A Pumpkin Pie So Good, No One Will Know It's Vegan

By Jenny Sugar

Updated on 11/20/2015 at 8:15 PM

Pumpkin pie sounds healthy — I mean, it's made from pumpkins, right? — but the crust is mostly butter and white flour, and the cream in the filling is high in saturated fat. Your heart will love you if you whip up this version, which is completely raw, vegan, and gluten-free. Did I mention it tastes good, too?

POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

You'll never go back to regular crust again after taking a bite of this one made with almonds, cashews, dates, raisins, and coconut. It's irresistibly packed with sweet, nutty flavor and a satisfyingly soft and chewy texture unlike any boring buttery crust you'll ever have.

POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

The filling is made with uncooked pumpkin, and for those of you weirded out about eating raw pumpkin, it tastes slightly sweet with a little crunch, similar to a mild-tasting apple. The banana adds some natural sweetness, and the spices make it taste like the holidays.

POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

At 302 calories a slice, it beats the 316 for a traditional slice, plus it offers more fiber, less cholesterol, and much less sodium. This simple pie will have your traditional-pumpkin-pie-loving friends oohing and ahhing.

POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Raw, Vegan, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie

Cook Time4 hours
Yield1 pie, 8 servings
Calories302

Adapted from Sweetly Raw

INGREDIENTS

    • Crust:
    • 1/2 cup raw almonds
    • 1/2 cup raw cashews
    • 3/4 cup dates (about 18 small), pitted
    • 1/2 cup raisins
    • 1/4 cup raw, unsweetened, shredded coconut
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • Filling:
    • 1 small pie pumpkin (4 cups), peeled and seeded
    • 10 dates, pitted
    • 1 medium banana
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
    • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
    • 1/4 cup raw, unsweetened, shredded coconut, for topping

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Get out a 9-inch pie pan, and set aside.

    2. Place crust ingredients into a food processor, and process until you see a crumbly mixture form, about 1 minute.

    3. Pour the "dough" into the pie pan, and use your fingers to gently press it into the pan firmly, all the way up the sides of the pan. Place it in the fridge.

    4. To make the filling, pour the rest of the ingredients (except the coconut topping) into a blender. Turn it on until a smooth mixture forms, a couple of minutes.

    5. Take the pie shell out of the fridge, pour the filling in, sprinkle with shredded coconut, and chill for a few hours in the fridge.