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This chocolate sweet potato pie is perfect for Fall. It is vegan, gluten-free, and has a rich, dark chocolate taste.
I don’t have the biggest sweet tooth, but every once in a while, I love a good chocolate pie.
As Thanksgiving is approaching, I’ve been coming up with ideas for what I’m going to make for dinner and dessert. This chocolate sweet potato pie will make the perfect Thanksgiving dessert and the best part is that it’s whole-foods plant-based. Nothing but healthy ingredients, and completely free of added oil.
So after eating a delicious meal, you can have a slice of this pie without feeling guilty. If you’re dedicated to eating a healthy, plant-based diet, this does not count as cheating!
This pie is:
- Healthy, yet delicious
- Vegan
- Whole Foods-Plant Based
- Gluten-free
- Chocolatey
- Sweet
- Easy to make
Ingredients
For the crust:
1.5 cups pitted dates
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water
1.5 cups pecans
½ cup rolled oats (ensure gf if necessary)
For the filling:
3 cups mashed sweet potato (approximately 6 cups chopped)
1 cup coconut cream
¾ cups maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup cacao powder
Tips for making this chocolate sweet potato pie
- Make sure you blend up the dates and water first before adding any other crust ingredients. This will make it easier for the dates to get broken up and blended. It’s fine if there are still some small pieces of dates after blending, but you don’t want any large chunks.
- When you add the crust to the pan, ensure that you press it down in an even layer so that the crust cooks evenly.
- You need to put your coconut cream in the fridge for a few hours before making the filling for this pie. Leaving it in the fridge for at least 12 hours is ideal. This will allow it to thicken up more. Scoop the cream off the top of the container to get the thickest coconut cream. You can save the liquid part at the bottom for something else.
- If you want your pie filling to be smooth, you should use a food processor to mix the filling ingredients. You can mix by hand in a bowl and the pie will still come out tasting delicious, but it will not be as smooth. Make sure you don't over mix though because the filling will not firm up as much and won't hold it's shape very well when sliced. See images above for ideal consistency. It should not be pourable. It should be quite thick.
- Once you spread the filling onto the crust, make sure you chill it in the fridge for a few hours before serving so it can firm up.
Toppings
This chocolate sweet potato pie is perfect on its own, but you can make it even better by adding some toppings. Here are some options:
- Pecans
- Peanuts
- Coconut flakes
- Maple syrup
- Vegan whipped cream (try this pumpkin whipped cream!)
- Peanut butter
- Fruit
Here are some other dessert recipes you may like:
- 3-Ingredient Avocado Chocolate Mousse
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Spread
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls
If you are interested in starting a healthy plant-based diet, check out this plant-based grocery list and these plant-based nutrition books!
Recipe
Chocolate Sweet Potato Pie (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1.5 cups pitted dates
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water
- 1.5 cups pecans
- ½ cup rolled oats (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
For the filling:
- 3 cups mashed sweet potato (approximately 6 cups chopped)
- 1 cup chilled coconut cream (see note about chilling below)
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup cacao powder
Instructions
For the crust:
- Set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the dates and water in a food processor and process until a thick paste forms. It doesn’t need to be completely smooth (there can still be some small chunks of dates).
- Add pecans and oats to the food processor and process until evenly combined. You will likely have to pause several times and scrape down the sides to get everything evenly mixed.
- Press the crust into a 9-inch circular pan and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges start to brown.
- Allow the crust to cool before adding the filling.
For the filling:
- In a bowl or food processor, add all filling ingredients and mix or blend until evenly combined and smooth. (*see note below)
- Pour the filling onto the baked crust and spread it out evenly.
- Chill the pie in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow it to firm up. Leave it in the fridge for longer before eating if it isn't firm enough.
Notes
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate generated from a nutrition calculator. There may be errors here or variations based on ingredients you use.
SJ
My rating is for the filling only, since I have a frozen pie crust that needs to be used up. I haven’t even put it into the crust yet and I can hardly stop myself from digging into the filling with a spoon outright. It’s like a dark chocolate frosting—so good! The only change I made was to use unsweetened cocoa powder instead of cacao because that’s what I have right now.
Christine Mitchell
Hi, I can’t do oats, even gluten free. Would it be possible to do an even swap with coconut flour for the oats? Or what other grain-free, gluten-free option do you advise? Thanks.
Bree Sheree
Hi Christine, I enjoy the added flavour and texture of the oats, but the crust should turn out fine if you omit the oats and don't replace them with anything. Try that with just 1/4 cup of water so that the crust isn't too wet. I hope it works out for you!