Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

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This Homemade Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie recipe is the best. Coconut milk pumpkin pie is creamy, perfectly sweet and loaded with cozy fall spices – a must-make Thanksgiving dessert.

front view of a slice of dairy-free pumpkin pie on a plate with a dollop of whipped cream

This is the best pumpkin pie recipe you will ever eat, and it just so happens to be dairy-free!

Even better, you won’t find any processed ingredients (like sweetened condensed milk) in this from-scratch dairy-free pumpkin pie recipe!

The holidays can be tough for people who can’t eat dairy. Every creamy dreamy casserole and dessert is loaded with the white stuff – milk, half and half, cream, butter, etc.

And while some of us can throw caution to the wind and splurge one (or two) days out of the year, others who are severely allergic to dairy have to be vigilant , especially during the holidays.

Well, this recipe will make all your dairy-free pumpkin pie dreams come true.  (Also check out this healthy sweet potato casserole, vegan pumpkin cheesecake and these cute mini vegan pumpkin pies)!

overhead view of dairy-free pumpkin pie in a pie dish after baking

Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie Ingredients & Substitutions

overhead photo of the labeled ingredients in this Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie recipe
  • Coconut milk. I suggest full-fat coconut milk or cream for the best results. To make a regular pumpkin pie, use this recipe: classic pumpkin pie. Some have used dairy-free creamer with great results. I don’t suggest using almond milk because it’s very thin.
  • Vegan butter. Vegetable shortening is a good substitute for the vegan butter. Coconut oil also works.
  • All-purpose flour: for a gluten-free pie crust, substitute an all-purpose gluten-free flour for the regular all-purpose flour.
  • Pumpkin puree. Use either a 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree or about 2 cups of homemade pumpkin puree. If using homemade, I recommend straining it in a coffee filter over a fine mesh strainer to remove any excess water.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use store bought or make your own with this recipe: homemade pumpkin pie spice.
This Homemade Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie recipe is seriously delicious!  This coconut milk pumpkin pie is creamy, perfectly sweet and loaded with cozy fall spices - a must-make Thanksgiving dessert.

How to Make Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie 

Let’s start by breaking down how to make this coconut milk pumpkin pie recipe step-by-step! This dairy-free pumpkin pie is made completely from scratch, but don’t let that intimidate you! It’s super easy and is ready to toss into the oven in no time!

Make the Dairy-Free 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 to chill. See this comprehensive post on making the best homemade pie crust – just use dairy-free ingredients.

Use cold ingredients. Prepare ice water by measuring out cold water and tossing an ice cube (or two) in it. Chop up the vegan butter and put it in the freezer while you measure out the rest of the ingredients. Using cold ingredients results in a flaky crust.

Begin by processing the dry ingredients together in the container of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade. Alternatively, you can make the crust by hand in a large bowl.

Then, add the cold vegan butter and ice water and process until the mixture just begins to clump together.

If making by hand, use a fork, pastry cutter or your hands to cut the butter into the dough. Then, add the water and mix until it forms a ball.

Once the crust ingredients form a ball in the food processor, remove the dough and shape it into a relatively thin, flat circle.

Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight. If chilling overnight I recommend putting it in another airtight container like a plastic bag or storage contianer.

How to Make Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie Crust - wrapped in plastic wrap

Roll the pie crust

After the crust has chilled for at least one hour, pull it out and put it on a well-floured surface. Here are a few tips to make rolling easier:

Use a heavy rolling pin to roll out the crust! I have had this marble rolling pin for 11 years and couldn’t live without it. It applies the perfect amount of pressure to the chilled crust to make it roll easily.

Measure the crust with the pie plateAs you see in the photo below, after I roll the crust out I like to be certain it will fit in my pie plate. So I recommend holding the pie plate over the crust circle just to be sure that it will fit. There needs to be a little extra dough overhang so that you can make a nice crust edge.

photo showing how to measure a pie crust

Pinch the edges. Start by folding the crust and making a nice edge around the pie dish. Then, use your thumb and pointer finger to pinch the edges of the crust and make a nice design.

Chill again (if the filling isn’t made). Next, it’s time to make the dairy-free pumpkin pie filling, and while that is happening wrap the crust in plastic wrap and return it to the refrigerator. If you already have the filling made before the crust is rolled, then you do not need to chill the crust again.

overhead photo of dairy free pumpkin pie crust shaped into the plate

Make the Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie Filling

This part is very easy. The filling is made in just one bowl with a whisk! There really aren’t any specific tips I can give you to make this process go more smoothly, except that you should definitely mix the wet ingredients together first, and then add the dry!

