Vegan Mint Chocolate Cream Pie really lives up to its name in the creamy realm. The whipped filling is a heavenly cloud of lusciousness with a hint of mint and not overly sweet. Don’t run away at the vegan word! I think you would be surprised how many desserts and foods we eat that are naturally vegan. It’s just not always mentioned.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE butter, but I have some family members and friends that just cannot do dairy. And, if no one had told me, I would NEVER have thought this mint chocolate cream pie was vegan. It’s that good and so wonderfully delicious.
Why Vegan?
- Plant based foods are very sustainable
- Eating vegan can treat and reverse health conditions
- Better skin and digestion
- Boost your mood
- And, everyone should have great tasting pies, no matter what their diet preference is
I don’t know about you, but I could definitely use a regular mood boost. (I am not vegan, but once in awhile I do like vegan options.)
Let’s get to it, starting with the chocolate crust. The crust I made for today’s pie is a pre-baked chocolate crust. It is easily adaptable to gluten free with King Arthurs Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour. To keep the entire pie vegan I used Earth Balance Butter Spread. Even on a slice of toast it tastes like the real deal butter.
Make your pie dough and roll out on a floured surface, place in to pie plate, and trim the edges. Place foil on the crust and fill with dry beans or rice, and bake 15 minutes @ 350, remove foil with beans and bake an additional 15 minutes. As you can see, the above pictured pre-baked crust and baked crust below do not appear to be different. Some of the flour absorbs into the crust as it bakes; just cool completely before adding filling.
While your crust is cooling, we get to have some fun making the vegan mint chocolate cream filling. First, place the can of coconut cream in the refrigerator overnight. When cold, the coconut cream hardens and separates from the coconut juice. The cream hardens at the top of the can and you save the juice for other baked goods or smoothies. Whole Foods 365 Coconut Cream is divine. Full fat fat coconut milk works too, just stick to brands you know. I have gotten a “dud” can of coconut milk when trying a new brand which did not harden. Those are sad days.
Using an electric mixer (I love my KitchenAid) whip the hardened coconut cream for about 1 minute until creamy. In a separate microwave safe bowl placed the 2 ounces of vegan chocolate. Melt the chocolate in microwave on high, stirring at 15 second intervals, just until chocolate is barely melted. Even though my microwave took nearly a fully minute, yours could melt faster or slower. Temper the chocolate by whisking about a 1/4 cup scoop of the whipped coconut cream to the melted chocolate.
Scrape the chocolate mixture back into the whipped coconut cream and use the electric mixer to beat another minute. Add in half a container of Truwhip vegan or So Delicious whipped topping. Use a rubber spatula to fold the whipped topping into the chocolate coconut whip.
Spread the creamy mint creation into the cooled chocolate crust and refrigerate for about 2 to 3 hours.
Isn’t she just the most beautiful thing?
Garnish with some fresh mint leaves, more whipped topping, and cacao nibs.
Have a fabulous week pie peeps!
Vegan Mint Chocolate Cream Pie
Ingredients
Grandma's Chocolate Pie Crust
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour or gluten free 1 to 1 flour
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup Earth Balance Butter (or regular salted butter if not making vegan)
- 1/4 cup cold water
Vegan Mint Cream Filling
- 1 can Whole Foods 365 Coconut Cream or Full Fat Coconut Milk, Refrigerated overnight to harden and separate cream from liquid.
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 oz Vegan chocolate
- 1/4 teaspoon mint extract (or 3 drops mint oil)
- 1/2 container So Delicious Whipped Topping or Truwhip Vegan Whipped Topping
- Cacao nibs and fresh mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
Pre-Baked Chocolate Crust
- Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
- In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. With pastry blender or large fork, work in butter until crumbly. Add cold water (or milk) and mix just enough to form a dough ball.
- Roll on floured surface, place in pie plate. Trim edges.
- Place a piece of foil onto unbaked pie shell and weight down with beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes @ 350. Remove foil with beans and bake another 15 minutes. Cool completely before adding filling.
Vegan Mint Cream Filling & Assembly
- Chill the can of coconut cream in the fridge overnight. The coconut fat and liquid will separate as the coconut fat hardens and rises to top of can.
- Scoop out the thickened coconut cream, and save liquid for another recipe, drinks, or whatever you like.
- Place hardened cream into a large mixing bowl and beat on high for about 1 minute until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and mint extract (or mint oil) and beat for about 30 seconds.
- In a microwave safe bowl, place the chocolate and heat at 15 second intervals, just until the chocolate is barely melted, but not super hot. If there are a few pieces of un-melted chocolate, stir with a small whisk or fork and it should continue melting without heating more. My microwave took a total of 1 minute.
- Scoop about 1/4 cup of the whipped coconut cream and whisk into the chocolate to temper. Add the tempered chocolate into the whipped coconut cream and beat for 1 minute.
- If you taste your filling at this point and are wanting a stronger mint flavor, fold in 1/4 teaspoon mint extract & taste again.
- Add 1/2 of the container of whipped topping of choice, using a spatula, carefully fold the whipped topping into mint chocolate filling.
- Spread into prepared chocolate crust. Chill for about 3 to 4 hours before serving.
- Garnish with extra whipped topping, cacao nibs, and fresh mint leaves if desired.
