Whole Foods Pumpkin Pie
There is nothing quite like the smell of pumpkin pie baking in the oven. That sweet and comforting fumes that magically dance their way around your kitchen and fill the rooms throughout the house. Mmmmm. That sweet cinnamon and spicy nutmeg smell can warm up a room in just minutes. Nothing tastes (or smells) more like fall than pumpkin pie.
This pumpkin pie is not like any pumpkin pie, it’s made from only whole foods ingredients; meaning there is no processed ingredients, no refined flours or sugars. It’s also made entirely from plant-based ingredients; so no butter, eggs, or dairy.
This pie is so healthy, you could eat it for breakfast! I mean, it’s essentially all the same ingredients as my pumpkin pie oatmeal bowl— just prepared in a different fashion. So go ahead, if you must have pie for breakfast– make it this one!
A few notes before you get started:
DATES: There is an option to use 1/2 – 3/4 cups of dates in the filling. I find both options are really lovely. For a more mildly sweet pie, use the 1/2 cup. I find that fresh medjool dates are much softer than other store bought dates and blend well. But I have used some not so soft dates, and it still worked out fine! Chopping the dates up before adding to the blender really helps! You could also try soaking them in hot water for 20-30 before blending (just be sure to discard extra water).
SPICES: You can swap in pumpkin pie spices for the spices I recommend. Start with 1-2 teaspoon(s) and then adjust to your liking from there.
BLENDER: If you don’t have an overly strong blender, it may be helpful to soak both the cashews and dates in bowls of hot water for about 30 minutes prior to prepping the pie; this will help to soften them. If you have a good food processor, you might be able to make the filling and the crust in it.
PUMPKIN PUREE: Be sure you grab the puree and not the can with pumpkin pie mix. In the United States, many brands say “100% pure” on the front label if it’s just pumpkin. A lot of pumpkin purees have very different tastes too- so find your favorite and use it here! So far my favorite is the Green Valley Organic Pumpkin (I get it at Costco), followed by the 365 Pumpkin Puree (I get it at Whole Foods).
COOK TIME: The cook time could be a bit longer than what I recommended. The time might vary by oven, so it’s best to watch the pie. Start at a lower cook time (20 minutes), and check often to avoid burning the crust.
SERVING: I like to make this the night or several hours before I plan to serve it to allow it to set completely.But it’s still great the day of, you’ll just want to let it cool completely before cutting.
Whole Foods Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup rolled oats
¾ cup walnuts
½ cup dates, pits removed and chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 Tablespoons water, if needed
Filling:
½ cup of cashews
½ cup of water
½ Tablespoon vanilla extract
½- ¾ cup dates, pits removed and chopped
15 oz can of pumpkin puree
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. In a food processor or high speed blender, combine the oats and the walnuts and blend until fine like flour. Add in the dates and vanilla. Blend until the mixture sticks together when pinched. For a crumbly crust, leave more whole pieces in the crust. For firmer crust, blend like a like cookie dough texture. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of water, if needed to help the mixture stick together.
- In a 9 inch glass pie dish, spread out the crust as evenly as possible. The crust will be sticky, so it may work best to use clean hands to move and pat the dough around the dish.
- In a high speed blender, blend the cashews and water until the cashews are smooth. Add the dates. Blend until it gets as smooth as possible. Next, add in the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. Blend until smooth. It may help to occasionally stop the blender and scrape down the sides to help get things blending easier. Adjust the spices to desired taste.
- Spread the pie filling over the crust. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check the pie after 20 minutes to be sure it’s not burning. Allow the pie to cool before serving.
- Enjoy! Makes enough pie for about 8-10 people.
If you are more of a visual person, here is 30 second recipe video to walk you through the steps.
