A southern-style vegan pecan pie, with ooey gooey filling… and NO corn syrup or refined sugar!
Classic Vegan Pecan Pie
Some recipes turn out perfectly on the first try.
Then there are other recipes—like my Vegan Brownies Recipe or this vegan pecan pie—that need a little bit more work.
When you’re making up a recipe completely from scratch, all bets are off the table, and my first healthy pecan pie experiment burned to a crisp! The second trial was so awful even my dad wouldn’t touch it… and he will eat anything!
Happily, this story ends well, with a homemade pecan pie recipe that is ultra rich, gooey, and delicious, even without any eggs, dairy, or corn syrup.
Trending Right Now: Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Try topping it with Keto Ice Cream or my favorite Coconut Ice Cream.
It’s also fantastic topped with Coconut Whipped Cream.
Since I already mentioned what the pie doesn’t have, let’s talk about all of the good things it does have!
Pecans, themselves, are packed with nutrition and over 19 vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, iron, and calcium.
They’re also high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats and fiber. In place of eggs, I chose to use superfood flax seeds, which offer a healthy dose of Omega-3s and have been shown to reduce cholesterol and inflammation.
And I’ve replaced the unhealthy corn syrup of traditional pecan pie with another nutritional powerhouse: blackstrap molasses.
I’ve written about my love for blackstrap molasses before; it is a natural sweetener that is actually good for you, with over 20% of the RDA for both calcium and iron… in just one tablespoon!
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Feel free to use any pie crust that you like, especially if you need a gluten-free pie crust.
I’ve included the recipe below for the crust I used.
The ingredients note that you can add chocolate chips if your heart desires, and I like using mini chocolate chips because you get more chocolate in every bite.
However, I did not add any chocolate chips this time (for once!), because I already have a Healthy Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe on the blog.
The nut butter adds richness and depth of flavor to the pie filling, and I’d recommend something neutral such as almond, cashew, pumpkin seed, or the obvious pecan butter.
A butter spread can be used instead if you’d prefer. Just be sure to use a non-hydrogenated spread instead of margarine, to keep it healthier.
Behold, the ooey gooey filling.
I think gooey is my all-time favorite food word…
Above – watch the video of how to make vegan pecan pie.
Vegan Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- heaping 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tbsp molasses, blackstrap or regular
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
- 2-3 tbsp nut butter of choice OR butter spread
- 1/4 cup flaxmeal whisked into 1/3 cup water
- 1-2 tbsp bourbon OR 1 additional tbsp water
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- optional 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, pinch nutmeg, etc.
- optional pecans for garnish
Instructions
- *You can use any homemade or store-bought 9-inch pie crust. I used the following recipe: 1 3/4 cup whole wheat or white flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/3 cup vegetable or melted coconut oil, and 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup cold water, as needed. Stir everything together to form a dough. If too dry, add more water or oil. If too sticky, add more flour. Press into a pie pan. You can pre-bake it for 10 minutes at 400 F, but honestly it still works even if you don't. I love the taste of molasses, but feel free to simply sub maple syrup if you don't.For the pecan pie: Whisk together all ingredients except optional garnish, and let sit at least 30 minutes in the fridge, during which time it will thicken thanks to the flaxmeal. (If the flax is good, the mixture will be noticeably thicker when you take it out.) Preheat oven to 350 F. Pour filling into a crust. Arrange the optional extra pecans over top if desired. Bake on the center rack 35 minutes, then do not open the oven door but let sit in the now-turned-off oven an additional 10 minutes.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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More Cakes & Vegan Pie Recipes:
Juliette Kopp says
Yum! I’ve been working on eliminating pumpkin pie from my diet. This is perfect, and still lets me get in the holiday spirit!
Lynette says
I love your recipes. So simple. Thanks for giving substitutes for using coconut milk or oil.
Do u have a book with all your yummy desert recipes compiled?
I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for such kindness. Katie’s most recent book is an ebook (Hello Breakfast). https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/healthy-breakfast-cookbook-food-blog/ Hopefully there will be another hardcover book someday in the future!
Emily says
This is unbelievable, looks so yummy and I typically don’t even like pecan pie!!
xo,
Em
http://www.organicallyemily.com
Paige Flamm says
This pie looks delicious! Totally going to have to try it soon!
Paige
Mariya` says
Everything you make looks so delicious!
x Mariya
Amy says
OMG I am so excited to try this… pecan pie and key lime pie are my favorite (being from the South!)
