Chocolate Pumpkin Pie: Silky Pumpkin Under Dark Chocolate Ganache (Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free)
Maple-sweetened spiced filling, a crisp coconut oil pastry and a thick, shiny top that slices clean.
- No eggs
- Four sizes
- Three crusts
- Two-day make-ahead
Two clean layers: silky orange pumpkin under a glossy dark chocolate ganache, with coconut whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
This chocolate pumpkin pie layers silky spiced pumpkin under a thick, glossy dark chocolate ganache in a crisp gluten-free crust, with no dairy, no eggs and no wheat anywhere in it. Coconut cream, maple syrup and cooked cornstarch make a filling smooth enough to slice in clean, bright layers.
Quick answer
Blind-bake a gluten-free coconut oil crust at 375°F for 17 minutes. Cook 1 can pumpkin purée, ½ cup coconut cream, ⅓ cup maple syrup, 3 tbsp cornstarch and spices until bubbling, pour into the crust, bake 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F. Chill 4 hours; top with 120 g dairy-free dark chocolate melted into ½ cup coconut cream. Serves 8.
It is one recipe from start to finish. Tap a size on the card for a 9-inch pie, a deep dish, 16 bars or 12 mini tarts, then pick a crust and a chocolate style; every amount and step changes to match.
What’s inside
- The recipe: four sizes, three crusts, three chocolate styles
- Why it’s dairy-free and gluten-free, and labels to check
- The regular version with butter, eggs and milk
- How the filling sets without eggs
- Glossy ganache: ratio, temperature, pour
- Clean slices, every time
- A 2-day make-ahead plan, storage and freezing
- Troubleshooting and 14 FAQs
Why This Pie Works: Two Clean Layers, No Eggs, No Dairy
Two layers you can see
Bright, silky pumpkin under a thick dark ganache, so every forkful tastes of both and the slice looks like the cover. Stirring cocoa into the filling instead turns it muddy brown and mutes the pumpkin.
Set without a single egg
Cornstarch cooked to a full bubble sets the filling as firmly as a custard. A short bake firms the top, and 4 hours in the fridge does the rest.
Free-from, and still rich
Coconut oil makes a crisp, short pastry, coconut cream gives the filling body and maple syrup sweetens it. No butter, milk, eggs or wheat, and the coconut stays in the background.
Ready before the holiday rush
Bake it up to 2 days ahead. It slices more cleanly cold, and the spices taste rounder on the second day.
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Recipe: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Four Sizes
The card is set for a 9-inch (23 cm) pie, 8 slices, with gluten-free pastry and a ganache top. Tap a size, crust or chocolate style and the recipe changes. The no-crust tab bakes the filling in a lined dish; for a pie made crustless from the start, see this crustless pumpkin pie.
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
Silky maple-spiced pumpkin set with cooked cornstarch, a crisp coconut oil pastry and a glossy dark chocolate ganache, with no dairy, eggs or wheat. Tap a size, crust or chocolate style and the recipe below changes.
