Vegan pumpkin pie made easy with this simple recipe plus troubleshooting

Largely associated with Halloween, the pumpkin pie carries over to big Thanksgiving dinners, not to mention it being a symbol of the great October harvest in the West, where pumpkins mature during this time. So, this Vegan Day, make this perfect vegan pumpkin pie for your entire family and you can easily count it under Thanksgiving pie recipes for the dessert is the exact same just vegan-friendly and still glutinous.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

(Serves 10)

Ingredients

For the Pie Crust:

• 145 gm all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp granulated vegan sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 55 gm solid coconut oil
• 4 tbsp ice water

For the Filling:

• 425 gm pumpkin puree
• 180 ml full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
• 150 gm light brown sugar
• 60 ml honey
• 30 gm cornflour
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp salt

For the whipped topping:

• 400 ml unsweetened coconut cream
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt until well combined.
2. Add solid, but soft, coconut oil, and using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the coconut oil into the flour mixture. Keep working it until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs or small peas in texture. You want to see small bits of coconut oil throughout the flour.
3. Add ice-cold water one tablespoon at a time, using a fork to stir after each addition. Keep mixing gently until the dough starts to come together. You'll know it's ready when a small piece can easily form into a ball when rolled between your palms. Be careful not to add too much water – the dough should be moist but not wet.
4. Transfer your dough onto a flour-dusted work surface. Shape it into a large ball.
5. Using your rolling pin, work the dough outward in all directions to create a circle larger than a 9-inch pie dish.
6. Prepare your pie dish with non-stick spray. Carefully transfer the dough by either rolling it onto your rolling pin or lifting it gently, then position it over your dish. Press it in carefully, paying special attention to the edges.
7. Using scissors, trim the excess dough, but maintain a small overhang beyond the dish edge. Refrigerate while working on the filling.
8. To make the filling, in a large mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree (fresh or canned), coconut milk, brown sugar, honey, cornflour, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt.
9. Using a whisk, begin mixing all ingredients, slowly at first, then increase your whisking speed. Make sure to break up any clumps.
10. Continue whisking vigorously for several minutes until completely smooth and uniform. Pay attention to the sides and bottom of the bowl, making sure no ingredients are stuck there.
11. Pour the filling into the chilled crust. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface, making sure it's even and reaches all the edges.
12. Bake at 180°C for 1 hour, and at the 40-minute mark, cover the pie’s surface with a foil to prevent excessive browning. Return to oven for final 20 minutes
13. Once done, the center of the pie will still wobble when done and the color of the pie may appear quite dark initially but will lighten as it cools. Let it cool to room temperature.
14. Then refrigerate for at least four hours, preferably overnight, until completely set.
15. Slice and serve topped with your homemade whipped cream**.
16. **To make the whipped cream, you need to begin the previous day before baking the pie. Store the coconut cream cans in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Then the next day, carefully open the cans without jostling them.
17. Scoop out only the solid cream that has risen to the top. Keep the liquid for other recipes.
18. Using an electric mixer, on low speed, mix this cream, then gradually increase speed. If using, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract midway and mix until stiff peaks form.

Tips and Tricks for Vegan Pumpkin Pie

• For the crust, the coconut oil you are using must be solid but malleable, similar to the consistency of cold butter. Work quickly with your fingers and avoid overworking the dough, which will help in melting the coconut oil.
• When preparing the filling, the cornflour acts as your crucial binding agent in this eggless version. For best results, whisk the cornflour with the coconut milk to create a slurry before adding other ingredients.
• The wobble test is essential: when you gently shake the pie, the center should move like a jelly, not like a liquid. If you wait until it's completely set in the oven, you'll end up with cracks and a dense, overcooked filling.
• For the coconut whipped cream, temperature is everything. Beyond just chilling the cans, place your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes before whipping. If your cream isn't thickening, pause and return the bowl to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.