The Best Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2024)

A decade ago, a reader named June emailed me asking for a good dairy-free soy-free pumpkin pie recipe. Unfortunately, all of the tried-and-true recipes she found were vegan versions made with tofu.

I had received this request so many times during the holidays that I knew I had to come up with a reliable milk-free and soy-free recipe before the next Thanksgiving. And after several rounds of pumpkin pie trials, I created a recipe that my family thinks is one of the most delicious pumpkin pies they have ever tasted, dairy-free or not. And many of you agree! Since I first posted the recipe, way back in 2009, this dairy-free soy-free pumpkin pie has become a beloved recipe in so many households.

Today I’m giving this post a big update with some new photos that I recently took and several reader tips. But the time-tested recipe remains untouched.

The Best Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (1)

This is The Best Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie

This delicious recipe for dairy-free soy-free pumpkin pie uses everyday ingredients and is a great make-ahead option. We now consider it a staple on our Classic Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Menu.

The Best Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2)As a kid, I remember how the famousLibby’s Pumpkin Pie recipe would leave asoggy crust when stored overnight. But thisrecipe keeps a nice firm crust, allowing the filling to firm up and the flavor to develop as it chills in the refrigerator. In fact, Tony and I actually prefer this pie after a nightof refrigeration.

Foradditional dairy-free holiday dessert options, you can enjoy more of my recipes inGo Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook.Need itnow?Go Dairy Free is also available in all major eBook formats.

The Best Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (3)

Reader Feedback:Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie

You can read tons of comments on this post, but many of you left feedback on our social media or on my other blog (where I originally posted this recipe). Here are some of those comments, which include answers to many of your questions!

How Does It Taste?

I have been making this recipe since I went dairy free over 5 years ago. I have had people who don’t like pumpkin pie love this recipe. ~Anna

This is by far my family’s favorite! been using thus recipe for several years now. its amazing! ~Summer

My daughter is severely allergic. We have this every Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Everyone can’t believe it is not dairy. ~Michael-ann

THANK YOU!! Made this last night and it turned out absolutely amazing, it was my practice run before thanksgiving which this year will be entirely dairy/soy free so i can eat everything!!! Thanks again .. I’m headed for another slice right now! ~ Trinidy

Finally, a dairy free pumpkin pie that tastes great!! I tried three different dairy free recipes last year and they were all disasters. I used coconut cream instead of milk and it was perfect. ~ Susan

This is the best pumpkin pie I have ever had! ~ Katy

I have made your pumpkin pie recipe for the last two years and it’s a big hit! In fact, we prefer it to the traditional recipe! ~ Becky

I wanted to make a pumpkin pie that would also satisfy my guests who are not dairy-free, and this recipe was absolutely PERFECT. I will make this time and time again! For gluten-free, I did use the pecan crust recipe from the Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook though, which I thought was a great compliment. ~ Sharon

We made this pie, two of them actually, for a group of people. We are gluten and dairy free, and one of our friends sons is soy free as well. Every single person said it was the best pumpkin pie they ever tasted! I am back to make it for Thanksgiving today! ~ Lisa

But Can You Taste the Coconut?

Didn’t taste like coconut – all pumpkin pie. Making another one tomorrow to use my 2nd “Wholly Wholesome” pie crust (from Whole Foods). Thanks again for the recipe! ~ Amy

Can I Make It Sugar-Free?

I just want to say, “Thank you” AGAIN! This recipe is just AMAZING!!! I have made it 5 times in the last year! It’s past New Year’s, but, I don’t care. This pie is SOOO good and soo guiltless (I use xylitol sweetener). I also tried stevia. The taste was great, but it did cause the pie to pull away from the crust. ~ Adelaide

Did You Try Any Other Modifications?