Suzanne says
Hi, Can this be made ahead and frozen? x
Chocolate Covered Katie says
I haven’t ever tried! Be sure to report back if you do!
Kristie G. says
Have you ever tried sorghum syrup in place of molasses? It has a similar flavor but not quite as strong and it comes from sorghum instead of sugar cane. It is equally a nutritious possibly more so. Sugar cane bothers me so I find other things to sweeten my treats. Keep up the great work!
Chocolate Covered Katie says
I haven’t. I will have to look for it!
Dizi oyuncuları says
Vavv. it seems very good delicious. me too made to this. Thanks.
Becky says
I love pecan pie. Thanks for the healthier alternative.
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Oh, this looks wonderful! Have you tried this recipe with maple syrup? I would love to know if it still works!
Jason Sanford says
Of course! Maple syrup is listed as one of the options so you definitely can use that! 😉
SoVie says
You are my New Year resolution! I have enough vegan entrée recipes to cover all bazes, but I need more sweet options… I’ll start with this one, pecan pie is just about my favourite dezert.
Nicole @ Bento Momentos says
Pecan pie has such a rep for being a calorie/sugar bomb. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Belle says
That pecan pie looks amazingly healthy and oh-so-perfect for any dinner occasion or even a treat 🙂
Jan says
Is there anything I can use in place of flaxmeal? chia maybe?
Jason Sanford says
It could be a fun experiment. If you do try something like chia, eger g egg replacer, or cornstarch, be sure to report back with results for other readers!
Bailey says
I used 1/4 cup tapioca starch instead of flax meal and it came out perfectly
Sharon Braswell says
I have your pecan pie in the oven now! Is there anything I can substitute for the molasses or leave it out entirely? Not really fond of its strong flavor but waiting to see how the pie turns out… It wasn’t overpowering yet when I took the pie mix out of the fridge and it tasted yummy… so far. Thank you!!
Sharon Braswell says
The pie came out great other than the molasses taste that I don’t really care for… Any suggestions? Thank you SO much for a VEgan Pecan Pie Recipe!! 🙂
Jason Sanford says
You can definitely use a different sweetener for the molasses, such as maple syrup! 🙂
Sharon Braswell says
Thank you!!
Aimie says
I made this for Christmas Eve dinner (which we really do around lunchtime so it’s really lunch) and it was great! I did cheat and use store bought (not vegan) ice cream to serve with it, but otherwise it was all vegan!
Allie says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I brought the pie to a Christmas party and it was a huge hit! People loved the fact that it was vegan and more than one person remarked that they were surprised because it “didn’t taste vegan” LOL. I always think it’s so funny that people are surprised when vegan desserts taste good. 🙂 🙂
Thanks for helping me to show my family and friends that just because I choose to eat vegan doesn’t mean I am deprived at all!
Angela says
I have mine setting in the fridge now, it is not thickening up very much, should I add more flax and let sit longer? I don’t want to ruin the pie =( Its for my boyfriends birthday tonight and pecan pie is his favorite and he hasn’t had one in almost 2 years since going vegan. I want to wow him with something delicious!
Jason Sanford says
Hi! Sorry I just saw this, yes it definitely needs to be thick when it comes out of the fridge. Did you end up adding more flax?
Jason
Abby says
Hi!
Mine is not thickening enough either. Any suggestions? If I add more flax seed do I need to whisk it in water first or just add directly to mixture?
Robin Sanders says
Made this tonight since my vegan daughter is home visiting for the holidays. I have to say I was quite impressed with the results. I used maple syrup along with the molasses as the recipe calls for, but used a vegan margarine spread instead of nut butter. (I didn’t have any nut butter other than crunchy peanut butter on hand and I didn’t want peanut-pecan pic.). I also did my standard trick of doubling the number of pecans in the recipe—I’ve never found a pecan pie recipe with enough nuts in it. I left the mixture to rest for about 40 minutes in the fridge and it was noticeably thicker when I got it out, but still runny. Since I didn’t prebake my pie crust at all, I did preheat the oven up to 425 before putting the pie in. I turned the heat down to 350 as soon as I put the pie in. The texture came out perfect after the pie was completely cooled.
But what I really liked best about this pie is that it was NOT icky-sweet the way so many pecan pies are. And that fact was appreciated by everybody in the family. And because of that, this recipe will likely become my go-to recipe for pecan pie even when my vegan daughter is not around!
