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This chocolate peppermint pie is a silky, no-bake vegan pie made with melted chocolate, silken tofu, and a splash of peppermint, poured into a chocolate crust and topped with crushed candy canes. It takes about 10 minutes of hands-on time, and it looks so festive next to a tray of vegan peppermint bark on a holiday dessert table.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Pie
- What Makes This Chocolate Peppermint Pie So Good
- Chocolate Peppermint Pie Ingredients
- Crust Ideas and Variations
- How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Pie
- Toni’s Recipe Tips
- How to Store Chocolate Peppermint Pie
- Chocolate Peppermint Pie FAQs
- More Vegan Holiday Desserts
- Silken Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Pie Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Pie
This pie couldn’t be simpler, which is why I love it during the busy holiday season. You melt the chocolate, blend it with silken tofu, vanilla, and peppermint, pour it into a crust, and let the fridge do the rest. No oven, no mixer, and only 5 ingredients plus the crust.
The silken tofu doesn’t have a strong flavor, so all you taste is rich chocolate and cool peppermint. It’s the same trick I use in my silken tofu chocolate mousse, my creamy vegan chocolate pie, and my silken tofu pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. One reader even told me it’s a hit with the “I don’t like tofu” crowd.
If you can’t get enough of chocolate and peppermint together, try my double chocolate peppermint cookies and vegan peppermint patties too!
What Makes This Chocolate Peppermint Pie So Good
Here’s why this pie is my go-to holiday dessert:
- No baking: Your oven stays free for everything else on the holiday menu.
- Just 5 ingredients plus a crust: Chocolate chips, silken tofu, vanilla, peppermint, and candy canes for the top.
- Silky and rich: Silken tofu blends into a smooth, creamy filling that slices cleanly once it sets.
- Make-ahead friendly: It keeps in the fridge for days, so you can make it before the party.
- Dairy-free and egg-free: And with the right crust, it can be gluten-free and nut-free too.
Chocolate Peppermint Pie Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients and a crust. Check the recipe card for the amounts.
- Vegan chocolate chips: They make up most of the filling, so use a brand you love eating on its own. I first made this pie with dairy-free milk chocolate, and semi-sweet works too. Check the label, since some dark chocolate contains milk.
- Silken tofu: This is the secret to the creamy texture. Use silken tofu, not regular firm or extra-firm tofu. Learn more about the different types in my guide to cooking with tofu or read about how silken tofu is made.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the chocolate flavor.
- Peppermint extract: Start with the amount in the card, then taste and add more if you like. Peppermint flavoring is milder than extract, so you may need a little more of it.
- Vegan chocolate pie crust: Store-bought or homemade both work. See my crust ideas below.
- Candy canes: Crushed and sprinkled on top for crunch and a festive look. Crushed peppermint candies work too.
Crust Ideas and Variations
Here are a few ways to switch things up. I haven’t tested every one of these in this pie, so let me know in the comments if you try one!
- Oreo crust: Pulse about 24 Oreos into crumbs, then mix in a few Tablespoons of melted vegan butter or coconut oil until it looks like wet sand. Press it into a 9-inch pie plate. Use gluten-free sandwich cookies for a gluten-free pie.
- Graham cracker crust: My vegan graham cracker crust is another simple option if you’d rather skip the chocolate crust.
- Nut and date crust: Process nuts or seeds into fine crumbs, then add soaked dates, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt and process until it sticks together when pressed.
- Cocoa powder: For an even richer chocolate flavor, stir a spoonful of cocoa powder into the melted chocolate before blending.
- Flaky sea salt: A light sprinkle on top balances the sweetness.
- Nut butter: 1 to 2 Tablespoons of almond or cashew butter makes the filling even richer. I’d skip peanut butter here since its flavor is strong.
- Other extracts: When it isn’t the holidays, swap the peppermint for orange or coconut extract. I haven’t tested these swaps yet.
- Toppings: Try vegan whipped cream, chocolate shavings, shredded coconut, or extra vegan chocolate chips.
How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Pie
Have your crust ready before you start, and drain the silken tofu. The full recipe with amounts is in the card below.
Step 1: Melt the vegan chocolate chips in the microwave for 45 seconds and stir until smooth. If there are still lumps, heat in 20-second bursts, stirring after each one. You can also use a double boiler (here’s my guide to melting chocolate).
Step 2: Add the melted chocolate, silken tofu, vanilla, and peppermint extract to a food processor or blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste the filling and add a little more peppermint if you like.
PRO TIP: If your filling thickens quickly in the blender, scrape it straight into the crust and smooth the top.
Step 3: Pour the filling into the crust and spread it into an even layer with a spatula. Chill the pie in the fridge for at least 1 hour, until set.
Step 4: Right before serving, sprinkle the pie with crushed candy canes, then slice and enjoy.
PRO TIP: Add the candy canes just before serving. They start to melt into the filling if they sit on the pie too long.
Toni’s Recipe Tips
- Keep it chilled: The filling softens the longer it sits at room temperature, so keep the pie in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- Pick your chocolate: Peppermint goes with every type of vegan chocolate, so use milk, semi-sweet, or bittersweet. Bittersweet makes a richer, less sweet pie.
