The BEST Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup!)

THE BEST PECAN PIE RECIPE AROUND! This homemade gluten-free pecan pie is made without corn syrup or refined sugar, but it still channels all the classic pecan pie flavors you love. Easy, delicious, and PERFECT for Thanksgiving! 

I fell in love with homemade pecan pie during my high school geometry class. An unlikely meet-cute, for sure, but it was Pi Day, and a traditional pecan pie was better than anything else I tasted that day.

All these years later, and it’s still one of my top Thanksgiving pies. There’s just so much to love!

• It’s Made From Better-For-You Ingredients. While it’s still definitely a treat, this gluten-free pecan pie recipe is made with NO corn syrup or white sugar. Instead, this beauty is made from things like pecans, pure maple syrup, maple or coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Simple, right?
• It Has AMAZING Texture. If this is your first pecan pie, you’re in for a treat. You combine flaky crust with a sweet custard filling and crunchy pecans on top. DELICIOUS.
• It Tastes EVEN BETTER. Pecan pie filling has notes of caramel and vanilla tucked under the nutty flavor of the toasty pecan topping. It’s sweet and satisfying in all the right ways. It’s a true dessert wonder.
• It’s EASY. Even if you’re not super fancy in the kitchen, you can make this pie. Can you whisk? Can you keep an eye on a pot for a few minutes? Then you can make this pecan pie recipe. You’ve got this! No fancy skills required!
• It’s FLEXIBLE. We make ours with gluten-free crust, but you can also make this pecan pie with paleo pie crust or traditional pie crust.

Ready to get started? Here’s all you’ll need for this easy pecan pie recipe…

Simple Ingredients To Start

So how do you make a no corn syrup pecan pie? Magic! Just kidding–science! Here’s how we replicate that same custardy, sweet, gooey filling without corn syrup in our delicious gluten-free pecan pie recipe:

• Pie Crust. You’ll start with your favorite pie crust–store-bought or homemade! Try our flaky gluten-free crust, this easy traditional pie crust, or a paleo pie crust (made with almond flour, coconut flour, and tapioca flour)! If you don’t have time or the inclination to make homemade pie crust, there are several great store-bought crust options you can find at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, and more. 
• Pure Maple Syrup. The natural stuff, not pancake syrup! It’ll have gorgeous caramel-y notes. So good! It’s the perfect base for a corn syrup substitute. Do not use honey or agave nectar instead here, as they’ll impact the flavor and bake of the pie. 
• Coconut Sugar or Maple Sugar. These more natural sweeteners work great in place if white sugar and brown sugar, and help keep this pecan pie paleo-friendly!
• Butter, Ghee, Coconut Oil, or Vegan Butter. You can choose whichever works best for your dietary needs! (Vegan butter is my favorite dairy-free option)
• Eggs.These are crucial for structure. The eggs bind everything together and help the pecan pie filling set.
• Vanilla Extract & Sea Salt. Two important ingredients! These two balance the flavor and make it taste just right.
• Pecans! Can’t make a pecan pie without pecans! I love making a design with whole pecans, but chopped pecans also totally work.

How To Make Gluten-Free Pecan Pie, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and put a rack in the center of the oven. Place your pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan and put the pie pan on a baking sheet.
2. Boil The Syrup. In a medium saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium heat. (There should be bubbles all across the surface of the syrup.) Boil 5 minutes. Don’t rush this step or your pie will not set properly.
3. Combine. Remove from heat and stir in coconut sugar, and butter/ghee/coconut oil. (This will help it cool down a bit. Make sure it’s not boiling hot before adding your eggs, or they’ll scramble.) Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the whisked eggs. Stir in vanilla and salt.

4. Fill The Crust & Top The Pie. Pour filling mixture into your prepared pie crust. Gently, add pecan halves in any design you like on the top of the pie filling, or gently spoon over chopped pecans.
5. Bake. Put the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center is only slightly wobbly. Check the pie at the 20 minute mark to be sure your pecans aren’t over-browning. If either the edges of the crust or your pecans are browning too quickly (which can happen if your oven runs hot), you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil for the last few minutes. You’ll notice that the pie puffs up a lot and looks kind of crazy while baking–don’t panic!
6. Cool COMPLETELY before slicing. For best results, let the pie cool completely before slicing (the filling will continue to set and settle back down as it cools).
7. Serve & Store. Cut the cooled pie into slices and serve this delicious pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, if desired. Cover the pie pan with plastic wrap or a piece of aluminum foil or transfer slices to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator 2-3 days.

