The passion for pumpkin on the internet seems to be getting bigger every second! You blink and another pumpkin emoji pops up before your eyes with its smiley yellow smirk.
In this peak pumpkin recipe period it’s hard to think of something original. Like have you seen…
these donuts?
or this butter?
or these cookies?
or this hummus?
And it’s not just recipes, everything edible has been turned pumpkin. Just walk into Trader Joe’s. Point proven.
I did a lot of pumpkin pondering, trying to think of something new. And then I made Vegan Pumpkin Creme Brûlée. Not totally original, but not monopolizing Pinterest either. And so scrumptious!
It tastes as if you took a pumpkin pie and replaced the oat-y crust on the bottom with a caramelized sugar crust on the top. Like the most toasty roasty sweet pumpkin treat you’ve ever tasted.
Have you heard of hemp tofu? It’s tofu with hemp seeds instead of soy beans from Tempt. And it’s the base of this pumpkin custard. I used to love silken tofu puddings and custards, but silken tofu didn’t love me. Now with hemp tofu, silky soy-free puddings are possible!
Tempt has multiple seasoned flavors of hemp tofu for savory somethings, but we just want the plain for this pumpkin recipe.
It does add a little more fat than my recipes usually have, but its all from power-packed hemp seeds. Creme Brûlée brimming with protein, iron, and fiber? Yes please! But you can use silken tofu instead if you prefer, just leave out the non-dairy milk.
If you want that glass-shattering effect then you’re going to need a blow torch, but if you’re okay with just a crunchy crystalized sweet crust then your oven on broil will work just fine. A few minutes, close watching, and careful fingers (I burnt 2 of mine, so seriously be careful!).
I don’t recommend using coconut sugar for the top, it just tastes a little too burnt. Evaporated cane sugar makes for just the right amount of toastiness.
Vegan Pumpkin Creme Brûlée
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 8 oz .hemp tofu (or 12 oz. of silken tofu)
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (do not use if using silken tofu)
- 15 oz . can of pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tsps cornstarch
- Organic Cane Sugar for the topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Blend the tofu and non-dairy milk on high until very smooth.
- Add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, coconut sugar, and cornstarch to the blender. Blend again until smooth.
- Divide between the ramekins.
- Place ramekins inside a cake pan or casserole pan deep enough to create a water bath. Pour boiling water into the pan around the ramekins so they are about half way immersed in water.
- Bake for 40-45 mins at 325F until the edges are slightly brown.
- Let them cool, then chill overnight.
- Right before serving, sprinkle the tops of the pumpkin custards with evaporated cane juice and brulee with a blow torch or in your oven on broil for 3-4 mins.
- Serve immediately.
THE TOFU!!!!!!! The pumpkin the sugar the greatness!!!! Battle wounds (burns) and all…..you are my dessert queen <3
Now I must scrounge for the tofu…..or just use chia seeds 😛
Anyway…breaking into that sugar top to the underneath pumpkin/hemp goodness is making me all dreamy eyed 😉
The tofu has been creme bruleed! And it was epic…smelled a little weird, but totally worked!! Your so good at stalking companies, maybe you can influence them to send you a big ole refrigerated box. Then you can burn your fingers on the dry ice and the bruleeing :/ And actually, I totally thought of doing a chia seed pudding as plan B is this failed 😀 hahaha Choking hazard vs burnt fingers, its a tough tradeoff 😉
Oh my goodness! I’ve missed creme brulee and never tried to make it vegan. This is brilliant, Natalie!! And thank you for sharing my doughnut recipe. 🙂
You’ve gotta try making a vegan creme brûlée Linda, I would love to see your take on it! And those doughnuts blew my mind, probably the most enticing pumpkin recipe I’ve seen so far this year. I think it’s that chocolate glaze…just mouth-watering <3
Thank you so much, Natalie. This recipe blew my mind so we’re even. 🙂
I need this in my life right away!! I’ll have to go for silken tofu because that hemp tofu brand isn’t available where I live womp womppp. Would you recommend the firm silken or soft?
