Vegan Gingersnap Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe

Ingredients:
makes one 9″ pie, serves 6-8

chocolate cream filling

2 ¼ cups unsweetened almond or nut milk of choice
¾ cup chia seeds
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
¼ cup + ½ tablespoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ tablespoons bourbon
pinch sea salt
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

gingersnap crust

12 ounces gingersnaps (about 45-50 cookies, gluten-free if desired)
6 tablespoons raw virgin coconut oil, melted
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon

bourbon pecans

¼ cup whole pecan halves
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon bourbon
pinch sea salt

bourbon pecan crumble

1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoons bourbon
pinch sea salt

Also the night before, combine chia seeds, almond milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, bourbon, and sea salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine, and continue whisking until all cocoa powder clumps are gone and the chia begins to thicken. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight.

The next morning, make the pie crust.

Preheat oven to 350º. Pulse gingersnaps in two batches in a blender or food processor until you have a coarse crumb, like coarse sand. Empty into a large bowl. Whisk in nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour melted coconut oil over the mixture and combine thoroughly.

Press gingersnap crumb mixture into a 9″ pie pan, spreading evenly along the bottom and up the sides. You can use the bottom of a measuring cup to even things out if you like.

Bake for 8 minutes, then remove and let cool.

Now, empty thickened chocolate chia pudding into a blender and blend on high until very creamy and smooth.

In a double boiler over boiling water, in a microwave, or in a small saucepan over very low heat, melt 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips until chocolate is completely smooth, like a ganache.

Add melted chocolate, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the blender with the blended chia, and continue to blend on low until all is completely incorporated. Taste and add a touch more sweetness or salt if you like.

Scoop chocolate cream pie filling out of blender and into the cooled gingersnap crust. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, to set.

Now make the bourbon pecans (whole and crumble). Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425º.

Start by combining ingredients for the bourbon pecans (whole pecan halves, bourbon, maple syrup, and flaky salt) in a small bowl. Toss to coat evenly. Spread on a small baking sheet and pour remaining bourbon maple mixture over the top. Roast for 3-5 minutes, checking frequently—the moment you see browning, remove. Use a spatula to remove nuts from the tray and set on a plate to cool, in an even layer (otherwise they’ll stick together).

Repeat for the pecan crumble, mixing finely chopped nuts with maple, bourbon, and sea salt, baking for 3-5 minutes, and removing at the first sign of browning.

When the pie is ready to serve (after setting for 2-3 hours), make the coconut whipped cream. Open up the can of chilled coconut milk and scoop out the thick coconut cream at the top. You can discard the rest of the liquid. In a large bowl, mix coconut cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip with an electric mixer on high until the mixture becomes completely smooth, light, and whippy.

Spread coconut whipped cream over the top of the chocolate cream, starting from the center and working your way out, leaving a 2″ perimeter around the out edge of the pie, closest to the crust. Top with bourbon pecan crumble as you like, add bourbon pecans, and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

Let refrigerated pie sit at least 20-30 minutes before eating, then slice and serve!