Vegan Mini Pumpkin Pies

If a whole pumpkin pie is too much pumpkin pie, then try these mini pies in ramekins and have dessert for two – or a double dessert for one! All for under three bucks.

Sometimes you’re going to want to make a whole pie.

But if you’re like me – living alone, no kids, don’t want a ton of leftovers – or you’re just in the mood for pumpkin pie for two, then this reduced recipe is for you.

You’ll need two 8 oz. ramekins for the recipe, but you may be able to use a large muffin tin instead (I have not tested this method).

This pumpkin pie is not “light.” It’s not what I would call “healthy,” even if it is vegan.

That said, it’s delicious, just sweet enough, full of cinnamon and nutmeg flavor, and easy to make. For a special occasion dessert for one or two people, it’s perfect.

I realize I am writing this on Thanksgiving Day afternoon, probably a day or two too late for anyone to make this for Thanksgiving this year (apologies, I’m still working on my scheduling skills). However, there’s always Christmas! Or Valentine’s Day! Or Arbor Day! Who says you can’t have mini pumpkin pie on Arbor Day?

I decided to make these pies with a graham cracker crust, which I’ve always preferred to a dough crust – and, in my humble opinion, is easier to make.

Before I get to how to make these bad boys, here’s what you need.

INGREDIENTS

Exact amounts are in the recipe at the end of this post.

CRUST

• graham crackers
• brown sugar
• vegan butter
• cinnamon

If you prefer dairy butter instead of vegan, that works. Coconut oil can also substitute for vegan butter, although I have not tested that for this recipe.

The cinnamon here is optional, but I am always looking for ways to squeeze in more cinnamon into, well, anything.

PIE

• pumpkin puree
• brown sugar
• coconut milk
• cornstarch
• vanilla extract
• pumpkin pie spice
• cinnamon
• salt
• black pepper

The pumpkin puree, typically from in a can, should be 100% pumpkin – not pumpkin pie filling. You can also make your own pumpkin puree.

Note that the coconut milk is not the coconut beverage sold in the refrigerated section of the supermarket alongside other plant-based milks, but rather canned coconut milk.

Pumpkin pie spice is something I have only ever seen sold at Trader Joe’s, but don’t worry if you don’t have this. I think if you substitute a mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg for this ingredient, it will taste good. You can also make your own pumpkin pie spice.

Lastly, I should mention the black pepper. This might seem weird! I learned about adding black pepper via a King Arthur pumpkin pie recipe, and I’m telling you, it works. It’s not essential – but it does give the pie a certain je ne sais quoi, which I believe is French for “kick-ass flavor.”

INSTRUCTIONS

Additional instructions are in the recipe at the end of this post.

MAKING THE CRUST

You could, theoretically, do this in a food processor. But this “analog” way seems easier and has less cleanup.

Place four graham crackers in a plastic bag, seal it, and use a rolling pin to crush the crackers into crumbs.

It doesn’t have to be a fine powder, just crumbs.

Add the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon, and mix together. I like to use a rubber spatula to get the crumbs off the sides and crush any big lumps.

Evenly divide this into two 8 oz. ramekins. There are ramekins out there of varying sizes but the two I used in this recipe are 8 oz. (each of which holds one cup of liquid).

My ramekins are from BIA Cordon Bleu and hold up really well.

Mash down the crumbs using a small, flat surface – ideally, something without a handle. I used a small plastic salad dressing cup. You can also use your fingers.

The ramekins go in the oven for just a few minutes to bake the crust.

MAKING THE PIE

Mix together all of the ingredients in a large bowl, preferably with a good ol’ rubber spatula to scrape the batter off the sides.

I recommend chilling the can of coconut milk for a couple hours beforehand in the fridge. When I was first testing this recipe, I didn’t chill the coconut milk the first time and the batter was somewhat liquidy (but the pies still tasted good). For the next test, I used the remaining coconut milk I had refrigerated and noticed the batter was fluffier and thicker, which I think resulted in a better pie.

Once the crust-filled ramekins are out of the oven, fill them up with equal amounts of batter.

Over the course of a few tests, I came up with an amount of crust and batter that perfectly fills two 8 oz. ramekins, filling to the top of each. If the batter does any rising, it’s minimal, so it shouldn’t spill over the edge.

Once out of the oven, they should have a dark brown top.

I kept these pies in the fridge overnight and noticed that the tops looked lighter the next day, so they likely won’t remain this dark.

Once cooled, you can eat them right out of the ramekins. I love a baking dish that’s also a bowl!

I wanted to see what my pies looked like out of the ramekins, so before adding anything to the ramekins I greased the insides and inserted a round piece of parchment paper. This was just to ensure I could get them out easily, but it’s not a necessary step.

COST BREAKDOWN

These mini pumpkin pies cost even less than I thought they would: $2.77!

As always, I’m using prices of the least expensive ingredients I know are available. Your cost may depend according to where you live and shop. In my little town of New York City, I usually find good inexpensive ingredients at Trader Joe’s and with Whole Foods’ 365 line.

Ingredient breakdown for both of these mini pies:

CRUST

• graham crackers: $0.57
• brown sugar: $0.07
• vegan butter: $0.23
• cinnamon: $0.01

PIE

• pumpkin puree: $0.75
• brown sugar: $0.28
• coconut milk: $0.37
• cornstarch: $0.06
• vanilla extract: $0.19
• pumpkin pie spice: $0.21
• cinnamon: $0.01
• salt: $0.01
• black pepper: $0.01

Total cost: $2.77

Not a bad price for a decadent dessert.

If you make these (for any holiday), please let me know how it goes!