Pumpkins definitely contribute to my love for fall. And one of the reasons I love pumpkins so much, is because they’re so versatile. I mean, you can stuff them with a delicious Persian rice dish, make a comforting soup or use them for sweet dishes like this delicious pumpkin pie. Seriously, I could eat pumpkin all day every day, from pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast to pumpkin soup for lunch (together with a fresh salad like so) to butternut squash risotto at night. Yummy!
This version is especially great as it’s made with only 7 ingredients, most of which you probably have on hand anyway – especially in the fall.
walnuts
dates
cinnamon
salt
pumpkin puree
coconut milk
pumpkin pie spice
Except for the pumpkin all the other ingredients are used raw, so it’s an almost raw vegan cake. You could even have a slice of this pumpkin pie for breakfast, it’s that healthy.
The crust is a simpler version (yes even simpler) of the crust that I used for my key lime pie and this gorgeous mango tart. However, the main role in this dessert goes to the pumpkin obviously. This recipe comes in really handy, when you have pumpkin leftovers, e.g. when you’re making this delicious stuffed butternut squash and don’t know what to with all the pumpkin puree that’s left. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to cook/ bake a pumpkin just in order to make this delicious pie, though. Oh and it doesn’t really matter what kind of pumpkin you get. I’ve tried it with Hokkaido pumpkin and butternut squash puree so far and they both turned out really well.
Serve this pie with coconut whipped cream or cashew cream. For the latter you’ll only need 5 ingredients: cashews, maple syrup, cinnamon, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Just follow the instructions below.
Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea!
- 2 cups walnuts (200 g)
- 1 1/2 cups dates (150 g)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- a pinch of (Himalayan) salt
- 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree (450 g)
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (50 g)
- 1 1/4 cups dates (125 g)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (see notes for homemade version)
- 1 2/3 cups cashews (soaked) (250 g)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- a pinch of salt
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To make the crust, place walnuts and dates into a food processor, along with cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Process until the mixture begins to stick together. Press the mixture onto the bottom and sides of a spring form pan evenly.
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Place all the filling ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until silky smooth.
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Pour filling into pie dish on top of the crust and smooth out with a spatula/ the back of a spoon or a knife. Transfer to the freezer and let it set for at least 4 hours.
Once you care for a piece, be sure to take it out for 1 hour or so. Or if you can’t wait, pop it into the oven for a few minutes.
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Serve with cashew cream or whipped coconut cream.
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Simply blend all the ingredients for the cashew cream together in a high-speed blender and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
- You can use any nuts, really. I like to use walnuts, as they are regionally available where I live. A mixture of pecans and walnuts would be great for this pie, too.
- You can use homemade pumpkin puree from cooking or baking any kind of squash in advance or store-bought canned pumpkin puree (16 oz).
- For homemade pumpkin pie spice you'll need: 3 tbsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ginger, 1tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves. Simply whisk together all the ingredients until well combined. Store in a small jar or any other airtight container. Use it to flavor pies, cookies, oatmeal or even roasted veggies.
- This recipe makes a lot of cashew cream. You can make a smaller amount simply by cutting the ingredients in half. However, it's a lot easier to blend larger amounts in a blender. You could also freeze any leftovers in an ice cube tray or keep it (airtight) in the fridge for a few days.
I hope you love this recipe – please let me know in the comment section below! If you make this pie, make sure to take a photo and share it on my Facebook page or on Instagram, using the hashtag #minamadefood. Oh and don’t forget to tag me (@thisisminamade) so that I can see your creations!
