Vegan Pecan Pumpkin Shake – No Ice Cream Needed!

This Vegan Pecan Pumpkin Shake is so easy to make and you don’t use any vegan ice cream to make it. It’s so rich and creamy from the homemade pecan milk that you’ll forget it’s actually healthy. 

Who’s in For Pumpkin Everything?!

Okay, so I even tried to raise my hand as I was typing this. I love fall, leaves falling, Halloween, and just about anything made with pumpkin. 

This Vegan Pecan Pumpkin Shake  is derived from my Coconut Pecan Shake recipe, so be sure to check it out too. 

You can find this recipe and many more in my ebook, The Ghoulish Gourmet. You can get the Kindle version at Amazon for $3.99.

How Do You Make a Shake without Ice Cream?

Well, I make this similar to the way they make frozen coffee drinks at Strabucks. You just need nondairy milk, flavorings, a sweetener, ice, and a binder.

We make our own pecan milk in this recipe and add pumpkin, spices, ice and ground chia seed to bind it altogether.

Starbucks uses xanthin gum and you can use that instead of ground chia seeds if that’s what you have on hand. Honestly, I use both  – which ever one I grab first. They both work great.

How Do You Make Pecan Milk?

First, to make your Vegan Pecan Pumpkin Shake, you make your own homemade pecan milk. Pecans are a soft nut, even softer than cashews, so I don’t soak them first.

I also don’t bother straining it since I love any little pieces that sneak through in a shake. But if you decide to make plain pecan milk you may want to either use a teeny tiny mesh strainer or just let it sit for about 20 minutes so the heavy bits sink to the bottom and pour the rest into your storage container.

Depending on the thickness I’m going for I’ll use 1/4 to 1/2 cup pecans to 4 cups of water for nondairy milk. In this shake we’re making it extra thick, so that’s why you’ll see a different ratio in it.

What Else Can I Use Pecan Milk On/In?

If you love that dark, woody flavor of pecan milk you’ll start to make it as plain nondairy milk like I do. It makes most everything taste like fall.

• Try it in coffee or tea with a little maple syrup for a fall drink that will blow your mind. 
• Pour over oatmeal with a sprinkle of cinnamon
• Use it in a chocolate herbal tea
• Use it as a base for a vegan hot chocolate!

Is This a Whole Foods Plant Based Recipe?

This shake is gluten-free, soy-free and has no added oil. You can also use the sweetener of your choice to taste, including dates!

Can I Make This Nut Free?

Absolutely! You can use 1 1/2 cups of your favorite nondairy milk in place of the pecans and water. Or you can just replace the pecans with rolled oats.

Can I Make This Into A Frozen Coffee Drink?

You sure can! Just substitute coffee concentrate for about 1/2 cup of the water.

More pumpkin recipes for you to try:

• Vegan Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread Minis
• Pumpkin Cranberry Dog Cookies
• Vegan Pumpkin Spice Frozen Coffee
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Coconut Caramel Sauce
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Cashew Creamer
• Vegan Pumpkin Gingerbread with No Added Oil
• Harry Potter’s Pumpkin Juice
• Slow Cooker Maple Pumpkin Spice Latte

Print Recipe

4.5 from 6 votes

Vegan Pecan Pumpkin No Ice Cream Needed Shake

I love the flavors of pumpkin and pecan together. This is a no-ice-cream-needed shake, which means you thicken the homemade nut milk with ice and chia seeds. You can also use your choice of sweetener. There is even a nut-free version, which makes this perfect for all diets.

Servings: 2 shakes

Calories: 196kcal

Author: Kathy Hester

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon ground chia seeds or 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• pinch cloves
• sweetener of choice to taste (maple syrup, stevia, monk fruit, agave and soaked dates all work well)
• 1/2 to 1 cup crushed ice

Instructions

• Make your own nondairy milk by adding the water and pecans to a blender and blending until mostly smooth. At this point, you can strain the mixture or leave the tiny bits of pecan in to add texture to the shake. I like to leave them in.
• Next add the pumpkin, chia seeds, spices and your choice of sweetener to the blender with the nondairy mixture. Blend until smooth, taste and add more sweetener if needed.
• Add ice and blend until it looks like a milkshake. Please note that if you do not have a powerful blender you may need to add the first ½ cup of ice and blend, then add more in ¼ cup increments until it’s as thick as your blender (or undertaker) will allow.

Notes

Make this nut-free: Substitute 1¾ cups of you favorite nut-free nondairy milk in place of the water and pecans.

Nutrition

Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 12mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g