Size
Crust
Chocolate
Ingredients
Crust: gluten-free pastry- 1½ cups (210 g)2 cups (280 g)1 cup (140 g)1½ cups (210 g) gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- ½ cup (100 g)⅔ cup (135 g)⅓ cup (65 g)½ cup (100 g) cold solid coconut oil, refined for a neutral taste
- 3 tbsp4 tbsp2 tbsp3 tbsp ice water
- ¼ tsp⅓ tsp⅛ tsp¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1¾ cups (200 g)2¼ cups (260 g)1½ cups (170 g)1¾ cups (200 g) gluten-free chocolate cookie crumbs, dairy-free
- 3 tbsp (40 g)4 tbsp (55 g)3 tbsp (40 g)3 tbsp (40 g) coconut oil, melted
- a pinch fine sea salt
- 1 tsp coconut oil, for greasing
- 1 can (425 g)1½ cans (640 g)1 can (425 g)1 can (425 g) pure pumpkin purée, not pie filling
- ½ cup (120 ml)¾ cup (180 ml)½ cup (120 ml)½ cup (120 ml) full-fat coconut cream
- ⅓ cup (80 ml)½ cup (120 ml)⅓ cup (80 ml)⅓ cup (80 ml) pure maple syrup
- 3 tbsp (24 g)4½ tbsp (36 g)3 tbsp (24 g)3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch
- 1½ tsp2¼ tsp1½ tsp1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp¾ tsp½ tsp½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tspa heaped ¼ tsp¼ tsp¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tspa heaped ¼ tsp¼ tsp¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp1½ tsp1 tsp1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla
- 120 g (4¼ oz)150 g (5¼ oz)120 g (4¼ oz)120 g (4¼ oz) dairy-free dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
- ½ cup (120 ml)⅔ cup (160 ml)½ cup (120 ml)½ cup (120 ml) full-fat coconut cream
- 85 g (3 oz)110 g (4 oz)85 g (3 oz)60 g (2 oz) dairy-free dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
- 3 tbsp4 tbsp3 tbsp2 tbsp full-fat coconut cream, hot
- 90 g (3¼ oz)115 g (4 oz)90 g (3¼ oz)60 g (2 oz) dairy-free dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml)⅓ cup (80 ml)¼ cup (60 ml)3 tbsp full-fat coconut cream, hot
- 1 cup1½ cups1 cup1 cup coconut whipped cream (see the note)
- a pinch flaky sea salt
Two 400 ml cans of full-fat coconut cream cover the filling, the chocolate and the whipped cream. For the topping, chill one can overnight, scoop out the thick solids and whip them 2 minutes with 1 tbsp maple syrup and ½ tsp alcohol-free vanilla.
Cook the filling until it bubbles. With no eggs, cornstarch is what sets this pie, and it only thickens fully at a boil. Refined coconut oil keeps the pastry neutral; virgin coconut oil tastes of coconut.
Cookie crust: use certified gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies, filling and all, and check the label for milk.
Instructions
Make the pastry
Whisk the flour and salt. Cut in the cold coconut oil with a fork or pastry blender until it looks like coarse crumbs, then add the ice water 1 tbsp at a time until the dough holds together when squeezed.
Press it into the pan
Press the dough evenly into a greased 9-inch (23 cm) pie disha greased 9½-inch deep disha parchment-lined 8×8-inch pan, base only12 greased muffin cups, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Prick the base and freeze 15 minutes while the oven heats to 375°F (190°C).
Blind bake
Bake 12 minutes with parchment and weights, then 5 more without.Bake 15 minutes with parchment and weights, then 5 to 7 more without.Bake 15 to 18 minutes; no weights needed.Bake 12 to 14 minutes, flattening puffed bases at 8 minutes. The crust should look dry and lightly golden. Turn the oven down to 350°F (175°C).
Press the cookie crust
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Stir the crumbs, melted coconut oil and salt until they look like wet sand and press them firmly into a 9-inch (23 cm) pie disha 9½-inch deep disha parchment-lined 8×8-inch pan12 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake 1010107 minutes and cool 10 minutes.
Prepare the pan
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) pie disha 9½-inch deep dishan 8×8-inch pan12 silicone muffin cups well with coconut oil and line the base with a parchment round and line the base with a parchment round and line it with a parchment sling.
Set the chocolate layer
Melt the chocolate into the steaming coconut cream, stirring until smooth. Spread it over the base of the cooled crust or the lined pan and chill 15 minutes, until set.
Cook the filling
Whisk the cornstarch into the coconut cream in a saucepan until smooth, then whisk in the pumpkin, maple syrup and spices. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until thick bubbles break the surface, then 1 minute more, about 6 to 8 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla.
