It's a baked version of the pumpkin spice latte pie from my cookbook No-Bake Vegan Desserts, combining pumpkin, warm spice, and coffee in a dessert that's somewhere between classic pumpkin pie and a PSL.
The filling is cooked on the stove rather than baked inside the crust, which makes it especially useful for Thanksgiving. You can assemble it ahead, let it set in the fridge, and leave the oven free for everything else. If you're looking for a more traditional baked pumpkin pie, try my vegan pumpkin pie with streusel topping.
If you're comparing your options for fall or Thanksgiving, you can browse all of my vegan pumpkin desserts in one place, including pies, custards, cheesecakes, cakes, and easy bakes.
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Why this recipe works
- Creamy without eggs. Cornstarch thickens and sets the pumpkin custard in place of eggs.
- Pumpkin spice latte flavor. Coffee appears in both the shortbread crust and whipped topping, while pumpkin spice runs through the crust and filling.
- A crisp crust against creamy filling. The shortbread-style base gives the pie a completely different texture from a traditional flaky pastry crust.
- Naturally make-ahead. The custard needs several hours to set in the refrigerator, so it's ideal for preparing before Thanksgiving or another gathering.
- Gluten-free as written. The crust uses gluten-free all-purpose flour, although regular all-purpose flour works too.
One reader made this for a Thanksgiving party specifically because she needed something quick and easy, and said the custard tasted so good she was eating it before it even made it into the crust!
Key ingredients
The exact quantities are in the recipe card at the end of the post. Here are a few ingredients worth noting:
Pumpkin purée: Use pure 100% canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Canned purée gives the most predictable consistency and lets you control the sweetness and spices yourself.
If you're opening a can especially for this pie, use the rest in my vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or pumpkin muffins.
Full-fat coconut milk: This gives the custard its rich texture and also helps it firm up as it chills. I haven't personally tested a coconut-free version, so I wouldn't casually replace it with regular plant-based milk. That's especially important here because the filling isn't baked after it's poured into the crust.
Cornstarch: This is what turns the pumpkin mixture into a sliceable eggless custard. Mix it thoroughly with the cold soy milk before adding it to the hot filling so it disperses evenly rather than forming lumps.
Instant coffee: The coffee is deliberately subtle rather than overpowering. It turns the pie into more of a pumpkin-spice-latte dessert, but you can leave it out if coffee isn't your thing. One reader has also made the pie several times without coffee and loved it.
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How to make the pie
Here's a visual overview of this recipe. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
The crust should feel like soft shortbread dough, rather than a stretchy pastry dough. Add water only if it genuinely needs help coming together; too much can make it sticky and less crisp.
Press it evenly into a 9-inch tart pan and pay particular attention to the corners where the base meets the sides. The recipe is designed for a standard shallow tart pan. If yours is particularly deep, the amount of dough can look too small, which is something a reader ran into with this recipe.
Let the baked crust cool completely before adding the custard. A hot crust can absorb moisture from the filling and soften instead of staying crisp.
For the filling, the most important cue is proper thickening. Once the cornstarch mixture is added, keep the custard at a gentle simmer and whisk continuously. It should look smooth, glossy, and noticeably thicker before it goes anywhere near the crust.
If you do end up with a few lumps, don't panic or start the filling again. Pass it through a fine-mesh sieve while it's still warm, then pour it into the cooled crust.
Finally, give the pie enough time in the refrigerator. The custard firms as it cools, so cutting it before it's completely chilled is much more likely to give you soft slices
Christina's recipe tips
Cool the crust completely. This is the most important thing you can do to keep the shortbread base crisp once the custard goes in.
Use the right size pan. A standard shallow 9-inch tart pan is correct. If you're using a much deeper pan, the crust won't come as far up the sides.
Chill the coconut milk for the topping overnight. Use only the thick cream from the top of the can so the espresso whipped cream holds its shape.
Make it the day before. The pie needs several hours to set anyway, and chilling it overnight makes Thanksgiving Day one job easier.
If you'd rather use a traditional flaky pastry instead of the shortbread crust, my vegan pie crust is the better option.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The coffee gives the pie its pumpkin-spice-latte flavor, but it isn't essential to the structure of the recipe.
Simply leave it out if you prefer a more classic pumpkin-spice flavor. One reader who has made the recipe several times skips the coffee in the crust and uses a little vanilla instead, and reports that both vegans and non-vegans love it.
Cornstarch can form lumps if it isn't fully dispersed before it reaches the hot filling.
Mix it thoroughly with the cold soy milk first, then whisk continuously once it's added to the saucepan. If there are still lumps after the custard has thickened, pass it through a fine-mesh sieve before pouring it into the crust.
Yes, it's actually a great make-ahead dessert. The filling needs around 3-4 hours to set completely, but you can easily make the pie the day before and refrigerate it overnight. I would wait to add the espresso whipped cream until the pie has fully set.
For Thanksgiving, serve this alongside another classic pie such as my vegan apple pie or vegan sweet potato pie
🎃 More Vegan Pumpkin Desserts
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📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Custard Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 188 g (1 ½ cups) gluten-free all-purpose flour sub with regular all purpose flour
- 50 g (4 tablespoons) coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 85 g (6 tablespoons) vegan butter
- 1-2 tablespoons (1-2 tablespoons) water as needed
Filling
- 125 g (½ cup) canned pumpkin puree
- 400 g (14 oz) can full fat coconut milk
- 120 ml (120 ml) pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons (40 g) cornstarch (cornflour)
- 4 tablespoons soy milk
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix
Topping
- 360 g (12.7 oz) chilled full-fat canned coconut milk *see note 1
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee
Instructions
- Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease the base and sides of a round 9-inch tart pan with some oil or vegan butter. If desired, you can also line the base with parchment paper. Use a standard shallow 9-inch tart pan. A deeper pan will require a taller crust and may make the amount of dough appear insufficient.
- Add the flour, coconut sugar, instant coffee, pumpkin spice, salt, and vegan butter to your food processor and blend until they form a dough consistency. If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and blend again until the mixture comes together.
- Evenly press the dough into the base and sides of the tart tin and use a fork to prick several holes into the base. Bake the crust for 15 minutes until slightly browned, then allow to cool (do not remove the tart from the tin).
- Filling: Add the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, maple syrup, and vanilla to a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and soy milk until it forms a paste. Add the paste to the saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Cook for around 5 minutes, whisking continuously, until the custard is smooth and noticeably thickened.
- Pour the pumpkin filling into the cooled tart shell and allow it to cool slightly at room temperature for 10 minutes. Transfer the pie to the fridge to set completely for 3-4 hours.
- Topping: Mix the coffee with one tablespoon of boiling water and set it aside to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes. Whisk together the coconut milk and maple syrup in a bowl using an electric whisk or stand mixer. Lastly, add the cooled coffee and whisk again to combine.
- Transfer the cream into a piping bag fitted with an open star tip and pipe around the edges of the tart. Top with some chocolate shavings before serving if desired.
- Storage: Transfer the pie to a plate, wrap it well with plastic wrap or tin foil, and refrigerate. You can also use an airtight container to store the pie if you have one big enough. If you'd like to freeze any leftover pumpkin pie you can pop it into an airtight container and defrost as needed. Make sure you allow a couple of hours for the pie to defrost before serving.
Notes
- Coconut Milk: For the topping, refrigerate the tins of coconut milk overnight, then only use the thick cream from the top of the can.
- If your custard is lumpy after adding the cornstarch to your filling, even after several minutes of cooking and whisking, then simply pass it through a fine-mesh sieve before pouring the custard into the pastry shell.
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