Amy says
Made this tonight, everyone loved it! Pecan and key lime are my favorite pies (and the ONLY pies I like), so I was excited that you posted this. I wish I had gotten some bourbon for it and I will next time!
Stacey says
Why would honey be an ingredient in a vegan recipe??? Honey is not vegan ?
Jason Sanford says
Honey is only one option. To make it vegan, just use the maple syrup or agave.
RT says
Thank you so much for your recipes! Is there a way to make this one with eggs (but still no dairy)? Would I just take out the flax and the water?
Jason Sanford says
Unfortunately there’s just no way to know unless you try, but be sure to report back if you do!
Fallon says
Made this last year and I am making it again this year!!! If you don’t like the taste of molasses let it sit overnight, the molasses taste will disappear. Goimg to store when I get off work.
Kaitlyn E Maloney says
Hi! I made this as a practice recipe a few weeks ago, and it turned out well. Do you think I could use corn syrup instead of the agave? I’m not especially concerned with it being healthy haha.
Jason Sanford says
I am pretty sure that would work, possibly even better!
Jason
Terri H. says
I’ve been looking for any recipes for my 16 yr old daughter, who has been a vegan for several years now. When we tried this recipe we were hoping that it wouldn’t fail. And it turned out wonderful!!!! My daughter absolutely loved it. She said it tastes so much better than any she’s had in the past. So our thanks to you, we plan on looking through your recipes and trying more..thank you!!
Alecia Haselton says
I just made this pie for Thanksgiving and it looked beautiful! But tasted quite bad Maybe I’m just not used to molasses? Any ideas? No one else liked it either
Jason Sanford says
Hi! You can sub maple syrup for the molasses!
Chris C says
Agave, Honey, and Maple syrup are packed full of fructose just like corn syrup. While it may be delicious, this is not helping at all in stopping fructose in the diet.
Landry Malick says
I doubled the recipe. I made 2 pie crusts with 1 1/2 C gluten free flour and 1/2 C almond flour (both from trader joes) and I prebaked the crusts for 10 min at 400.. I used flaxmeal, water instead of bourbon, and earth balance soy free margarine (not nut butter). Into one pie, I stirred pulverized chocolate chips. The other remained unadulterated. They baked at 350 in glass pie dishes for about 38 minutes and then remained in the oven for another 12 minutes or so. My husband gingerly carried the blazing hot pies out to the back of his car as we had to transport them to a Thanksgiving dinner right away. The pies remained on the counter for a couple-few more hours as we dined. When we cut into them, the were both Perfect! Oh my goddess they were the best pecan pies I have ever ever had, and that says a lot …. I grew up under a pecan tree in Texas.
I was so very happy with this recipe. What a wonderful surprise! Thank you, Katie!
Diane says
I was wondering if I could get your gluten free pie crust recipe in detail. Would love to make this pie but we don’t eat gluten and so I would love to find my own crust I could make at home. Thanks
Ammar A. Alrudaini says
This pie came out so perfect. Thank you so much.
I have one question, my friend wants me to make it for her and she loves sweet stuff, is it possible to add sugar to make little sweeter?
Thank you
Jason Sanford says
I don’t see why not!
Jason
Julie says
Made this Gluten Free for Thanksgiving/Husband’s Birthday Pie. It turned out perfectly.
He says this recipe is a keeper. I loved how easy it was. Thank You.
Laura says
I believe the type of molasses makes a big difference in the flavor so proceed with caution. I also see someone subbed starch for the flaxmeal so if yours doesn’t firm up before baking that might be an option
batman says
Reading through the comments I saw that it turned out kind of soupy for some people so I became kind of paranoid… I just cut a slice and its nice and solid so ill write down exactly what I did.
heaping 1 cup chopped pecans (pretty roughly chopped)
2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup water + 1tbsp water
2 tbsp almond butter
1/4 cup flaxmeal + 1tbs
1 tps vanilla bean paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I would add more chocolate next time I think it needs it since the molasses is pretty overpowering)
optional pecans for garnish
I used a premade crust and baked it for 10 mins at 350
The mixture was looking pretty soupy after sitting at room temp for 30 mins so i put it in the fridge for an additional 20 mins and added the extra tbs of flax. It did thicken up a little but i was paranoid it was still too wet but baked it anyways
I let it cool at room temp for a few hours and it seemed like it was still too loose, but after letting it cool down over night in the fridge the consistency is prefect.
