This vegan custard pie is filled with a sweet vanilla filling that's made from a surprise ingredient. So rich and creamy, you'd never guess this decadent dessert was made without eggs or dairy!
Custard pie was never a favorite of mine. It's so eggy, and I always hated eggs! I made the mistake of trying a piece once thinking it would be filled with something more like pudding or vanilla doughnut filling, only to be met with a pie sliced stuffed with sweet eggy filling.
But I do tend to really enjoy vegan versions of eggy dishes. I've had custard pie on my list for a while and just recently found the motivation to get moving after a reader requested a recipe for it.
As it turned out, making custard pie without eggs wasn't all that hard to do! I based this one off of my vegan pumpkin pie recipe, but swapped out the pumpkin for something kind of unexpected in a dessert recipe: tofu!
What You'll Need
- Silken tofu
- Coconut milk
- Organic sugar
- Cornstarch
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Nutmeg
- Turmeric (optional, for eggy color!)
- Organic brown sugar
- Vegan pie crust
How to Make Vegan Custard Pie
This is one of the easiest pie's you'll ever make!
First, preheat your oven and have your pie crust ready. Now stick everything else except for the brown sugar into a blender or food processor bowl. Blend it up until smooth.
Pour the mixture into your pie crust, then sprinkle the top with the brown sugar.
Pop it into the oven and bake it for about 45 minutes. It will still be a bit wobbly in the center when it's done — don't worry about this! The pie will continue to set as it cools.
Once it's cool, stick it into the fridge to continue setting.
Serve your custard pie with some vegan whipped cream and/or fresh fruit.
Vegan Custard Pie Tips & FAQ
- You can use either a store-bought or homemade vegan pie crust for this recipe. If you use store-bought, be sure to check the ingredients, as many brands contain lard or butter. Marie Calendar's crusts were vegan last time I checked.
- Can this pie be made gluten-free? Yup! Just use a vegan and gluten-free pie crust. Try this one.
- Shelf-life & storage: Store your leftover pie in a sealed container or wrapped tightly in plastic in the refrigerator. It should keep for about 4 days.
- Can you taste the coconut milk in this pie? I couldn't, but if you hate the taste of coconut, feel free to substitute another non-dairy milk. Go for something unsweetened and with a little bit of fat in it, such as cashew or soy milk.
- Some tofu brands sell silken tofu in firm and soft varieties. Either will work with this recipe, but choose firm if you have the option.
- Why does the sugar need to be organic? Most granulated sugar in the united states is produced using animal bone char. Organic sugar is produced differently, so it's considered vegan.
- For extra eggy flavor, try replacing some of the salt with kala namak (available at Indian markets). I haven't tried this variation, as I'm not a fan of eggy flavor, but my recommendation would be to use about ¼ teaspoon kala namak (and ¼ teaspoon regular salt).
- What's that whipped topping in the photos? That's Reddi Whip almond milk whipped topping. If your supermarket doesn't carry vegan whipped cream, try making your own from coconut cream, like I did for this vegan strawberry shortcake.
- Flavor variations! Try adding fruit to the filling. Layer sliced peaches, fresh (pitted!) cherries, or blueberries in your pie crust before pouring in the filling — just be sure to use an extra large pie plate and crust to accommodate for the extra volume. For a chocolate custard pie, try adding a few tablespoons of cocoa powder. For a spicy custard pie, add some cinnamon and cloves.
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Old Fashioned Vegan Custard Pie
This vegan custard pie is filled with a sweet vanilla filling that's made from a surprise ingredient. So rich and creamy, you'd never guess this decadent dessert was made without eggs or dairy!
Ingredients
- 1 (12.3 ounce or 349 gram) package silken tofu
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- ⅔ cup organic granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch turmeric (optional, for eggy color)
- 2 tablespoons organic brown sugar
- 1 vegan pie crust
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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Place the tofu, coconut milk, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, and turmeric (if using) into a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Blend until smooth.
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Pour the tofu mixture into the pie crust, then sprinkle the top with brown sugar.
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Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, until partially set but still wobbly in the center.
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Transfer the pie to a cooling rack to cool.
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When the pie has cooled, move it to the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour.
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Slice and serve.
Hi Alissa. This looks really good. I don’t use processed oils, so vegan pie crust won’t work for me. Do you think I could bake the filling in ramekins and have the custard without the pie? I especially like the thought of fruit with it! I love SO many of your recipes...thank you!
I do think that would work! I actually made a vegan creme brulee once using a similar base, and it cooked up perfectly. The cook time might need to be lowered a bit, so keep an eye on them. Another option would be do a nut-based crust - something like this, but without the cocoa: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/black-bottom-raw-cheesecake/ I haven't tried baking the nut crust, but I think it would work. I'm glad you're enjoying the recipes!
Hi. Are you using coconut milk in the can or the ones in the carton, like other nut milks?
It's the canned variety.
Would this recipe work using regular soft tofu. I have yet to find silken tofu where I live.
Made this today. It was so easy and delicious, and reminded me of my grandma’s custard pie from years ago. I’ll be making this again
I think so, though it might be a bit firmer and the texture might not be quite as smooth!
I'm so excited to try this! I LOVE custard but haven't found a vegan version yet. Thanks for sharing :)
I just made this and my mom has been hanging over the refrigerator for hours. She's really picky and she absolutely LOVED it. Had 2 pieces before I hid it. Thanks for a great recipe!
I just made this. I fail at most baking, but this was not only a success - it was DELICIOUS. Thank you.
Do you think it would be ok to add coconut to this to make it a coconut custard pie?
Yes, and I think it sounds delicious!
I really want to serve this on Xmas day. If I make it the day before will it keep ok or is it best to make it the same day as serving?
Thank you! :)
This pie holds up very well, so you're fine to make it a day ahead!
Are you meant to blind bake the pie crust?
I don't blind bake the crust for this recipe, but you could for 15 minutes or so if that's what you generally prefer.
This was so easy to make and so delicious! I’m going to make it often and probably try it with some fruit mixed in. Thanks for this winner!
Do you think that adding a fruit like blueberries would turn out alright?
I do! I've been meaning to try a version with berries myself. I'd love to hear how it turns out if you try!
This pie is DELICIOUS and the recipe is so simple! Thank you for sharing this, my whole non-vegan family loved it and thought it tasted just like the classic egg version. I love that I made the whole pie in just 10 min!
What kind of silken tofu are you using--soft, firm, or extra-firm?
I used firm, and that's what I recommend, but any variety will work.
I used Silken tofu, but I didn’t realize it came in different firmnesses. My grocery only carries silken OR firm/extra firm. Mine was soft silken, so I’m an hour and a half into the baking process. I wondered why it was taking so long. After I read the comments, I finally figured it out. Maybe you could add that to the recipe so that nobody else makes the same mistake I did?
Hi Jen! This recipe will work with either variety - check out the FAQ & tips section. It's actually the cornstarch that does most of the work in setting the pie. The pie continues to set after it's done baking, so you might have baked it longer than necessary.
If I wanted to make it a coconut custard...approximately how much coconut would you suggest?
The so much!💖
I'd use one cup! By the way, I have a coconut cream pie recipe: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-coconut-cream-pie/ The texture of the filling is a bit different (softer, more puddingy), but I thought I'd share incase that's what you were going for. :)
The Old Fashioned Vegan Custard Pie is almost exactly like my grandma's (which she made with milk and eggs. Yum!! Great job!. I used 1/2 coconut milk and 1/2 cashew milk.