Enjoy a dairy-free and gluten-free pumpkin pie that surprises with complexity and richness in this Pumpkin Pie Without Evaporated Milk Recipe.

When it comes to many things, healthy doesn't need to mean less flavorful. Thankfully this is true for this Pumpkin Pie Recipe Without Evaporated Milk. Coconut milk, lemon zest, agave syrup combine with your typical pumpkin pie players of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice come together to create a pie that has all the flavors of more traditional recipes with up to a third fewer calories!

Chris' birthday is on the 28th of October. So, he says that growing up he somehow usually ended up having pumpkin pie for his birthday dessert.

So, ever since we first met and he said he preferred a pumpkin pie when I asked him what I could make him for his birthday dessert, I've been cranking out at least one warmly spiced beauty each October.

Over the years, I've made a variety of recipes. The more standard recipes on the back of the pumpkin can, recipes with cream, one that substituted brown sugar for white, and the list goes on.

Though none of the pies were bad, nothing really grabbed me either.

So this year, I set out to think of how I could possibly elevate the pie while still having it taste like classic pumpkin pie.

I started by adding coconut milk instead of evaporated milk, going for a richer and nuttier flavored filling. Then, I wondered if there were some spices I could add to the current mix to make the flavor sing a bit more. Lemon zest ended up doing that for me.

And by this point, I realized that my pie was already dairy-free, could easily be made gluten-free (with a gluten-free pre-made pie crust), I figured I would also try making it processed sugar-free, too.

Not wanting to use expensive maple syrup and feeling like honey would taste too cloying alongside the pumpkin, I decided that I would try raw agave syrup as the sweetener.

And thankfully, the alchemy was just perfect. A warmly spiced and sweet filling, a welcome nutty after-flavor, flaky crust, and the option for whipped coconut cream to top made it a pie that Chris not only liked but that I knew would be back again next year again, too.

This Pumpkin Pie Recipe Without Evaporated Milk Is...

• Rich
• Silky
• Ultra-pumpkiny
• Nutty
• Warm with spices
• Elevated with a touch of lemon zest
• Lower in calories
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Processed sugar-free
• ... while still having the classic pumpkin pie flavor you know and love

If you're looking for a complex-flavored pumpkin pie that is better for you and your taste buds, too, this healthier pumpkin pie recipe is for you.

How to roll out and crimp a pie crust:

You can easily just use a premade pie crust in a tin, but if you're starting with a sheet of pre-made pie crust (what I did) or a homemade pie crust, here is a straightforward way to roll out and crimp your pie crust.

1) Roll out pie crust on a lightly floured surface.

You will want to roll the pie crust out on a lightly floured surface. Also, lightly dust the top of the dough with flour.

Then, gently roll the dough out, going crosswise in every direction, until the pie crust is about ⅛ inch thick.

Pro-tip: I even roll out the dough when working with a store-bought crust. I don't roll it too thin, but I find that working the dough myself helps to make sure the pie crust fits in my pie pans.

2) Move the crust to the pie pan.

The easiest way to do this is to roll the crust back up around the rolling pin and then transfer it to the pie pan on the rolling pin. See the below pictures for illustration.

3) Rest the dough in the pie pan and crimp the edges.

Gently push the pie crust into the pan until it's flush with the bottom of the pan and is touching the corners.

Using two hands, crimp the pie shell by placing the index finger of one hand on the outside edge of the pie shell.

Holding your index finger there, rest your other thumb and forefinger on the inside edge of the pie shell, about a half-inch from your interior index finger. Bring your other hand towards your other index finger, pressing the dough up between them.

Continue to crimp the shell all around the edge of the pie.

4) Trim the excess pie crust that is hanging off past the edge of the pan.

Using a sharp paring knife, simply run it around the outside of the pie pan, cutting off all the access pie crust.

5) Pour the pumpkin pie batter into the pie shell.

Pour the pumpkin pie batter into the pie shell. If it isn't even in the pan, gently tap the pie plate on the corner until the batter settles evenly in the pan or spread out lightly with a rubber scraper or a spatula.

Tools you need to make this Pumpkin Pie:

• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Silicone spatula
• Rolling pin
• Microplane rasp grater
• Pie pan
• Wire cooling rack

Check out my other favorite healthy Thanksgiving recipes... to make your meal delicious, memorable, and nourishing!

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Manchego, Dried Figs, and Pumpkin Seeds
• Holiday Kale Salad with Butternut Squash & Dates
• Remixed Carrot Souffle
• Healthy Mashed Potatoes
• Savory Bread Pudding with Roasted Mushrooms and Butternut Squash
• Sour Cream & Chive Potato Casserole

Other fun pumpkin and fall baking recipes!

• Pumpkin Spice Blender Muffins (GF & DF!)
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
• Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars
• Gluten-Free Apple Cake

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