Vegan Pumpkin Pie

1. Stage

Line the pie dish: If using a homemade crust, roll it out and line a 9-inch pie dish. Stick the dish in the freezer while you work on the filling. If using a store-bought frozen crust, just keep it in the fridge or freezer until it’s time to bake the pie.

2. Stage

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven.

3. Stage

Make the filling: Combine the pumpkin, tofu, sugar, nondairy milk, spices, and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.

4. Stage

Fill the pie shell and bake at a high temp: Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust. Tap the dish against the counter gently to coax out any air bubbles. Smooth the top with a metal spatula, if needed. Set on the rack in the lower third of the oven and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.

5. Stage

Lower the oven temperature and continue baking: After 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 350°F.  Bake the pie another 45 minutes, until the top of the filling gets a matte look and the filling jiggles all as one unit (like a Jell-O mold) when you nudge the pie dish.  Turn off the oven and let the pie cool in the oven with the door cracked open for 30 minutes. This helps minimize cracking.

6. Stage

Cool, then serve: Set the pie on a wire rack to continue cooling for at least 2 hours before serving. The pie may crack as it cools, but don’t worry about it.  Beads of liquid may appear on the top of the filling. If that bothers you, simply lay a paper towel over the filling to very gently blot them away.  Serve with the vegan whipped topping of your choice, such as coconut whipped cream . I keep my pie on the counter, loosely wrapped in foil, for up to 3 days. If your kitchen is on the warm side, you may want to refrigerate your pie instead. (Some folks prefer theirs at room temperature, but I like leftovers cold from the fridge.) Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!