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.
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Ingredients
- Pecans: I use a combination of toasted chopped pecans and halved pecans for texture.
- Butter: Browning the melted butter compliments 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. The flavor is not the same as regular butter.
- Honey & Maple Syrup: The honey and pure maple syrup combination replace traditional corn syrup and give 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
The first step for the filling is to toast the pecans at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, or until fragrant.
In a large frying pan, brown the butter on medium-high heat.
Once browned, quickly add the maple syrup, bringing the mixture to a boil. Whisk for 2-3 minutes, then turn off the burner.
This will help some of the water to evaporate from the maple syrup and will thicken the pie.
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.
Arrange the toasted pecans at the bottom of a 9-inch parbaked pie crust.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
Slowly pour the cooled butter-maple-honey- mixture into the large bowl, combining it with the whisked eggs, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
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.
Cover the crust with a pie shield or tin foil, and then place the pie in the oven to bake for 45-50 minutes.
The filling should be set at the edges of the pie and only slightly jiggly at the center.
Remove from the oven and allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 3 hours. Serve.
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 prior to serving and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Expert Tips For The Best Pecan Pie
- Prebake the crust: Prebaking the crust allows for a buttery flakey texture and firms the bottom of the crust. Once the pecan pie filling is added to the parbaked crust, add a pie shield to avoid 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. At the 45-minute mark, continue to check the pie every few minutes to avoid overbaking.
- 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.
Pecan Pie FAQs
This is a common problem that happens when the maple syrup is not cooked long enough or the pie is not baked long enough.
Pecan pie should be set at the edges with a slightly puffed, jiggly center, with an internal temperature of 185 degrees.
In this recipe, I substitute corn syrup with a combination of honey and maple syrup. You could also use brown rice syrup or agave nectar.
Yes! Prebaking the pie crust for pecan pie allows for an even flaky crust, with no soggy bottom. Adding a pie shield once you add the pecan pie filling, will protect the crust from over-browning.
Most pecan pie recipes do contain gluten, however, this recipe is 100% gluten-free.
Pecan pie will hold well in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Because of the eggs in the filling, it is not recommended to store pecan pie at room temperature.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Pecan Pie - No Corn Syrup
Ingredients
Par-baked pie crust
- 1 9-inch par-baked pie crust
Pecan Pie Filling
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cup (180 grams) pecan halves
Instructions
Gluten-Free Crust
- After adding the crust to the pie dish, dock the pie with a fork, and then cover the pie with tin foil and set the pie in the freezer for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Remove the pie from the freezer. Line the bottom of the pie with parchment paper and pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights, then place the crust back in the oven and continue to bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and set it aside to cool.
Pecan Pie Filling
- Lower the temperature to 350°F.
- On a fully lined baking sheet, spread out the pecan halves evenly, and toast for 5-7 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove the pecans from the oven and set them aside to cool.
- In a large frying pan, brown the butter on medium-high heat.
- Once browned, quickly add the maple syrup, bringing the mixture to a boil. Whisk for 2-3 minutes, then turn off the burner. This will help some of the water to evaporate from the maple syrup and will thicken the pie.
- 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.
- Arrange the toasted pecans at the bottom of the prepared pie crust.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Slowly pour the cooled butter-maple-honey- mixture into the large bowl, combining it with the whisked eggs, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Pour the filling over the top of the pecans. Cover the crust with a pie shield or tin foil, and then place the pie in the oven to bake for 45-50 minutes.
- The filling should be set at the edges and only slightly jiggly at the center.Remove from the oven and allow the pie to cool for a minimum of 3 hours. Serve.
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