Mini Vegan Pumpkin Pies

Who doesn’t love mini pies?? These Mini Vegan Pumpkin Pies are made with simple ingredients and store-bought puff pastry. They’re easy to make and have an amazing creamy texture without any dairy. These little pies are easy to make gluten-free, too!

This recipe uses homemade pumpkin filling and store-bought puff pastry, but you can swap for store-bought pie crust, gluten-free puff pastry, or try my Homemade Pie Crust recipe.

These adorable mini pumpkin pies are perfect for your Thanksgiving table and throughout the holiday season.

If you love all things pumpkin, you’ll enjoy these: Easy Vegan Pumpkin Bread, Vegan Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Creme Pies, Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies.

For more Fall-inspired vegan desserts, try these Vegan Sweet Potato Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies or Vegan Apple Pie Crumble Bars.

Why You’ll Love These Mini Pumpkin Pies

• Less time required – These mini pies take only 15 minutes to bake. Compared to the 60+ minutes needed for traditional pumpkin pie, you’ll be saving yourself lots of time with this recipe.
• Wholesome ingredients – This recipe uses simple ingredients and minimal added sugar. You’ll find suggestions for completely swapping out refined sugar below.
• Allergy-Friendly – These individual pumpkin pies are dairy-free, egg-free, peanut-free, and easy to make gluten-free with just one swap. They make a great option for a crowd during the holiday season.

Ingredients

For the Pastry

• Frozen Puff Pastry – Did you know many store-bought frozen puff pastries are accidentally vegan? Yay! You’ll need 4 sheets (2 boxes) of puff pastry total for this recipe.

For the Pumpkin Filling

• Pumpkin puree – Make sure to get pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling.
• Coconut cream – This is different than full-fat coconut milk, boxed coconut milk, and coconut oil. Do not get these confused! I prefer coconut cream because it does not have an overpowering flavor of coconut. If you can’t find coconut cream, you can swap for full-fat coconut milk using mostly the thicker white parts, but beware this will have a stronger coconut flavor. I would not swap this for other plant-based milks such as soy milk or oat milk as the consistency will be too thin.
• Brown Sugar* – You can use light or dark brown sugar or a combination of both. Swap out for coconut sugar for a less refined option. (See notes)
• Pure vanilla extract – Just 1 tsp adds some flavor to the pumpkin filling.
• Spices – I use my own combination of spices for this recipe, but you can certainly swap it out with 1 1/2 – 2 tsp pumpkin spice mix instead.
• Salt – Just a pinch to highlight the flavors.
• Cornstarch – This is optional, but it does help to thicken the filling a bit.

For the Topping

• Cinnamon – You can add 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice to the cinnamon sugar coating for some extra flavor!
• Granulated sugar* – White sugar or cane sugar can be used here (see notes).

Helpful Equipment

In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:

• Mixing Bowls – You will need at least one large bowl to mix the pumpkin filling, and another small bowl is helpful to mix the cinnamon sugar coating.
• Cookie cutter – I used a pumpkin shape for these pies, but you can use any shape you want! You can also use smaller or larger cookie cutters to get a different number of pies.
• Large baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Sharp knife
• Rolling pin (optional)

How to Make

This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!

Because we are using store-bought puff pastry, there really is not much to making these cute little pies!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make sure you are starting with thawed puff pastry at room temperature. Remove it from the package and use a rolling pin to flatten out any wrinkles.

Step 1: Cut the Puff Pastry

Use your cookie cutter to create 16 pumpkin shapes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Repeat to create 16 more pumpkin shapes for the top of the pies. In each of these shapes, you will make 3 cuts with a sharp knife. Two curved cuts on the sides and one straight cut in the middle. This will give the pies a place to vent as well as contribute to the classic pumpkin look.

Set the 16 cut pumpkins aside.

Step 2: Make the Pumpkin Filling

Next, make the pumpkin filling. In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, coconut cream, brown sugar, spices, salt, and cornstarch. Stir until there are no clumps.

Step 3: Assemble the Pies

Spoon equal amounts of pumpkin filling onto each piece of puff pastry on the baking sheet. Spread the filling to within 1/2 inch of the edges and lead a small mound in the middle of the pie.

Before placing the top piece of puff pastry on top of the filling, use your finger to brush water around the edges of the bottom piece of puff pastry. This will help the pastry pieces adhere to one another and prevent leaking of pie filling while baking.

Once the top piece of pastry is placed, use a fork to make impressions around the entire outside of the pastry. Repeat for all 16 pumpkins.

Mix together the cinnamon sugar topping. Spray the tops of the pies lightly with water or brush with melted vegan butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of each pie until its gone.

Step 4: Bake the Pies

Place the pies in the preheated oven. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes or until the top of each pie is golden brown.

That’s it! These pies can be served right away or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Variations

Swap the brown sugar for 1/2 the amount of maple syrup or equal parts coconut sugar for a less refined option.

You can actually make this recipe as a whole pie if you prefer: You will double the quantities for all ingredients and increase the cornstarch to 3 Tbsp. Use my Easy Vegan Pie Crust to line a 9″ pie tin and pour the pumpkin filling into the pan. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil if the edges of the crust begin to burn.

If you still prefer mini pies but with a traditional look, you can cut the puff pastry into circles and line a muffin tin or tart pans to make open mini pies.

How to Store

• Fridge: Store mini pies in the refrigerator after they have reached room temperature. They will keep fresh for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze up to 2 months in a freezer safe container with the individual pies separated by parchment paper.
• Reheat: Thaw before reheating. Reheat in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes or air fryer at 350 for 3-5 minutes.

More Tips

• Not Vegan? That’s ok! This delicious Thanksgiving Dessert can use heavy cream in place of coconut cream. Use real butter to brush the tops of the pies before sprinkling the cinnamon sugar.
• Gluten-Free? All you have to do is swap for gluten-free puff pastry or use a pre-made gluten-free pie crust to bake this as an open pie.

FAQ