This is the most amazing vegan pecan pie! Sugary, rich and almost caramelly, no one would ever guess it’s dairy and egg free. Gluten free option.
Developing a pecan pie recipe that is vegan is no small task, and it took me SEVERAL tries to get it right. I almost gave up after a few liquidy pies that would just not firm up, but I persisted and finally came up with the perfect vegan pecan pie!
Eggs usually go a long way at holding the filling together, so that was my biggest hurdle. A combination of flax eggs (don’t worry, you can’t detect this at all) and cornstarch, not to mention the right amount of other liquids, is the key to a filling that thickens and holds together.
The flavor and texture of this pie are out of this world incredible. It tastes almost like caramel, with a slight hint of bourbon (optional but so good). It’s a pretty sweet pie for sure, and a small slice will totally satisfy.
I have seen many recipes for vegan pecan pie but none look like the traditional one I remember. My recipe is sure to please any pecan pie lover, vegan or otherwise! I hope you love it as much as I do. Serve with a dollop of coconut whipped cream.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- One pie crust – Use my recipe for vegan pie crust for the best results. It’s super flaky and doesn’t burn easily in the oven, plus it’s easy to make! You may also use a gluten free crust or store bought.
- Flax eggs – Simply ground flaxseeds with water.
- Melted vegan butter – You only need a few tablespoons, I would not skip this.
- Dark corn syrup – I know some people are not comfortable using corn syrup, so if that’s you, feel free to use brown rice syrup or pure maple syrup. They both work fairly well, but not as well as corn syrup. I rarely use corn syrup, but this is a once in a year pie, so I feel comfortable doing so. You do you!
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch – You probably could use arrowroot or tapioca starch, but I’m not positive as I haven’t tested it.
- Vanilla extract
- Bourbon – We are only using 2 tablespoons for an amazing flavor, but you can skip it if needed.
- Pecans, of course!
How to make vegan pecan pie
- In a small bowl, mix the ground flaxseeds and water. In a large bowl, add the melted vegan butter, corn syrup, flax eggs, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and bourbon and whisk until well combined.
- Coarsely chop the pecans, leaving some intact for decoration, if desired.
- Spread the pecans evenly in the pie crust.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the pecans, then top with some pecan halves like I did, around the edges.
Bake for about 65 minutes until thick, dark and bubbly. If the crust starts to burn, add a pie shield or foil over the pie after 15-20 minutes. When you take it out of the oven, sprinkle with coarse salt. Not required, but a nice touch.
The filling will still be very liquidity and not set; it will set as it cools. Let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours, overnight is even better. Serve with coconut whipped cream or vegan whipped cream.
Make ahead & freezing
You can make the pie 1-2 days ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If you want to make it more than 2 days ahead, bake the pie, let it cool completely, then wrap well and freeze.
When ready to serve, move the pie to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Make sure it is unfrozen before you slice and serve.
More vegan holiday pies you’ll love
The Most Amazing Vegan Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 1 Vegan Pie Crust *see Notes for other options
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 4 tablespoons water
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
- 3/4 cup dark corn syrup *or maple syrup/brown rice syrup
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
- 2 cups coarse chopped pecans (10 oz), + more halves for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare a vegan pie crust (there is no need to pre-bake it) and line a pie plate with it. Stick the pie plate with the crust in the refrigerator until ready to fill it. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare the flax eggs: In a small bowl, stir together the ground flaxseeds and water, then set aside to let thicken. This is your egg substitute.
- In a large bowl, add the melted vegan butter, corn syrup, flax eggs, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and optional bourbon and whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Roughly chop the pecans, but leave some whole if desired for decorating the top of the pie.
- Carefully spread the pecans evenly into the unbaked pie crust. Pour the sugar mixture into the pie crust over the pecans, evenly.
- Bake the pie for 60-65 minutes, until thick and bubbly and dark brown. It will still be quite liquidity until it cools so don’t cut into it right away. Use a pie crust shield after 15-20 minutes of baking if the crust starts to burn.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired, and let cool on a wire rack. Let the pie cool at room temperature for 30 minutes at room temperature, then move it to the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours. Overnight is even better.