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Pecan Pie

CAN I MAKE THIS PECAN PIE WITHOUT EGGS? Unfortunately, not with this recipe. Eggs are crucial to the structure of this pie and a powdered egg substitution or flax/chia eggs won’t give you the same gorgeous texture. You’ll need to use another recipe (search for a vegan one!) if you can’t do eggs.

CAN I USE WHITE SUGAR OR BROWN SUGAR INSTEAD? Yep! Just swap in the same amount (1/2 cup) of white or brown sugar in place of the coconut or maple sugar. Do know that it’ll be a bit more sweet-tasting.

PALEO PECAN PIE NOTES. The filling for this pie is paleo-friendly! Just use grass-fed butter or ghee (depending on your preferences) for the fat. If you don’t like to use dairy, you can swap in coconut oil (the flavor will be very subtly different). You’ll just need to use a paleo pie crust.

DON’T WANT TO FUSS WITH CRUST? Try these Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Pecan Pie Bars instead! They use a quick shortbread crust you pat into an 8×8 pan. No fancy rolling or fluting required!

Gluten-Free Pie Recipes To Try

The BEST Vegan Chocolate Pie

Gluten-Free Triple Berry Crumble Pie

Gluten-Free Maple Pumpkin Pie

Gluten-Free Apple Crumble Pie

Gluten-Free Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup!)

4.91 from 20 votes

Emily Dixon, One Lovely Life

The Best Pecan Pie Recipe!!! This gorgeous pecan pie is made without corn syrup and tastes AMAZING. (Gluten free, dairy free, and paleo friendly!

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Print Pin Rate

Servings: 1 (9″) pie (12-16 slices)

Calories: 167kcal

Ingredients

• 1 9″ unbaked pie crust – Gluten Free, Paleo or Traditional (store-bought pie crust or homemade)

FOR THE PECAN PIE FILLING:

• 1 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar*
• 2 Tablespoons butter ghee, coconut oil, or vegan butter
• 3 large eggs whisked until very smooth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves or chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and put a rack in the center of the oven. Place your pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan and put the pie pan on a baking sheet.
• Boil The Syrup. In a medium saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium heat. (There should be bubbles all across the surface of the syrup.) Boil 5 minutes. Don’t rush this step or your pie will not set properly.
• Combine. Remove from heat and stir in coconut sugar, and butter/ghee/coconut oil. (This will help it cool down a bit. Make sure it’s not boiling hot before adding your eggs, or they’ll scramble.) Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the whisked eggs. Stir in vanilla and salt.
• Fill The Crust & Top The Pie. Pour filling mixture into your prepared pie crust. Gently, add pecan halves in any design you like on the top, or gently spoon over chopped pecans.
• Bake. Put the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center is only slightly wobbly. Check the pie at the 20 minute mark to be sure your pecans aren’t over-browning. If either the crust or your pecans are browning too quickly (which can happen if your oven runs hot), you can cover it with foil for the last few minutes.
• Cool COMPLETELY before slicing. For best results, let the pie cool completely before slicing (the filling will continue to set as it cools). 
• Serve & Store. Cut the cooled pie into slices and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. 

Notes

• Pie Pan Notes. Different pan materials will impact the bake time. I highly recommend light-colored metal pie pans (like USA pan) for evenly browned baking. Glass and ceramic pie pans will take longer to bake. 
• Make-Ahead Tips. Making this in advance? Store it in the refrigerator, then thaw to room temperature before serving. You can also bake it, cover it and freeze up to a month in advance. 
• Can I Use Brown Sugar Instead? Yep! Just swap in the same amount (1/2 cup) of brown sugar in place of the coconut or maple sugar. Do know that it’ll be a bit more sweet-tasting.

Video

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy free pecan pie recipe, gluten free pecan pie recipe, paleo pecan pie recipe, pecan pie recipe

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice (1/16th pie – filling only) | Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.6g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Cholesterol: 38.7mg | Sodium: 56.7mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 18.4g

Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.

Find it Online:

https://www.onelovelylife.com/pecan-pie/

Originally shared Nov 2018. Updated Nov 2021, then fully updated and republished Oct 2024.