Sofia Giron says
Made this recipe in the winter time and it was very good all my guests enjoyed this. However one problem I faced was when I had to take the pie out of the oven it was very liquidy. The solution was to cool down the pie so it would harden, we left it near an open window and because it was cold it took about 20+ minutes to solidify into the right consistency. If it’s too warm when you cook it then putting it in the fridge will help get the right texture when it comes out watery. I know others had this problem so I want to share what worked for me.
Jason Sanford says
Thanks so much for reporting back on that! I’ve made this pie and never had a problem, but I always chill it before serving so maybe that’s why!
AK says
oh my god. So good. I used 1/4 cup of Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer instead of flax meal. The mixture came out only slightly thicker after leaving it in the fridge for 30 mins, so I was worried it might be too runny without the flax. But it baked absolutely perfectly, and I don’t find the molasses offensive at all, especially since Its so chocolatey from the chocolate chips! I also went with water instead of Bourbon. Maybe some people are mistaking the bourbon taste for too much molasses? Oh, and If anyone is like me and loves sparkling decorating sugar on top of anything and everything, try sprinkling some of that on top of the pie when it’s almost done. Gives each bite another delicious crunchy burst of sweetness.
Jason Sanford says
Wow, your picture makes it look so good!
Amy says
Thanks for the suggestion of the Bobs Red mill egg substitute!! I have that & I hate the taste of flax, yuck! And bonus u said it make it thicker!! I can’t wait to make it! Thank You !
Kari says
I did some things wrong, for sure. The flax didn’t look like it was thickening up so I used chia seeds. In the end, the pie was really hard… not a texture I was expecting. I also added too much molasses. It was more molasses pie than pecan pie. My family said they liked it, but it was a little different than I was expecting.
Robert says
You did it! All I ever see is pecan pie made with Karo Syrup and your recipe deviates from that norm. It is great to see you using flaxmeal. I like to use sea salt as an alternative. And your recipe calls for 2 tbsp of nut butter. I found something that really works great here… creamy pecan butter (fitting for pecan pie and not adding a different nut taste). It is delicious on its own but is great for your pecan pie recipe. It is sold on MillicanPecan.com or they also have it on Amazon. Also, if you are going to use chocolate chips, I have found that the Ghirardelli chips taste the best. Just a few suggestions to make your winning recipe even better!!! Well done!
Anna says
Hi! Would it work to mix the filling the night before, refrigerate it, and then assemble and bake the next day? Or would it get too thick? I’m making a bunch of pies and it would help me a lot if I can do some prep the day before. Thanks!
Jeanne says
Great question Anna! Eager to see the answer…
Ashton says
Honey is not vegan, I think you mean plant based. Veganism is an ethical and science based social movement in favor of liberation of animals, including bees. Veganism isn’t just a fun label to slap on things, there’s an actual history and society behind it.
Jason Sanford says
That is why agave and maple syrup are also listed as options 😉
Sofiam says
Hi! Can I make this recipe as a Crustless Pecan pie?
Jason Sanford says
It sounds like a fun experiment. Be sure to report back if you try!
Sita says
This pecan pie is delicious. I have made it several times and my husband and I, as well as people we have shared it with, all love it. I love your desert recipes Katie!!
Jason Sanford says
Thank you so much for making it!!
Jason (media relations), and Katie 🙂
Nancy says
If I’m using a store-bought frozen unbaked pie crust, should I pre bake it empty for 10 minutes? Put it in the oven frozen with the filling, or leave it at room temperature to defrost and then put it in the oven with the filling?
Jason Sanford says
Yes, pre-bake! 🙂
connie says
Okay, I really miss Pecan Pie because I’m allergic to nuts. That being said, can I substitute with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds? Do you think that would work? Has anybody made a Pumpkin Seed Pie or a Sunflower Seed Pie?
Jason Sanford says
That sounds like a really fun experiment! Be sure to report back for the rest of us if you do try!
Jason
Kim A. says
You can use quick cooking oats instead. Just sub the same amount of pecans for oats. I’ve been making it for years. My son has nut allergies and pecan pie was always my favorite pie. I searched around for a substitute and oatmeal pie came up. Turns out it’s just pecan pie but with oats instead of pecans. I’ve never made a vegan one or Katie’s recioe so, I’m not sure if that would make a difference.