These look so comforting and pumpkin-y delicious!
You do. You really do. Can we trade creme brûlée for some of your Mulberry Pumpkin Cookies please? Pumpkin for pumpkin 😉 And good question, go with the firm silken (I’ll add that to the recipe, thanks!) Hopefully hemp tofu will find you soon though!
THIS LOOKS EPIC. I have never made homemade creme brulee before and really wouldn’t have even known where to start! I am obsessed with tofu lately as you know….so this is definitely getting made! Pinning and sharing now!! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing Kaila <3 This is my first time making creme brûlée at home too, but it really wasn't too hard...just a couple of burned fingers but that's mostly because I only have one potholder. I keep seeing you chocolate tofu pudding and craving an easy tofu pudding, so that's partly why this happened. It makes for such creamy easy healthy puddings, I'm so happy to have found a way to make it soy-free!
OK this is making all my pumpkin-y dreams come true right now!! Where did you find the hemp tofu? I’d love to try it and since we shop at the same stores maybe I’ll find it too! Haha I know what you mean about Trader Joe’s. We went there over the weekend and it was glorious! I sure hope you picked up a box of Pumpkin O’s too because so good and GF!
Yes I have totally been through 2 boxes of Pumpkin O’s now!!!! Haha 😀 The hemp tofu I got from Earth Fare, it’s a new natural market that just opened up here. But I’ve also seen it at Earth Origins not sure if you have one of those, I know they are a little chain in FL. You probably have some natural stores over there that I don’t even know about, I hope you can find it though!
Haha, I’m on my second box now! So glad I’m not the only one ? I wish we had more natural food stores here. There’s only one. We actually drive an hour away to go to Joe’s. It’s a big monthly trip we do to stock up on all the pantry stuff, freezer fruits and veggies( we bring a cooler obviously) and snacks of course! Hopefully the store we do have has the hemp tofu. I’d really like to try it!
Wow really! Well I guess I’m luckier here than I realized. I’ve only been to Lakeland once and it was years ago. We need more Whole Foods here in FL!
Natalie – this is so awesome. Great idea! Verrrry interested in that hemp tofu!
Thanks Michelle! The hemp tofu has been popping up in more natural stores around me, so look for it!
Natalie this looks absolutely heavenly. I heard about hemp tofu a while ago. There was an Italian article written about it but none of the stores I went to actually carried it. I contemplated making my own. It’s on my long list of “to do”. Back to your recipe….I just love everything about it. Great video too. 🙂
Wow if you could make hemp tofu that would be amazing! That’s a big undertaking, I have no clue where to even start :/ I heard about the Tempt brand a while back and just now finally found it locally, so yeah it’s not too easy too find yet that’s why I included the silken option. Thank you Nissrine, I’m glad you liked the video 🙂
This is just beautiful Natalie!! The color is outstanding and I love that you used coconut sugar AND didn’t skimp on it, haha! Such a beautiful idea!! I seriously just love the beautiful pumpkin color! Definitely more creative than most pumpkin recipes for sure girl!
Thank you Brandi! Hahaha I know, 3/4 cup coconut sugar is more than I’ve dumped into any single recipe in a while, but oh well it’s pumpkin season gotta go all out 😀
What a brilliant idea, Natalie!!! I used to love Crème brûlée, but I haven’t had a vegan version yet. I so gotta try this!! 🙂
Thanks Sina! You gotta try a vegan version then! Creamy custards are possible to make vegan, and crystallized sugar is always vegan, so vegan creme brûlée isn’t too hard really 🙂
Oh my goodness, yum. I never would’ve thought of tofu as a creme brûlée base! Let alone hemp tofu! I can’t wait to go to the store and find this! Great recipe.
