Eggless Pumpkin Pie (Dairy Free)
Thanksgiving is NOT complete without a traditional pumpkin pie, so I created this dairy free, egg free version to complete your holiday menu.
Full fat coconut milk makes the filling creamy and sweet, rolled oats and ground flax seed set it without any eggs, and the whole wheat crust is made with olive oil instead of butter. Everything blends together in a few minutes.
The Best Eggless Pumpkin Pie (Dairy Free with Coconut Milk)
My grandma was a fabulous cook. If you weren’t 50 pounds overweight, she thought you were starving to death. She would have boxes (yes, BOXES) of Ding Dongs and Twinkies lining her kitchen counter when you first walked through the door. You ate when you first arrived, and then in 20 minute increments until you left. Oh, I miss her dearly.
My grandma knew how to host a Thanksgiving. She had a large table filled to capacity with all the classics, like creamy mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole and turkey. We had the main event around noon and then spent the entire day eating until we exploded. She made Thanksgiving an occasion, and I still love Thanksgiving today because of her.
This pumpkin pie completes my traditional, with a healthy tweak, Thanksgiving menu. It is inspired by Chocolate Covered Katie, and full fat coconut milk makes it creamy, sweet and jam packed with healthy fats.
Why You’ll Love This Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie
- No eggs, no dairy. Coconut milk, oats and flax seed replace the eggs and evaporated milk.
- Blender filling. All of the filling ingredients blend together until smooth. No whisking.
- Butter free crust. Whole wheat pastry flour, brown sugar, salt, olive oil and cold water.
- Make ahead friendly. It needs at least 5 hours to set, so it’s perfect to bake the day before Thanksgiving.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below. This pie has two parts, a simple pressed crust and a blender filling, and both use a short list of pantry staples.
For the filling:
- Pumpkin or sweet potato puree: One 15 ounce can. Either one works. Look for plain puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling, which already has sugar and spices added. Sweet potato gives a slightly sweeter, earthier pie with the same smooth texture.
- Full fat coconut milk: One 13.5 ounce can. This is what makes the filling rich and creamy. It’s the only milk I’ve tried in this recipe, so I can’t promise how other milks will turn out. Shake the can well before opening so the thick cream and the thinner liquid mix together.
- Rolled oats and ground flax seed: They blend right into the filling and help it set in place of eggs. Ground flax soaks up liquid and turns slightly gel like, and the oats add body once they’re blended smooth, so you won’t notice either one in the finished slice.
- Brown sugar: 1/2 cup for that classic caramel sweetness. The molasses in brown sugar pairs naturally with pumpkin and warm spices.
- Pumpkin pie spice, salt and pure vanilla extract: All the warm flavors you expect in pumpkin pie. The salt is a small amount, but it sharpens the spices and keeps the sweetness from tasting flat.
For the crust:
- Whole wheat pastry flour: Softer than regular whole wheat flour, so the crust stays tender. It’s milled from a lower protein wheat, which means less gluten and a less chewy crust.
- Brown sugar and salt: A little sweetness and balance, so the crust tastes good on its own.
- Olive oil and cold water: They replace the butter or shortening in a traditional crust. The oil coats the flour and keeps the crust tender, and adding the water a little at a time keeps the dough from turning sticky or tough.
How to Make Eggless Pumpkin Pie
- Make the crust. Preheat the oven to 200°F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and brown sugar. Stir in the oil, then add cold water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just sticks together but isn’t gummy. It should hold together when you pinch it. If it still looks dry and crumbly, add a little more water. If it feels wet, a sprinkle of flour will fix it.
- Roll it out. Lightly grease a 10 inch pie pan. Roll the dough between two sheets of wax paper until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Peel off one sheet, place that side down in the pan, press the dough in and remove the second sheet. The wax paper keeps the dough from sticking to your rolling pin and makes it easy to move without tearing.
- Bake the crust. Put the crust in the oven, immediately raise the temperature to 350°F and bake for 15 minutes. Let it cool. Baking the crust first helps keep the bottom from turning soggy under the wet filling.
- Blend the filling. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Blend all of the filling ingredients until smooth and pour into the crust. Keep blending until the oats and flax disappear completely and the filling looks silky, with no flecks or grit. Smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake. Loosely place strips of foil around the crust so it doesn’t get too brown, and bake for 27 to 30 minutes. The edges of a pie bake faster than the center, so the foil protects them. The filling will still look soft when it comes out, and that’s normal for an eggless pie.
- Chill. Let the pie cool, then refrigerate it uncovered for at least 5 hours to thicken and set. Leaving it uncovered lets steam escape so moisture doesn’t collect on top. Once it’s cold, the filling firms up and slices cleanly.
Kami’s tip: Don’t skip the long chill. Without eggs, the fridge is what sets this pie, so give it the full 5 hours before slicing.
Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie FAQs
- Can you make pumpkin pie without eggs? Yes. This filling uses rolled oats and ground flax seed instead of eggs and sets in the refrigerator. Once it’s blended smooth, nobody will guess what’s holding it together.
- What can I use instead of milk in pumpkin pie? Full fat canned coconut milk. It keeps the filling creamy with no dairy, and the healthy fats give it the richness you’d normally get from evaporated milk.
- Should I bake the crust before adding the filling? Yes. Baking the crust for 15 minutes and letting it cool first helps the bottom stay firm under the wet filling.
- Why does my filling taste grainy? The oats and flax probably weren’t blended long enough. Keep the blender running until the filling is completely smooth before you pour it into the crust.
- Why is my eggless pumpkin pie not set? It needs at least 5 hours in the refrigerator, uncovered, after it cools. Slicing it early leaves the center soft.
- Can I use sweet potato instead of pumpkin? Yes. A 15 ounce can of sweet potato puree swaps in for the pumpkin. The pie will taste a little sweeter and earthier, with the same creamy texture.
- Can I make this pie ahead of time? Yes. Because it needs at least 5 hours to set, it’s a great pie to bake the day before Thanksgiving. You can also bake the crust first and fill and bake it later the same day.
Healthy Pumpkin Pie Without Eggs
Ingredients
Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 can 15 oz pumpkin or sweet potato puree
- 1 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 Tbs ground flax seed
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbs pure vanilla extract
Crust for Pumpkin Pie
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbs cold water
Instructions
How to make Pumpkin Pie Crust
- Preheat oven to 200 F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and brown sugar.
- Add oil and stir. Add water one tablespoon at a time until it just sticks together but is not gummy. Lightly grease 10-inch pie pan.
- Place dough in between two sheets of wax paper and roll out until about 1/4 inch thick. Carefully peel away one sheet of wax paper and place that side down into the pie pan. Press dough lightly until formed to pie pan. Remove remaining sheet of wax paper.
- Place crust in the oven and immediately increase the temperature to 350 F. Bake 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
How to make Non Dairy Pumpkin Pie
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Blend all healthy pumpkin pie ingredients together until smooth. Pour into a prepared pie crust (such as crust recipe listed above) in a 10-inch round pan. Loosely place strips of aluminum foil around crust to prevent too much browning while baking.
- Bake 27 to 30 minutes. Let cool and then refrigerate at least 5 hours uncovered for the pie to thicken and set.
Notes
Baking this for Thanksgiving? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me in the comments who you made it for. Please have a fun, safe Thanksgiving full of lasting memories!
