. Makes one 23 cm (9 inch) pie or 12 mini pies.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 slices

Ingredients

  

Crust

• 1 easy press-in gluten-free pie crust see the crust recipe; unbaked, pressed into a 23 cm / 9 inch pan

Filling

• 425 g pumpkin purée 1¾ cups; one 15 oz can, or homemade oven-roasted purée, drained (see notes)
• 180 ml full-fat canned coconut milk ¾ cup
• 120 g maple syrup ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp; or 100 g / ⅔ cup coconut sugar plus 40 g / 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 eggs
• 15 g tapioca starch 2 tbsp
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp fine sea salt

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 175 °C (350 °F). Par-bake the press-in crust for 10 minutes (12 minutes for mini pies in a muffin tin).
2. Whisk all the filling ingredients together until smooth.
3. Pour the filling into the warm crust. Bake a whole pie for 50 to 55 minutes, mini pies for 22 to 25 minutes. Cover the crust edges with foil after 20 minutes so the almond flour does not burn.
4. The pie is done when the edges are set and the center still wobbles slightly when you nudge the pan. It keeps cooking as it cools.
5. Cool in the pan for 2 hours, then chill for at least 4 hours before slicing. It is better the next day.

Notes

Make ahead: bake it the day before. The spices settle, the texture firms up and it slices cleanly.

Egg-free version: I have not yet tested an egg-free filling I trust enough to publish. When I do, it will be here.

Homemade pumpkin purée (what I use, since canned pumpkin is hard to find in Portugal): halve a 1.5 kg (3 lb) pumpkin or butternut squash, scoop out the seeds and roast it cut side down on a lined tray at 200 °C (400 °F) for 45 to 60 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Scoop the flesh out and blend it smooth. If it looks wet, drain it in a sieve lined with a clean cloth for up to 1 hour, until it is thick enough to hold a line when you drag a spoon through it (a roasted pumpkin is often dry enough already). Weigh out the 425 g (1¾ cups) after that. Roasted purée sets like canned; a watery purée is why a pumpkin pie stays soft in the middle.

Why it works: the fat in canned coconut milk does the job of evaporated milk, the eggs set the custard and the tapioca keeps it from weeping in the fridge.

Dairy free pumpkin pie: your questions

Can I use homemade pumpkin purée? Yes. It is what I use, because canned pumpkin is hard to find in Portugal. Roast the pumpkin in the oven rather than boiling it (less water in, more flavor), blend it and, if necessary, drain it in a cloth-lined sieve until it is thick enough to hold a line when you drag a spoon through it. Weigh it after that. The full method is in the recipe notes. Watery purée is the most common reason a pumpkin pie stays soft in the middle.

Does it taste like coconut? Very little. Full-fat coconut milk is mild, and the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves cover what is left. You can try an unsweetened cashew cream instead, but I have not tested that swap in this recipe, so expect a softer set.

Why did my filling crack? It baked too long or too hot. Take the pie out while the center still jiggles a little and let it cool slowly at room temperature. The heat stored in the filling finishes the job.

Can I use a store-bought crust? Yes. Check that it is labeled gluten-free: in the US, a gluten-free label means the food has less than 20 parts per million of gluten (FDA). Read the ingredients too, because many gluten-free crusts still use butter.

Why maple syrup? It sweetens and adds flavor, but it is still sugar, so I use only what the pie needs. If you want to know how it compares with honey, dates and coconut sugar, read the truth about natural sweeteners.

Make your dairy free pumpkin pie the day before

This is the best kind of holiday dessert, because it wants to be made ahead. Bake it on Wednesday, keep it in the fridge, and take it out 30 minutes before serving.

If you are hosting someone who avoids gluten or dairy, send them this, so they know there will be pie. And if you want every swap I use in one place, my free swap guide is here.