This Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Pie is allergy-friendly and delicious! We found that we preferred the smooth custard filling made without egg. This recipe uses only 8 ingredients and takes less than 45 minutes to make.
You'll love the smooth pumpkin flavor and the perfect amount of sweetness mixed with pumpkin spice that will have your guests asking for more!
This Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Pie is best served in October, November, and on Thanksgiving Day. While canned pumpkin puree is available all year round, the flavors and mood are most associated with Autumn. I enjoy this recipe so much that I make it on Thanksgiving Day and at least once beforehand!
We always serve this pumpkin pie with my Pumpkin Spice Coconut Whipped Cream or Essential Dairy-Free Whipped Cream. Both are also vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-friendly!
For another super-quick pumpkin pie variation, check out my Crustless Pumpkin Pie. And for more gluten-free and vegan pumpkin treats, check out my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Gluten-Free Fried Pumpkin Donut Holes, Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer, Pumpkin Spice Whipped Cream, Pumpkin Chia Pudding, and Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread (tested vegan option).
If you can eat eggs, you will also love my Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins, Flourless Pumpkin Pancakes, and Paleo Pumpkin Donuts.
If you're looking for more gluten-free and vegan pie recipes, check out my Gluten-Free Apple Pie, Gluten-Free Pie Crust, and Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie (no bake).
How to make it
This vegan gluten-free pumpkin pie is super easy to make! It's also soy-free and allergy-friendly.
Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
The custard filling of this gluten-free vegan pumpkin pie uses only 7 common ingredients. The only ingredient that requires a little prep beforehand is the gluten-free pie crust. I found that making my own was the way to go. You can find all the ingredient details below the photo.
Gluten-Free Pie Crust
If I only quickly glanced at this recipe, I might be deterred by the crust. But it is super easy to make my 3-ingredient homemade gluten-free pie crust (it uses all purpose gluten-free flour, butter or vegan butter, sugar and salt). You can use a store-bought one.
The only store-bought vegan and gluten-free pie crust I tried was made by Wholly Wholesome, and I picked it up at Whole Foods. It was good, but I like my own version better. My crust recipe is perfect for making ahead and freezing or refrigerating, which is what I do ahead of Thanksgiving.
Pumpkin Puree
You will get the best results with a thick Pumpkin Puree like Libby's. It is labeled gluten-free and contains only pure pumpkin.
Do not use anything labeled "pumpkin pie filling". This product has additives that may or may not be allergy-friendly, gluten-free, and vegan. We will be making our own pumpkin pie filling from scratch as part of this recipe.
More Ingredient Notes
- Full Fat Coconut Milk - Use the full can for this recipe, including the solid coconut cream and the liquid coconut water in the can. I don't recommend using a lite version or a thinner plant milk like oat milk because the custard will be too thin and set poorly.
- Brown Sugar - I love the flavor of brown sugar in this recipe! It goes so well with pumpkin. Regular granulated white sugar or coconut sugar is a fine replacement.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice - If you don't have any on hand, make your own with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice! My Homemade Pumpkin Spice Recipe is simple and perfect for this pie. For a little extra spiciness, also add a pinch of ground cloves.
- Potato Starch - Potato starch is the most allergy-friendly. Corn starch can be substituted one-for-one, but corn is a common allergen. Be sure to check with your food-allergic guests if making the swap.
See the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with quantities.
Variations
Here are two variations of this gluten-free vegan pumpkin pie that you may want to try:
- Sweet Potato Pie - You can simply replace the pureed pumpkin with sweet potato puree for a sweet potato pie! It's a 1-for-1 swap, meaning you use the same amount of sweet potato puree as pumpkin puree.
- Crustless Pumpkin Pie - It is possible to bake this filling without a crust, and it is delicious. However, I also have a Crustless Pumpkin Pie recipe that I also love and make every year. It contains eggs but it is gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and paleo.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This gluten-free vegan pumpkin pie is truly one of the easiest pies to make! Just partially bake the crust (called par-baking), mix the filling on the stove, spread it into the crust and bake to set.
- Prepare the Crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Assemble the gluten-free pie crust dough in an 8 or 9 inch pie pan. Poke the bottom of the crust with a fork, leaving about an inch between pokes, to release steam while baking.
- Par-bake the Crust: Repeatedly crumple up a piece of parchment paper until it is soft and easy to maneuver. Gently place it in the pie shell and fill with pie weights, dry beans, or dry rice. Bake it on a rack in the lower third of the oven for 20 minutes or until just starting to brown.
