The non-dairy pumpkin pie experiments

I’ve been on a quest to find a non-dairy pumpkin pie recipe for Thanksgiving.  We have several lactose intolerant guests this year, so I want to accommodate everyone’s food parameters while still giving the full Thanksgiving pumpkin pie experience.  There are two variations described here, with and without tofu.  I make silken tofu chocolate mousse that’s the bomb, so started the experiments with a tofu-based pumpkin.  I also tried an egg based version that had no tofu. Any of the variations will work, so your choice depends on which ingredients you want to include or avoid.  Without the dairy, the pumpkin flavor stands out just a bit more in these recipes than in a traditional mix. It’s a pleasant change, and you won’t miss the milk.  Note that the tofu and eggs are entirely tasteless, but each changes the texture of the pie.  Notes follow.

We're accommodating both lactose and gluten allergies this year, so I plan to make two variations on a pie.  One will be a traditional pie with a ginger snap crust for those who want a traditional pie, and the second a baked custard with cinnamon-sugar pecans on top, gluten-free but still in the Thanksgiving tradition.


Variation 1: Pumpkin pie with silken tofu and egg

This is the most like traditional pumpkin pie in texture. It makes a dense, creamy custard, with a traditional taste and feel.  This is my favorite variation.

1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 package silken tofu
2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t allspice
1/4 t nutmeg
pinch salt

Beat the ingredients in a food processor.  A mixer won’t do it -- the food processor is necessary to get the tofu fully blended.  Bake at 375 until a knife comes out clean.


Variation 2: Pumpkin pie with silken tofu (no egg)

Same as above, except no eggs. The custard is more delicate and less well bound.  The mouth feel is fine and it doesn’t fall apart while eating it, and the flavor is indistinguishable from traditional pumpkin pie.   It just feels a bit more like baked pumpkin and a bit less like custard.  I would have no problem serving this as part a vegan dinner, or if someone had an egg allergy, but would opt for the pie with egg otherwise.


Variation 3: Pumpkin pie with egg (no tofu)

This variation was shared by Becky Boutch, based on her modification of a recipe from The Millennium Cookbook by Eric Tucker & John Westerdahl (Ten Speed Press, 1998). 
The texture and feel of this custard was quite nice, proving the egg makes the difference.   I didn’t care for the molasses so will eliminate it when making this again. It actually wasn’t bad. It just tasted more like an Indian pudding than a pumpkin pie.  Without the molasses this is a strong finisher in second place, and because we need to avoid tofu this year, this is the version we’ll use next week for Thanksgiving. 

1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 eggs