- Crushing candy canes: Chop them with a knife for more control over the size, or seal them in a bag and tap them with a rolling pin.
- Serve it with: A mug of vegan hot chocolate and a plate of my vegan Christmas cookies for a festive dessert spread.
How to Store Chocolate Peppermint Pie
Fridge: Cover the set pie with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
Freezer: You can freeze the pie for up to a month. Tofu changes texture after freezing, so I like to let slices sit out for 10 to 15 minutes and serve them semifreddo style, still a little frozen.
Chocolate Peppermint Pie FAQs
Melted chocolate starts to firm up as soon as it meets cold tofu, so the filling can thicken quickly in the blender. Let your tofu come to room temperature first, blend just until smooth, and spread the filling into the crust right away.
You may be able to swap the silken tofu for plain vegan cream cheese, but the pie will taste more like a cheesecake. I haven’t tested that swap or coconut cream yet, so let me know how it goes if you try one!
Stick with silken tofu for the creamiest texture and the mildest flavor. One reader used firm silken tofu and loved it, but regular firm or extra-firm tofu won’t blend as smoothly.
I use a 9-inch pie crust. A slightly smaller or larger crust also works; the filling will just be a little thicker or thinner.
Yes! Use a gluten-free crust, either store-bought or made with gluten-free sandwich cookies. The nut and date crust is naturally gluten-free too, just check that your nuts are labeled gluten-free if you need them to be.
More Vegan Holiday Desserts
Vegan Desserts
Easy Vegan Key Lime Pie
Vegan Desserts
Vegan Coconut Cream Pie
Vegan Desserts
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Vegan Desserts
Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
If you tried this chocolate peppermint pie or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!
Silken Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Pie
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340 g) vegan chocolate chips
- 14 ounces (397 g) silken tofu drained
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) peppermint extract plus more to taste
- 1 vegan chocolate crust 9-inch, store-bought or homemade
- candy canes crushed, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Microwave the vegan chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 45 seconds, then stir until smooth. If the chocolate is still lumpy, heat it in 20-second bursts, stirring after each one, until completely melted.
- Add the melted chocolate, silken tofu, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract to a food processor or blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
- Taste the filling and add a little more peppermint extract if you like.
- Pour the filling into the crust and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Refrigerate the pie for at least 1 hour, until set.
- Right before serving, sprinkle the pie with crushed candy canes.
Notes
- Keep the pie chilled until serving, since the filling softens at room temperature.
- Any vegan chocolate works here: milk, semi-sweet, or bittersweet. Bittersweet makes a richer, less sweet pie.
- Add the candy canes just before serving so they don’t melt into the filling.
- To crush candy canes, chop them with a knife or seal them in a bag and tap them with a rolling pin.
- Store the pie covered in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, or freeze it for up to a month.
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I love this recipe! And make it often. It’s perfect every time…..except for today. Would love your input! Today I used 72% dark instead of semi-sweet chocolate, and I melted the chips in the microwave instead of using a double boiler. When I combined the melted chocolate with the tofu in the food processor it blended nicely but then almost immediately became firm – it was hard to get it in the shell. Maybe I overblended? Maybe the choclate needed to melt more, it was def not over melted? Appreciate any feedback! thank you
I started a holiday tradition back in the 1980s, making Grasshopper pie for Christmas. Now I avoid daily fat–like it’s poison(!)–so this lovely recipe could take the place of the pie I miss the most!!! Thanks. . .will let you know!
Hope you enjoy this easy holiday pie 🙂 It’s a yummy one!
What can I use instead of tofu? I wondered if coconut cream would work
Hi! Instead of silken tofu, you can try using firm dairy-free cream cheese (like Daiya). However, we on the PBOAB team haven’t tried, so let us know how it goes if you do. 🙂
Delicious even non vegans love!
So true! It’s easy to enjoy by all!
It’s a good starting place, but it definitely needs tweaking. It’s bitter with little peppermint flavor. I added more peppermint, monk fruit sweetener and salt for balance. I recommend a food processor over a blender.
It’s easy to customize to your liking so that’s awesome that you were able to add in those extra bits for more flavor! 🙂
Hello Toni,
This is delicious!!🙂 I’ve omitted the peppermint extract, because I did not have any and also reduced a bit the amount of chocolate, but it did turn out absolutely amazing!😃 Top spot on my Christmas table.🎄🙂
I’m curious about the peppermint, so I will make sure to do it again soon.
Thank you and Season’s Greetings!
So glad you enjoyed this pie! It’s one of my fav holiday recipes! 🙂
Be careful. Dark chocolate isn’t always vegan. Can contain milk substances. Be sure to read ingredients on label.
Very true! Thank you for the reminder. Hope you enjoy the pie if you end up giving it a go 🙂
This pie is so creamy and delicious! It’s my go-to dessert any time of the year. It’s always a hit, even with the “I don’t like tofu” crowd. 🙂 I make my own crust with GF oreos and Miyoko’s plant based butter.
Love this so much and your homemade crust sounds amazing!
Absolutely fabulous! I used firm silken tofu. It would probably be creamier with softer but it was still scrumptious.
Thanks for that input! So glad you still enjoyed it!