Gluten-free Pecan Pie
This gluten-free pecan pie has an easy press-in oat flour crust and a filling sweetened with pure maple syrup and brown sugar or coconut sugar. It’s made without corn syrup, and you can easily make it dairy-free.
The filling is already quite sweet, so I prefer this simple crust to a sweeter, cookie-like crust. And I actually don’t even like pecans (the texture usually weirds me out), so the fact that I really like this pie says a lot.
Ingredients
Please scroll down for the full recipe. These are just notes on select ingredients.
- Store-bought gluten-free oat flour – as with my Oat Flour Brownies, use store-bought oat flour here. Homemade oat flour isn’t ground finely enough for this crust and can leave it soggy because it doesn’t absorb the fat as well. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free Oat Flour, and I think other store-bought brands should also work. Some oat flour isn’t gluten-free because of contamination during growing or processing, so make sure the package is labeled gluten-free if you need the pie to be gluten-free. You can read more in Are Oats Gluten-free?
- Brown sugar or coconut sugar – either works in the filling. If using coconut sugar, weigh it if possible because brands vary a lot in how coarse or dense they are. Don’t omit it or replace it with extra maple syrup or another sweetener. I also don’t recommend reducing the sweetener. When I’ve reduced the sugar in other pecan pie recipes, the fat separated and floated to the top. You might be able to reduce it by about a tablespoon, but I wouldn’t do that if it’s important that the pie turn out perfectly.
- Pure maple syrup – this is required for the filling. I don’t recommend replacing it with honey, corn syrup, extra brown sugar or another sweetener.
- Butter or oil – the crust works with oil or butter, and the filling works with butter or coconut oil. For a dairy-free pie, use one of the listed oils in the crust and coconut oil in the filling. Canola oil, vegetable oil, light olive oil or coconut oil work in the crust. If using coconut oil in the crust, I use refined coconut oil, but unrefined coconut oil also works if you don’t mind coconut flavor. The butter or coconut oil for the filling should be melted and still warm.
- Eggs – there isn’t a tested egg substitute for this recipe, so I don’t recommend trying to make this pie vegan. For a vegan pecan option, try my Mini Pecan Pies.
- Cornstarch or arrowroot starch – either works in the filling. Sprinkle it over the other filling ingredients instead of adding it in one clump so it’s easier to mix in smoothly.
- Pecans – pecans are my preference, but I tested the pie once with walnuts and that also worked.
The ingredient photos below are just an overview. Use the quantities in the recipe card rather than the amounts shown in the photos.
For the crust:
For the filling:
How to Make It
Stir together the oat flour, sugar and salt, then stir in the oil or melted butter until you have coarse crumbs.
Add the cold water and stir until a dough forms.
Press the dough over the bottom and all the way up the sides of a greased 9-inch (23 cm) regular pie plate, then refrigerate it while you prepare the filling.
Stir together the filling ingredients except for the pecans, then stir in the chopped pecans.
Pour the filling into the unbaked crust without letting it rise above the crust, then bake until the middle is set. The pie will rise a little in the oven and settle as it cools. Let it cool completely, then refrigerate before slicing.
- Give the oat flour a few seconds to absorb the water – the dough can look much too wet and sticky at first, but it usually comes together within about 20 seconds. If it still seems too dry once it forms a dough, add up to another 1 teaspoon of water. The finished dough has a slightly strange, more rubbery texture than traditional pie dough, and that’s normal.
- Weigh the oat flour – it compacts easily in the bag, so a measuring cup can hold too much and throw off the crust. I highly recommend weighing out 153 grams.
- Use a regular pie plate – there isn’t enough crust dough to fill a deep-dish pie plate and still crimp the edges. Don’t press the dough extra thin to make it fit. If a deep-dish plate is all you have, press the dough as high up the sides as possible and skip crimping. That should give you enough height to hold the filling.
- Pressing is easier than rolling – you can roll the dough out, and it isn’t sticky enough to require flouring the surface (assuming you’re rolling the crust on parchment paper with a sheet of plastic wrap or more parchment on top), but it’s drier and more delicate than traditional pie dough and breaks more easily.
- Don’t pre-bake the crust – I tested that and the crust cracked, allowing the filling to seep through and make it soggy. I went through seven bags of oat flour trying to get a pre-baked version to work. I also tested this crust with my Paleo Chocolate Fudge Pie. It wasn’t soggy, but it lacked the crispness and flavor that comes from pre-baking, so for now I don’t recommend using this as a general-purpose pie crust.
- Mix and transfer the filling carefully – remove any eggy bits that won’t mix in, since they’ll bake up visibly. Fill the pie near the oven so it’s easier to transfer without spilling the filling over the crust.