Fill
Pour the hot filling into the crust or pan, about ¼ cup each, and smooth the top.Cool the filling 10 minutes, then spoon it gently over the set chocolate, about ¼ cup each, and smooth the top. Melt the chocolate into the hot coconut cream, drop spoonfuls over the filling and drag a skewer through in loose figure eights.
Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 25 minutes25 to 30 minutes20 to 25 minutes12 to 15 minutes, until the top looks matte, the edges are set and the center barely trembles. Cover the crust edge with foil if it browns too fast.
Cool, then chill
Cool on a rack for 1 hour, then chill uncovered for at least 4 hours5 hours4 hours2 hours, or overnight, until cold and firm right through. The cornstarch finishes setting as it chills.
Make the ganache
Heat the coconut cream until it steams at the edges; do not let it boil. Pour it over the chopped chocolate, wait 2 minutes, then stir slowly from the center out until glossy. Cool 10 minutes, until it thickens slightly.
Pour and set
Pour the ganache over the cold piepieslabtarts, about 1 tbsp each, spreading it to the edge, and chill 30 to 45 minutes45 minutes30 minutes20 minutes, until set.
Finish and slice
Spoon or pipe coconut whipped cream on top and add a pinch of flaky salt. Cut 8 slices with a hot, dry knifeCut 10 slices with a hot, dry knifeLift out by the sling and cut 16 bars with a hot, dry knifeLoosen each tart with a thin knife and lift it out.
Nutrition (approximate, per slice)
One of 8 slices of the 9-inch pie with the gluten-free pastry, the ganache top and 2 tbsp coconut whipped cream, computed from the recipe as written. Contains coconut. Gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free when the labels check out; halal with alcohol-free vanilla.
Why It’s Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free, and Which Labels to Check
Every ingredient here is naturally free of gluten and dairy, and there are no eggs either, so the pie is vegan as written. What can slip wheat or milk back in is the packaging, because flour blends, chocolate and cookies vary from brand to brand. Check these:
| Ingredient | Why it fits | Check the label for |
|---|---|---|
| IngredientGluten-free flour blend | Why it fitsRice, sorghum or tapioca flours and starches; no wheat | Check the label forA certified gluten-free mark. Some blends contain oat flour: it must be certified gluten-free oats. Xanthan gum helps the dough hold |
| IngredientOats, in some blends and crumbs | Why it fitsNaturally free of gluten | Check the label forOrdinary oats are often grown and milled beside wheat; use only certified gluten-free oats, or skip them |
| IngredientCornstarch | Why it fitsPure starch from corn | Check the label forA gluten-free label; wheat starch is a different product |
| IngredientDark chocolate, 70% | Why it fitsCocoa, cocoa butter and sugar; no milk needed | Check the label forMany dark bars add milk fat or milk powder, and some add barley malt. A may-contain-milk line means shared equipment. Look for dairy-free or vegan |
| IngredientCoconut cream | Why it fitsDairy-free fat and body | Check the label forFull-fat and unsweetened, ideally just coconut and water. Sweetened cream of coconut is a syrup and will not set |
| IngredientMaple syrup | Why it fitsSweetens with no dairy | Check the label forPure maple syrup, not pancake syrup |
| IngredientSpices | Why it fitsSingle ground spices | Check the label forReady-made blends can contain fillers; check them, or mix your own |
| IngredientVanilla | Why it fitsAlcohol-free vanilla | Check the label forMost vanilla extract is made with alcohol; use glycerin-based vanilla, vanilla powder or the seeds of a pod |
| IngredientChocolate cookie crumbs (crust tab) | Why it fitsCertified gluten-free cookies | Check the label forMany contain butter or milk powder; check for dairy |
Avoiding Cross-Contact
In a kitchen that also bakes with wheat, wipe the counter and use clean bowls, a clean sifter and fresh parchment. Airborne wheat flour settles on surfaces, so make the gluten-free crust before any wheat baking that day, and keep a separate jar of cornstarch if the usual one shares a scoop.
