If you are looking for a healthy dessert option this holiday season, look no further. This raw vegan pumpkin pie is made entirely from healthy, plant based ingredients-raw pumpkin, figs and healthy fats like organic coconut oil and walnuts. Believe me no one will know that this isn’t a cooked pumpkin pie-the texture and flavor are spot on.
First, though, you want to start with the pumpkin pie spice blend. I recently took a trip to Little India, here in Los Angeles where I live ad was so inspired by all the spices in the market. I stocked up because I love curry and I knew I would want to be making my own spice blends for the holidays! There are many ways to make pumpkin pie spice but this recipe is simple and full of flavor! To really make it special, grind your own from whole spices.
- 4 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon ground nutmeg
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- ½ Tablespoon ground cloves
- Mix ingredients in a bowl and save in a glass jar until ready to use!
This pie is so easy to make. No baking, no rolling out a crust. BUT you do have to peel a pumpkin! I recommend using a good peeler and peeling it whole, and then open it to remove the seeds and chop it into pieces. It will go much faster and be easier to handle.
Also, this pie needs time to set up before it can be served. You can get it to set up faster by placing it in the freezer if necessary and it should be ready in an hour. You can serve it directly out of the freezer!
- 12 dried figs, stem removed and soaked for 20 minutes in filtered water
- 2 cups, raw walnuts
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked
- 2 cups raw pumpkin, seeded peeled and chopped
- 1 cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ cup agave (use maple if desired-also add more to taste if you'd like! You can also blend ½ cup of dates with ½ cup of water and substitute that.)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (see recipe above for homemade version)
- 2 Tablespoons soy lecithin granules
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Put the walnuts, cinnamon and salt in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are pretty broken up.
- Drain the figs and add them whole to the food processor and pulse some more until the mixture begins to stick together, and the figs are fully incorporated.
- Remove from the food processor and press into the bottom of a 9" pie pan.
- Press down on the mixture well to make sure that the crust is firm.
- Set aside.
- Blend all the filling ingredients together in a blender until smooth and pour into the prepared crust.
- Refrigerate the pie overnight and serve topped with coconut whipped cream if desired.
To top it all off, you can make this easy coconut whipped cream. Coconut cream is made by putting a can of full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator and allow it to chill completely. I really like Thai Kitchen brand. Open the can and scoop out the heavy, solid cream and discard the water. You can whip this by hand or in a stand mixer, it will turn out equally well. I have spiced my whipped cream with rum and ginger and sweetened to taste.
- 1 cup coconut cream, refrigerated and cream retained
- 2 Tablespoons agave or maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 Tablespoon dark rum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- Whip all the ingredients together by hand until peaks form. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
66
The market where I shop has figs, but they’re not in the greatest condition. Can dried figs be substituted in the pie crust and if so, how long should they be soaked?
Thanks.
dried figs are what you should use in the crust! don’t use fresh! I will clarify that in the post 🙂
Perfect recipe! It was sooo good! Thank you!
Thank you!
Can I use pitted dates for the crust?
Yes! Any dried fruit!