Make Ahead & Storage
Because the pie needs about 2 hours to cool and at least 2 hours to chill, it’s best made several hours ahead or the day before. Keep it refrigerated until serving. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I haven’t personally tested freezing this pie. For leftover slices, wrap them in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. One reader reported freezing an entire pie from Thanksgiving until Christmas and said it froze perfectly and tasted just as good when served. Since I haven’t tested freezing a whole pie myself, I still wouldn’t make that your first test for an important holiday meal.
More Pecan Desserts
If you’re looking for more pecan desserts, here are a few favorites. They can all be made gluten-free.
- Pecan Tart – a buttery, flaky crust filled with an easy pecan pie filling made without corn syrup.
- Cheesecake Pecan Pie Bars – creamy cheesecake topped with a rich pecan pie layer for two desserts in one.
- Cocoa Pecan Pie – a chocolatey twist on classic pecan pie with cocoa added to the filling.
- Vegan Caramel Pecan Cheesecake – a rich vegan cheesecake topped with caramel and pecans.
Gluten-free Pecan Pie
Servings 12 slices
This gluten-free pecan pie has an easy press-in oat flour crust and a maple syrup filling made without corn syrup. It also has a simple dairy-free option.
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 2/3 cups (153 grams) gluten-free oat flour store-bought
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or very tightly packed coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons oil or 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) cold water
Filling:
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar or very tightly packed coconut sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) pure maple syrup
- 3 large eggs 50 grams each, out of shell eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter or 3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (51 grams) coconut oil, melted and still warm
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups (280 grams) chopped pecans
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C), and grease a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate (a regular one, not deep dish).
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oat flour, sugar and salt with a fork until well combined.1 2/3 cups (153 grams) gluten-free oat flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Add the oil or melted butter and stir until you have coarse crumbs. Add water and stir until well combined, and it forms a dough. It’ll be denser and firmer than regular dough. The first few seconds, it’ll seem way too wet and sticky. It only takes about 20 seconds for the oat flour to suck up the liquid.2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons oil, 1/3 cup (75 ml) cold water
- If your dough seems too dry, you can add up to another 1 teaspoon of water (room temp is okay).
- Pat the dough over the bottom and up the sides of the greased pie pan. Make sure the dough goes all the way up the sides. Place in the fridge while preparing the filling.
Make the filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together all filling ingredients except for the pecans, sprinkling on the cornstarch, rather than plopping down a big clump. If there are any eggy bits that aren't coming out, remove them or they’ll bake up ugly.3/4 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar, 1 cup (240 ml) pure maple syrup, 3 large eggs, 1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Once combined, stir in the pecans.2 1/2 cups (280 grams) chopped pecans
- It’s best to do the following step near the oven so that the filling doesn’t spill over the crust as you’re transferring the pan. Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust, but do not pour so high that it goes over the crust!
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the middle is set. It’ll have risen a bit but will settle back down as it cools.
- Let cool completely, about 2 hours, and then refrigerate for at least 2 more hours.
- Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 4 days.
Notes
- I highly recommend weighing the oat flour! It’s one of those flours where you can easily pack your measuring cup too full and ruin your crust.
- This recipe calls for store-bought oat flour because homemade is never as finely ground as store-bought. And then your crust doesn’t absorb enough fat, leaving you with a soggy crust.
- You can use canola oil, vegetable oil, light olive oil or coconut oil. I use refined coconut oil, but you can use unrefined coconut oil if you don’t mind coconut flavor.
- Note that it’s best to weigh coconut sugar! Some brands are light and coarse and some brands (like the one I use) are very fine and dense.
- For dairy-free, use oil in the crust and coconut oil in the filling.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
Nutrition
Calories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 6gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 171mgPotassium: 250mgFiber: 3gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 190IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 2mgNet Carbs: 44
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I’ve been assigned pecan pie this year and my mom is newly glutenfree. This was a huge hit! We liked it even better than our usual recipe. This is definitely making it to the final menu! I can’t wait to make it again. There were zero leftovers.
Aww, yay! So glad you found a pie your mom can enjoyed. And awesome that you’ll be making it again! Thanks for your comment.
Incredible! I don’t even like pecan pie (they’re way way too sweet for me), but my family asked me to make one anyway. I’m so happy I did. My new favorite pie! And the crust was so easy!!! Thank you!
I’m the same way! I’m so glad you enjoyed it despite not being a pecan pie person. :) Thanks for your comment!
Made this after getting a bucket of Texas pecans. Yum yum yum. What a treat. I’m looking forward to my next bucket of pecans so I have an excuse to make this again!
Haha. A bucket?! You lucky thing! I hope you get another soon, too. :) So glad you liked the pie! Thanks for your comment.