For nut allergies, check that the flour blend and the chocolate are made without nuts. For a classic egg-set filling that is still free of gluten, this gluten-free pumpkin pie filling works in the same pastry.
The Regular Version: Butter Crust, Eggs and Evaporated Milk
Not baking for anyone who avoids dairy, gluten or eggs? The same two-layer pie works the traditional way: an all-butter crust, an egg custard and a cream ganache. Only the crust, the filling method and the bake change.
Classic
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie With Butter, Eggs and Milk
One 9-inch pie, 8 slices · same spices · ganache top
Butter crust
- 1¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tsp sugar and ¼ tsp salt
- 3 to 4 tbsp ice water
Egg custard
- 1 can (425 g) pumpkin purée
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup (180 ml) evaporated milk
- ½ cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
- The card’s spices, ¼ tsp salt, 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla
Cream ganache
- 120 g dark chocolate (60 to 70%), chopped
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- Rub the butter into the flour, sugar and salt until pea-size, add ice water until it holds, flatten into a disc and chill 30 minutes.
- Roll it out, line a 9-inch pie dish, crimp and freeze 15 minutes. Blind bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes with weights and 5 without.
- Whisk the custard gently, without whipping in air. Pour it into the warm crust and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 to 55 minutes, until the edges are set and the center 2 inches wobble.
- Cool 2 hours and chill 2 hours. Melt the chocolate into the hot cream as on the card, pour it over and chill 30 minutes.
For an all-chocolate filling, whisk 3 tbsp sifted cocoa powder into the brown sugar and add 2 tbsp more evaporated milk. Contains gluten, dairy and eggs.
For a plain spiced pie with no chocolate at all, follow this classic pumpkin pie recipe.
How the Pumpkin Filling Sets Without Eggs
Before the bake: a blind-baked crust in a fluted dish, the pumpkin filling, coconut cream, maple syrup, spices and chocolate melting into warm coconut cream for the ganache.
Many egg-free pumpkin pies bake a raw cornstarch filling and hope it sets. It often does not: starch thickens only once it nears boiling, and the center of a pie seldom gets that hot in 40 minutes. Cooking the filling on the stove first takes the guesswork out; the short bake then sets the surface.
Make a slurry first
Whisk the cornstarch into the cold coconut cream before anything else goes in. Starch dropped into a warm, thick filling clumps into lumps that never dissolve.
Cook it to a bubble
Cornstarch thickens only near boiling. Whisk over medium heat until slow, thick bubbles break the surface, then keep whisking 1 minute. A filling that is merely hot stays soft.
Then stop beating it
Once it has thickened, take it off the heat and only stir in the vanilla. Beating a cooked starch filling hard breaks it down, and it turns thin and weeps.
Hot filling, warm crust
Pour the filling in while it is hot. It levels itself and bonds to the pastry, and the short bake sets the surface without overbrowning the crust.
Chill before the chocolate
At least 4 hours in the fridge, uncovered, until cold right through. Ganache poured over a warm filling slides and streaks; on a cold one it sets in a neat, shiny layer.
The Set Check
| Stage | Ready when | If not |
|---|---|---|
| StageOn the stove | Ready whenThick as pudding; slow bubbles break the surface and the whisk leaves a trail | If notKeep whisking over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes more |
| StageOut of the oven | Ready whenMatte top, set edges, the center barely trembles | If notBake 5 minutes more; foil over the crust edge |
| StageAfter 1 hour on the rack | Ready whenFirm edges, soft but not liquid center | If notNormal: it is still setting |
| StageAfter 4 hours in the fridge | Ready whenCold right through; a knife leaves a clean line | If notChill overnight, or freeze 1 hour before slicing |
The four spices add up to 2½ teaspoons, and the same amount of homemade pumpkin pie spice mix works in their place. A pinch of finely ground black pepper sharpens them without tasting peppery.
