Recipe + Photos by Samantha Scott

These cute little pumpkin pie bites are sure to be a hit for your fall party or Thanksgiving gathering. They are vegan, not overly sweet and are a perfect little grab and enjoy dessert.

CRUST INGREDIENTS

  • 5 full graham crackers – Look for honey-free graham crackers to ensure they are vegan
  • 3 tbsp vegan butter, melted – I love using Miyoko’s
  • 2 tbsp organic granulated cane sugar
  • ½ tsp organic ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp ground sea salt

FILLING INGREDIENTS

  • 1 15 oz can organic pumpkin puree – Not pumpkin pie filling, we want pure pumpkin here
  • 2 ½ tbsp cornstarch
  • ¼ c. vegan milk – I love using unsweetened oat or almond milk
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ tsp ground sea salt
  • ¼ c. organic maple syrup
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR TOPPING
  • A spoonful of the crust crumbles reserved for sprinkling on the tops
  • Crushed nuts – Pecans would work great here, use your favorite nut variety
  • A sprinkle of cinnamon
  • A sprinkle of powdered sugar
  • Vegan whipped topping – Coconut whipped cream is a favorite here. Just look for vegan whipped cream

DIRECTIONS

For the Crust:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a mini cupcake or muffin pan with mini liners. You can also use a metal push up style mini cheesecake pan. 
  • In a food processor, add the graham crackers, melted vegan butter, organic granulated sugar, organic ground cinnamon and ground sea salt (crust ingredient list). Pulse until graham crackers are broken up and mixture has a wet sand-style texture. Stir through with a spoon and ensure the mixture is ground throughout with no large pieces left. Fill each mini cupcake liner with about ½ tablespoon full of the mixture and press flat into the bottom. There will be some crumble mixture left over, reserve this as an optional topping if desired or make more mini pies until all the crust mixture is used. Bake for approximately 6 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

For the filling:

  • Using a hand or stand mixer, blend together the organic pumpkin puree, cornstarch, vegan milk, pumpkin pie spice, ground sea salt, maple syrup and pure vanilla extract until smooth. Pour or spoon filling into each mini cupcake liner until about half full on the liners (about 1-1 ½ tablespoons). Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool. Chill for 2-4 hours, if possible overnight. Serve as is or top them with the various topping suggestions. 
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