Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

I was born Thanksgiving Day, 34 years ago. My parents, grandmother and big brother were watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on television while my Mom was having contractions. After a swift delivery (I was almost born on the highway en route to the hospital), the doctor handed me to my parents and said, “Here’s your 8 pound, 4 ounce turkey.”

My birthday has fallen on Thanksgiving Day a handful of times since. Whether it does or not, I still absolutely love the Thanksgiving holiday. Growing up I always got to have cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie (my favorite holiday dishes!) for my birthday celebration. And now, my sweet Mom makes me a delicious vegan feast of stuffing, holiday “roast,” green beans, yams, mashed potatoes, Chinese sticky rice, cranberry sauce and of course, pumpkin pie when we go to their home to celebrate.

Finding a vegan pumpkin pie recipe that truly delights has not been easy. I’ve tried making it with tofu but let’s be honest… tofu-kin pie? Not the best use of the (albeit, versatile) soybean. I’ve also tried it with coconut cream but didn’t love the way the coconut took over the flavor of the entire pie. Coco-kin pie? Hm, not so much.

But this here recipe is, well, the bomb. I found it on Vegan Spoonful, a fantastic vegan blog that you’ll get deliciously lost in. Rebekah, the vegan mastermind behind this recipe, promised to deliver the classic pumpkin pie the way we born-again vegans all remember it. Creamy, thick, with sweetness and spice and with pure pumpkin flavor through and through. I only made one small alteration which was to use pumpkin spice instead of a combination of ground ginger and cloves. I did this simply because I didn’t have any ground ginger on hand and was too lazy to grind the whole cloves I had in my pantry. The recipe still turned out awesome even with this minor change. I’ve made it twice already this month and the entire pie gets cleaned out before anyone stands to leave the dinner table. You will absolutely love it. Rebekah delivered on her promise.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • an 8 or 9-inch unbaked pie crust (homemade or store-bought–I used a great vegan whole wheat pre-made crust found in the freezer section of a local grocery store)
  • 2 cups pureed pumpkin (or one 15 oz can)
  • 1 cup plain nondairy milk (I used soy)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 – 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • coconut whip for topping

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, blend the pumpkin, non-dairy milk, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and spices, then pour the mixture into the unbaked pastry shell. Bake for about 60 minutes and then allow to cool completely. It will firm up as it cools. Once it’s completely cooled, cover it with plastic wrap then refrigerate it for several hours or overnight before serving. Serve chilled and top with coconut whip and a dash of nutmeg. It’s that easy!

Pie shell filled and ready to bake

Smells like Thanksgiving!

Happy eating!

 

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