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Vegan Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

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Vegan Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

My homemade Vegan Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie recipe is simple, sweet, and soo delicious. Made with simple ingredients, and infused with unsalted pecans and chocolate chips, this pecan pie will be a huge hit during holiday dinners!

I don’t know about you, but I think pecan pie is a must-have Thanksgiving dessert! This pecan pie is made with chocolate chips (technically optional but highly recommended) and it’s vegan-friendly, so everyone – no matter their allergies – can enjoy it. It’s also the slightly healthier version since it’s made with ingredients like coconut sugar and coconut milk, instead of corn syrup and eggs.

Main Ingredients Needed to Make This Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

  • Prepared pie crust – I used gluten-free

  • Pecans (chopped)- I used raw & unsalted pecans

  • Chocolate chips – Up to you, but dark or semi-sweet would probably taste best

  • Butter – dairy-free (Earth Balance is a good option)

  • Coconut milk (full-fat)

  • Coconut sugar – you can sub for brown sugar if you’d like

  • Cornstarch

  • Vanilla Extract

  • Salt

Tips to Consider When Making This Vegan Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Recipe

  • I personally love the pecan-chocolate chip combination, but if you want to make more of a traditional pecan pie, you can use 1 cup whole and 1 cup chopped pecans instead, and omit the chocolate chips.

  • Since this recipe is vegan, that means no eggs! Cornstarch is going to help bind this pie together. Just make sure to let it cool completely before slicing so it has time to firm up.

  • Want to up the sweetness even more? Serve it with your favorite dairy free vanilla ice cream!
Vegan Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
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Vegan Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 
Total time

1

hour 

30

minutes

My homemade Vegan Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe is simple, sweet, and soo delicious. Made with simple ingredients, and infused with unsalted pecans and chocolate chips, this pecan pie will be a huge hit during holiday dinners!

Ingredients

  • 1 (9-inch) Whole Prepared Pie Crust (gluten-free)

  • 3 Tablespoons Dairy-Free Butter

  • 1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar

  • 1 Cup Unsweetened Full-Fat Coconut Milk

  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

  • 3 Tablespoons Corn Starch

  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

  • 1 Cup Raw Unsalted Pecans

  • 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit and par-bake the pie crust for 25 minutes.
  • Add all pie filling ingredients except pecans and chocolate chips to a bowl and whisk together.
  • Once smooth, add in chopped pecans and chocolate chips.
  • Transfer filling to par-baked pie crust, then bake for 1 hour.
  • Cover pie with aluminum foil about halfway through to prevent crust from burning.
  • Remove pie from oven, let cool completely before slicing.

Recipe Video

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30 Minutes or Less

Vegan Mushroom and Pea Risotto

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Vegan Mushroom and Pea Risotto

This vegan mushroom and pea risotto is a simple recipe, but it packs a whole lot of flavor. Made with ingredients like Arborio rice, vegetable broth, herbs, white wine and sautéed onion and mushrooms, this dish tastes like it came straight from a fancy restaurant.

Vegan Mushroom and Pea Risotto

What is Risotto?

Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish. The name “Risotto” comes from the cooking technique in which you continuously stir the grains. The process involves gradually adding warm stock or broth like vegetable, chicken, fish, or beef to the grains, and over time, the liquid absorbs. The natural starches in the rice swell and thicken, creating a creamy consistency.

You’ll often find risotto on the menu at many high end restaurants, but it’s actually an incredibly easy recipe to make at home that takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish!

MAIN INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE Mushroom and Pea Risotto

  • Arborio Rice – This is generally the go-to rice for this recipe, but you can use Carnaroli Rice or Vialone Nano Rice instead.

  • Mushrooms

  • White Wine – Any dry wine works great. See under my Tips section for more info.

  • Vegetable Broth

  • Olive Oil

  • Frozen Peas

  • Herbs – garlic cloves, parsley

  • Salt

TIPS ON MAKING Vegan Mushroom and Pea Risotto

  • The best rice for risotto have plump, short- to medium-grains, with a high-starch content. Arborio rice is most commonly used for this dish since it has a high starch content which gives it a super creamy and slightly sticky texture.

  • Bring your vegetable broth to a gentle simmer in a saucepan before using it in this recipe. The broth should be hot when added to the rice.

  • I recommend using any white wine that has the words “dry” or “crisp” in the description. Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio are my go-tos! You can even use ½ cup of vegetable broth plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in place of the white wine in this recipe.

