source: giphy.com

 

 Written by Jessica Moore

It’s Pi(e) Day and we’re currently preoccuPIEd with all things sweet.

So let’s talk about pie for a sec.

We’re always looking for an excuse to eat it: holidays, birthdays, eating pie under the covers after a break-up binge-watching the Handmaid’s Tale (no, just us?). Pie is unequivocally there for us.

Everything about pie is lovely. The crust, ranging from flaky to toasty and nutty. The cream, ranging from thick to silky smooth. And the toppings: from delicate meringue to a handful of ripe berries and sprinkled nuts. Pie may be the greatest dessert ever created.

So these pie recipes are vegan pies.

Now before you scoff or roll your eyes, give vegan pies a chance.

It goes without saying you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy vegan pies. If you’re watching your intake of processed sugar or dairy, or if you’re looking for low calorie, healthier alternatives to heavy cream pies, vegan pies are the way to go. Your sweet tooth won’t notice the difference. That’s right, unlike cake, you can have your pie and eat it, too.

Enjoy these pies on Pi Day, and on National Pie Day (it was January 23rd), which are totally separate holidays, leaving us scratching our heads. Why the separate holidays? Pi day should definitely consist of pie eating. Maybe we should start a petition, “Change National Pie Day to Pi Day.” I mean, it’s a worthy cause. We’ll keep you posted. For now,  please enjoy this pie porn.

Mind-Blowing Vegan Chocolate Pie by Pinch of Yum

source: pinchofyum.com

Lindsay from Pinch of Yum knows her desserts (shout out to those Inner Goddess truffles, a permanent staple at my home now). Her Vegan Chocolate Pie recipe makes us melt as fast as chocolate chips. You can make your own graham cracker crust or simply things a big and buy pre-made graham cracker crust if you’re pinched for time. So how does Pinch of Yum achieve the thick and smooth chocolate texture without dairy? Two words: silken tofu. And guess what? This recipe requires only 5 ingredients (including some delicious chocolate almond milk) and can be made in a food processor. Mind = blown.

 

Vegan Snickers Pie by Sprouted Routes

source: sproutedroutes.com

Who doesn’t love Snickers? The nuts, the caramel, the nougat, and the chocolate, perfectly combined to form a crunchy sweet chocolate treat. You know what we don’t love about Snickers bars? Corn syrup and artificial flavors. Yuck. Liz from Sprouted Routes remedies that with her healthy, delicious rendition of an unbaked Snickers Pie, made with Medjool dates, cashews, dried coconut, almond butter, coconut milk, you know, real unprocessed food. Get in our mouths pronto. Pro-tip: add a few tablespoons of your favorite vanilla protein powder for an added boost!

Vegan Banoffee Ice Cream Pie by From My Bowl

source: frommybowl.com

Caitlin Shoemaker from From My Bowl is a vegan queeeen. Her budget-friendly vegan recipes are seriously on point every single time (don’t get me started on her No-Bake Chocolate Turtle Cookies), and that doesn’t exclude this rich vegan Banoffee Ice Cream Pie made with a crunchy cereal pie crust recipe that nicely offsets the smooth ice cream. Slice us a slice! Ice cream and pie should always mingle. Check out her  YouTube channel which features easy-to-follow tutorials like the one above (featuring those turtle cookies), perfect for both aspiring, transitioning, and well-established vegans.

Matcha Coconut Tart by Our Food Stories

source: ourfoodstories.com

Coconut flavor meets ma-ma-ma-matcha. No, matcha isn’t just for that morning pick-me-up; matcha is being put to use in some glorious desserts, like this Matcha Coconut Tart recipe with a delicious vegan pie crust made with dates and cashews brought to you by the folks at Our Food Stories. Tarts and pies are totally interchangeable right? Not only is this tart vegan, but it’s also gluten-free, and has healthy ingredients like unrefined coconut oil, spoonfuls of pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds for some healthy fats and protein. Matcha Coconut Tart, we love you so matcha.

Pretzel Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie by Minimalist Baker

source: minimalistbaker.com

Dana and John Shultz make up the phenomenal plant-based team behind Minimalist Baker, a vegan and vegetarian destination for not only the sweetest recipes but delectable savory recipes, too! If you love salty sweet combinations (who doesn’t), then you’re going to lose your sh*t when you make this Pretzel Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie recipe. You got that crunch, you got that smooth dark chocolate filling, I mean, what else can you ask for?

Key Lime Pie & Meringue by Avant Garde Vegan

If you’re a vegan or you just can’t stop watching vegan cooking vids on YouTube (pescatarian over here, guilty as charged!), you probably have heard of Gaz Oakley, A.K.A. Avant Garde Vegan. Oakley is a professional chef who dishes out perfect vegan recipes full of flavor. His YT channel is a former omnivore’s dream: there are plenty of homemade mock-meat recipes that are healthy, not processed, and he transforms classic meat recipes into healthy vegan delights. This Key Lime Pie has a meringue topping made from aquafaba. I mean, look at that browned meringue…

Well, look what I’ve done. I’ll be dreaming of pie all day long.

Can’t get enough of sweets? You won’t believe these fluffy baked pumpkin donuts are vegan.