Gluten-Free Pecan Pie - No Corn Syrup!

This is the BEST Gluten-Free Pecan Pie recipe ever! Flaky buttery crust with a rich brown butter, honey maple filling, and no corn syrup! 

Pecan pie has always been one of my favorite pies to serve at Thanksgiving. Unlike traditional pecan pie, this recipe is made with brown butter, maple syrup, honey, and no corn syrup, only natural sweeteners! It has a rich and decadent flavor, combined with a flaky gluten-free crust, flecks of sea salt, and vanilla bean ice cream, making this gluten-free pecan pie the ultimate indulgence.

For more dessert ideas to add to the Thanksgiving table, check out my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie, Gluten-Free Chocolate Pecan Tart, and Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Pie.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Pecans: I use a combination of toasted chopped pecans and halved pecans for texture.
• Butter: Browning the melted butter complements the pecans and gives this pie a rich caramel-like flavor. For a dairy-free option, you can use melted dairy-free butter, but do not brown it. The flavor is not the same as regular butter.
• Honey & Maple Syrup: The honey and pure maple syrup combination replaces traditional corn syrup and gives this pie a delicious
• Coconut Sugar: Keeping this recipe refined and sugar-free, we use coconut sugar. If you are not concerned about the pie being refined sugar-free, dark brown sugar is also a great option.
• Eggs: The eggs help bind and set the custard pie.
• Vanilla Extract: You want to use a high-quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Salt: The salt helps balance the sweetness of the pie. Once the pecan pie has cooled, I like to sprinkle a few flecks of sea salt on top.
• Flaky Sea Salt (Optional): Adding flaky sea salt to the top of the cooled pie gives the perfect salty-sweet flavor combination. Add vanilla ice cream to each slice for the ultimate indulgence. 

How To Make Gluten-Free Pecan Pie

• Step 1: Toast the pecans. Toast the pecans at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, or until fragrant.
• Step 2: Brown the butter. In a large frying pan, brown the butter on medium-high heat.

• Step 3: Add the maple syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk for 2-3 minutes, then turn off the burner.
• Step 4: Add the honey. Remove the pan from the burner and quickly whisk in the honey. Set the pan aside to cool for 10 minutes to prevent the eggs from scrambling when combined.

• Step 5: Whisk the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined. Slowly pour the cooled butter-maple-honey mixture into the large bowl, whisking constantly until the filling is smooth and uniform.
• Step 6: Add pecan pie filling to the pie crust. Arrange the pecans at the bottom of an unbaked pie crust. Pour the filling over the top of the pecans. As the pecans start to rise through the filling, arrange the top of the pie in any design you please. Place the pie in the oven to bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 350°F for 30-40 minutes. The filling should be set at the edges of the pie and only slightly jiggly at the center.

Storage and Serving

When removing the pecan pie from the oven, allow it to rest a room temperature for 3 hours. The pecan pie should be completely cooled before storing or serving. After 3 hours, you can serve the pecan pie the same day, or you can leave the pie in its dish, cover it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and refrigerate the pie until ready to use.

You can serve your pecan pie cold, straight from the refrigerator, but I find the best way to serve pecan pie is slightly warmed, or at room temperature. Pull the pecan pie out of the refrigerator an hour before serving, or add the cooked pie to a preheated oven at 300°F for 12-15 minutes.

You can also freeze pecan pie for up to 3 months. For this, I recommend slicing the cooled pie into individual pieces, wrapping each piece tightly with aluminum foil, and then storing it in tupperware to avoid freezer burn. Remove the pie 24 hours before serving and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Expert Tips For The Best Pecan Pie

• Prebake the crust: Prebaking the crust allows for a buttery, flaky texture and firms the bottom of the crust. Once the pecan pie filling is added to the parbaked crust, add a pie shield to prevent the crust from further browning. For this pie, I use my homemade gluten-free pie crust recipe.
• Toast the pecans: Toasting the pecans at 350°F for 5-7 minutes helps bring out the flavor. They really only need a couple of minutes, so make sure to watch them closely.
• Do not chop the pecans with a knife: An easy way to avoid dusty pecan pieces from getting in your pie is to snap the pecans in half with your fingers as opposed to chopping them up with a knife.
• Brown the butter: Brown butter is an essential ingredient that gives depth and flavor to this delicious pecan pie. It's definitely worth the extra effort.
• Watch the pie closely: If the pecans look like they are toasting too quickly on top, add a piece of tin foil about halfway through.
• Let the pie cool: Let the pie cool at least 3 hours before serving. This allows the whole pie to be properly set. Add whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or flaky sea salt to the top.

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