Crustless Pecan Pie without Corn Syrup (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Paleo)

This easy Crustless Pecan Pie is made without corn syrup, is gluten-free, vegan, and paleo! This healthy, lower sugar, egg-free, dairy-free, and grain-free recipe for the classic holiday dessert has all the flavors you know and love with sugar-free and keto options! A sweet and nutty Southern treat perfect for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season!

Is it possible to make a classic pecan pie without the crust, corn syrup, dairy, and eggs? You better believe it is! Sweet and nutty, gooey and crunchy; it’s everything you LOVE about an old-fashioned pecan pie without all the added nonsense. Pecan pie 2.0 is finally here to make your holiday season 100x better! Of course, who says crustless pecan pie is only for the holidays? This one will be a staple year-round!

Why is pecan pie so bad for you?

A traditional Southern Pecan Pie is a far cry from anything that could be deemed “healthy”. It’s a dessert through and through, and probably the least healthy of the holiday pies. It’s made with corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and pecans. Plus a buttery crust to hold in all that sweet nuttiness! I was never a fan; while I don’t like pies to begin with (it’s a texture thing), pecan pie always sounded like the worst! It’s just a slice of gooey sticky sugar syrup with nuts: too much sugar, fat, and calories.

Can you make pecan pie without corn syrup?

Luckily, we can clean up this pie’s sugar profile and skip the Karo syrup! You don’t need the heavily refined corn syrup (which is full of a lot more than just corn sugar!) to make one. Just something sticky and sweet. You’ll see variations using brown rice syrup, honey, maple syrup, molasses, or agave. Combine a liquid sweetener with some brown sugar and you’re good to go! The low-sugar pecan pie variation contains: sweetened condensed coconut milk, Swerve brown sugar sweetener, and golden syrup. To make it paleo, swap the golden syrup with maple, molasses, or even a keto sweetener.

Can you make it without eggs?

The structure of the pecan pie filling is all based on the syrupy sugars and eggs. That’s why it’s slightly jiggly when done but still holds its shape. Since eggs are a NO over here, the perfect solution to make an eggless pecan pie is to use some flaxseed as a binder! No need to starch or grains, just a simple flax egg mixture does just fine. You can’t even tell the mixed flax seed is in there since they blend with the brown colors.

How to make a Crustless Pecan Pie

We’re using the term “pie” loosely here, but this gluten-free pecan pie is more like a vegan creme brulee. It has a crunchy, brittle-type of “crust” around the edges and top, but is gooey and pudding-like in the center.

What you need:

• Condensed Coconut Milk (make it homemade and paleo but boiling down coconut milk and coconut sugar or granulated sugar-free sweetener)
• Brown Sugar Sweetener (or use preferred dark brown sugar)
• Sugar Syrup (brown rice syrup, golden syrup, pure maple syrup, molasses, honey, agave, sugar-free syrup)
• Milled Flax Seed
• Pecans
• Vanilla Extract
• Cinnamon

Making the pie:

1. Mix together the flaxseed with 1/2 cup of water and allow it to gel for 5-10 minutes.
2. Mix together the three sweeteners in a large bowl, then add the flaxseed egg.
3. Crush 1 cup of your pecans and fold them into the sticky sugar mixture along with the vanilla and cinnamon.
4. Line a 9-inch pie pan with parchment paper and pour in the pecan mixture. Decorate the top of the mixture with extra pecan halves.
5. Bake the pie at 400°F for 20 minutes, remove the pie and allow it to cool and set for about 20-30 minutes.

Notes on making it sugar-free and keto:

• Condensed Coconut Milk = Homemade condensed coconut milk with coconut milk and granulated erythritol
• Brown Sugar-Style Erythritol
• Sugar Syrup = Sugar-Free Maple

This pecan pie without corn syrup is:

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan
• Allergen-Friendly (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free)
• Paleo
• Oil-Free and Butter-Free
• Sugar-Free Options
• Keto Options

Making your pecan pie ahead of time

When making this sugar-free pecan pie ahead of time, you’ll need to cool it completely and store it in the fridge. Do not freeze this crustless pie. Depending on the sweetener combination you use, the pie may be harder or softer, regardless, you will need to bring the pie to room temperature before slicing it. Line your pie dish with parchment paper! If you don’t it will be difficult to get out of the pan.

How long can you keep it?

The pecan pie can be kept for up to a week if stored properly in the fridge. However, the sooner you eat it the better. Without eggs or butter, there is nothing inherently perishable in this pie.

How to serve your pecan pie

You can eat your pecan pie cold or hot. Since you’ll need to bring it to room temperature for easy cutting, you may want to warm up the cut slices on plates in the microwave to get the sugars all gooey and melty. Top the pie slices with some vegan ice cream, dairy-free whipped cream, or some homemade fluff!

The History of the Pecan Pie

Pecan pie has Southern origins where pecans were cultivated by Native Americans in Texas, Alabama, and Louisiana. When the French began populated the New Orleans region, they were introduced to pecans and some say they took a variation of classic Sugar Pies from Europe and used pecans in these sugary, buttery, custard pies. Karo syrup came along in the 1930s and popularised the dish via their corn syrups as a new use for them. The dark corn syrup is more like the rich molasses taste of traditional pecan pies, but light corn syrup could be used too for a less intense taste. (Corn syrup was never “traditional”. Karo just used their marketing powers and made it the mainstream sugar to use!) The pie has since then been associated with the holiday season, specifically Thanksgiving and Christmas.

More Crustless Pie Recipes:

• Crustless Apple Pie
• Crustless Pumpkin Pie
• Crustless Sweet Potato Pie

Crustless Pecan Pie without Corn Syrup

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Now I feel complete! The Quartet of classic Thanksgiving pies is not complete on Strength and Sunshine! While pecan pie isn’t “allergy-free” (by nature it can’t be, haha!), it is allergy-friendly and this specific recipe or “formula” is healthier than anything out there! Let me know if you give it a try this year during the holiday season!

So tell me:

+ What’s your favorite Thanksgiving/Holiday pie?

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