Is Pumpkin Pie Vegan? Everything You Should Know
It’s almost pumpkin spice season again so it’s the perfect time to answer the question on everyone’s lips: is pumpkin pie vegan? Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients list to find out.
Pumpkin pie is one of those classic desserts that comes out every time fall comes around. And for good reason, too!
Pumpkin pie was invented in the 17th century but back then it was made with pumpkin and apple slices, with the filling being baked between two pastry crusts. The first American pumpkin pie recipe was published in 1796, which is more similar to the type that most know and enjoy today.
Although it’s been popular in the USA for a long time, this dessert is still relatively rare in the UK these days. I’ve never actually seen a ready-made pumpkin pie in any UK store, but I have noticed more people making them from scratch in recent years, so it is gaining popularity here.
If you’re unfamiliar with pumpkin pie, allow me to describe it to you. It has a buttery, flaky pastry crust for the base. The filling is made with pumpkin puree along with warming spices such as cinnamon and ginger, plus a few extra ingredients to enhance flavour and create the perfect texture. It’s smooth, sweet, and creamy, with a hint of spice. Pumpkin pie can be served hot or cold, but many people prefer it chilled, served with lots of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
What’s pumpkin pie made of?
Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients list of a typical pumpkin pie recipe.
- Flour. Flour is one of the main ingredients in the pastry dough, providing structure. Flour comes from wheat and is vegan.
- Butter. Alongside flour, butter is another ingredient in the pie crust. Butter is made from cow’s milk so is not vegan.
- Pumpkin puree. Pumpkin is a fruit, meaning pureed pumpkin is vegan-friendly.
- Sugar. Sugar may or may not be vegan depending on where you are in the world. Some manufacturers use bone char to process the sugar, making it unsuitable for vegans. All sugar in the UK is vegan but if you’re elsewhere in the world and are unsure, always buy organic sugar, which is vegan.
- Eggs. Eggs are not vegan because they come from hens. Some recipes use cornflour/cornstarch in place of eggs, which is vegan-friendly.
- Spices. The spices used in pumpkin pie such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice are all suitable for vegans.
- Cream. This is one of the main ingredients in the pie filling, which gives it a smooth, velvety texture. Cream is made with cow’s milk, meaning it isn’t vegan-friendly.
Is pumpkin pie vegan?
No, pumpkin pie is not vegan. This is because it usually contains eggs as well as milk products such as butter and cream. It is possible to make your own vegan pumpkin pie from scratch using dairy-free and egg-free ingredient alternatives.
Is it gluten-free?
No, pumpkin pie is not gluten-free because the crust typically contains wheat flour. However, it can be made using a gluten-free pie crust for those who have allergies.
Making a traditional recipe vegan
If you’re not an experienced baker, I’d recommend using one of the many already vegan pumpkin pie recipes available online. If you’d more of a challenge, you can try using vegan-friendly substitutes in a traditional pumpkin pie recipe. Here are my tips:
- Butter. You can use a dairy-free block butter in your pastry dough OR you can use a ready-rolled pie dough, most of which are ‘accidentally vegan’. Just be sure to double-check the ingredients list before purchasing.
- Sugar. As mentioned earlier in this post, you can be sure your sugar is vegan if you buy organic. This does not apply to those in the UK, where sugar is vegan by default.
- Eggs. For the pie filling, cornflour is a great binding ingredient to use instead of eggs. I used it in my Bakewell tart recipe and it worked perfectly.
- Cream. Full-fat tinned coconut milk is one of the best vegan substitutes for cream. There are also vegan whipping cream substitutes available to buy from stores.
Summary
Pumpkin pie is not suitable for a vegan diet because it contains animal products such as cream and eggs. It is possible to make vegan pumpkin pie from scratch using vegan alternatives for these animal products.