For the first time ever my dairy allergic daughter was able to eat pumpkin pie! And she loved it, as did everyone else who ate it. I tweaked it just a bit by adding an extra egg white and about a 1/2 TBS of cornstarch. The texture was absolutely identical to traditional pumpkin pie. Can not wait to make this again (and again, and again, and again…)!!! ~Kim

I have made these twice and rave reviews. And shared it with Kim who commented above! I too tweaked it some and subbed 3/4 cup coconut crystals for the white and brown sugar. And I used 3 large eggs in mine. ~ Deb

I tried this recipe with EnerG egg replacer, and it worked fine. I also used soymilk instead of coconut milk, since I am allergic to dairy and eggs, but not soy. Usually my pumpkin pies are a little watery, so I used just a little less milk than it called for (between 3/4 and 1 cup). I thought it was very flavorful pie, and although it didn’t stand up quite the way a pie with eggs does, it was close enough that the filling didn’t leave the crust when I served it. THANK YOU for this lovely recipe, I’ll probably use it for years to come. ~ Victoria

My daughter is 21 and never been able to enjoy pumpkin pie and that was her wish this Thanksgiving. Thanks to your recipe it made 2 pies. I used 3 eggs and 1/2 tsp of cornstarch. My husband said it was even better than “regular” pumpkin pie. ~ Carol

The Best Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (4)

Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free, Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, optionally gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and vegetarian.

For an egg-free and vegan soy-free pumpkin pie, several readers have had good luck substituting a powdered egg replacer like Ener-G for the eggs. I also recommend aquafaba as a substitute. The egg-free version rises up a little less.

Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie

The Best Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (5)

Print

Prep time

Cook time

Total time

This beloved recipe is a true favorite. And don't worry, it doesn't taste like coconut! Please note that the Prep time is hands on time only, not cooling time. Which means this is a great make ahead recipe! The easy peasy pie crust s adapted from my book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook.

Author: Alisa Fleming

Serves: 8 dee-licious slices

Ingredients

Easy Peasy Pie Crust (alternatively use the recipe below this one for a gluten-free crust, or use a store-bought shell)

  • 1½ cups all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1½ teaspoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons oil (your baking oil of choice)
  • 3 tablespoons cold water

Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie Filling

  • ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs (see egg-free note above for vegan option)
  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup regular, full-fat, canned coconut milk (see Notes below)

Instructions

Easy Peasy Pie Crust

  1. Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Make a well in the flour, add the oil and water, and stir until it forms dough.
  2. Press the dough into a 9-inch pie pan.

Pumpkin Pie Filling and Baking

  1. Preheat your oven to 425ºF.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or allspice, cloves and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Beat in the sugar mixture, pumpkin, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the coconut milk.
  4. Pour the filling into your unbaked pie crust and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350ºF and continue to bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean. It may be a bit wobbly still, but it will firm-up as it cools.
  5. Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for 2 hours (Be patient! This is important). For the firmest pie, refrigerate it for 4 hours or more before serving.

Notes

Coconut Milk Notes: How thick the pie sets up will depend on the richness of your coconut milk (NOT coconut milk beverage). If a lot of coconut cream forms when the can is chilled, then your pie will set up more firmly. But you can shake the can before using the coconut milk in this recipe.

Spice Cheat: In a pinch, you can substitute the spices with 1½ to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.

For More of My Recipes, Get Go Dairy Free!

The Best Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (6)

The Best Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is condensed milk or evaporated milk better for pumpkin pie? ›

As the name suggests, sweetened condensed milk makes the pie sweeter and gives it a denser, creamier texture. Evaporated milk, on the other hand, yields a lighter, airier result. Evaporated milk isn't sweetened either, which is why you can't simply swap one thickener for the other.

Can I substitute soy milk for evaporated milk in pumpkin pie? ›

The first is soy milk. Soy milk has a bit of a “beany” taste, but the good news is that the spices in a pumpkin pie hide that taste almost completely. You can make a one-to-one substitution for the evaporated milk in the recipe: 12 oz., or 1½ cups.

