Vegan Chocolate Pie
Posted Nov 02, 2017, Updated Jun 25, 2024
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This no-bake vegan chocolate pie recipe is rich, chocolatey and irresistibly creamy. A delicious pie that’s gluten and dairy free.
This vegan chocolate pie is one of my favorite healthy desserts. Because let’s be real, holiday dinners are great, but dessert is always the best part of any celebration. Especially when chocolate is involved.
I love everything about this pie! A silky smooth chocolate filling sits atop a raw, brownie-like crust, making all your wildest chocolate dreams come true.
It’s lusciously creamy, richly chocolatey and out-of-this-world delicious! It’s similar to the beloved French Silk Pie only more nutritious and allergy friendly.
I have been making this recipe for as far back as I can remember. Which means that I’ve toyed with different crusts and filling ingredients over the years, but this version is (hands down) my all time favorite.
Vegan Chocolate Pie: Ingredient Substitutions
As always I recommend making the recipe exactly as written! However here are a few possible substitutions!
- Silken tofu. (note photo above the tofu is not to scale – the block is larger than pictured). There are no substitutes for silken tofu.
- Pie crust. If you have a tried-and-true favorite pie crust, you can substitute it for this crust.
- Pecans. Walnuts are a good substitute for pecans.
- Honey/Maple Syrup: To keep this recipe vegan use maple syrup.
- Cashews. ¼ cup cashew butter can be used in place of the soaked cashews.
- Semisweet chocolate. To keep this pie refined sugar free, substitute chopped, unsweetened chocolate. You will likely need to increase the amount of maple syrup/honey in the filling to make it sweet enough for your liking.
- Coconut whipped cream. This is optional. You can also use store-bought varieties that comply with your dietary needs!
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Pie
We’ll walk through how to make this recipe step-by-step.
Make the Crust
Begin by making the crust. Use a Vitamix or food processor to combine the ingredients. I suggest combining the pecans and dates first, then adding the rest of the ingredients and processing until the mixture clumps together.
Stop processing when the mixture just barely starts to clump together. Over-blending/processing will cause it to become oily.
Then, press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a pie plate.
Make the Filling
Next, put the ingredients in the order listed in the container of a Vitamix (or another high-powered blender). Then, blend until the mixture is silky-smooth.
Assemble & Chill
Then, pour the vegan chocolate pie filling into the prepared crust in the pie dish.
Then, smooth the filling out and chill it overnight to set.
Another reason to love this vegan chocolate pie recipe is that it’s no bake and tastes the best when it’s made a day in advance – which means one less dish to prepare on the day-of a holiday or celebration.
Serve
Serve this vegan chocolate pie chilled. It tastes great without whipped cream, but it never hurts to add some.
I included a recipe for coconut whipped cream, but store bought works just as well. Sometimes I even serve it with a drizzle of peanut butter.
When it comes to holiday pies, I know chocolate isn’t always the go-to. I love a hearty slice of pumpkin pie every now and then just like the next person. Or a warm piece of apple pie a la mode. But if a chocolate option is available, it will always, always be my pie of choice. No contest.
Store
Store leftovers of this pie in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze
There are two ways to freeze this vegan chocolate pie:
- Freeze the entire pie. 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.
Vegan Chocolate Pie Recipe FAQs
Yes, choose your favorite pie crust. You can make a graham cracker crust or Oreo pie crust using vegan butter and both would taste delicious with this recipe.
Yes, you can use a store-bought pie crust that needs to be baked, or make this pie crust recipe (using vegan butter). Make sure to bake it and cool completely before adding the filling.
Yes, tofu is an important part of this recipe. This vegan chocolate peanut butter cheesecake is a delicious dairy-free dessert without tofu.
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Vegan Chocolate Pie
Ingredients
Chocolate Crust:
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup dates (pitted)
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 Tablespoons unsweetened coconut
- 2 Tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Vegan Chocolate Pie Filling:
- ½ cup roasted cashews (soaked for at least one hour)
- 1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate (melted)
- 12 ounces firm silken tofu (drained)
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 Tablespoons honey (or pure maple syrup)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons almond milk
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Coconut Whipped Cream (optional):
- 14 ounces coconut cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place ½ cup of cashews in a glass bowl and pour boiling water over them until fully submerged. Let sit for one hour then drain.
