Vegan Strawberry Cream Pie
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Strawberries and cream form a winning duo: the natural burst of sweetness from the strawberries is hosted in a rich and creamy base. This rendition is a vegan strawberry cream pie that uses cashews instead of whipping cream for a luscious, velvety texture and healthier bite. Coconut adds a subtly sweet, tropical note, with a squeeze of lime juice adding a fresh citrus ā it's creamy-delicious, but also the easiest pie you'll ever whip up!
For more delicious vegan desserts, try this key lime pie or vegan purple sweet potato pie.
Crafting a pie from scratch might sound time-consuming, but this vegan strawberry cream pie is a breeze! Simply put all the ingredients for the crust into a blender, transfer it to the pan, blend everything for the dreamy filling together, and put that in the pan, too ā and you're pretty much done!
Not only is it simple, but every slice tastes like heaven. If you've ever made a creamy vegan dessert, you'll know that cashews are the vegan answer to whipping cream. They make this pie every bit as creamy and delicious as a traditional dairy-filled version, yet it's vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free!
Ingredients needed
There are three elements to this vegan strawberry cream pie ā the crust, filling, and toppings. The textural contrast between the crumbly crust and smooth filling will be a hit among your guests! This is what you'll need:
- Coconut crust:Ā Ā Combine unsweetened shredded coconut, coconut oil, coconut sugar (can sub for granulated sugar if needed), and a chia egg to make a crumbly and slightly sweet coconut-infused base.
- Strawberry filling:Ā Soak raw cashews and use fresh strawberries, coconut oil, coconut sugar, sea salt, and lime juice for a creamy and fruity filling with a velvety and smooth texture.
- Toppings: Sliced strawberries and vegan coconut whipped cream finish things off!
How to make vegan strawberry cream pie
This vegan strawberry cream pie is so straightforward, with only 15 minutes of prep time! Just blend all the crust ingredients together, do the same with the filling, and then let it set. These are the instructions:
- Make the vegan pie crust: Grease your pie dish while the oven preheats. Then add all of the crust ingredients and process for a minute before transferring the coconut crust mix to the pan, pressing it in. Bake it until the crust is light golden brown, then let it cool.
- Make the vegan strawberry pie filling: Place all the filling ingredients in the blender and process until creamy and smooth. Taste, and add more sugar to your preference. Pour it on top of the pie crust in the pie pan and smooth the top, then let it set in the fridge for six hours.
- Serve: Add the toppings and enjoy!
Tips for making vegan strawberry cream pie
While this vegan strawberry cream pie is easy to make, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Plan ahead: The pie takes around six hours in the fridge to set, so factor that time in when planning your pie making game.
- Texture: If you do want a firmer texture for your filling, you can put the vegan strawberry cream pie in the freezer for 2-3 hours.
- Chia egg: To make a chia egg, mix one tablespoon groundĀ chia seeds or flax seeds with three tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 15 minutes then use it in the recipe.
- Soaking cashews: A high-powered blender works the best to make the cashews super creamy. If you don't have one, soak the cashews for at least 4 hours to make them softer.
- Coconut oil: The reason this recipe calls for coconut oil, a healthy fat, instead of full-fatĀ coconut milk is for two reasons ā first, coconut oil stays solid when stored below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas coconut milk does not, so the pie won't need to hang out in the freezer. Secondly, the fat contributes to the creaminess, making the texture dreamy.
What to serve with vegan strawberry cream pie
This vegan strawberry cream pie is a beautiful way to finish a vegan meal of lentil bolognese, stuffed sweet potatoes, or a southwest veggie burger.
Top off your vegan strawberry cream pie with a dollop of coconut whipped cream, vegan marshmallows, or a scoop of vegan strawberry ice cream.
Recipe FAQs
Can I substitute the cashews for another type of nut?
As they make up the bulk of the recipe, we do not think using another type of nut would be comparable. Cashews have the creamiest consistency when soaked and blended.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Frozen strawberries release a lot of liquid when thawed. If you want to use frozen strawberries, make sure to thaw them completely and dry them before you use them.
Can I use another kind of fruit?
While fresh strawberries will have the best result, you can experiment with other berries if desired ā blueberries will be our top pick. Keep in mind that the sugar content can vary across berries, so you may need to adjust the amount of sugar to accommodate.
Vegan Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Coconut Crust
- 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Ā¼ cup coconut sugar (can sub granulated sugar)
- 1 chia egg (see notes)
Strawberry Filling
- 1 Ā½ cups raw cashews (soaked for 1-24 hours (see notes))
- 1 lb. fresh strawberries (tops cut off)
- Ā½ cup coconut oil (softened)
- Ā¼ ā Ā½ cup coconut sugar (can sub granulated sugar)
- Ā¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Juice from Ā½ lime
Toppings
- Coconut whipped cream
- Sliced strawberries
Instructions
- Grease a 9" pie pan with a little coconut oil. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the coconut, coconut oil, sugar, and chia egg to your food processor. Process on high for 1 minute.2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, Ā¼ cup coconut sugar, 1 chia egg
- Transfer the coconut mix to the greased pie pan and press into the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is light brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Place the cashews, strawberries, coconut oil, Ā¼ cup sugar, sea salt, and lime juice in your high-powered blender or food processor and blend on high until creamy and smooth. Taste and add more sugar if you'd like it sweeter.1 Ā½ cups raw cashews, 1 lb. fresh strawberries, Ā½ cup coconut oil, Ā¼ ā Ā½ cup coconut sugar, Ā¼ teaspoon sea salt, Juice from Ā½ lime
- Pour the pie filling into the pie and smooth the top. Place the pie into your fridge, uncovered, and let it set for at least 6 hours. If you would like a firmer filling, freeze the pie for 2-3 hours.
- Serve the pie with some coconut whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries over the top.Coconut whipped cream, Sliced strawberries
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our vegan recipes!
Cashew alternatives? My son is allergic. He can have almonds and peanuts, just no cashews.
We haven’t tested this recipe with different kinds of nuts. Since cashews make up the bulk of the recipe, I can’t recommend substituting them.
Hi! What’s the purpose of the cashews? What if I don’t have cashews? Can I substitute something else? Is it to help give the filling body and taste?
The cashews are the base of the recipe and are a vegan replacement for a traditional cream and egg base. š
This is the best strawberry cream pie ever! It’s so creamy. I thought I wouldn’t be able to have desserts like this when I turned vegan but am so happy that I can now. Thank you for the great recipe!
Vegan desserts are some of my favorites! Even though I’m not vegan I eat a lot of vegan desserts cause I don’t like to eat much dairy. You can find our other favs here: https://www.theendlessmeal.com/category/vegan-desserts/
This really is just the loveliest thing! Love the pretty pink hue and ADORE the coconut quotient (HIGH) in this recipe!
Thank you so much!!! š