  • When risotto is finished, it should look creamy. If you run your spoon through the risotto, the risotto should flow slowly back to fill in the space. Another way to tell if your risotto is done is to taste it. The grains should be soft with a slight amount of bite to them. If you prefer a softer, soupier risotto, simply add an extra one-half to one cup of liquid.
Vegan Mushroom and Pea Risotto
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Vegan Mushroom and Pea Risotto

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

This vegan mushroom and pea risotto is a simple recipe, but it packs a whole lot of flavor. Made with ingredients like Arborio rice, vegetable broth, herbs, white wine and sautéed onion and mushrooms, this dish tastes like it came straight from a fancy restaurant.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

  • 10 Ounces Mushrooms (sliced)

  • 2 Whole Garlic Cloves

  • 1 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

  • 1 Cup Arborio Rice

  • 1 Teaspoon Salt

  • 1/2 Cup White Wine

  • 3 Cups Vegetable Broth (hot)

  • 1 Cup Frozen Peas

  • Fresh Chopped Parsley (for serving)

Directions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add in the mushrooms, garlic, and onion. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. 
  • In the same pot, add in the Arborio rice and salt. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes to lightly toast the rice.
  • Pour in white wine and cook, stirring often, until liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Then, pour in one cup of hot vegetable both, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until liquid is absorbed.
  • Continue adding hot broth, one cup at a time, until rice has absorbed all liquid and is tender. Stir in the frozen peas until heated through, then serve warm with fresh parsley.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Storage: Let it cool completely before transferring to an air tight container. It will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
  • To Reheat: Add it to the stove with a splash of water or broth to let it get creamy again.

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Desserts

Vegan Pumpkin Cookies With Maple Frosting

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Vegan Pumpkin Cookies

These delicious vegan pumpkin cookies are the perfect Fall treat! Filled with warm pumpkin spices and topped with tasty maple frosting, these soft and fluffy pumpkin cookies are a great snack to share with friends or family.

With all the pumpkin recipes I’ve been posting this month (scroll to the bottom of the post for a full list), I realized I haven’t attempted to bake any cookies, which is a favorite snack of mine! If you love fluffy cookies, you’ll love these! These pumpkin cookies are firm, but almost cake-like in texture. And while these pumpkin cookies are delicious all on their own, the frosting topping really makes them special. The hint of maple plays wonderfully with the pumpkin and adds just a bit of extra sweetness.

MAIN INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THESE Vegan Pumpkin Cookies

  • All Purpose Flour – I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill All-purpose gluten-free flour with great success!

  • Pumpkin Pie Spice

  • Baking Soda

  • Butter – I used vegan butter. There are plenty available in grocery stores. Earth Balance is a popular one.

  • Brown Sugar – If you’d like, you can use 1 cup of coconut sugar in place of the brown and granulated sugar.

  • Pumpkin Puree – Sweet potato would be a great a substitute if you don’t have pumpkin.

  • Vanilla Extract

  • Maple Syrup

TIPS ON MAKING Vegan Pumpkin Cookies

  • Don’t have any pumpkin pie spice? That’s okay! You can make your very own at home if you have the ingredients.
    • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoons ground ginger & 2 teaspoons ground allspice
    • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Vegan Pumpkin Cookies With Maple Frosting
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Vegan Pumpkin Cookies With Maple Frosting

4 from 28 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: SnacksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

24

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Calories

300

kcal
Total time

40

minutes

These delicious vegan pumpkin cookies are the perfect Fall treat! Filled with warm pumpkin spices and topped with tasty maple frosting, these soft and fluffy pumpkin cookies are a great snack to share with friends or family.

Ingredients

  • For the cookies:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour, I used gluten free

  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 6 tablespoons vegan butter, softened

  • ½ cup brown sugar, see Notes

  • ½ cup granulated sugar

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • For the frosting:

  • 1/4 cup vegan butter, softened

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

  • 1 1/2  cups powdered sugar

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the all purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a separate smaller bowl, use either a hand or stand mixer to beat together the vegan butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
  • Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
  • Use a tablespoon to scoop out equal amount of cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheet, placing them a few inches apart. 
  • Gently press down on each cookie to flatten the tops, then bake for 10-12 minutes or until set in the center. Let cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Make the maple frosting by whipping all ingredients together with either a hand or stand mixer, then dollop equal amounts of frosting over each cookie.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • If you’d like, you can use 1 cup of coconut sugar in place of the brown and granulated sugar.
  • To store: Cookies should be stored in an airtight container in a single layer in the refrigerator for a couple days.
  • To freeze: Bake them, allow them to cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe ziplock bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.  

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30 Minutes or Less

Kettle Corn Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

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Kettle Corn Recipe

Made with just a few simple ingredients, this quick and easy vegan kettle corn recipe is a deliciously sweet and salty snack, perfect for a night in with friends or family!

Forget the movie theatre popcorn! If you’ve never made popcorn at home on a stovetop before, you definitely need to try my sweet and salty vegan kettle corn recipe. It’s super easy and quick to make (only about 5 minutes!), it tastes better and is no doubt the healthier alternative. I personally prefer stovetop popcorn to other options because I think it tastes significantly better than air-popped popcorn or microwave popcorn.

Making popcorn at home on the stove can be intimidating if you’ve never done it before, but it’s really easy! You only need 3-4 pantry-staple ingredients to make this vegan kettle corn. And hey, if you mess up, no harm no foul. Doesn’t take long to make, so just try again if it ends up being a little too burnt for your taste.

MAIN INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE Vegan Kettle Corn

  • Popcorn kernels – Really any kernels will do the job, but organic popcorn, like the ones from Arrowhead Mills, is preferable!

