No-Bake Chocolate Cream Pie (gluten free + vegan)
This quick + easy no-bake pie is made with an almond + cocoa powder crust, a date-sweetened chocolate pudding filling, and topped with a mountain of whipped cream- dairy or non, your choice. Made entirely in the bowl of a food processor, this gluten-free, vegan, and naturally sweetened no-bake pie is sure to become a new family favorite!
Ingredients
crust
- 2 cups raw almonds cashews, walnuts, and hazelnuts all work, too
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
filling
- 6 oz unsweetened or extremely dark (75%+) chocolate from 2 bars of dark chocolate
- 1 cup medjool dates, pitted (about 10 large dates)
- 2 cups unsweetened milk of choice almond, coconut, etc
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
topping
- 1 cup grass-fed organic heavy cream or coconut cream from 2 cans of full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup optional, to sweeten the whip
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate optional, to melt and drizzle over top
Instructions
- Place all crust ingredients into a food processor or high powered blender and pulse to break up the nuts. Once nuts are broken up, blend until a thick dough forms, about 30 seconds. Some tiny bits of nuts left in the dough is fine, but it should be a mostly chocolatey-looking dough.
- Dump the crust mixture into an 8-inch pie plate or springform (cheesecake) pan, pressing it in a thin layer on the bottom and at least 2-inches up the sides. Set aside.
- Next, make the filling. Break the chocolate into large pieces and place in your now-empty blender/food processor with the dates (no need to clean it out between making the crust and filling).
- Heat almond milk in a small pot on the stove (or in a microwave-safe dish) until steaming, but not boiling (we just want it hot enough to help melt the chocolate).
- Pour milk into the blender, add vanilla and salt, and blend until completely smooth. Pour filling into the prepared crust, and transfer the pie to the freezer for at least 90 minutes, or the fridge for at least 3 hours, to allow the filling to set.
- Once ready to serve, top pie with whipped topping of choice (whip the heavy cream + maple syrup in a stand mixer until thick + fluffy or vigorously stir coconut cream with a spoon to lighten it up a bit).
- Melt chocolate in a small microwave-safe dish in 20-second increments until melted (or in a small pot on the stove on the lowest heat possible, stirring constantly). Drizzle chocolate over the pie, cut, and serve.
- Leftover pie keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge, covered. If making ahead for a party, I recommend leaving off the whipped topping until you're ready to serve, as it can weep/soften in the fridge over time.