Before starting, make sure the dates are nice and soft- if they are a little hard, soak them in hot water for 10-15 minutes first- this will help to form a more cohesive crust.
To make the crust, combine all the crust ingredients in a food processor and blend them into very small crumbles. *If you are going to do pie crust cutouts to decorate the top, you may want to add the extra ingredients now to save some time- essentially you're just making a larger batch of crust. I recommend an additional 1/4 of the crust recipe for the cutouts (see measurements on the ingredient list above).
Pour the crust mixture into a pie dish (if you made extra for cut-outs, set some aside for those). The crust mixture will be a pile of crumbs at first but don't worry- they will meld together nicely when you press them down. Press the mixture down into a round 9 inch pie dish and distribute it evenly to form a cohesive crust. Make sure to press it up the sides of the pie dish as well. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine all filling ingredients and mix with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.
Pour the filling into the pie crust and distribute it evenly.
*If making the whipped topping, make sure it is super cold and kept in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before use. Use a hand mixer to beat the coconut cream until it's fluffy and add it to the top of the pie as desired (either spread it evenly over to top to make a dollop on each pie serving).
*If making the pie crust cutouts, process the ingredients in the food processor (if you haven't already), then pour the mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top and roll it out pretty thin (about 1/8 inch). **If the crust is crumbly (this can happen if the dates aren't soft enough), put it back in the food processor with a little bit of unmelted coconut oil (about 1 tbsp) and blend it again before rolling it out. Make cutouts in any shape you want and add them to the pie!
Refrigerate the pie for at least an hour to allow it to set before serving.
Notes
Notes: There are some substitutions listed above- While they all will work, I strongly recommend going with the tigernut flour and coconut butter for the bottom crust if you can (rather than coconut flour and coconut oil) for the best possible flavor. That being said, if you're doing the cutouts for the top, I had the most success with a workable crust using coconut oil and coconut flour. *to soften the coconut butter, just microwave it for 20-30 seconds*For best results, be sure to chill the coconut cream in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before making the filling. This will stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days and in the freezer for up to a month or so.