I do recommend using a wire whisk to make this dairy-free pumpkin pie filling to ensure that there are no lumps of brown sugar or spices left in the batter!

photo of dairy free pumpkin pie filling in a glass batter bowl

Bake

Once the filling is made, remove the crust from the refrigerator, pour it in and bake. I highly recommend using a pie crust shield, or a piece of tin foil that you cut to fit the edges of the pie. Otherwise the crust on the edges will almost definitely burn before the filling is cooked!

photo showing How to Make Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie - pouring filling into pie crust
photo showing How to Make Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie - filling in crust before being baked

Cool

This coconut milk pumpkin pie needs to cool for at least two hours (preferably longer). If you like to serve your pumpkin pie cold, then after an hour or so, transfer the pie on a wire cooling rack to the refrigerator.

Serve

I recommend serving this dairy-free pumpkin pie with some dairy-free whipped cream, whipped topping, or vanilla ice cream. I added a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice on top and a little pie crust cutout for fun!

overhead view of dairy-free pumpkin pie in a glass pie dish with one piece cut out and on a plate next to the pie dish

Store

Store any leftover pie in an airtight container int he refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Freeze

This pie freezes really well! There are 2 ways to freeze this recipe:

Freeze the entire pie. bake and chill the pie, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving. 

Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. 

front view of a slice of dairy-free pumpkin pie on a plate with a dollop of whipped cream and a pie crust leaf on top

Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe FAQs

Can you taste the coconut milk in this recipe?

Some people may be concerned that the coconut milk willย cause this dairy-free pumpkin pie to taste likeย coconut…but that is not the case! Most recently, I served this pie to 8 adults and 4 kids and no one suspected a thing.
Even my husband, who has a serious super-taster gene for coconut (I amย not joking it’s insane) couldn’t taste a hint of coconut flavor! There are a few ways you can adapt this pie…

What do you serve with dairy-free pumpkin pie?ย 

I recommend serving this dairy-free pumpkin pie with some dairy-free whipped cream, whipped topping, or vanilla ice cream. I added a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice on top and a little pie crust cutout for fun!

overhead front view of a dairy-free pumpkin pie in a glass pie dish with one slice removed

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Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

Laura
This Homemade Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie recipe is the best. Coconut milk pumpkin pie is creamy, perfectly sweet and loaded with cozy fall spices – a must-make Thanksgiving dessert.
4.99 from 288 votes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 210
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Cooling time2 hours
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Filling

Pie Crust

Instructions 

Make the Crust

  • Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor fitted with an โ€œSโ€ blade and pulse to combine.
  • Add the vegan butter and cold water and process until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, begins to stick together, and holds together when pinched.ย 
  • Remove dough from the food processor (will be crumbly) and form into a round disc.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes or overnight

Make the Filling

  • In a large bowl, beat the eggs.ย 
  • Whisk in the pumpkin, coconut milk and vanilla extract until combined.
  • Add sugar, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice and mix until completely combined.

Assemble

  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Lightly grease a pie plate and set aside.
  • Roll out your pie dough on a well-floured surface (or pastry cloth) to fit the size of your pie plate.
  • Carefully transfer the dough to the pie plate and shape the crust how you want it to look.
  • Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust and cover the crust with a pastry shield.
  • Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F.ย 
  • Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.ย  It may be a bit wobbly still, but it willย firm-up as it cools.
  • Allow the pie to coolย on a wire rack for 2 hours (Be patient! This is important).ย  Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Substitution Notes
  • Coconut milk:ย You can substitute coconut milk withย dairy-free creamer (unsweetened). I do not recommend using almond milk because it is much thinner and less rich than coconut milk.
  • Vegan butter:ย If you don’t have access to vegan butter, substitute it with vegetable shortening.
  • All-purpose flour:ย for a gluten-free pie crust, substitute an all-purpose gluten-free flour for the regular all-purpose flour!
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice.ย Use store bought or make your own!
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
Use this recipe to make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice!ย 
Or, to make 1 TBS pumpkin pie spice combine:ย 
  • 1 ยฝ tsp cinnamon
  • ยฝ tsp nutmeg
  • ยฝ tsp cloves
  • ยฝ tsp allspice
Store
Store any leftover pie in an airtight container int he refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Freeze
Freeze the entire pie. bake and chill the pie, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.ย 
Freeze individual slices.ย If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.ย 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3.4g | Fat: 10.4g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 1.8g | Sugar: 15.8g | Vitamin A: 4050IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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348 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Canโ€™t stop eating this! Thatโ€™s a risk you take making a pie on a weeknight I suppose, not enough people around to gobble it up!

  2. 5 stars
    I just had to go glutenโ€”and dairy-free. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to eat my favorite holiday foods. When I found this recipe, I was so excited! It is delicious. I did not make the crust because it had to be gluten-free, but the filling tasted like I remembered. Thank you for sharing!

  3. 5 stars
    Recipe looks great but I had a question – do you have to blind bake the crust before adding the filling? This is what I do when making regular pumpkin pie so want to confirm the method change for this one. Thanks!