Rebekah Ybarra says
I cannot keep this to myself. Jesus loves you with all His heart and adores you. So does our Heavenly Father. Jesus is the way the truth and the life back to our Father in Heaven! <3 Praying for ALL of you and God bless you ABUNDANTLY <3
Kathy V says
This pie turned out great but I am FASCINATED by the nutritional info calculation. I followed the recipe to the T, and my calorie calculations was DOUBLE what is written here
Lois says
I made this pie for thanksgiving, it was the best pecan pie I ever had. I don’t usually like pecan pie because it’s to sweet.
I did not use molasses, instead I used maple syrup. I also used agave for the sweetener.
I used peanut butter, next time I will use almond butter.
Thank you for a great recipe.
Lois
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Thank you so much for making it! 🙂
Molly says
Another amazing dessert from Katie! I made this for Thanksgiving using the chocolate chips and a homemade graham cracker crust. It was so good! Also added the bourbon and some non dairy Ben & Jerry’s. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe.
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Thank you so much for making it… I love your photo! 🙂
Georgia says
is this 350f fan or normal oven?
Jason Sanford says
Not sure what a fan oven is. I use a normal oven for this.
Jason
THE-VIP-RECIPE says
OMG Yummy! can i have this recipe for my blog, i have many sweets recipe there.
Crys says
Has anyone used honey to make this pie? If so, how did it turn out…. did you still use the molasses or sub it with maple syrup? Also, if subbing out the flax seeds, how much corn starch or tapioca should I use?
Thanks for an eggless, gluten and dairy-free option to try!
Jason Sanford says
You can definitely use honey! (Don’t serve it to vegans with honey, but otherwise it’s great!)
Nancy says
Could you do it without a pie crust?
Jason Sanford says
I don’t think the filling would be firm enough for that. But be sure to report back if you experiment, as I have not tried it.
Jason
Robert says
I made this recipe last night and it turned out well. It is a keeper. To address the pie texture, I added 1 TBSP GF flour to the recipe as recommended from comments on allrecipes.com for another pie recipe.. The flour really helped thicken it. Thanks.
Revi says
Can I put more maple instead of molasses?
Dana Gaydon says
This pecan pie was even better than the non vegan one. Loved it!
Lauren Phippin says
Hey! Does anyone know how long this would keep in the fridge?
Paula Portela says
Hi, does this need to be refrigerated after it completely cools?
CCK Media Team says
We like to fridge for freshness, but if you’re serving to guests it can definitely be left out for a few hours. It’s basically stored the same way as traditional pecan pie.
ALI says
Hello,
I haven’t heard from anyone on how to make cupcake size versions of this recipe yet. Time and temp for crust pre bake and last step bake would be great. Looking forward to hearing from the CCK Team.
Thanks!
Ali says
Hi Katie!
Thank you for this recipe, it is my absolute favorite.
If you wanted to make cupcake size pies, what temperature and time would you think it would take to bake it without over doing it?
Linda says
Yummm! I have never been a fan of pecan pie, due to excessive sweetness. This is perfect! I used Katie’s gluten free crust and all 6 of us dining at my home really enjoyed it.
Tina says
Do I have to grease glass pie dish before placing premade crust in it?
CCK Media Team says
You can, but you don’t have to as long as your crust contains some sort of oil or butter spread.
Jenni says
We LOVED this recipe. Will be making it again. I’m currently waiting for the Crustless Pumpkin Pie recipe to set, and I’m wondering if the same approach with flaxseed could be used with this recipe so the Pecan Pie is crustless?
CCK Media Team says
Hmm sorry, we honestly have never tried that one crustless so can’t say!
Wanda says
LOVED this pecan pie!!
Mary says
Can this be made a day ahead (baked and everything) and kept in the fridge? Or will that change its consistency?
Alternatively, can the filling be made and left in fridge for 24 hours?
CCK Media Team says
It can all be made the day ahead 🙂
Lauren says
Katie, hi! This will seem like a very odd question. Do you think you can use this same filling and bake it as bars in an 8×8″ pan, using a crust from one of your bar recipes? I can’t see why not, but I wondered what the expert might suggest. Can you offer any thoughts? I like the idea of having the same thickness of filling, but in bar form as opposed to pie form. Thank you in advance! –Lauren
Lauren says
I decided to try to use your filling but with oats instead of pecans, and baked in an 8×8″ glass dish instead of a 9″ round pan since the dimensions are relatively equal. For a crust, I used a scaled down version of your sugar cookie dough. I think it turned out quite well. Thanks for your ideas!
Carrie says
LOVED this pecan pie recipe!