Chef Linda
Linda Soper-Kolton, Chef, came to the Sanctuary as a guest chef to share her love of compassionate cooking in our then-fledgling culinary program. Lured by the magic of the Sanctuary, her love of animals and the urgency of our mission, Linda stayed on to lead and grow the culinary program, inspiring and educating with love, patience, and delicious food.
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No-Bake Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

By Chef Linda

Pumpkin pie is a must-have on Thanksgiving, and I guarantee you that this No-Bake Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie will not disappoint! It’s flavorful, healthy and it requires no baking. We use agar powder, a sea vegetable with no taste, to recreate the binding effect of the eggs. The powdered form of agar is the easiest to work with, as opposed to agar flakes, and can be found in some health food stores or purchased online. Just plan ahead to be sure you have it on hand.

Dried fruit, nuts and some tasty gingersnap cookies make up this simple crust, so with every bite, not only are you getting flavor and texture, you're also getting a boost of nutrition. Go ahead, have seconds…before everyone else does! And if you want to make it gluten-free, replace the gingersnaps with a cup of your favorite unsalted nuts.

Ingredients

For the Crust
 30 vegan gingersnap cookies
 1 cup walnuts or pecans
 1 cup cashews
 1 ½ cups dates, pitted
 1 cup dried figs, stems removed
 1 cup dried cranberries
 Dash of salt
For the Filling
 ½ tsp agar powder (order online or buy in health store)
 1 cup coconut milk, full fat
 1 ¼ cups cooked or canned pumpkin
 ½ cup real maple syrup
 ½ tsp salt
 1 tsp vanilla
 1 tsp ground cinnamon
 ¼ tsp ground ginger
 ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
 ½ tsp ground cloves

Directions

1

For the crust, pulse the gingersnap cookies, walnuts and cashews in a food processor until finely ground. Add dried fruit and salt, then pulse until combined and mixture holds together when pinched. Ingredients should be a uniform, small size. Press into a pie plate and refrigerate until needed.

For the filling, in a small pot on medium heat, combine the coconut milk and agar powder while whisking frequently. Bring to a low simmer and continue to whisk for about 5 minutes. Do not over cook. You’ll see the mixture start to thicken slightly. Remove from heat.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla, and all the spices. Mixture should be completely smooth. if you are use a whole pumpkin or other squash, puree after baking to ensure it’s smooth. Add in the coconut milk-agar mixture and whisk till combined. Pour into the pie crust and chill in the refrigerator until set, approximately 1 hour. Slice and serve.

Notes

No-Bake Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

No-Bake Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

DifficultyEasy
YIELDS
Makes two (9-inch) pies

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust
 30 vegan gingersnap cookies
 1 cup walnuts or pecans
 1 cup cashews
 1 ½ cups dates, pitted
 1 cup dried figs, stems removed
 1 cup dried cranberries
 Dash of salt
For the Filling
 ½ tsp agar powder (order online or buy in health store)
 1 cup coconut milk, full fat
 1 ¼ cups cooked or canned pumpkin
 ½ cup real maple syrup
 ½ tsp salt
 1 tsp vanilla
 1 tsp ground cinnamon
 ¼ tsp ground ginger
 ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
 ½ tsp ground cloves

DIRECTIONS

1

For the crust, pulse the gingersnap cookies, walnuts and cashews in a food processor until finely ground. Add dried fruit and salt, then pulse until combined and mixture holds together when pinched. Ingredients should be a uniform, small size. Press into a pie plate and refrigerate until needed.

For the filling, in a small pot on medium heat, combine the coconut milk and agar powder while whisking frequently. Bring to a low simmer and continue to whisk for about 5 minutes. Do not over cook. You’ll see the mixture start to thicken slightly. Remove from heat.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla, and all the spices. Mixture should be completely smooth. if you are use a whole pumpkin or other squash, puree after baking to ensure it’s smooth. Add in the coconut milk-agar mixture and whisk till combined. Pour into the pie crust and chill in the refrigerator until set, approximately 1 hour. Slice and serve.

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