The Almond Eater

This Walnut Pumpkin Pie is vegan-friendly, made with a walnut crust and the perfect balance of pumpkin and spice. 

Something I’ve learned in my 27 years of life is that there are two kinds of people: pie people, and non pie people. Then, within the “pie people” group, there are pumpkin pie lovers and people who just cannot get on board no matter how hard they try. Can you guess which one I am? I am ONE HUNDRED percent a pumpkin pie fan, though I think part of the reason I love it so much is because I don’t eat it/it isn’t available year-round. Please tell me you feel the same way?! 

Today I’m partnering with Diamond Nuts to bring you a walnut pumpkin pie recipe, which in this case is simply a classic pumpkin pie with a walnut crust. Yes, yes and yes! It’s vegan-friendly because I know so many of you appreciate vegan desserts, so here ya go—your new favorite pumpkin pie recipe. 

So for the crust, you’re going to want to put the walnuts through your food processor or in your blender so they’re finely ground up, then you’ll basically combine the ground up walnuts with flour, sugar, butter, and ice water, like you would for normal pie crust. The dough only has to chill for 30 minutes which is awesome if you ask me and makes life a lot easier, though you’re more than welcome to chill it for longer if that works better for you. 

The filling is pretty traditional I think, but it uses almond milk and maple syrup in place of any dairy, and the texture is spot on, which you’ll appreciate if you’re into texture like I am. Oh and the topping? It’s coconut whipped cream with a touch of cinnamon! Too much? Possibly…. But it adds a nice touch, it really does.

Tip: instead of a regular pie pan, I actually used a round tart pan for this recipe, which helped make the edges of the crust look a tad more defined. If you don’t have a tart pan that’s ok—a pie pan still works! 

Now, let’s get baking!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Diamond Nuts. I’m partnering with them all year to showcase unique ways to use your favorite nuts. As always, thank you for supporting brands that support this site! 

Vegan Walnut Pumpkin Pie

This walnut pumpkin pie is dairy free, made with a walnut-based crust and topped with cinnamon coconut whipped cream!

• Author: Erin
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Yield: 1 pie
• Category: dessert
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: pie

Ingredients

for the crust:

• 1 cup Diamond of California shelled walnuts
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp cane sugar
• 6 tbsp dairy free butter, cold
• 1/4 cup ice water

for the filling:

• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

for the whipped cream:

• 1 can full fat coconut milk, chilled
• 2 tbsp cane sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Place walnuts into your food processor for 30 seconds or so, or until they’re finely ground. Add flour and sugar and pulse; then, add the butter and pulse again. Last, add in the ice water and pulse until dough comes together and is no longer crumbly.
2. Remove dough from the processor and form it into a round disc. Wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or longer if preferred.
3. Once the 30 minutes have passed, remove dough and preheat oven to 350°.
4. Roll dough out into a circle and carefully transfer it to your pie or tart pan, using your hands to press it gently into the pan and form the edges of the crust.
5. For the filling: combine all ingredients in your blender and pulse until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to scoop mixture out into the tart/pie pan, smoothing it out.
6. Bake pie for 45 minutes or so. If you’re using a tart pan, wait 5 minutes and then remove pie from the pan. If you’re using a pie pan, simply wait for pie to cool–I recommend chilling in the refrigerator–then slice and serve with whipped cream (optional).
7. For the whipped cream: the coconut milk should be mostly cream at this point, but scoop out the cream and drain out any liquid left in the can (you just want the cream part); then, add sugar and cinnamon and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
8. Top pie with whipped cream and enjoy!

Keywords: pumpkin pie, vegan pumpkin pie, walnut pumpkin pie