(Note: this post was originally published on November 19, 2020. The date above reflects migration to the new platform.)
Get ready for the dessert of your dreams. This pumpkin pie checks all the boxes; it's easy to make and contains entirely whole-food ingredients, but it's also totally decadent and amazing.
The flavors in this pie are major. The traditional warming spices are amped up a notch with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, and vanilla. These classic flavors get a very important update with ginger (twice! in the filling AND in the crust!) and dark chocolate. All these flavors make for a very fresh, interesting, modern spin on the classic.
I'm honestly so incredibly excited to share this one with you guys. It's the pumpkin pie I've been looking for all of my life. I'm quite certain I'll never make a traditional pumpkin pie again... or maybe any other pie ever? Why would I? This one is simply unbeatable.
Nutritionally speaking, this pie is better for you than most protein bars. The crust is just dates, pecans, crystallized ginger, and dark chocolate- it's really quite magical and is based on my recipe for Homemade Lara Bars. The filling is pumpkin, maple syrup, a whole load of spices, and one very special ingredient that you'd never identify. Can you guess it?? This miraculous food is protein-rich, basically flavorless, provides wonderful creamy texture, and helps the filling hold its shape....
It's chick peas!! Please bear with me for a minute here and let me explain. Most pumpkin pies need all sorts of gunk to help the filling set. This could be egg yolks in a classic pie, or a whole variety of weird stabilizers in a vegan pie. No thanks. Chick peas yield the most luscious texture with no fuss and no bizarre ingredients, and they make this pie incredibly protein-rich. Not convinced yet?? Check out my Funfetti Tahini Chick Pea Blondies and my No-Bake Whole Food Birthday Cake Bars as evidence for the fact that chick peas are actually a wonderful dessert ingredient.
This pie is also probably the easiest pie you'll ever make; you just need a high-power food processor. First you'll blast all the crust ingredients together and line a pie dish with the mixture. Then you'll blast all the filling ingredients together and spoon the filling in. Add a couple pecans, pop it in the fridge, and you're done. It will take you about 30 minutes.
As if you need any other reason to make this pie, it's prepared entirely in advance! It will be fine covered in the fridge for up to two days, so don't hesitate to make it on Tuesday and get it out of the way before all the other Thanksgiving chaos. Won't it feel good to have your dessert done way ahead of time (and also not taking up space in the oven)??
One important note though. You'll want to prepare this pie and let it chill in the fridge at least overnight. This will help the filling firm up a bit and will make the pie easier to cut neatly. I wouldn't recommend trying to cut it right after preparing if you want to get nice-looking slices. So just make sure you prepare this at least the day ahead of time in order to give yourself sufficient time for chilling (both the pie and your pre-Thanksgiving chaotic frenzy...).
Here's what you'll need for this recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.
To be completely honest, I've never been excited about pumpkin pie until now. I think my skepticism was caused by a combination of finding the flavors a bit boring and being a bit creeped out by the custard ingredients. This one cures both those issues, and now all of the sudden I'm a pumpkin pie fiend!
I really hope you'll try this one, and make it again and again all throughout the fall and winter. It's special enough for Thanksgiving, yet nourishing enough for every day. Pumpkin pie for breakfast, anyone??
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
Roasted Brussel Sprout Waldorf Salad
Disclosure: I received free product from Taza. However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Rogue Brussel Sprout running.
This is no ordinary pumpkin pie. Kissed with decadent dark chocolate and zippy ginger, it's a pumpkin pie with a major flavor makeover. It also happens to be made with all whole-food ingredients and involves no cooking at all! Can you guess the secret ingredient that gives the filling its creamy dreamy texture?
For the Crust
For the Filling
For Serving
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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