Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

This dairy-free pumpkin pie is the perfect fall-time dessert! It uses sweetened condensed coconut milk and a combination of eggs and egg yolks for a rich and silky-smooth filling that won't crack in the oven.

As a dedicated pumpkin pie lover and recipe developer, I’ve tested this recipe over and over until it was perfectly spiced and creamy. I can confidently say it’s going to knock your socks off, and no one will be able to tell that it's dairy-free!

Ingredients Notes

The ingredients are fairly simple but make for a delicious pie! Here are some notes on the key ingredients you'll need:

Dairy-free pie crust - You can use store bought or homemade pie crust. Although I chose to make it myself (the instructions are in the recipe card), the star of this pie is the filling, so if you don’t have the capacity, go ahead and buy a pie crust from the grocery store. Don’t forget to read the ingredients to make sure it doesn’t contain any butter.

Canned pumpkin - Use a can of pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling! Pumpkin pie filling already includes sugar and spices, so it will not work for this recipe. The cans I usually go for the big cans of E.D.Smith pure pumpkin, as it's always thick and not watery like some canned pumpkin. If your purée seems watery, strain it in a coffee filter over a fine-mesh strainer to remove excess moisture.

Vegan sweetened condensed milk - Adds sweetness and richness, but also thickens the filling more than the traditional pumpkin pie recipes that use evaporated milk. I’ve used sweetened condensed coconut milk and sweetened condensed oat milk and both work great!

Eggs - You'll need two whole eggs and two egg yolks. The egg yolks make the filling extra rich and creamy, and prevents the pie from cracking in the oven because it doesn’t have as much water in the form of egg whites.Pumpkin pie spice - For the best flavor, make sure your pumpkin spice is fresh and hasn't been sitting in your spice cabinet since last year!

How to Make Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie

Let's walk through the simple steps to make the perfect pumpkin pie! We'll start with the crust, as it needs time to chill, and then move on to the filling.

Make the Pie Crust

Put all the ingredients into a bowl, and use your fingers to pinch the butter and work it into the dry ingredients. Little by little, work the ice cold water into the dough.

Once it comes together, shape it into a disk, wrap it in some plastic wrap, and put it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. This helps the flour hydrate properly and the butter become cold again, for a crisp and flaky crust.

You can do this step the day before, or many days advance and just keep the dough in the freezer!

Once you're ready to make your pie, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate. Keep it in the freezer while you preheat your oven so it doesn't melt or shrink in the oven.

Put a piece of parchment paper into the pie crust, and fill it with pie weights, dry beans, or uncooked rice. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, take it out, remove the pie weights and parchment paper, and put it back into the oven to bake for another 10 minutes.

By blind baking the crust before adding the filling, we're giving the crust a chance to properly bake through and crisp up, and prevent the chances of getting a soggy bottom.

Make the Filling

While the crust cools, put all of the filling ingredients into a bowl and whisk it together.

Pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust, cover the edges of the crust with foil so it doesn't burn, and bake it at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes.

Without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 320°F (160°C) and keep baking the pie for about 35 minutes. When it's done, the center should be jiggly but not loose, and the tip of a sharp knife inserted into the filling about an inch from the pie crust should come out clean.

Let the pie cool completely on the counter before serving. Cut into it warm and you'll be serving liquid pumpkin pie. Store the pie in the fridge, preferably uncovered to avoid condensation.

Pumpkin Pie Pro Tips

Here are some important tips to help you make the best pumpkin pie every time:

Use chilled ingredients for the pie crust. For a crisp pie crust, it’s very important to use chilled butter and shortening, and ice water. To help the fats stay cold, you can even chill all the other pie crust ingredients before making the dough.

Use room temperature ingredients for the filling. Unlike the pie crust ingredients, the filling ingredients should all be at room temperature to help it bake evenly in the oven.

Chill the pie dough before baking. To ensure the pie crust doesn’t melt away in the oven, chill it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before baking it.

Blind bake the pie crust. You want to fully bake the crust so it can maintain its crispiness even after adding the pumpkin filling. No soggy bottoms for this non-dairy pumpkin pie recipe!

Don't overbake the pie. Pumpkin pies are notorious for cracking. The culprit: overcooked eggs. To prevent the pie from getting a cracked surface, make sure to only bake it until the center is jiggly, but not loose.

Let it cool completely. The pie will continue to cook and set as it cools, so let it cool completely and chill it in the fridge before you cut into it.

Storage and freezing directions:

Refrigerating: Keep leftover slices in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 days. Pumpkin pies tend to “weep”, where the moisture rises to the surface. If your pumpkin pie starts to weep, just blot the excess moisture with a clean paper towel.

Freezing a whole pie: If you’re planning to freeze the whole pie, bake the pie in a disposable pie pan. Cool the pie completely, and wrap it tightly in a couple of layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Put the pie in a large freezer bag for extra protection against freezer burn. Put the pie in the fridge for 24 hours to let it defrost.

Freezing individual slices: You can wrap each slice tightly in a couple of layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil before putting it in a freezer bag or airtight container. Let it defrost in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

More Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes

Want more pumpkin desserts? Try this gluten-free pumpkin bread! It's moist and perfectly spiced.

If you love soup, try my creamy pumpkin soup! Bonus points if you top it with cornbread croutons.

You can't have Thanksgiving without my gluten free cornbread! It's moist, fluffy, a touch sweet, and very corny.

Are you a fellow Brussels sprouts lover? My roasted Brussels sprouts recipe has bacon, pecans, and dried cranberries in it, making it super fun and delicious to eat!

If you want to try something unconventional, try my rice stuffing! It's vegan but super flavorful.