What is a substitute for cinnamon in pumpkin pie? ›

If you don't have ground cinnamon, you can use ginger or allspice in place of pumpkin pie spice. Just use half of the amount called for since ginger and allspice have stronger flavors than cinnamon.

What happens if you put too much evaporated milk in pumpkin pie? ›

Pies with too much evaporated milk formed blisters on top.

Though the interior of the filling had a great, creamy texture. The flavor was ever-so-slightly muted and had a hint of milkiness to it.

What happens if I use condensed milk instead of evaporated milk? ›

These items are essentially the same with one big difference: no sugar is added to evaporated milk. Sweetened condensed milk also has 60% of the water removed, but contains 40% sugar. Due to the big flavor difference, they cannot be substituted for each other.

What can I use instead of evaporated milk in pumpkin pie? ›

While many recipes call for it, you can absolutely make an outstanding pumpkin pie without evaporated milk. If your recipe calls for one can of evaporated milk (as most do), you can substitute 1 ½ cups of cream or half and half, or a combination of the two. You can also use milk (any kind from whole to skim).

What is a good non dairy substitute for evaporated milk? ›

Soy milk can be heated, and the water content reduced to use it like evaporated milk. The taste is slightly different, but in most recipes you won't notice. It can be used in sweet and savory dishes alike.

What is a dairy free alternative for evaporated milk? ›

Examples include allergies or intolerances to dairy products, nutritional or dietary considerations, and taste preferences. Dairy alternatives to evaporated milk include whole milk, cream, and half-and-half, while nondairy options include soy milk, nut milk, and quinoa milk.

How do I substitute soy milk for evaporated milk? ›

Simmer any quantity of soy or rice milk in a pan until it reduced by 60% to get evaporated milk. Approximately 3 cups of rice or soy milk will leave 1 cup of evaporated milk left at the end.

What is the difference between pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice pie? ›

Does Pumpkin Spice Have Pumpkin? No, pumpkin spice does not contain any pumpkin. Pumpkin spice is usually made from an assortment of spices. That being said, you can add ingredients such as pumpkin puree to your pumpkin spice mixture.

What is a good substitute for pumpkin pie? ›

If you're seeking an alternative for pumpkin pie, look no further than butternut squash – you'll likely never go back.

What is allspice made of? ›

Allspice is a spice made from the dried berries of a plant known as Pimenta dioica, which is a member of the myrtle family. The flavor of allspice brings to mind cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper.

When should you not use evaporated milk? ›

Unopened cans of evaporated milk can keep for more than a year. But if you open a can and it's dark yellow or brown (a light brown color is normal), smells bad or appears curdled, don't use it.

Why use evaporated milk in pumpkin pie? ›

Evaporated milk: A can of evaporated milk lends richness and helps thicken the pie filling.

Should I Prebake pie crust for pumpkin pie? ›

Typically, the crust takes longer to cook than the filling. This is often the case for pie recipes with custard fillings, like this chocolate chess pie, this pumpkin pie, or this rhubarb custard pie. Pre baking the crust for those types of pies will give the pie crust a head start by partially baking it.

Should I use evaporated milk or condensed milk? ›

As Leal explains: "Evaporated milk offers creaminess without sweetness and is suitable for savory dishes and some desserts. On the other hand, sweetened condensed milk is intensely sweet and used in desserts and sweet treats, thanks to its thick, syrupy texture."

Is condensed milk better than evaporated milk? ›

Evaporated milk and condensed milk are both shelf-stable canned milks that are easily found at most grocery stores. The main difference is that condensed milk is very sweet, and evaporated milk is unsweetened.

Why is my pumpkin pie not creamy? ›

The egg proteins in pumpkin pie filling form a loose net that traps moisture. As the egg proteins are heated, they begin to contract. Cook them hot enough, and they'll contract so much that they separate from each other into curds, giving your pie filling that grainy, wet texture.

References

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