The holidays are upon us and with it comes delicious feasts and treats. Super Sous and I developed this easy, no-bake, drought friendly (aka -no dairy/vegan) Coconut Pumpkin Pie recipe to make your Thanksgiving and other special holiday meals a win. But, wait… why wait til the holidays?! You can prepare and enjoy this right now!
Making the Crust for the Pie
Pie Crust Ready for Chilling
Up Close and Personal with the Pie
Overhead Shot of Pie
Cut Yourself A Slice
Coconut Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Snap Crust and Candied Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
Yields: 1 9½-inch deep dish pumpkin pie
Pie Crust:
1 (10-ounce) bag ginger snap cookies (preferably Mi-Del brand)
¼ cup coconut oil
4½ ounces pitted Medjool dates (7 large medjool dates)
Add the ginger snaps, coconut oil and pitted dates to a food processor. Process until very well combined, approximately 1 minute.
Empty the contents into a 9½-inch deep dish pie pan.
Using a flat instrument (I use the top of a non-stick spray can) press the ginger snap mixture firmly and evenly across the bottom and also up the sides of the pie pan, using your thumb as a guide at the top of the pie pan as you press the mixture up the side of the dish.
Transfer into the refrigerator and chill for at least 45 minutes.
Pie Filling:
¼ cup water
1½ teaspoons agar agar powder
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk (not low-fat)
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (5.4-ounce) can coconut cream
½ cup dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/16 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Stir to combine the water and agar agar powder in a medium (3½ quart) saucepan. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Add the coconut milk, pumpkin puree, coconut cream, dark brown sugar, salt and pepper and stir well to combine.
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil, stirring often with a spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom of the sauce pan to prevent burning.
Once the mixture comes to a rolling boil, immediately remove from heat and set aside to cool for one hour, stirring occasionally. After one hour stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the cooled pumpkin mixture into the prepared pie shell and return to the refrigerator.
Chill for at least three hours until firm.
Slice, and serve with a few candied pumpkin seeds.
Candied Spiced Pumpkin Seeds:
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/16 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ tablespoon grapeseed oil
¾ cup toasted and salted pumpkin seeds
1½ tablespoons pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
Mix together the cinnamon, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute, then add the oil and swirl the pan to evenly distribute.
Add the pumpkin seeds and stir to fully coat.
Cook for approximately 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds to heat evenly.
Sprinkle the spice mix evenly over the pumpkin seeds and stir to coat. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring every 5 seconds.
Pour in the pure maple syrup and stir to coat. Continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Keep an eye on the seeds, and if they begin to smoke, turn down the heat a touch and stir more often.
Remove from the heat and transfer the seeds to a parchment-lined sheet pan.
Spread out the seeds, using 2 forks and allow to cool completely. They will candy (harden) as they cool.
Chef Nathan Lyon 