Glossy Ganache: Ratio, Temperature and Three Chocolate Styles
Ganache is chocolate melted into hot cream. Made with coconut cream it sets firmer in the fridge than a dairy one, because coconut fat turns solid when cold. The amount of cream decides the texture, so each chocolate style on the card uses its own ratio:
| Style | Chocolate to coconut cream | Looks like | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| StyleGanache top (the card) | Chocolate to coconut cream120 g chocolate to ½ cup coconut cream, about 1:1 | Looks likeA thick, glossy cap over a bright orange layer, as on the cover | Best forHoliday tables; the most chocolate in every bite |
| StyleSwirled through | Chocolate to coconut cream85 g to 3 tbsp, thick like fudge sauce | Looks likeDark marbling through the pumpkin, matte top | Best forPotlucks and travel; nothing to smudge |
| StyleLayer underneath | Chocolate to coconut cream90 g to ¼ cup, firm enough to spread | Looks likePumpkin on top, a fudgy band hidden below | Best forCrisper bottoms: the chocolate seals the crust |
Six Rules for a Shiny Ganache
- Chop the chocolate finely and evenly, so it melts before the cream cools
- Heat the coconut cream until it steams at the edges, never to a boil; boiled coconut cream can separate
- Wait 2 minutes, then stir slowly from the center out; no whisk, no bubbles
- Pour at about 90°F (32°C), when it falls in a thick ribbon
- Pour onto a cold pie, not a frozen one, and chill it uncovered
- Take slices out 10 minutes before serving so the top softens and shines
Which Chocolate?
A 60 to 72% dark bar labelled dairy-free melts the smoothest. Above about 75%, ganache tends to set grainy and taste bitter next to the pumpkin. Chocolate chips are made to hold their shape and set duller, so chop a bar instead.
How to Cut Clean Slices of Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
The slice to aim for: a crisp crust, a silky pumpkin layer and a thick, glossy ganache with a few flakes of salt.
A cold pie and a hot knife do most of the work. The ganache is firmer than the filling, so it needs a clean score before the knife goes through.
- Chill at least 4 hours; overnight gives the cleanest slices
- Rest the pie 10 minutes out of the fridge so the ganache does not crack
- Use a long, thin knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry before every cut
- Score the ganache with the tip, then press straight down through filling and crust
- Make two cuts before lifting the first slice; the rest slide out easily
- Add whipped cream to each slice after cutting, not to the whole pie
| Size | How to cut | Makes |
|---|---|---|
| Size9-inch pie | How to cut4 cuts through the center | Makes8 slices |
| Size9½-inch deep dish | How to cut5 cuts through the center | Makes10 slices |
| Size8×8 bars | How to cutLift out by the sling; 3 cuts each way | Makes16 bars |
| Size12 mini tarts | How to cutLoosen each with a thin knife and lift out | Makes12 tarts |
Make It Up to 2 Days Ahead: Timeline, Storage and Freezing
On the autumn table: slices with coconut whipped cream, a few chocolate pumpkin mini tarts and a bowl of chocolate shavings.
Every part of this pie can be done ahead, and it tastes better on the second day as the spices settle. The whole finished pie, ganache and all, keeps 2 days in the fridge; add the whipped cream at serving. Counting back from dessert:
- 2 days
Bake the crust
Blind-bake the crust, cool it and keep it airtight at room temperature. Put a can of coconut cream in the fridge for the topping.
- 1 day
Fill, bake and chill
Cook the filling, bake, cool 1 hour and chill overnight, uncovered until cold, then loosely covered.
- Morning of
Pour the ganache
Pour the ganache over the cold pie and chill 30 to 45 minutes. It holds in the fridge all day.
- 1 hour
Whip the topping
Whip the chilled coconut cream solids with maple syrup and vanilla; keep it cold.
- Serve
Finish
Out of the fridge 10 minutes, then whipped cream, flaky salt and a hot, dry knife.
