No one will ever guess that this delicious Pecan Pie is clean eating, paleo friendly, gluten free and refined sugar free! Made with an almond flour crust, heart healthy coconut oil, and sweetened with pure maple syrup, this healthier dessert looks and tastes just as good as the original!
Hello!
I’m so excited you’re here for one of my all-time favorite clean eating recipes!
But, before we get to this amazing pie, I wanted to make sure you’ve gotten your hands on my new FREE eCookbook full of healthy holiday recipes.
This eBook is full of healthy, clean eating recipes for meals, side dishes and desserts that you’re family will love any time of the year!
CLICK HERE TO (OR ON THE IMAGE BELOW) TO GET YOUR FREE ECOOKBOOK
No, onto the Pecan Pie!
Oh, and P.S. The recipe for this pie is also in the FREE eCookbook you can get right HERE.
This Pecan Pie is one of my new favorite holiday desserts and I know it will be a favorite in your house as well! It was a big hit with my entire family at Thanksgiving dinner and no one even guessed that I had cut out all the processes junk! Yay for sneaky healthy eating. 😉
The almond flour crust is from Elana’s Pantry and it is ridiculously easy. I just threw all of the ingredients into my Blendtec
Anyway, I’ll stop blabbering and get to the recipe. I hope you love it as much as we did!
266 calories, 17g fat, 2.1g fiber, 5.5g protein
*Actual nutrition info may vary based on exact ingredients used. Recipe listed on MyFitnessPal as FG8 Clean Eating Pecan Pie.
Don’t forget to get your free eCookbook if you haven’t already! Just click on the image below…
It says “dairy free” but then calls for 2tbsp butter?
Oops, sorry about that Emily! It was meant to have the option to use butter or ghee. I just updated it. Thanks for letting me know!
Could we possibly substitute butter with Greek yogurt? Maybe. Or avocado? Or a banana or something along these lines, something I can get at a local grocery store. Maybe even almond butter?
I’m not sure Sarah. I’ve used all of those as a butter substitute in baking, I’m just not sure how it would effect the texture in this pie. If you give it a try, definitely come back and let me know how it goes! 🙂
I used coconut oil but had to cook the pie for an additional 15 minutes for the pie to set.
I need actually dairy free, no butter or ghee. Any ideas?
You could try a dairy-free butter recipe like this one – http://barerootgirl.com/nourish/2013/7/31/paleo-my-dairy-free-butter-recipe
I would use coconut oil!
What about Earth Balance buttery vegan sticks? Or Melt brand? I use Earth Balance all the time when needing to make dairy free foods, including baked goods.
I used coconut oil instead of butter. It was still delicious.
Thanks for letting us know!! Glad you liked it!
I’ve made it with 2 Tbsps of coconut oil instead of butter or ghee. It works perfectly!! My friends can’t believe it’s gluten and dairy free! 5 stars for sure!
Could this be done with honey instead of maple syrup do you think?
It should work with honey, but I’ve never tried it, so I’m not positive. If you try honey, definitely come back and let us know how it goes! 🙂
I agree, but butter in some cases is considered a ldifferentl kind of dairy.
Tiffany, I made this pie today and it was fantastic! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that Malissa!! You’re welcome! 🙂
Is there anything I can use instead of almond flour? Maybe oat or something?
I’ve never tried anything except the almond flour, but I’m guessing oat flour would work just fine. Definitely let us know if you try it!
That crust sounds amazing, not taking away from the pie itself, but it seems like the crust will have the crisp mouthfeel that sometimes goes missing in gluten free crusts. Thank you for this recipe.
You are so welcome! Thanks for you sweet comment! 🙂
Do you think it would be okay to substitute the Syrup with honey?
Hey Kim! That should work fine. 🙂
Have you tried prepping it to a complete pie and freezing it to bake at a later time?
I haven’t tried that. If you do, definitely come back and let us know how it goes!
Well now. I have just decided that I need to go grain-free for a while and I was feeling sorry for everything I may miss out on. I think this will help me feel better. 😉 Thanks.
Haha! No problem! 🙂
Do you bake the crust before you fill it?
F the whole thing is liquid still do you add more time?
Do you remove the tin foil before the second 15mins?
Hi Michelle! No, you do not bake the crust before filling it. Yes, I’d add a little more time if it is still liquid, although it will setup some when it cools. And leave the foil on the entire cook time. Hope that helps!
Hi Tiffany,
Do you think replacing the maple syrup with either applesauce or Stevia (liquid or powder) would work? I know the maple syrup is much stickier than applesauce and Stevia, but it would cut the sugar content.
Thanks!
I’m not sure. It seems like it would change the texture, but I’ve never tried it. If you give it a try, definitely come back and let us know how it goes!
Madison,
I’m not sure that applesauce would work, because it seems that an important part of the recipe is that you’re essentially creating a loose candy out of the maple syrup. By heating the sugars in the syrup to 225 degrees, you change the structure of the syrup and allow it to firm up when it eventually bakes and sets the custard of the filling. Maple syrup hard candies are made by heating syrup to 235 degrees.