- Slice and serve the pie with coconut whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten free: Use a gluten free crust to make the pie gluten free. You can also use a store-bought crust to make it easier, just check the ingredients to make sure it's vegan.
- Make ahead: You can make the pie up to 2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.Â
- Freeze it: If you want to make it more than a couple of days in advance, you can make it, wrap it very well and freeze it. The day before serving, transfer the pie to the refrigerator to thaw before serving.
- Alternative to corn syrup: I tried the pie several ways, and using corn syrup resulted in the best pie, but maple syrup works quite well. Brown rice syrup works pretty well, too.Â
- Cornstarch alternative: Tapioca starch or arrowroot will probably work here, but I haven't tested it to know for sure.
Hi Nora! Can I sub the flax with 2 tbsp of bobs egg replacer instead?
Sorry, I’m not sure if an egg substitute will work. This pie is rather picky!
I’ve made this pie many times and it’s always a big hit with my husband. He can’t tell it’s vegan. I’ve put in the refrigerator to chill after baking but curious if it has to be refrigerated all the time or can it sit out? It’s really tough to cut when it’s in the refrigerator.
Yes, it’s best if it’s stored in the fridge at all times but you can leave it out at room temperature for a couple of hours before serving. This will make it a bit easier to slice.
I’m not vegan, I’m alpha-gal, so eggs are okay, but condensed milk is not. If I made this with real eggs, I’m guessing two? Otherwise, it sounds yummy. I might try what the reader who mentioned agave did. I use agave a lot for sweetening.
I have to be careful with granulated sugar, as a lot of it is processed with bone char, and I cannot have ANY trace of mammalian products. I buy Morena at Walmart, it’s unrefined and certified vegan. It comes from Mexico, and is comparable in price to C&H.
Yes, 2 eggs is correct. Happy baking!
My pie came out hard and chewy like candy, and I only baked it for 50 min.
Any suggestions?
Did you make any substitutions to the recipe? Does your oven run hot? It’s hard to know what exactly went wrong without being there.
Maybe I’m bias as I made it but this pie is incredible.Thanks Nora for a fantastic vegan recipe, this will now be my go to dessert when I want to impress.
I couldn’t find dark corn syrup so used agave instead as that what I had at home, doesn’t seem to have affected it.
I’m thrilled you loved the pie! Thank you so much for your terrific feedback and review!
Just made it! Used 1/2 light corn syrup, 1/2 maple syrup, used bourbon…I overflowed, but so, so tasty!!! I like it warm with vegan vanilla ice cream and whipped cream .
I just made it like an hour ago for a friend who’s vegan. I’m waiting for it to chill in the fridge. I added Bourbon and it still overflowed, not too much thankfully. It smells good, so I’m sure the taste will match. Thanks for the recipe!
You are welcome! I hope you enjoy the pie!
Can you sub molasses for the dark corn syrup?
I’m not sure, the flavor would be very different and I’m not sure how the texture will come out either.
I made two of these last night and they came out incredible; best I’ve ever had. Thank you!
You are welcome! I’m so glad the pies turned out wonderful for you! Thanks for your fabulous feedback!
What should be the oven’s temperature?
Hi Isabel. The oven should be set to 350 degrees F.
I love this recipe so much and am back here to make it for a second year in a row. It was a huge hit with my non vegan family. The only thing I do differently is actually double the recipe and adjust the cooking time a little as a result. I think my pie pans are just a little deeper so it takes 1.5x the amount of filling and then I make little pies from the extras. Thanks Nora, you have the best recipes. 🙂
Great recipe. I substituted 1/4 cup molasses and 1/2 maple syrup for the corn syrup, and used only 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Nice rich flavor, not overly sweet.
Hi Jean. Thank you for sharing your feedback and substitutions for the pecan pie! I’m glad yours turned out just as you wanted it!
I love the recipe, I had trouble with it boiling a lot. I also made vegan pecan tasies and had the same issue. Taste is wonderful if I can get it from boiling so much. I used maple syrup. The tasies I used aquafoba egg and sugar. Perhaps I need to bake on 325 instead of 350. I love all your recipes you are wonderful thank you so much.
Merry Christmas!
Went by your recipe came out runny