Lightly sweet and made without corn syrup, this gluten free pecan pie recipe is now a staple at our holiday table.
Heaps of toasted pecans, maple syrup, and a little brown sugar work to create a rich, flavorful pie with an all-butter gluten free crust!
Want a summary?
Ask AI to summarize or ask a question about this specific recipe!
Disclosure: these buttons are meant to be helpful but I am not responsible for how AI answers.
Jump to:
Why this gluten free pecan pie should be at your holiday table
Pecan pie holds my top spot for best holiday dessert. So if I'm going to publish a pecan pie recipe, it's got to be GREAT.
Some of my favorite things about this pecan pie:
It's not overly sweet
So often, this traditional pie swims in corn syrup, and the result is just...too much.
This gluten free pecan pie, made without corn syrup, gets its sweetness from a touch of maple syrup and brown sugar.
The result might be less sweet than your standard pecan pie, but still rich and, overall, far superior.
Toasted pecans make the best gluten free pecan pie
This small tip will make ANY pecan pie recipe better.
Toast the pecans before you use them.
I do this for almost all baked good recipes that include nuts, and it enhances the flavor immensely.
Seriously, this is the step you NEVER want to skip. Toast the pecans for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven, giving the sheet pan a good shake halfway through.
Extra pecans...because pecans
Pecans should be the star of the show in pecan pie, so for this gluten free pecan pie I doubled up on the pecans.
You'll need 2 cups roasted and chopped pecans for the filling, and another cup or two to top the pie.
You can definitely stop at the filling if you want, but who doesn't love how beautiful layered pecans on top looks?
Otherwise, set some extra toasted pecans aside to scatter on the edges, closest to the crust.
Ingredients needed for pecan pie without corn syrup
The biggest change here from a traditional pecan pie recipe is the absence of corn syrup.
That said, everything else is pretty par for the course!
- Pecans: I highly recommend buying raw pecan halves and toasting them yourself before baking to draw out the best flavor.
- Maple Syrup: Opt for pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored syrup!
- Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar is my preference for pecan pie, as it has the deeper, warmer flavor.
- Eggs: To help hold the filling together.
- Gluten Free Flour: You can use whatever gluten free flour you'd like, from my go-tos Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour or cassava flour to whatever you have on hand (except for coconut flour, which would absorb too much liquid). You're only using a tablespoon, and it just helps to set the filling.
- Melted Butter: Important for creating a rich filling that pecan pie is known for! For a dairy free option, you can use coconut milk.
Gluten Free Pie Crust
The recipe below includes a recipe for gluten free pie crust, but feel free to use whatever recipe/product that works for you.
A few options:
- All-butter gluten free pie crust
- Use a pie crust mix to cut down on some of the prep time
- Use a pre-made gluten free pie crust
Instructions and tips for a gluten free crust
If you are making your own crust for this gluten free pecan pie, a few tips can help along the way.
Gluten free pie crusts are notoriously challenging to work with. I'll be honest; I don't have them mastered yet, either!
That said, take these instructions and tips to heart and we'll both be on our way to a flaky, buttery crust for all our gluten free pies!
Always use cold butter/shortening
Whether you use the recipe included below or your own, always make sure that the fat source you're using is super cold. That could include butter, shortening, or sour cream.
Basically, keeping the fat cold prevents it from fully incorporating with the dough. These little pockets of fat quickly melt while baking, creating pockets of steam that puff up to create the flaky layers a good crust has!
A food processor works wonders
You can use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the cold butter/shortening into the flour, but a food processor is queen.
It's fast and hands-off!
Just make sure that you're only using it to incorporate the fat - if you also use a food processor to mix in the water, you'll end up undoing the work of cutting in the butter. So transfer the dough to another bowl to add in the water!
Only add enough water to hold the crust together
I'll be the first to admit this is where I often go awry in my gluten free crust-making!
After cutting in the butter/fat, add only enough cold water to keep the crust together. If it's too dry/crumbly to work with, add water 1 tablespoon at a time.
Too much, and the crust will just get too sticky to roll out.
How do I prevent the crust from getting soggy?