  • Coconut Oil –  Acting as both cooking oil and flavor booster, this oil gives the popcorn a mildly sweet and almost nutty flavor. You can use vegetable oil, canola oil or avocado oil instead though.

  • Cane Sugar – This is what I prefer to use but you can opt for white sugar, coconut sugar or even brown sugar if you’re feeling something extra sweet!

  • Sea Salt – This is totally optional and can be added to your liking once it’s cooled off.

Kettle Corn Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
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Kettle Corn Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

5 from 2 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: SnacksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

2

minutes
Cooking time

5

minutes
Calories

300

kcal
Total time

7

minutes

Made with just a few simple ingredients, this quick and easy vegan kettle corn recipe is a deliciously sweet and salty snack, perfect for a night in with friends or family!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil

  • 1/4 cup corn kernels

  • 2-3 tablespoons sugar

  • Sea salt to taste

Directions

  • Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add in the corn kernels and sugar.
  • Cover pot with lid and shake constantly until you hear a 2-3 second break in between pops. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving. Add sea salt to your preferred taste.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Oil: I used coconut oil, but canola oil or avocado oil would work as well.
  • Sugar: I used cane sugar, but white sugar, coconut sugar, or even brown sugar would taste great.
  • To store homemade kettle corn (if you have any leftover!) you can simply place it in a large zip-lock bag and store it in your pantry until ready to enjoy.

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Dairy-Free

Vegan Tofu Tikka Masala (Gluten-Free)

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Tofu Tikka Masala

Skip the delivery and try this vegan and gluten-free version of the classic Indian dish known as tikka masala that uses tofu in place of meat! Serve over freshly steamed basmati rice and garlic naan for a complete Indian spiced dish.

Tofu Tikka Masala

Tikka masala is surprisingly easy to make vegan! Instead of meat, I used tofu, which works perfectly in this dish since it soaks up all the delicious spices and flavors in this recipe. The sauce is creamy, tangy and spicy, but not hot or overbearing.

And what’s an Indian meal without spice?! You’ll notice my list of ingredients have a handful of them. So, if you enjoy spicy foods, your taste buds are definitely going to enjoy the turmeric, garam masala, cumin, cayenne pepper and paprika found in this dish.

Tikka Masala Overview

Just in case you’ve never come across Tikka Masala before, I wanted to give a quick overview of what it means.

Tikka masala is an Indian dish consisting of roasted marinated chicken chunks in spiced curry sauce.

  • The “tikka” refers to the protein. The most common ingredient used is chicken, but it varies. Some people like to use lamb instead. For my recipe, we skip the meat altogether and replace it with tofu.

  • The “masala” translates as “spice mix” and refers to the sauce. Most include a tomato base, garam masala and a creamy element like yogurt or, in this case, coconut milk.

MAIN INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE Vegan Tofu Tikka Masala

  • Tofu – Make sure to buy the extra firm kind.

  • Olive Oil

  • Ginger

  • Garam Masala, Cumin, Tumeric & Cayenne Pepper – Mix these with a few other spices in the recipe to create a spicy and tangy flavor.

  • Tomato Sauce – A common pantry item, this is going to be the base for the sauce.

  • Coconut Milk – I use full-fat coconut milk for the sauce, which makes this dish super rich and creamy without needing to rely on any dairy.

ADJUST THIS RECIPE TO YOUR DIET

  • Need a little less spice? You can adjust the amount of spices to suit your heat preference, or leave it out all together for a non-spicy tikka masala dish.

  • Dairy: You can try using yogurt, a heavy creamer or regular milk in place of the coconut milk.

TIPS FOR MAKING THIS Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe

  • Serve with basmati rice and naan (a popular Indian flatbread) for a complete meal.
Vegan Tofu Tikka Masala (Gluten-Free)
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Vegan Tofu Tikka Masala (Gluten-Free)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DinnerCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes
Calories

300

kcal
Total time

40

minutes

Skip the delivery and try this vegan and gluten-free version of Tikka Masala that uses tofu in place of meat with flavorful spices that is bound to give your taste buds something to look forward to!

Ingredients

  • For the tofu:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 (16-ounce) blocks extra firm tofu, pressed dry with a dish towel then cut into cubes

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 4 garlic cloves, grated

  • 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

  • 2 teaspoons garam masala

  • 1 ½ teaspoon cumin

  • 1 teaspoon turmeric

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • Pinch of cayenne pepper

  • 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce

  • 1 (13.5-ounce) can full fat coconut milk

Directions

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add in the tofu in an even layer and sprinkle evenly with salt.
  • Cook tofu 4-5 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Remove tofu from skillet and set aside.
  • Heat olive oil for sauce in the same skillet and cook onions for about 3 minutes or until slightly soft.
  • Add in the garlic and ginger, cook for one minute before adding in the garam masala, cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, salt, and cayenne pepper.
  • Cook spices for about 30 seconds before pouring in the tomato sauce and coconut milk. Reducing heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Add tofu back into the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Reheat: Gently rewarm leftovers in an oven over medium-low heat. You can also reheat leftovers in the microwave until hot.

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