Vegan Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup)

Time

• Prep: 25 minutes

• Bake: 50–60 minutes

• Cooling: at least 2 hours

Yield

• One 9-inch pie (8–10 slices)

Ingredients

Pie Crust (or use a store-bought vegan crust)

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• ½ cup cold vegan butter, cubed

• 3–5 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• 1¼ cups pecan halves (some chopped, some whole)

• ¾ cup pure maple syrup (Grade A Dark or Amber preferred)

• ½ cup packed brown sugar

• ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk (or soy cream)

• 3 tablespoons vegan butter, melted

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

• 5 tablespoons water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare the crust

1. Whisk flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl.

2. Cut in cold vegan butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Add ice water gradually until dough just comes together.

4. Shape into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.

5. Roll out and fit into a 9-inch pie pan. Crimp edges if desired.

6. Chill the crust while making the filling.

2. Make the flax binder

• Stir ground flaxseed and water together.

• Let stand for 10 minutes until thick and gel-like.

3. Make the filling

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together maple syrup, brown sugar, coconut milk, melted vegan butter, flax mixture, vanilla, salt, and spices.

3. Whisk in cornstarch until completely smooth.

4. Fold in pecans.

4. Assemble

• Pour filling into the chilled crust.

• Arrange whole pecans on top for a traditional look.

5. Bake

• Bake uncovered for 50–60 minutes.

• Edges should be set; the center should still jiggle slightly.

If crust browns too quickly, loosely cover the edges with foil after 30 minutes.

6. Cool and set

• Cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

• For clean slices, refrigerate 30–60 minutes before cutting.

Texture and Flavor Notes

• Maple syrup provides structure and caramel depth similar to corn syrup.

• Brown sugar adds chewiness and molasses notes.

• Flaxseed and cornstarch ensure the filling sets without eggs.

Variations

• Less sweet: reduce brown sugar to ⅓ cup

• Bourbon pecan: add 1–2 tablespoons bourbon

• Chocolate pecan: stir in ½ cup vegan chocolate chips