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Have you ever wondered if you could make pecan pie without corn syrup or refined sugar? I spent months trying to figure this out because I love pecan pie, but we also have family members with special dietary needs.
My goal was to make a healthy pecan pie that tastes just as delicious as the original (because no one wants a “healthy-tasting” pie around the holidays), and this one does the trick.
Instead of using eggs and corn syrup, the filling is made with pitted medjool dates and pure maple syrup. So, it’s naturally vegan, and when you use a gluten-free pie crust, this recipe is gluten-free, too. It’s perfect for any holiday gathering!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“DELICIOUS!!! I am so grateful for this recipe. I have not had pecan pie in nearly a decade due to allergies. Everyone loved it and could not tell the difference from classic southern pecan pie. I will be making this again and again. Thank you for giving me my favorite pecan pie back for Thanksgiving and beyond.” – Michelle
Vegan Pecan Pie Filling Ingredients
- Medjool Dates. These are naturally sweet and help create the sticky filling, without using eggs. Shop for dates in the fresh produce section of your grocery store. They should look juicy and plump, like they’d be easy to split apart with your fingers to remove the pits.
- Maple Syrup. This liquid sweetener helps loosen the filling, so you’re not simply making a date ball. It also boosts the sweetness, so it tastes more like traditional pecan pie.
- Pecans. Clearly, these are a crucial ingredient, and you’ll blend some of them into the filling, while also using them whole for texture. I use pecans that aren’t roasted or salted.
- Ground Flax Seeds. These help act as a binder, so you won’t need eggs.
- Salt. Every good dessert recipe needs a hefty pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
Use a store-bought pie crust to save time on assembly, or try my Oat Flour Pie Crust or Almond Flour Pie Crust for a gluten-free and vegan option.
How to Make Vegan Pecan Pie
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare a pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish. In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, combine the pitted dates, maple syrup, 1/2 cup of pecan halves, ground flax seeds, and salt.
Secure the lid and process until the mixture looks relatively smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the machine as needed.
Step 2:
Add 3/4 cup of the chopped pecans to the unbaked pie crust and spread them out evenly. Pour the blended pecan pie filling over the pecans, then use a spatula to spread it to the edges of the crust.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped pecans over the top of the pie, and use your hands to gently press them into the top of the pie filling.
Step 3:
Bake the pie at 350ºF for 45 minutes or until the top looks dry and the edges of the pie feel firm to a light touch. Let the pie cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour, then transfer it to the fridge to chill before serving.
This is the perfect dessert to make ahead of time for a big holiday meal because it can chill overnight when tightly covered. Slice and serve chilled for a firm texture, or let it come to room temperature for a slightly softer texture.
Top with coconut whipped cream or any other toppings you love for extra deliciousness. Leftovers can be stored tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Vegan Pecan Pie (with Dates!)
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked vegan pie crust
- ¾ cup Medjool dates , pitted (about 6 ounces)
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 1 ½ cups pecan halves , chopped
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and press your unbaked pie crust in a 9-inch pan. (Use a store-bought crust, if you like.)
- In a food processor fitted with an "S" blade combine the dates, maple syrup, flax seeds, 1/2 cup of the pecans, and the salt. Process until the dates are broken down and the mixture looks relatively smooth.
- Pour 3/4 cup of the pecans into the pie crust and spread them out evenly. Pour the batter over the pecans and use a spatula to smooth it evenly. Top the pecan pie filling with the remaining 1/4 cup of pecans– I like to crush them between my fingers and sprinkle them over the top so that the little pieces are evenly distributed.
- Place the pie in the oven to bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes. When it’s done baking the top should look drier and the edges of the filling will be firm to a light touch.
- Allow the pie to cool completely, for at least 2 hours. You can put it in the fridge to speed the process, if you’d like to. Slice the pie and serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Leftovers should be tightly covered and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Dairy-Free French Silk Pie
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
- Vegan Chocolate Pie
If you try this Vegan Pecan Pie recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
I LOVED this! I used SF maple syrup and it worked the same. Taste is authentic and I will be using this every holiday. Only thing I want to know is how to bake this without a crust—ceramic? Muffin tin?
Thank you,you really helped me
I followed this recipe exactly, and it turned out amazing! I served it on Thanksgiving and everyone loved it–plus, it was incredibly easy to make! This will definitely be made each year from now on!
Made this pie with the vegan crust for Thanksgiving and it was delicious!
I haven’t had pecan pie in 9 years since I went vegan. This year, my wonderful husband made this pecan pie for Thanksgiving and it was fantastic! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe.
Looks great!!
How much honey would you put instead of maple syrup?
Would date syrup also work instead of maple syrup?
Maple syrup is very expensive around here, so I would love for you to add a honey or date syrup option to your recipes…
Thanks!
Did you ever try out those alternatives to maple syrup? Very curious to know as maple syrup is very expensive here too and I don’t want to use up most of my bottle on one pie!
I made it with honey and it was great. A tad dry for me (I like the more traditional oooey gooey PECAN pie) but plan on adding less ground flax next time, and some bourbon
I really want to make this for Thanksgiving, but I wanted to use Rum in my pie. (Clearly this seems taboo for a health conscious food blogger… but hey, we gotta live a little too.)
SO… do you think I can just add the amount of rum that another recipe calls for, or do I need to add something else bc of the extra liquid?
Thank you!! I LOVE BAKING BECAUSE OF YOU!!! 🙂
I was thinking about adding bourbon to mine. Some comments suggested heating the maple syrup up, so I would add any alcohol to that so it can cook off a little bit. I haven’t tried it yet, but that’s my game plan.
If using a ready to eat pie crust do I still need to bake it? Time/temp change?
Wanted something for my birthday that I could eat too, and I’m so glad I found this! Made exactly to your instructions with a store bought gluten free vegan crust and even my gluten eating sugar freaks loved it. Since going gluten, dairy and refined sugar free, I have never bought anything that tasted as good as this and it was so easy! Thank you so much ❤️
Hi, made this yesterday with Walden Farms pancake syrup (real maple flavor but no sugar) and sucralose and it came out great! Since sucralose is dry compared to dates, I added an additional 2-3 tbsp of water. I always like vanilla so I included 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract as well. Thank you for this simple recipe. I like to limit my refined fats as well, so I appreciate that there’s no ‘butter’. No, it’s not gooey like traditional pecan pie, but honestly that was what I liked least about it anyway, so I don’t mind that this is not like that.
Hi Meghan! I don’t know if this helps, but if you heat up the maple syrup to 235 degrees, it will mimick the texture of the corn syrup is supposed to impart on pecan pie. Great recipe!