Spicy Chocolate Pumpkin Pie (Dairy Free)

Name: Spicy Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 prepared pie crust ((store-bought or homemade)); 15 oz can of pumpkin puree; ½ cup coconut cream ((*see notes)); ½ cup brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 ½ tsp cinnamon; ½ tsp cayenne pepper ((or ¼ tsp if you want a more subtle spice)); ¼ tsp ginger; ¼ tsp salt; ¾ cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips ((i.e Enjoy Life))

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Looking to spice up your traditional pumpkin dessert? You’ll definitely want to try this cayenne-infused spicy chocolate pumpkin pie! It combines silky pumpkin puree with rich dark chocolate and a kick of heat, creating a dessert that’s simultaneously comforting and bold. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any fall get together!

A slice of chocolate pumpkin pie with cayenne, on a white plate with a fork.

Ingredient Notes

Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:

Pie crust, pumpkin, coconut cream, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, salt, and dark chocolate, all measured out.

Pie crust: You can use a homemade pie crust or a store-bought pie crust for this recipe. At the time of publish, Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust, Mrs. Smith’s Deep Dish Frozen Pie Crust, and Great Value Pie Crusts were all dairy free. Of course, always be sure to check ingredients yourself as product formulations can change.

Coconut cream: You can find canned coconut cream at some grocery stores, but it can be difficult in certain areas. It’s often more accessible to buy a can of coconut milk and refrigerate it overnight. When you open it (don’t shake it!), the cream should have solidified on the top, and you can skim it off for the recipe. You should be able to get about ½ cup of coconut cream. I recommend Thai Kitchen Unsweetened Coconut Milk, which sometimes is solid at the top without even needing to refrigerate. I do not recommend Goya, as I have found lately these cans do not allow the cream to separate out in the fridge.

Chocolate chips: There are several varieties of dairy free chocolate chips on the market including Enjoy Life dark chocolate morsels and Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips. I’ve come to the conclusion that these two are my favorite brands thanks to their rich flavor.

Cayenne pepper: Yes, that spicy cayenne! Adding this to the recipe gives this pie a Mexican Hot Chocolate vibe. You can reduce the cayenne if you don’t want as much spice. You can also just leave out the spice and make a regular chocolate pumpkin pie. Still delicious, but no kick.

Instructions

You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips. This recipe is pretty simple to make.

If you’re using a can of coconut milk, don’t forget to put it in the fridge the night before – unless you can tell by the feel of the can if it’s solidified on top. If you can tell the cream has solidified at room temperature, you can move forward with the recipe. Same goes for if you’re using a can of coconut cream instead of coconut milk.

Here’s what the can of coconut milk (or cream) should look like when you open it up. Be careful to scoop it out, leaving any liquid below.

A can of coconut milk with the cream solidified at the top.

Once that’s taken care of, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a pie plate with the prepared pie crust.

Next, mix together the pumpkin, coconut cream, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, cayenne, ginger, and salt.

Pumpkin, coconut cream, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, cayenne, ginger, and salt mixed together in a bowl.

Set that aside for a second. Put your dark chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave on 30-second intervals, stirring between each. This is essential to get the chocolate to melt without burning the chocolate. It should only take 2-3 intervals.

Pour the melted chocolate into the pumpkin mixture and stir well.

The chocolate pumpkin pie filling mixture in a mixing bowl.

Pour the filling into the pie crust, and place it in the oven. Bake for about 45-50 minutes. You want to the filling to be set, but it will still have a slight jiggle right out of the oven.

Just-baked spicy chocolate pumpkin pie in a pie plate.

Let that cool at room temperature for a bit. I recommend placing it in the fridge to chill after, as I think this pie is best served cold, though you can serve it at room temperature.

Feel free to add a dollop of whipped coconut cream or dairy-free vanilla ice cream if you’d like!

Recipe FAQ

Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:

How spicy is this pie?

Most would consider it quite mild, providing gentle heat on the tail end of each bite. If you’re sensitive to spice, though, try cutting back to ¼ teaspoon cayenne rather than the full ½ teaspoon. You can also make this recipe without the cayenne at all if you’d just prefer a regular chocolate pumpkin pie!

How should you store leftover chocolate pumpkin pie?

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Can you make this pie ahead of time?

Yes! This pie tastes great chilled, so you can make it the day before your get together and serve it straight from the fridge.

Can you use a different crust?

Yes. You can use a graham cracker crust or a gingersnap crust if you prefer, rather than a traditional pie crust.

Allergens in this Recipe

Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe. While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.

As written, this recipe is dairy free and peanut free. As long as you choose a pie crust and chocolate chips that do not contain soy, this recipe is also soy free.

This recipe does contain wheat/gluten (in the pie crust) and eggs (in the eggs). I don’t recommend substituting the eggs in this recipe. If you want to make a wheat/gluten free version, though, you can easily do so by looking for a prepared pie crust option that does not contain these allergens.

This recipe also contains coconut, which some people with tree nut allergies cannot tolerate, and others can. Follow your doctor’s instructions.

A slice of pumpkin pie on a plate with the pie dish and rest of the pie in the background.

More Delicious Dairy Free Pies

If you’re looking for more pies to make this holiday season, be sure to give one of these a try:

I hope you enjoy this spicy chocolate pumpkin pie recipe! I absolutely love a good sweet and spicy combo, so I’m all about it. My kiddo? Not so much, haha. But it’s a great grown-up treat to have around (or maybe your little ones will have a more refined palate than mine!). If you get a chance to try it, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.