Storage and Freezing
| How | How long | |
|---|---|---|
| Counter | HowLoosely covered | How longUp to 2 hours; the ganache softens in a warm room |
| Fridge | HowUnder a pie dome, or wrap held off the top with toothpicks | How long4 days; the crust is crispest in the first 2 |
| Freezer | HowWhole or sliced, no whipped cream; frozen firm, then wrapped in plastic and foil | How long1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge |
| Blind-baked crust | HowCooled, airtight, room temperature | How long2 days |
| Ganache, made ahead | HowJar, fridge | How long1 week; warm in 10-second bursts, stirring |
| Coconut whipped cream | HowCovered, fridge | How long2 days; whisk briefly before serving |
Serving Ideas
- Coconut whipped cream and flaky salt, as on the card
- A scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream
- Toasted pepitas or chopped toasted pecans for crunch
- A pot of spiced chai or strong coffee
- Mini tarts on a dessert board, like these pumpkin pie tarts
Troubleshooting: Soggy Crust, Weeping, Split Ganache, Soft Filling
Most problems with this pie come from a filling that was not cooked to a bubble, a ganache that got too hot, or a pie sliced before it was cold. Find the symptom, then the fix:
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ProblemSoggy crust | Likely causeCrust underbaked, or a cool filling sat in it before baking | FixBlind-bake until dry and golden; pour the filling in hot; try the chocolate layer tab, which seals the base |
| ProblemFilling not set | Likely causeThe cornstarch never reached a full bubble, or the pie was cut too soon | FixCook until thick bubbles break the surface, then 1 minute more; chill 4 hours or overnight; freeze 1 hour to slice |
| ProblemWeeping filling | Likely causeFilling beaten after it thickened, covered while warm, or kept past 4 days | FixStop whisking once thick; cool uncovered before covering; serve within 4 days |
| ProblemLumpy filling | Likely causeCornstarch added to a warm mixture | FixWhisk it into the cold coconut cream first; blend a lumpy filling smooth before baking |
| ProblemGanache split or oily | Likely causeCoconut cream boiled, or the chocolate overheated | FixWhisk in warm coconut cream 1 tsp at a time, or blend briefly with a stick blender |
| ProblemGanache dull or streaky | Likely causePoured too cool, overstirred, or condensation in the fridge | FixPour at about 90°F; stir slowly; chill uncovered; a few seconds of warm air from a hair dryer brings back the shine |
| ProblemGanache cracked | Likely causePoured onto a frozen pie, or sliced straight from the fridge | FixPour onto a chilled, not frozen, pie; rest slices 10 minutes before cutting |
| ProblemCrust crumbles | Likely causeDough too dry, or sliced warm | FixAdd ice water 1 tsp at a time until it holds when squeezed; press firmly; slice cold |
| ProblemCrust slumped down the sides | Likely causeCoconut oil softened before baking | FixFreeze the lined pan 15 minutes; fill the weights to the rim |
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie FAQs
How do you make chocolate pumpkin pie?
Blind-bake a gluten-free coconut oil crust, then cook pumpkin purée, coconut cream, maple syrup, cornstarch and spices on the stove until bubbling. Pour it into the crust, bake 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F and chill 4 hours. Finish with a ganache of dark chocolate and coconut cream, chilled 30 to 45 minutes.
Can you make pumpkin pie without eggs?
Yes. Here cornstarch does the job eggs usually do, but only once it boils. Whisk it into the cold coconut cream first, then cook the filling until it bubbles thickly and keep whisking 1 minute more. Baked briefly and chilled 4 hours, it slices as cleanly as a custard pie.
Why didn’t my egg-free pumpkin pie set?
The cornstarch never reached a full bubble, or the pie was cut before it was cold. Starch thickens only near boiling, so a filling that is just warm stays loose. Cook it until thick bubbles break the surface, then 1 minute more, and chill at least 4 hours. A soft pie firms up after 1 hour in the freezer.