A few tips you can try to prevent the crust from soaking up the liquid of the filling:
Brush with egg
You're washing the outer crust with a beaten egg for this recipe anyway, so beat that egg a little early and brush the bottom of the pie crust before adding the filling.
This essentially creates a seal for the crust so the filling won't soak into the crust before the fat in the crust melts.
Bake on a baking sheet or pizza stone
Set a baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven while it preheats, then put the pie plate directly on the heated sheet/stone.
This gives a heat boost to the very bottom of the pan (and therefore, the bottom of the crust), which allows those pockets of fat melt quickly to form those flaky layers before the filling soaks in.
Note: ONLY do this if you are using a metal, NOT glass, pie plate!
Use a metal pie plate
Lots of cooks swear by this, and the thinking is that dark metal gets hotter faster and retains more heat than glass bakeware!
How to make gluten free pecan pie
Once you have a gluten free crust sorted, pecan pie is one of the easiest pies you can make!
Toast the pecans
Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool before chopping/using.
As mentioned, one of my secret weapons of baking with nuts is toasting them before incorporating them into the dough/filling/topping/etc.
Toasting enhances the flavor of nuts - to me, it's non-negotiable for pecan pie!
Make sure you purchase raw pecans and toast them yourself for the best results.
Mix the filling ingredients
Beat the eggs until they're light in color and slightly foamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Add the pecans and fill the pie
Add the toasted chopped pecans, stirring until they're incorporated in the filling.
Then pour the mixture into the gluten free pie crust.
If you'd like, you can top the pie with more pecans at this point! I like to decorate the top with pecan halves, starting at the edges and working inward until I have just 3 pecan halves at the center.
Bake!
Bake the pie at 325 degrees F for 45-50 minutes. At this point, it shouldn't jiggle in the middle.
Remove, cool, and serve!
More gluten free Thanksgiving and holiday recipes:
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Pecan Pie without Corn Syrup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Lightly sweet and made without corn syrup, this gluten free pecan pie recipe is now a staple at our holiday table. Make sure to take the extra step of toasting the pecans - it pays off immensely.
Use the gluten free pie crust recipe provided, make your own, or use a pre-made crust!
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose gluten free flour blend (I like Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if already in flour blend)
- ½ tablespoon cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- 2-3 tablespoons ice water, plus more as necessary
Filling:
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- ⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon cassava flour or all-purpose gluten free flour
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups raw pecan halves, plus more for topping if desired
- 1 egg, beaten, or additional cream, for brushing the crust
Instructions
For the gluten free pie crust:
- Add gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum (if needed), sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
- Add the chilled butter cubes, being sure they aren't all lumped together. Pulse the food processor 10 times, for about 1 second each. At this point, the dough should resemble coarse sand. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the vinegar and ice water, mixing with your hands as you add each tablespoon of water. The mixture should come together to a pliable, workable dough. If it's just too crumbly, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, being sure to mix between each tablespoon, until the dough is relatively smooth and not too sticky. If it's too sticky, add gluten free flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is workable.
- Fold the dough in on itself a couple times, then shape it into a thick disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. You can store the wrapped dough in the fridge for up to a week, or seal in a zip-top freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- When ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and remove plastic wrap. Place the disc between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll out using a rolling pin into a circular shape, about ⅛-inch thick and 2-3 inches wider than your pie plate. Transfer the pie crust to the pie plate. Don't stretch or pull; the crust should rest in the plate. Use a kitchen shears to remove excess dough around the edges. Finish the edges with crimping or other decorative edge.
For the gluten free pecan pie:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecan halves out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes, giving the sheet pan a good shake halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle. Roughly chop 2 ½ cups of pecan halves for the filling; reserve the rest for topping, if desired. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy and light in color. Whisk in the maple syrup, brown sugar, and butter until fully blended. Stir in the cassava flour, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Fold in the pecans until all pieces are coated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust. Top with additional pecan halves or chopped pecans, if desired. Gently brush the edges of the crust with a beaten egg or additional cream. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top no longer jiggles in the center. Cool completely before slicing and serving. Top with whipped cream while serving, if desired. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
Leave a Reply