Applesauce doesn’t have enough sugar to candy in the heat and create the internal structure that the filling needs to set. I think pecan pies are basically candy bars: anything that would go into a candy bar (or a Kind bar or any nut-candy bars that are ‘health-food’ Snickers) could go into a pecan pie. Conversely, anything you typically don’t see in candy bars, probably can’t go into a pecan pie.
Happy baking!
Thank you Vy. I was thinking the same thing. Those substitutions wouldn’t work… My realization didn’t come until after I made the recipe and saw first hand the hardening of the maple syrup. You really have to work quickly to avoid ending up with a giant gob of hardened maple syrup! That said, this was a GREAT dessert! Thank you Tiffany!
Mmmmm, note to self, stop looking at pies on Pinterest first thing in the morning….this may end up being made for dinner tonight (if I can hold off from making it right to have for lunch!) 🙂
Haha! I say go for it! It’s clean, so you’re good. 😉
It sounds delicious, but is there an alternative to using the eggs?
You could try this flaxseed egg substitute recipe – http://blog.feelgreatin8.com/how-to-substitute-flaxseed-for-eggs-in/ Not sure if it would work in this pie or not. If you try it, definitely come back and let me know how it goes!
I used a different crust recipe, but used this filling and it came out so awesome. My husband really likes it better than my traditional recipe because it is a little less sweet and not quite as sticky.
Awesome! I love hearing that Barbara!
Barbara, will you please share the crust recipe you used for this pie?
Hi, I made this pie and it’s been about 30 minutes since I took it out of the oven and it’s still all liquid on the inside, I followed the recipe exactly. How long does it usually take to set?
I am so sorry about that Megan! I’ve never had that problem before. I hope it set for you in the end!
Megan, did you use a candy thermometer? I think this could be the the reason your pie did not set. It took a while to cook the filling up to the right temperature. If I had not had the thermometer and tried this on my own, I probably would have removed it from the heat too son. I think a thermometer would be a great investment. The pie is delish when it sets!
Great tip, thanks for sharing Kimberly!
Do you melt the ghee at all?
No need to melt it first Allison, it’ll melt when you add the hot maple syrup mixture.
Mine came out the same way. I followed the directions to a t as well. It’s very liquidy.
I just want to thank you for this recipe and commend you for responding to the barrage of questions above regarding various substitutions! I am constantly making substitutions and playing around trying to find recipes to fit my dietary needs or preferences, that is part of the fun! But it helps to find recipes like yours that have already done most of the work for me 🙂 I tried a pecan and coconut crust for this pie, it didn’t quite stand up to the heavy filling, but the four of us managed to finish the whole pie by the day after xmas so I’d call it a success! This is the first pecan pie I’ve made and I’ll plan to make it again!
No problem at all Brook! I am so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to comment! 🙂
I was wondering how many carbs are in this recipe because of the maple syrup? I want to make this for a cookout and I have to watch my sugar/carb intake please let me know as I am excited to make this looks amazing!
Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner Lanikka! This recipe has 23g of carbs per serving.
I am a Type II diabetic. Pure maple syrup would kill me. Have you tried to use sugar-free syrup instead ?
I’ve never tried that, but I might be worried about how it would setup without the sugar. If you try it, please report back and let me know how it goes!
How about coconut syrup?
I’ve never tried it with coconut syrup, so I don’t know if it would work. If you try it definitely let us know how it goes!
O M G! This pie is AMAZING! I have always been afraid to make one of these as the setting of the filling can be tricky, hence I never tried. Then I decided to start eating Paleo and happened upon this. To say I was skeptical would be an understatement. 1. Would it even taste like a real traditional pecan pie? 2. Would I be able to accomplish that perfect setting of the filling? The answer is yes all the way around. It is just about the best tasting pecan pie I’ve ever had. Perfect amount of sweetness, albeit a slight coconut taste but does not take away from the flavour. My only change is I baked the pie crust ahead of time. I then covered the pie for the first 15 minutes and uncovered for the second 15 minutes. I added 5 minutes onto the end as my oven may slightly vary from the author’s. The part that took the longest was cooking the filling. I recommend using a thermometer. This will insure a proper set. Make this pie……make it now!
Thank you so much for commenting and sharing your experience Kimberly!
Can I substitute coconut palm syrup for the maple syrup? Will it still set just the same?
I’ve never tried that so I’m not sure if it would set or not. If you try it, please report back and let me know how it goes!
Could you substitute sugar free syrup to lower the carb count?
I’ve never tried that, but I might be worried about how it would setup without the sugar. If you try it, please report back and let us know how it goes!
Does this have a coconut flavor to it at the end? My husband isn’t a fan of coconut. Any suggestions on what to sub for the coconut sugar? Maybe more maple? Thanks!