- Filling: Meanwhile, add all of the filling ingredients to a medium saucepan. Set over medium-high heat and whisk together. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture has darkened slightly and taken on a thick pudding texture (usually 5-10 minutes).
- Pie Assembly: Once the pie shell finishes its initial bake, remove it from the oven. Drop the temperature to 350 degrees F, and fill the pie shell with the filling mixture. Use a spatula to gently spread the mixture and smooth the top.
- Bake: Bake it on a rack in the lower third of the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the top has set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
Expert Tips
Make excellent gluten-free and vegan pumpkin pie with these expert tips.
Watch the pie filling closely as it cooks on the stove.
Keep an eye on the pie filling while it's cooking on the stove. It can sometimes build large bubbles that pop and send hot filling out of the pan.
This pie recipe is really easy to double.
I recommend making two at the same time, and freezing one for later since they freeze so well.
How to freeze a gluten-free vegan pumpkin pie
First allow it to cool to room temperature. Then wrap the pie in plastic wrap or place in a large freezer bag and seal. I recommend using a spare pie pan or disposable pie pan if freezing, since you must keep the pie in the pan.
Frozen Pumpkin Pies last 1 month in the freezer, and you can simply place it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw.
Recipe FAQ's
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about vegan gluten-free pumpkin pies. Don't see your question? Leave it in a comment at the bottom of this post and I'll get back to you within two business days.
Allow to cool to room temperature, then store leftover gluten-free and vegan pumpkin pie in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For freezing instructions, see the recipe notes or our "helpful tips" section above.
Bake pumpkin pie on a rack in the lower third of the oven. This makes sure the bottom crust is fully cooked and crisped.
Cornstarch or potato starch makes it possible to make a pumpkin pie without eggs. The starches thicken when cooked and hold the pumpkin custard filling together, just as eggs would.
Par-baking a pie crust refers to partially baking an empty pie shell with pie weights or dried beans to keep the bottom flat. This method is used for pies where the filling cooks more quickly than the crust.
Related gluten-free and vegan pumpkin recipes...
Looking for more amazing gluten-free and vegan pumpkin recipes for Thanksgiving and the Fall season? Check these out!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the comment field below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- 1 gluten free and vegan pie crust
- 1 15-ounce can thick pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup full fat coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup brown sugar , lightly packed
- ¼ cup potato starch or cornstarch if no allergy
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Assemble the gluten-free pie crust dough in an 8 or 9 inch pie pan. Poke the bottom of the crust with a fork, leaving about an inch between pokes, to release steam while baking.
- Par-bake the Crust:Â Repeatedly crumple up a piece of parchment paper until it is soft and easy to maneuver. Gently place it in the pie shell and fill with pie weights, dry beans, or dry rice. Bake it on a rack in the lower third of the oven for 20 minutes or until just starting to brown.
- Filling: Meanwhile, add all of the filling ingredients to a medium saucepan. Set over medium-high heat and whisk together. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture has darkened slightly and taken on a thick pudding texture (usually 5-10 minutes).
- Pie Assembly: Once the pie shell finishes its initial bake, remove it from the oven. Drop the temperature to 350 degrees F, and fill the pie shell with the filling mixture. Use a spatula to gently spread the mixture and smooth the top.
- Bake: Bake on a rack in the lower third of the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the top has set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
Sarah says
Just tried for the first time and think I messed up! My filling is darker - almost looks like a chocolate pie. Did I cook the filling too long or too hot before baking?
Jamie says
It's possible but I'm not sure! Did you use dark brown sugar? Or coconut sugar? Did you bake it in the bottom third of the oven? Even if it's a little darker, it still may taste great as long as it's not burned. Send an update if you can!
Sara says
I made a vegan pumpkin pie with a regular crust since I don’t need to eat gluten-free. I thought this recipe looked better than the other vegan ones I saw. I was right! It worked perfectly and was completely delicious.
Cora says
This recipe is extra easy and the pumpkin custard and pie crust are perfect. I didn’t know a gluten-free and vegan pumpkin pie could taste so real!
Jemma says
This gluten-free and vegan pumpkin pie recipe is extra easy. I love the step-by-step instructions with photos on par baking and pie making since I’m new to making pies. I am trialing recipes for my Thanksgiving celebration this year and I know this one will be a hit!
Lorna says
This pie is the best! I made it as a trial for thanksgiving and will make it again then too. I can’t believe how easy it is and that it is egg free! Love the homemade crust too.