Is chocolate pumpkin pie dairy-free?
This one is: coconut oil in the crust, coconut cream in the filling and ganache, maple syrup to sweeten and dairy-free dark chocolate. Check the chocolate label, since many dark bars contain milk fat or are made on shared lines. The whipped topping is coconut cream too.
Is dark chocolate gluten-free and dairy-free?
Plain dark chocolate usually is, but not always. Some bars add milk fat, milk powder or barley malt, and many carry a may-contain warning for milk. Choose a 70% bar labelled dairy-free or vegan, and gluten-free if that matters at your table.
Can I use coconut milk instead of coconut cream?
In the filling, yes: use full-fat canned coconut milk and add 1 extra tsp cornstarch, since it is thinner. For the ganache, use coconut cream or the thick top of a chilled can of coconut milk. Light coconut milk makes a thin ganache that may not set.
Can I make chocolate pumpkin pie ahead of time?
Yes, up to 2 days. Bake and chill the pie one or two days ahead and pour the ganache the day before or the morning of. Keep it in the fridge, loosely covered, and add the coconut whipped cream and flaky salt just before serving.
How long does chocolate pumpkin pie last in the fridge?
Up to 4 days, covered. The crust is crispest in the first 2 days and the spices taste best on day two. Keep it out of the fridge no longer than 2 hours, and add whipped cream only to the slices being served.
Can you freeze chocolate pumpkin pie?
Yes, for up to 1 month, without the whipped cream. Freeze it uncovered until firm, then wrap it in plastic and foil, and thaw overnight in the fridge. A cornstarch filling can turn a little softer and weep slightly after freezing, and the ganache loses some shine, so fresh is best for guests.
Does it taste like coconut?
Only faintly. Spices, maple and dark chocolate lead, and the coconut reads as richness rather than flavor. For the most neutral taste, use refined coconut oil in the crust; virgin coconut oil tastes more of coconut.
Can I use fresh pumpkin?
Yes. Roast it, purée it and drain it in a sieve lined with a paper towel for at least 1 hour, then measure 1¾ cups (425 g). Fresh purée holds more water than canned, and extra water keeps the filling from setting firmly.
Can I use canned pumpkin pie filling instead of purée?
No. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and some kinds contain milk. Use 100% pumpkin purée so the maple syrup and spices stay in balance and the pie stays dairy-free.
What can I use instead of maple syrup?
Agave syrup works one for one. For a sugar, use ⅓ cup (65 g) packed coconut sugar or brown sugar and add 2 tbsp more coconut cream, whisked in with the cornstarch. Honey also works one for one, with a stronger flavor.
What do you serve with chocolate pumpkin pie?
Coconut whipped cream and a pinch of flaky salt, as on the card, or a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream. Toasted pepitas add crunch. On a holiday dessert table it sits well beside a fruit crumble and a plate of spiced cookies.
More Pumpkin and Chocolate Desserts for the Holiday Table
A vegan pumpkin pie, a caramel turtle pie, an all-chocolate pie, a ginger snap crust and two dessert lists.
Vegan Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
The plain spiced pie, free-from too. See the recipe → CaramelTurtle Pumpkin Pie
Caramel, pecans and chocolate on top. See the recipe → All ChocolateThanksgiving Chocolate Pie
A deep chocolate slice for the table. See the recipe → Spiced CrustPumpkin Pie With Ginger Snap Crust
A snappy, gingery base. See the recipe → ChocolateChocolate Thanksgiving Desserts
More for the chocolate lovers. See the list → Beyond PieNon-Pie Thanksgiving Desserts
Bars, cakes and more. See the list →Cook the filling to a bubble, chill it cold, pour the ganache warm. Two clean layers, and nothing anyone at the table has to skip.
Save this chocolate pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving week.