Yes, there is a slight coconut flavor, not super noticeable to me, but it might be if you don’t like coconut. 🙂 And, to replace the coconut sugar you’ll need another granulated sweetener. More maple syrup wouldn’t work, but a granulated maple sugar might.
This is a fantastic pie! I made it for Thanksgiving this year for the first time. I recommend it and will definitely make it again soon.
Thanks!!
I’m so happy to hear that Mindi! Thanks for your comment!
I don’t understand…
First the crust was crazy oily. I poured out a cup of oil and had to keep blotting the crust (I only added 2 TBSP of coconut oil, as the recipe says). Then when all was said and done and the pie had cooled down… more oil! It was a greasy mess!! I’ve gone over the recipe again and again, I followed it to a T. I just don’t understand
I am so sorry it didn’t work for you Kelly, I hate when that happens! I’ve never ended up with an oily pie, so I’m not sure what could have caused that. Wish I could help.
I’ve been thinking about it… my guess is it has something to do with the fact that I don’t have a food processor, so I had to use my vitamix. Which does tend to heat things up a little and stuff gets stuck underneath the blades. It’s time to get a food processor and try it again!
Made two of these pies today and loved them! So good! Pecan pie is my husbands favorite so I was worried about him liking this one since it’s a “clean” pie, but he said it was great and will be eating it tomorrow for breakfast;) I don’t have a candy thermometer so I guessed on the syrup temp and I did have to bake the pies a bit longer (maybe 10 extra minutes because they we too liquid-y). After I baked them for longer they still seemed a little undone, but after a few minutes out of the oven, they set up nicely! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
So happy to hear that Megan!
Is that 1 egg for the crust and 2 eggs for the filling?
Thanks!
Never mind! I see it now. ☺
How does the crust turn out for this? A lot of gluten free crusts are always crumbly and fall apart. Does this stay together ?
Hey Kim! This crust is a little more crumbly than a normal one, but my family still loves it!
Tiff, I noticed the baking time on the pecan pie. I have been on paleo for four and a half months and my favorite all time pie was pecan. Well when I ran across this recipe that is good and paleo I was thrilled. I will be making it before thanksgiving for a trial run. My only concern and question is the baking time. I know a regular pecan pie takes around an hour and this baking time is half the time, so I needed to make sure this is correct or a mistake in the oven time. Thank you and would appreciate an answer soon. I am so excited to try this. Looks yummy.
I’m excited you are going to try it Barbara! This baking time is what works in my oven, but of course every oven is different so you may need to adjust a little in yours. 🙂
High I’m a type 1 insulin diabetic
And I’m wondering if to lover the actual sugar content do you think using have sugar free maple syrup and half regular would work or suggestions would be great
Hey Sharon, I’ve never tried with a sugar-free syrup so I’m sorry I can’t give you advice. If you find something that works please come back and let us know. 🙂
It’s not sugar free and should not be labeled as such even if they are NATURAL! sugar is still sugar and still effects the body in the same way and that includes maple syrup, honey etc. Maple syrup and honey even have more calories than refined white sugar. Sorry about being grumpy about this but for those of us who can not have any forms of sweetners get so annoyed when we type in sugar free recipes and time after time I get these kinds of recipes pop up wasting my time reading them only to find they STILL have sugar in them.
Hi! So sorry for your frustration, but my title does say “refined sugar free!” which I hope helps distinguish the difference between a recipe like this and one that is completely sugar free. 🙂
Tempretures are in Farenheit I presume
Yes
its really delicious
I was hoping u could tell me if this need to be refrigerated, after baking it, or will it keep without out going bad if I leave it out
It’s best to refrigerate it.:)
How can I store this after it is made? Fridge or counter?
I store mine in the fridge. 🙂
Thank you thank you thank you. It was perfect. So perfect. Even if I did mess one crust up by putting 3 eggs into the it before realizing the one egg in the recipe, I realized it before I did the filling so I set that aside and tried the dough a second time and I’m totally shocked but this whole pie was AMAZING! Like, I don’t leave comments ever but this was too perfect not to thank you for finally giving me a paleo pie that’s truly as delicious as “real”.
A few things I thought it might help to mention :
1) even though I thought I read closely I still missed the “one egg” for crust and 3 for filling.
2) because of the blades on my food processor, my dough didn’t form a ball, but it was the right consistency so it worked great anyway.
3) I used palm shortening in place of butter. We sub that for all butter and it’s an easy trade out because the consistency and taste are right in. No dairy!
4) I used a thermometer and went to 225 EXACTKT. It wasn’t liquidy in the middle. A friend told me that at 225, the liquid in the sugar goes down in a certain percentage so that’s why that temp is important!
5) It did stick to the pie pan just a tiny bit so I may grease it slightly next time.
How many eggs are for the crust and how many eggs are used for the filling?? Please specify. Thanks so much
One egg in the crust and 3 in the filling. 🙂
Awesome, thank you. Just wanted to check
I have made this pie the last three years and love it more each time! Thank you for such a great recipe!