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
Tried this recipe?Tag me today! Mention @texanerin or tag #texanerin! Thanks. 🖤
I ran out of corn syrup so I tried this. SOOOO Goood! Thank you! Never making the corn syrup version again.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. :D Thanks for your comment.
My didn’t turn out as pretty as yours, my first time baking a pecan pie. I will let you know how the taste came out:)
BTW, how do I post a Picture of my pie?
Hi! My site unfortunately doesn’t have an upload functionality. It’s totally normal for someone’s first pie to not be a thing is beauty. ;) But I hope you could still enjoy it!
I made this pie yesterday and it was absolutely delicious. Best Gluten Free Pecan pie I have made yet! Very delicious.
Ooh, yay! I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks a ton for letting me know. :) Happy Thanksgiving!
Love that this recipe is gluten-free. I am always looking for recipes that don’t deprive me from eating my favorite recipes. So, gave this one a try and it’s absolutely delicious. You can’t tell the difference between the regular pecan pie vs. the gluten free one. happy that I can still enjoy these recipes using healthier options. Looking forward to seeing more healthy recipes on this blog. :)
Aww, yay! I’m glad that you didn’t feel deprived with this pie. :) Thanks so much for your lovely words and happy Thanksgiving!
Made this recipe ahead to taste test before the holidays. I love how it turned out. The filling came out thick and creamy with a hint of maple syrup. Cant wait to make it again for the holidays. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it. :) And glad that it made the cut for the holidays! Thanks for your comment and happy Thanksgiving!
Made this for grandma who is GF but we all thought it was the perfect pecan pie! Way better than normal pecan pie. SO SO perfect. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy that everyone enjoyed it. :) Thanks for your comment and happy Thanksgiving!
I can’t wait to make this again! Do you think you could add chocolate chips? I’d love to try that at Christmas! Thanks so much!
Ooh, yay! So glad that you want to make it again! And yes, you can. Please see my Cocoa Pecan Pie recipe here. :) Thanks for your comment and I hope you’re having a great Thanksgiving!
This crust was so easy! And the smell incredible. My whole family practically inhaled this. Thank you so much for this great recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad that your family enjoyed it so much. :) Thanks for your feedback and happy Thanksgiving!
Hey, I noticed you stated to use oil in the crust for dairy free version . I was wondering why I can’t use dairy free butter. I really want to try this. I love pecan pie but don’t make it because of the (unhealthy) corn syrup.
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but I think it’d work. You would need to use the same amount as the butter, so 3 tbsp. I’d love to hear how it comes out. :)
Hi Erin! Fellow Texan here ???? I’m fixing to try this recipe, using dairy free options. My question is about the butter. I only have Ghee…would that work in this recipe?
Hi Jeanne! :) I have to admit that I have zero experience with ghee. I looked it up, and it’s almost 100% fat, so in that case, you’d use the amount (3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (51 grams)) that’s given for coconut oil. I haven’t tried it, though, so it’s just a guess. I can’t guarantee it’ll work without having tried it myself, but I see other people listing it as interchangeable with butter and coconut oil. I hope you’ll love the pie as much as we do and that you have a great Thanksgiving!
Just to let you know, the ghee worked beautifully! This will forever be my go to recipe for Pecan Pie! Also, I doubled it and made 2 pies at Thanksgiving and froze one for Christmas. It froze perfectly and tasted just as fabulous when we ate it yesterday!
So glad I came across your recipe! my cousin is gf, and she came to visit last weekend. I made this for her as pecan pie is her fave, and she absolutely loved it! Thank you!
Such a delicious and gluten-free pie to make for GF guests. This recipe sounds so good. Can’t wait to make.
What a lovely gluten-free pecan pie recipe. I’m afraid it won’t last long in my house. It’s a perfect holiday treat. Yummy!
I made your pecan pie for my wife’s book club and no one had a clue it was Gluten Free and they loved it!
I’ve never tasted a gluten-free pie that was so delicious! I couldn’t even tell it was gluten-free! Loved every bite. I’ll be making this for the holidays for sure.
Such a perfect dessert to make for my guests this weekend.
It looks delicious and easy!
I had never made my own pie crust before. I followed your recipe and it came out so good. Everyone loved it.
Wow! This pie is totally overloaded with taste and flavor. Absolutely looks so delicious and yummy! I’ll definitely make this at home! Thanks!
Pecan pie always screams fall to me! This recipe sounds delicious! Excited to give it a try! Thanks for the share!
I will be trying this out closer to Thanksgiving!
I hope that you’ll enjoy it and that you’ve been well. :)