Maple Ginger Pumpkin Pie — Happy Apple Vegan

Let’s play the word association game: I say “Pumpkin”, you say…? Was it pie? It was pie, wasn’t it?

I know, there are sooo many fun associations with Pumpkins, all oh so cheery and delightful. You have pumpkin patches, Halloween jack-o-lanterns, and of course everyone’s own dear little pumpkins with their adorable dimples and infectious laughs. The latter are the absolute BEST. But, at least come American Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving time, it’s all about the PIE.

As iconic an autumn tradition as it is, truth be told, I’m not sure pumpkin is actually the favorite family celebration pie. My uncle caused a welcome stir in our family when he began bringing a flaky-pastry, perfect apple pie as an option at the long Thanksgiving table. It was deeeelicious. But, I still preferred the pumpkin, at least in Novemer.

It’s hard to say if tradition or actual taste and texture are more in play when it comes to pumpkin pie loyalty, but does it matter? Silky and perfectly spiced, this vegan pumpkin pie is packed with goodness and natural sweetness. Raw cashews blended with plant milk make for a delectable, creamy filling. Elevated with pure maple syrup and fresh ginger—silky sublime.

It's Pumpkin's time to shine!

Vegan Maple Ginger Pumpkin Pie

Yield: 8

Author: Wendy McMillan

Silky and perfectly spiced, this vegan pumpkin pie is packed with goodness and natural sweetness. Raw cashews blended with plant milk make for a delectable, creamy filling elevated with pure maple syrup and fresh ginger.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (will be a little over one can)
½ Cup pure maple syrup
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
¾ Cup unsweetened plain or vanilla plant milk
⅓ Cup raw cashews, soaked at least 30 minutes and drained
2 Teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (more to taste)
2 Tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Pinch salt
1 unbaked vegan pie crust (see coconut oil pie crust in notes)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare your pie filling: add all filling ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and add additional pie spice as needed.
Pour filling into pie crust and bake for approximately one hour. The crust should be light golden brown and the filling will still be just a bit jiggly with some cracking on top. Let cool completely, then loosely tent with foil and transfer to the refrigerator to fully set for at least 4 hours. Serve with coconut whip.

Notes

Coconut oil pie crust

Yield: 1 single crust

1 ½ Cups white whole wheat flour

Pinch sea salt

½ Cup solid coconut oil

6+ Tablespoons cold orange juice

Add flour, salt, and coconut oil to a food processor and pulse until combined and crumbly.

Transfer mixture to a bowl, and sprinkle water or juice over the mixture, beginning with 4 Tablespoons. Use a spatula or spoon to press the dough into itself. Continue adding cold juice until the dough comes together.

Form the dough into a ball and place on a a large square of parchment or silpat. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out into a circle about an inch greater in circumference to your pie plate top.

Carefully flip your parchment or silpat surface to drape the crust inside the plate, pressing in to conform. Trim excess and crimp edges. Fill and bake according to recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

219

Fat

8 g

Sat. Fat

2 g

Carbs

34 g

Fiber

3 g

Net carbs

31 g

Sugar

15 g

Protein

3 g

Sodium

99 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg