Everybody could make a cake. On the most simple stage, a boxed combine will suffice. Nonetheless, there is no such thing as a boxed combine for pie. Pie is extra advanced, and consequently, extra spectacular. One should grasp a crust that’s each buttery and flaky but pliable sufficient to govern into an in depth lattice.
Subsequent, there may be the filling—fruit fillings should not leak, and creamy fillings have to set excellent, and to not point out the toppings starting from fluffy whip to a sugary crumb. Then add in the truth that vegan pies can’t use the same old animal elements, and all of it sounds a bit sophisticated and overwhelming.
HealthyGirl Kitchen
However concern not: we’re right here to place your thoughts at relaxation and assist you to make any pie honey-, egg-, and dairy-free with ease. (Significantly, just about any pie you want!) From the proper plant-based graham cracker crust to the crunchiest chickpea-based aquafaba meringue topping, we’ve received your whole vegan pie wants coated beneath. Prepared, set, bake!
What’s vegan pie?
Many typical pie recipes name for eggs, butter, cream, and milk. All of those elements come from animals, however relaxation assured, none are important in terms of making a scrumptious pie. Vegan pies don’t use any animal elements, however they don’t sacrifice on style both—you can also make all the identical creamy fillings, crunchy crusts, and crumbly toppings.
Easy methods to make a vegan pie
To make a vegan pie, all it’s essential to do is make a couple of swaps. Dairy butter or cream might be swapped for vegan options, for instance, and there are many plant-based egg replacer elements to select from (for a complete information to vegan baking swaps, try our information right here). However don’t fear, we’re right here to information you thru the entire course of.
Making a vegan pie crust
Everyone knows it—flaky, melt-in-your-mouth, completely crimped pie crust. Sadly, it’s not all the time as malleable as Snow White makes it look as she’s rolling and folding dough into pie pans whereas the birds chirp round her.
I Love Vegan
A stable flaky, buttery pie dough recipe actually solely wants 4 elements, however the finish result’s usually a chance when you’re new at pie baking. For those who’re following a primary pie dough recipe that requires butter, flour, ice chilly water, and salt, merely swap the dairy butter for a vegan butter (we swear by Earth Stability sticks—not the bathtub).
Some vegan recipes will use coconut oil, however don’t substitute coconut oil for dairy butter except the recipe explicitly requires it. The key to an ideal pie dough is following the recipe. You possibly can usually get inventive with sure fillings, however the dough is predicated in science.
Do that recipe: Flaky Vegan Pie Crust by I Love Vegan
Easy methods to make a vegan graham cracker or cookie crust
Far much less fuss than conventional dough, this candy basis includes crushing vegan cookies into oblivion. For the graham cracker base, buy a model that doesn’t include honey (each Nabisco and Keebler Originals are vegan-friendly).
Blitz the grahams with a little bit of coconut oil or dairy-free butter and a tablespoon or two of sugar till you possibly can simply press the dough collectively and it holds. The identical technique applies to cookie crusts, although you might omit the sugar on this case.
Dessert Finished Gentle
Wafer cookies work, however the cream-filled selection acts as a bonus adhesive—which implies you should utilize much less vegan butter and keep away from an oily crust. On this case, you’re allowed to get a bit inventive and switch any vegan-friendly sandwich cookie right into a one-of-a-kind pie crust (equivalent to pumpkin pie atop Dealer Joe’s Pumpkin Joe-Joe’s).
Do that recipe: Vegan Graham Cracker Crust by Dessert Finished Gentle
Fruit pies are largely vegan—simply swap the butter
With regards to fruit pies, vegans are within the clear. Fortunately, most non-vegan bakers aren’t sneaking any animal merchandise into their berry or apple pies.
A Saucy Kitchen
You possibly can comply with your nana’s recipe to the tee for this pie part. The one exception is the uncommon dotting of the filling with pats of butter (most frequently seen with apple pie). Swap the dairy butter for no matter vegan butter you may have available, and also you’re golden.
Do that recipe: Blended Berry & Whipped Coconut Cream Pie by A Saucy Kitchen
Swap eggs and butter for tofu to make a vegan pecan pie
Non-vegan pecan pie recipes usually name for eggs and butter. The vegan swap? Tofu.
Publish Punk Kitchen
When totally blended with corn syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla (and maybe some bourbon), tofu acts as an important binding agent that offers pecan pie its signature candy custardy filling beneath the layer of toasted pecans. Bakers beware: use the silken tofu that comes within the shelf-stable cardboard package deal. The sort from the refrigerated part is not going to work.
Do that recipe: Maple Pecan Pie by Publish Punk Kitchen
Easy methods to make a vegan cream pie filling
Assume pumpkin, key lime, lemon meringue, chocolate, and chess pie. Together with cornstarch, these pies depend on eggs for thickening and binding. To veganize, you may have a couple of choices. Together with the ever-reliable tofu, cashews may also help create a creamy consistency that doesn’t run when sliced.
Meals Community
Just like the crust, creamy filling pies rely a bit extra on science than creativity, so whilst you can try to remodel a non-vegan creamy pie right into a plant-based deal with, there is no such thing as a one-to-one swap that may assure outcomes each time, so put together for a little bit of trial and error. With regards to our favourite creamy pie recipes, we glance to vegan-as-is recipes for a dependable and attractive finish outcome.
Do that recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Pie by Meals Community
Making a pie crumble topping with out (dairy) butter
Why battle with an advanced lattice high crust when you possibly can merely sprinkle on a heaping mound of sugary, buttery crumble topping?
Love and Lemons
Simply veganize this delectable aspect by swapping in vegan butter for dairy butter. The remaining elements—sugar, brown sugar, flour, and salt—are good to go.
Do that recipe: Apple Crumble Pie by Love and Lemons
What whipped topping is vegan? Plus, easy methods to make your individual
Full disclosure: due to the entire vegan whipped cream merchandise accessible, store-bought is almost nearly as good because the home made model. We’re followers of So Scrumptious’ Cocowhip and Nature’s Appeal canned coconut whipping cream.
Scorching for Meals
Nonetheless, when you’re set on making your individual, you’ll want a can of full-fat coconut cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a beater or stand mixer (belief us, you don’t want to beat this by hand as you’ll want some horsepower to create fluffy peaks of cream). The trick is to relax the can of coconut cream till a stable layer types on the high, then switch that stable mass right into a bowl with none of the liquid. Word: typically, you’ll get a “dud” can of coconut that refuses to whip and as a substitute creates a curdled mess. You can not reserve it at this level, which is why it’s essential to have a backup can or a store-bought vegan whip available.
Do that recipe: Coconut Whip by Scorching for Meals
Vegan meringue with aquafaba
The invention of aquafaba—whipped chickpea brine—has made vegan meringue attainable. For years, bakers vexed over the answer to this egg white and sugar concoction. Who knew the reply was in a can of chickpeas?
Pickles & Honey
Aquafaba tends to be barely much less finicky than coconut cream, so you possibly can try this topping with confidence. Having a stand mixer helps tremendously, however when you’re okay with getting a little bit of an arm exercise, hand-held electrical beaters will work in a pinch. Pile up your luxurious vegan pie with a mountain of meringue then take a torch to it to thrill your friends.
Do that recipe: Vegan Lemon Meringue Pie by Pickles & Honey
For extra vegan pie ideas, learn:
Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews in addition to a author and runner dwelling in Orange County, CA.