Make the Crust
- Very lightly grease a 9 or 10” deep dish round pie plate. Set aside.
- Place pecans in the container of a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, or in a Vitamix blending container. Process/blend until pecans are crumbly (about 15 seconds) starting on low speed increasing to high.
- Add dates and process/blend for 15 seconds, starting on low speed increasing to high, until mixture is crumbly.
- Then, add the remaining ingredients and process/blend until the mixture turns a dark chocolatey brown and just sticks together. Stop blending before it gets too wet and sticky.
- Dump the mixture into the pie plate/baking dish and press into the shape of the pan.
- Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling.
Make the Filling
- Melt the chocolate (either on the stove or in the microwave), until smooth. Set aside.
- Put all the ingredients into the container of a high-powered blender and blend, starting on low speed and increasing to high, until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour mixture into prepared crust and store in the refrigerator until chilled and firm (at least 6 hours, preferably overnight).
Coconut Whipped Cream
- Chill coconut cream in the refrigerator overnight and do not shake it.
- Place the container & whisk attachment of your standing mixer in the refrigerator to chill for at least 10 minutes (or longer).
- Carefully opened the can of chilled whipped cream and transfer the top, thickened cream to the chilled mixing bowl. (save the liquid for a different use).
- Beat the cream with the wire whisk attachement for about 30 seconds.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until creamy.
- Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary.
- Spread on top of pie immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and serve alongside the pie.
Video
Notes
- Silken tofu. (note photo above the tofu is not to scale – the block is larger than pictured). There are no substitutes for silken tofu.
- Pie crust. If you have a tried-and-true favorite pie crust, you can substitute it for this crust.
- Pecans. Walnuts are a good substitute for pecans.
- Honey/Maple Syrup: To keep this recipe vegan use maple syrup.
- Cashews. ¼ cup cashew butter can be used in place of the soaked cashews.
- Semisweet chocolate. To keep this pie refined sugar free, substitute chopped, unsweetened chocolate. You will likely need to increase the amount of maple syrup/honey in the filling to make it sweet enough for your liking.
- Coconut whipped cream. This is optional. You can also use store-bought varieties that comply with your dietary needs!
- Freeze the entire pie. 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my heck they his is DIVINE! I’m a definite chocolate lover and was looking for the perfect chocolate silk pie replacement with Whole Foods and no refined sugars and flowers. This was SOOO good! We all loved it so much! Even guests who don’t eat WFPB. Definitely going to keep this recipe forever! 😍😍
How long can this pie be held in the refrigerator? i.e. can I make it 5-7 days in advance of serving?
I would recommend 1-2 days. 5-7 is a bit long!
Can you add the coconut cream topping and then chill overnight or should I wait and add the topping before serving.?
I have done it both ways with great success!
It says firm silken tofu…. is it firm or is it silken? Or is there such a thing as firm silken?
Also it called for roasted cashews…. Salted up or unsalted? Or is it supposed to be raw?
There is firm silken tofu – which works the best! Regular silken tofu works too,
Could I make this with regular form tofu? I can not find silken.
I do not not have a Vitamix. What alternatives are there to prepare in the absence of a Vitamix?
A food processor or another high powered blender high work great!
Any sub ideas for no nuts?! I was so excited to find this recipe but I can’t have peanuts or treen nuts either.
Fabulously rich and thick! (I cooled overnight). A definite winner! The crust is good enough to eat on it’s own! I WILL be making this again! Thanks!
I can’t have soy or the tofu, so what would you suggest for a substitute?
Is it best to chill overnight or just a few hours? I want to make this for a small dinner party I am having.
At least 6 hours! I like to chill overnight!
Just made this for a friend and it turned out great! Thanks so much.
I’m would like to make this, but I’m not a coconut fan, is there something I can use as a substitute? Thank you.
I’d like suggestions too. Making for my sister, who does not like coconut, sadly