This is the lightest, fluffiest vegan pumpkin pie, and the filling comes together entirely in the blender.
Unlike a dense, custardy pumpkin pie, this one is airy and almost mousse-like, but still slices clean and holds those luscious fork marks. The aquafaba gives it that lovely texture, and there’s no whipping or fussing. Just pour it straight from the can into the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
It’s gingery, warmly spiced and super pumpkiny. No parbaking, tempering or separate bowls. Just one blender, one crust and an hour in the oven.
What Is Aquafaba, Anyway?
Aquafaba is simply the liquid in a can of chickpeas. That cloudy stuff you’ve probably poured down the drain is full of proteins and starches that let it whip, bind and hold air much like egg whites.
Here, you don’t need to whip it separately. Blending it with the pumpkin and maple syrup aerates the entire filling, increasing its volume by about 20 to 25 percent before it even reaches the crust. That’s what gives the baked pie its light, fluffy texture.
What Goes in This Pumpkin Pie
Aquafaba. Use it straight from the can, no whipping required. You’ll need ½ cup, so I recommend using a 28-ounce can of chickpeas instead of trying to squeeze enough from a smaller one. Salted aquafaba is fine. I’ve used it and the pie came out perfectly. Canned aquafaba is also more reliable than homemade, which can vary in thickness depending on how the beans were cooked.
Coconut oil. Don’t replace this with a liquid oil. Coconut oil firms up when chilled, which helps the pie set. Canola or olive oil will leave the filling closer to pudding. The coconut oil should be soft enough to scoop but not melted. If it’s rock solid, warm it very slightly.
Pumpkin purée. You’ll need 3 cups, which is a little less than two 15-ounce cans or most of a 29-ounce can. Be sure to use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
Maple syrup. Just ½ cup. Plenty of pumpkin pies use twice that much, but there’s really no need.
Cornstarch. Two tablespoons help the filling firm up as it bakes and chills.
Spices. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a pinch of cloves. The ginger is a little more prominent than it is in most pumpkin pies, which is how I like it.
Pie crust. Use one from this site, a store-bought crust or a gluten-free crumb crust. It should be unbaked and chilled. There’s no need to parbake it, and a frozen crust doesn’t need to be thawed. Just pour in the filling and bake.
Tips for the Best Aquafaba Pumpkin Pie
Don’t whip the aquafaba first. Pour it straight from the can into the blender with the remaining filling ingredients. Whipping it separately only adds an unnecessary step since the entire mixture will be aerated in the blender.
Keep the blender on low. If you’re using a Vitamix or another high-speed blender, level 2 is plenty. With a standard blender, use low or medium-low. Blend for about three minutes, until the filling looks light and fluffy and has increased in volume by about 25 percent. A higher speed won’t make it fluffier and may warm the filling too much.
A little jiggle is correct. When the pie comes out of the oven, the center should still wobble slightly and the filling should be pulling away from the crust around the edges. It will finish firming up in the refrigerator.
Watch the top. An hour is enough for most ovens, although some pies may need closer to 75 minutes. Look for a crackly surface, slightly set edges and that gentle wobble in the center.
Give it time to chill. Let the pie cool on the counter for 30 minutes, then refrigerate it for at least three hours. Overnight is even better. This is not a pie you can bake and immediately slice.
Aquafaba Pumpkin Pie FAQ
Do I need to whip the aquafaba first? Nope! Pour it right from the can into the blender with everything else. The blending is what aerates it.
Why did some comments say it didn’t set? Great question, and I went back and looked. Every time, it was a small change. A few people whipped the aquafaba first or blended on high, which knocks the air back out, and one swapped the coconut oil for canola. All very reasonable instincts! But this is a recipe that really does want to be followed exactly, and when it is, it sets beautifully.
Should the chickpeas be salted or unsalted? Salted is totally fine, that’s what I use.
Can I use a different oil? Stick with coconut. It solidifies as the pie chills and that’s a big part of how it sets, so a liquid oil will leave you closer to pudding. Room temperature means soft enough to scoop, not melted, so if yours is rock solid just warm it a little.
Can I use a food processor instead of a blender? A blender is what this was tested with, and the narrower jar does a better job whipping air into the filling. A food processor may work with less lift, but I haven’t tested it.
How far ahead can I make it? A couple of days, easily. Several readers say it’s even better on day two.
My pie cracked. Did I ruin it? Not at all! A little cracking is just fine. Put some whip cream on it or a party cut out if you want to hide your shame.
Should I make this one or the Voluptuous Pumpkin Pie? This one if you want light, airy and fast. That one if you want dense, rich and traditional. Both are good, they’re just different pies.
More Vegan Pies To Try
Aquafaba Pumpkin Pie
Notes
Ingredients
- 3 cups pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup aquafaba see notes
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil at room temp
- 2 tablespoons organic cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 9 inch pie crust unbaked and chilled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, aquafaba, coconut oil, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt to a blender. Blend for about 3 minutes (less if using a high-speed blender), until light and fluffy. It should increase by 20 percent to 25 percent in volume.
- Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake for about an hour, until the top is crackly, the filling is a little jiggly in the center and pulling away from the sides slightly.
- Let cool for about 30 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Slice and serve with whipped cream!
Tastes just like the pie I grew up with, without the animal cruelty. Perfect texture, too!
Phenomenal recipe. I made it for Thanksgiving this year and it was the most delicious pumpkin pie I’ve ever had. It was the first time I’ve used aquafaba. Love the result.
A few notes: Mixed in one medium cooked sweet potato (peeled) to pumpkin filling for more complex flavor.
Used TJ’s Vegan Buttery Spread instead of coconut butter. Excellent flavor.
The aquafaba from TJ’s organic garbanzo beans (with sea salt) easily poured out of can and there was just enough for one pie. The flavor of the pie was exceptional so based on the comments, I don’t think it matters if the aquafaba is from salted or unsalted beans.
Sprinkled a small handful of toasted chopped pecans over the crust before pouring the filling into the pan. Then decorated top with pecan halves in a simple design.
60 minutes was the right amount of time to bake it. Ovens vary a lot (of course).
Still enjoying leftover pie a week later with another friend. It’s held beautifully. She loved it so much that she’s going to make it next week for a holiday party.
this is probably the 3rd year i’ve made this magical pie- so easy, never fails! thank youuu Isa
i looked at the voluptuous pumpkin pie and the aquafaba pumpkin pie. i don’t know which one to try. what do you suggest?
I made this for Thanksgiving this year, it was fabulous. A very unique texture, light and airy but also almost jelled. A word of warning though – the pie does not freeze. I saved it in our freezer for about 6 weeks and then took out to thaw on the counter. Once thawed it was weeping water, and the fluid that separated was weirdly briny (maybe the aquafaba?). Anyway, I’ll definitely make it again, but this time we’ll eat it all in one go!
I used a can of unsalted chickpeas, and the flavor was great. I cooked this for 75 minutes, but think that it probably could have used more time in the oven. I’m not sure if that is related to whipping the aquafaba. Next time, I’ll just follow the recipe, rather than going rogue.
I have to agree with this comment. It wasn’t clear whether to who the aquafaba but I mixed mine at a higher speed and also had to bake it about 75 minutes to get it done. Apparently the awafaba should be added as is.
So I cooked my pie for a little longer to make it firmer and it cracked quite a bit. Normally, would it firm up after it came out of the oven? It was still pretty jiggly after 30 minutes, I was afraid it would not cut nicely into pieces.
Has anyone tried making this recipe in advance and freezing it?
Hi Jojo, random commenter here, I think the problem might be that coconut oil is solid when chilled, while canola oil is not. Therefore I think using coconut oil would result in a firmer final product!
I never know whether the coco oil should be firm or loose (slightly melted but firm). Room temp for me means different things— during the summer it’s loose and cold times solid as a rock
Was so excited to make this (followed the recipe exactly except replaced coconut oil with canola)…still had consistency of yogurt even after additional 15 minutes of baking and cooling for 4 hours. Bummer. I made a gingersnap crust (delish!) maybe the problem?? Salvaged it by mixing with Vanilla bean coconut ice cream and calling it “pump-kream” 😉
I am also wondering—- should the aquafaba be from a unsalted can of chickpeas or is salted okay?
I also found this recipe to be fantastic! Prior to this recipe I used to make another version that called for double the amount of maple syrup, which was completely unnecessary. Beautiful & flavorful, I will be making this again and again. The only drawback was the aquafaba caused some major gas!
I made this pie on a whim – to go with the cardamom ice-cream I was already making – and I have to say, this is a BIG win! I love how the texture is pudding-like, smooth, and fluffy*. The pumpkin shines as the star it is, while the spices are the backup singers. I loved this pie the more the days went by, so if you need to make it days ahead of time, it’ll keep and taste lovely! Thank you, Isa, for another super-arena, super-star! Fabulous!
*I used unsalted aquafaba
Thank you. That is exactly what I’d hoped to hear
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a win for everyone. Easiest pie recipe ever and delicious.
Is there an oil-free alternative I can use in place of the coconut oil?
This looks amazing! Also curious about the aquafaba; do you recommend a can of chickpeas that is unsalted? Also wanted to triple check that we just literally put the chickpea brine into the blender, without whipping first?
Thank you!
I had this question as well but decided to blend mine on high speed, even through the recipe said used low speed. It just seems like it should have been “whipped” a bit more. Mine did not cook completely in the prescribed time but turned out ok on otherwise.
Should the aquafaba come from a salt free can of beans?
I had stored up aquafaba from recent cans of regular chickpeas (non organic and regular salt). I used it in this recipe and it seemed to work just fine.
If you use a frozen crust should it be defrosted in fridge overnight before using next day?
If the blender is broken…will a food processor do?