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Thank you Michaell! I used to make tofu puddings all the time and tofu pumpkin pies, so it was the first thing that popped into my mind for a creamy pudding base. Coconut milk would probably have worked too, but coconut flavor isn’t so fall-esque. I hope you can find the hemp tofu close by, can’t wait to see what you make with it 🙂
PUMPKIN! the autumn love of soo many people. All I usually do with pumpkin is soup or I cut it into slices and put them into the oven until they are sweet and soft, ready to be eating with honey.
I might just try your creme brulee version as I am a big fan of this dessert and usually make it with coconutmilk.
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Mmmm pumpkin + honey (or bee free honee) sounds divine! Coconut milk was my first thought for this creme brûlée, but then I decided to give the tofu thing a try and it worked out wonderfully 🙂 Since you are a creme brûlée and pumpkin lover I have a feeling you’ll like this one 🙂
That’s absolutely amazing!!
Creme brulee is probably one of my biggest weaknesses, and now with this I don’t even have to call it a weakness anymore. Looks so so good!
I didn’t even know that hemp tofu was a thing, how could I have lived this long without knowing it?? X
Thanks Teffy! Nope, definitely not a weakness anymore…I sometimes call it a meal! Protein, fiber, carbs, what else do you need 😉 No worries, hemp tofu is sort of newish, or at least it’s not very widely distributed, so you’re not the only one who hasn’t heard of it 🙂
oh my goodness! I can’t believe that this is made with tofu, it looks AMAZING!!!! pinning this for later!!! 🙂
Probably my favorite way to eat tofu 😉 Thanks Rachel!
Wow, I really don’t care how original this recipe is, I want it NOW! I love creme brulee and adding pumpkin has the potential of turning it into an even more heavenly dessert 🙂 Plus the hemp tofu is totally intriguing, I need to try that!
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I’m so glad you are okay with untraditional 🙂 The pumpkin defitnely takes it in a different direction! Now I can’t wait for it to not be fall so I can try a classic creme brûlée…or some other fun fruity flavor!
Creme Brulée and pumpkin? This is such a genius combination, Natalie! It looks heavenly! I have been quite late to the pumpkin/squash party myself this season but now I want to eat pumpkin every single day 😀 I made Creme Brulée (with coconut milk) only once, but I didn’t have a blow torch and used the broiler function in the oven too and it worked great! Now you totally got me into the mood of making creme brulée again.
We were just saving all our pumpkin eating for until fall officially started 😉 haha But I’m so glad to hear you are an experienced oven creme brûlée maker! A coconut milk version sounds delicious, I have to try that sometime!
This is SO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t cope. Such an incredible dessert Natalie! I love creme brûlée so much, it’s one of my favourite desserts. I’ve never tried a pumpkin version before, and I just know I am going to love this!!! I can’t wait to try it!
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Thank Harriet! I bet you make a mean creme brûlée, you are so good with the elegant desserts! I could just eat pumpkin in pie form all season long, but new inventions are always fun. And it’s still reminiscent of pie 🙂
Natalie!!!! When I got the email for this recipe, I immediately wrote down the ingredients and I picked up the hemp tofu today. We actually really love the hemp tofu – we buy the extra firm (plain) so we can season it as we wish. I found that baking works best and helps to hold the shape as opposed to pan cooking. Anyways…there I go rambling again! I about died when I watched the video to this recipe. When you took that spoon and dug into the brulee, I almost licked the screen! I’m making this in the next couple of days and I absolutely can’t wait. What a creative, genius idea! <3
Awww you are the best, I love that you are as excited about pumpkin creme brûlée as i am! And finally someone else who has actually tried the hemp tofu! I have an extra pack in my fridge, not sure what I’m going to do with it yet, so good to know that baking works better than pan frying. Plus baking is easier so win-win 😉 The spoon shot, it was a must with this one. I actually filmed that twice just to make sure I got a good angle 😀 haha And then I had two creme brûlées with one spoonful taken out of them to devour! Thanks girl <3
