This recipe is simple, even though it requires ten ingredients in 1 bowl. The hands-on prep time for this recipe is only 30 minutes, and there’s also no baking required.
The crust is made of dates, nuts, and oats with pumpkin pie spice. It’s completely vegan and gluten-free.
The filling is a creamy vegan pumpkin pud that can be made in 10 minutes plus chilling time. This is a thick, sweet and pumpkin pudding made from scratch. It’s gorgeous.
When I grabbed tapioca powder from my newly-organized mason jar pantry, I actually caught the sugar. The timing couldn’t have worked out better because the coconut milk can I bought was a dud. It was still liquid after cooling and had not separated. Humph.
When I accidentally added tapioca, it thickened up right away! It was the best coconut whipped cream that I had ever made. It stayed thick, luxurious, and delicious in the refrigerator for days. The tapioca was so fine that it did not affect the taste or texture at all! Then I added a bit of vanilla extract and some powdered sugar, and voila! After my first test, I tried this method on a can of cream that was thick and produced a lot. It didn’t help nearly as much. If your coconut milk remains liquid after cooling, I’d add tapioca as a last-ditch effort to save it.
Ingredients
CRUST
- 2 cups pitted dates
- I used half pecans and half almonds.
- 1/4 cup rolled oatmeal (gluten-free if needed // or use unsweetened coconut flakes for a different taste)
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Filling for PUMPKIN
- Pumpkin puree: 1 cup
- Cornstarch, 3 1/2 Tbsp
- Sugar (raw or granulated), 1/3 cup
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Use a pinch of sea salt
- You can use any milk, but I recommend almond or dairy.
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM
- I recommend Thai Kitchen brand coconut milk in a 13.5-ounce full-fat can that you can chill overnight
- Sugar powder (depending on desired sweetness): 2-5 Tbsp
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pour the filling, place all ingredients dry in a pan, and whisk together. Add pumpkin puree, and then whisk it again. Pour in the milk slowly and whisk again.
- Over medium heat, bring to a low boil (not a boil) while whisking frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low once it begins bubbling and becoming thick. Continue cooking until you see a ribbon when you spoon it over the top. The pudding should be thick, jiggly, and bubbly. To prevent the pudding from sticking to the pan’s bottom or sides, use a rubber spatula to stir.
- Remove from heat, add vanilla, and whisk. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic, and let sit for 5-10 mins.
- Refrigerate for several hours or until the set is completely chilled.
- Meanwhile, add dates to the Food Processor. Pulse until the mixture forms a ball or small bits are left. Add oats, nuts, pumpkin spice, and a little bit of pulverized dates to the food processor. Add dates and pulse until it is almost a meal. Then, add the dates back in little by little until you have a dough.
- Press the dough into a pie dish or small glass baking dish lightly greased until it is uniformly flat. The crust will rise to 1.5-2 inches from the edge (see photo). You don’t need to make it perfect. Just ensure there are no cracks or gaps. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate until chilled, or leave on the counter.
- Once the pudding is done, put a glass bowl into the freezer for a couple of minutes to cool down. This will allow you to whip up the coconut cream.
- Remove the top of the can and scoop out the thick cream portion at the top without shaking or tipping. Keep the liquid clear at the bottom and use it for smoothies or any other purpose.
- Beat the cream until it is incorporated. If it doesn’t thicken, add some tapioca powder. Add the desired amount of sugar powder, 1 Tbsp, At a time. Also, add vanilla extract. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Pour the pudding on top of the crust once the crust is ready. Spread it evenly. Allow it to chill several hours more, or overnight is ideal. When serving, top with coconut cream. The coconut cream will be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.
