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This Pumpkin Custard Pie has a delicious pecan & date crust and is the perfect healthy dessert to bring to a holiday meal!
This post was updated with new photos in 11/2019.
I love pie. I know it can be hit or miss with some people, but it’s a hit for me. As a child, I actually requested blueberry pies instead of birthday cakes for a solid 3+ consecutive years. I don’t know if my toddler friends enjoyed that…but I certainly did!
While there aren’t any blueberries in this holiday pie, it still tastes pretty damn delicious.
I never really ate Pumpkin Pie as a child, but as I mature and my taste buds have evolve, the spicy-sweet flavors of this dessert have continually grown on me.
However, the importance I place on healthy, whole foods has increased as well, and pie does not usually fall in this category. Until now, that is! This pie is free from oil, gluten, and refined sugars, all without sacrificing taste.
I know there can be a battle between Pumpkin and Pecan pies during this time of year…so I thought, what the heck, let’s just combine them! So we have a Pecan, Oat, & Date Crust, plus the classic Pumpkin Pie filling. Sounds like a win-win to me!
Please note that this recipe is titled “Pumpkin Custard Pie.” Because I did not use any flour in this recipe the pie itself does have a softer, more velvet-y texture. Personally, I think that’s a great thing! If you would like your pie to be thicker, simply refrigerate before serving.
A Few Final Thoughts:
- To make this recipe Nut Free, feel free to substitute the Pecans with Sunflower or Pumpkin Seeds.
- It is very important that you let this pie cool completely before slicing, so please don’t skip this step! Otherwise it may be too runny.
- I used Soy Milk to make this recipe, as it has a creamier texture and mouth feel. You can use Almond Milk, but it probably won’t be as satisfying. Coconut milk would also be a great option, if you like the flavor of coconuts!
If you’re looking for more holiday recipes, you may also love my Fluffy Vegan Cornbread or Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share on social, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl on Instagram or Facebook! It truly warms my heart to see your lovely recreations 🙂
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Pecan & Pumpkin Custard Pie
This Pumpkin Custard Pie has a delicious pecan & date crust and is the perfect healthy dessert to bring to a holiday meal!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Pecan Pie Crust:
- 1 cup (113 g) quick or rolled oats, gluten-free if necessary
- 1 cup (115g) raw pecans or pecan pieces
- 1/2 cup (108 g) medjool dates, pitted
- pinch of salt
For the Pumpkin Custard Filling:
- 1 15-ounce (425 g) can pumpkin puree (not pie mix)
- 1 1/2 cup (350 ml) unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1/4 cup (29 g) non-gmo cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice blend
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 packed cup (151 g) medjool dates, pitted
Instructions
For the Pecan Pie Crust:
- Cover the pitted dates with hot water and let sit for 5 minutes, then drain. Note: You will only need to soak the dates for the pie crust in this recipe; do not soak the dates for the filling.
- In the meantime, blend the oats in a food processor or high speed blender for 30 to 40 seconds, until they form a fine flour. Add the pecans and salt, then process until smooth.
- Add the drained dates to the food processor and pulse until a well-combined, sticky dough forms. Transfer the mixture into a greased pie pan and press down evenly to form the crust. Use a fork to poke holes in the crust, to prevent “bubbles” from forming.
For the Pumpkin Pie:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Add all ingredients, except for the cornstarch and dates, into a large pot. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
- While the pumpkin mixture is heating up, prepare a “slurry” by adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to the cornstarch in a small bowl. Gently mix together until a thick liquid has formed; you don’t want any clumps in this!
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering pumpkin mixture and cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Transfer this mixture to a blender or food processor, add in the remaining dates, and blend until smooth.
- Pour the filling into the crust and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. The pie may look slightly uncooked when you take it out of the oven, but it will set as it cools. Let cool completely before slicing and serving as desired.
Notes
- Pecans may be substituted with almonds, walnuts, or shredded coconut for a nut-free option
Keywords: vegan pumpkin pie, healthy pumpkin pie, pumpkin pecan pie, pumpkin custard pie, sugar free pumpkin pie, pumpkin pie oil free, pumpkin pie with dates
Would it make a difference if I blended the filling with dates and then added the cornstarch slurry and simmered?
Can’t wait to try this!
I did it in the order written because the heat from the simmering mixture helps to soften and blend the dates completely, but you can definitely try it the way you’ve written way and let me know how it goes 🙂
Have not made any recipes yet, but look very delicious.
I do have one problem. Im very allergic to nuts. So far coconut doesnt affect me, though coconut is from a tree nut so must use sparingly. Do you have any suggestions for other substitutes? I also cannot eat fruits that have pits like peaches or cherrries, (☹) and fresh peas off the vine. I can think of subs for most of these, but if you have any other suggestions, I would love to gear them! Suzette Holman
★★★★★
If you have nut allergies and other dietary restrictions, here are some suggested substitutes for the Pumpkin Custard Pie:
For the Pecan Pie Crust:
1. Replace pecans with roasted sunflower seeds.
2. Use gluten-free flours like rice, quinoa, or coconut as a substitute for oats.
3. Replace nut butter with seed butter (e.g., sunflower or pumpkin seed).
4. Use dried fruits like apricots, figs, or raisins instead of dates as a sweetener and binder.
For the Pumpkin Custard Filling:
1. Substitute pumpkin with sweet potato or butternut squash puree.
2. Use non-dairy milk you can tolerate (e.g., coconut milk).
3. Choose alternative thickeners like arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, or potato starch if you can’t use cornstarch.
4. Replace medjool dates with date syrup or maple syrup as a sweetener.
Always check ingredient labels, and consider testing new ingredients in a small batch to ensure they are safe for your specific allergies.
This is the best pumpkin pie recipe! We love it so much that I’ve been making it regularly since Thanksgiving.
★★★★★
Thank you, Jamie!
So incredibly good! The best pumpkin pie we have ever had! Thank you!
★★★★★
Great! Glad to hear you liked it, Molly 🙂