I love your logic here… it’s my first time coming across a pumpkin creme brulee, so you succeeded with impressing me — both with the new dessert to add to my to try list and with a gorgeous recipe. Oh, and also with that hemp tofu– what is that?!? Never heard of it in my life. Sounds good. I’ll have to look for some. Even though I’ve been adding a bit of tofu back into things here and there, it’s still a bit hit and miss for me health-wise. Now you got me excited for all three things! 😀 How am I supposed to go to bed now?! 😉
Hahaha I hope you got to sleep okay, you need energy for all that pumpkin cheesecake revamping 🙂 Hemp tofu is just what it sounds like, tofu with hemp seeds instead of soy beans! I think it’s made basically the same way, pressed or blended or fermented or however you make tofu 😀 hehe But I’m pretty excited about it, so many things I want to try now that I have some tofu back in my arsenal for dessert experimentation (like my new favorite word Clafoutis)! Not sure if you will be able to find it up there or not, but I hope so! I was happy to read in your Plum Clafoutis that you were having some luck with soy again, hopefully it heads in the same direction as corn for you 🙂
OMG! This is great! Love the video you make it sound so easy! Lovely recipe and I cannot wait to try it. I`ve been trying to make a vegan creme brulee recipe for months now and now I think I might actually do it!
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Thanks Andreea! It really is easier than I even thought it would be. I’ve had some readers make it already and they agree, easy and delicious. If you try it let me know 🙂 Happy Friday!
Seriously! This recipe is amazing! I used to love creme brule but I have not had it since going vegan many years ago. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thanks Cecilie! I hadn’t had creme brûlée in forever before making this either, and my favorite part is that it doesn’t have to be a treat since it’s relatively healthy! We bloggers are slowly veganizing any and everything I think 😀 I hope you get a chance to try it!
Picking recipes for our round up, and this recipe you submitted looks DIVINE. I wanna eat it NOW. <3
Oh thank you! Looking forward to this roundup 🙂
Hi! I’m super late to this thread, so hoping you’ll see this:) these look amazing!!! I’m starting to put together our Thanksgiving menu and these are the perfect dessert. I’ll have to make about 20-25 and would rather not invest in all those ceramic ramekins. Would this work being cooked in the small tin disposable ones?
Thanks so much for this delicious recipe!
Hi Nicole! I haven’t tested it in those disposable cups, but it should be just fine. Wow 20-25–that is quite a crowd. Best of luck to you!
Where can I find the video Also in the recipe you call for Organic Cane Sugar for topping and the instructions call for evaporated cane juice Are they one and the same???? Do the ramekins not need to be prepared with some oil so they do not stick? Can this be made in one large round ramekin style that will serve 8-10??? I have seen another recipe made with cashews. Do you like the tofu texture better??
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The video is right here: https://youtu.be/_twGbG8A5h4. Cane sugar and evaporated cane juice are technically produced slightly differently, but can be used interchangeably so either works. No you do not need to grease the ramekins since you will be eating the custard out of the ramekins. And I haven’t tested it in one large pan but it will likely need to bake longer in that case. I haven’t tried this with cashews to compare, I chose tofu since it’s cheaper and lower in fat, but a cashew based custard could be delicious too! Hope that helps 🙂
Hey Natalie do you think i could use brown sugar or sugar instead of coconut sugar?
Yep, that should work!
I really wanted this to be as awesome as others have commented, but unfortunately this did not work out for me 😕 I tripled the recipe because I had the ramekins to do it. I substituted brown sugar because I am sensitive to coconut and I used silk tofu because I am sensitive to hemp, other than that, I followed it exactly and it did not set up. After two hours (I left it in longer thinking the oven calibration might be off) in the oven it got the consistency of baby food. No clean fork after 45 minutes. Very disappointed and no idea why it was an epic fail. 🤷♀️
Oh no!! It sounds like you did everything right, I am not sure what went wrong. Since you mentioned tripling it, did you use bigger ramekins by chance?