The Best Vegan Pecan Pie - Easy Recipe! (2024)

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posted by Jessica Hylton on Nov 11, 2020 13 comments »

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This Vegan Pecan Pie takes only 20 minutes of prep and is incredibly easy to make! Homemade pie is perfect for holidays and special occasions, especially when you have an irresistible flaky crust paired with an indulgently sweet filling. This pecan pie recipe is made without corn syrup and still tastes like the classic dessert you know and love!

My goodness – WHAT a pie! Before I even get into how mouth-watering and delicious this vegan pecan pie is, let’s talk about how it takes only 20 minutes of prep!! It’s great if you need a quick holiday pie dish to bring to your holiday table. It’s especially great if you’re vegan, or have someone who is or is egg free and needs an egg free dessert recipe. I just know it’s one you guys are going to love!

Last year I actually shared this pecan pie as a part of a special email list-only recipe. This year, I wanted to bring that same well-loved recipe to the blog after so many requests for it. It’s just as traditional as my vegan pumpkin pie, capturing everything you love about the traditional dessert, but making it 100% vegan. If you’re a traditional pecan pie lover, you’re going to adore this pie!

Notes on the Ingredients

Ok so what are you going to make this pecan pie? You can find a full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are few notes to help you get perfect results:

• Vegan butter – Don’t switch this for oil. The butter gives this that traditional pecan pie flavor!
• Cornstarch – Helps to bind the pie together flawlessly. I have not tested arrowroot starch here so I can’t advise if it works, but feel free to test it!
• Agave nectar/maple syrup – Either works well as a replacement to the traditional corn syrup, but agave is stickier and closer in texture!
• Raw brown or cane sugar – A mix of dry and wet sugars really brings in the right flavor!
• Egg substitutes – Essential for the binding of this pie! I recommend Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer (affiliate link). This is a great purchase that you can use in lots of vegan baking to come.
• Pecans – That beautiful essential ingredient for pecan pie! I recommend using the freshest kind you can get for the best flavor and texture
• Pie crust – If you’re low on time you can use store-bought pie crust.

How to Make Vegan Pecan Pie (Step by Step Instructions)

Now that we’ve taken a look at the best ingredients to use, let’s talk about making this pie:

Make the Pie Crust

As I mentioned above, if you are in a hurry you can use your favorite store bought pie crust for this recipe. You will just skip right to the pre-baking part before making and adding the filling.

If you want to go the homemade route, I recommend using my vegan pie crust recipe. It makes a tender and flaky pie crust that is absolutely perfect for all kinds of pies. It can be made in advance too, so you can make your pie crust a couple days beforehand, then finish up your pecan pie once it’s closer to the day you want to serve it.

• Make the pie dough. You can find full instructions for making the dough in my pie crust post.
• Add to pie pan. Roll the dough out and add it to your pie pan. Use a sharp knife to trim off extra pie dough, then shape the edges using your fingers as shown above.
• Pre-bake the pie crust for 10 minutes in the oven at 350F. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes.

Make the Pecan Pie Filling

• Melt the vegan butter. Place the vegan butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for at least 45 seconds.
• Add cornstarch. Remove and whisk the cornstarch in until it’s completely dissolved.
• Combine remaining ingredients except pecans. In a large bowl, add all the pie ingredients except the pecans. Whisk together well until all incorporated.

• Add pecans. Arrange the pecans neatly and evenly on the bottom of the pie crust.
• Add filling mixture. Pour the liquid over the pecans to cover and watch as the pecans rise to the top.

TIP: If you’re showing this pie off, I like to go in and just slightly arrange the pecans into an even layer again and maybe even flip some so it’ll bake very pretty.

Bake

• Bake your pie. Bake for 50 minutes in the oven on the lower shelf in the center.
• Test for doneness. The pie should be slightly wobbly when you’re taking it off but still held together.
• Cool. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t slice into pie until it’s completely cooled.

Expert Tips

• Which pie crust to use? I highly recommend using my pie crust recipe since it can withstand the thickness of this Pecan Pie. If you would rather use a store-bought mix variety, I would recommend the Bob’s Red Mill Pie Crust Mix which I also recipe tested and works perfectly here! Plus its flakiness and butteriness offsets the sweetness of this pie perfectly.
  • If you want to purchase a pre-made crust, I highly recommend a high quality less sweet brand. I also tested one of the cheaper brands and it fell completely apart and got dissolved by the pie.
• Can I make this pie crustless? I also tested making this crustless since I know some readers do ask for this option. While the pie was delicious, it essentially flipped over, becoming an upside down pecan pie, and all the pecans settled to the bottom of the pie.
• Let the pie cool completely before slicing into it. Cutting it before will affect the consistency.
• What’s the best egg replacement for pie? I highly recommend getting this (affiliate link) Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer and using it in this pie. It’s my favorite egg replacer and works so well in this pie. You can of course use flax eggs, although it won’t hold as well, and I’m not sure flax eggs would look so great in this pie.
• Top with vegan whipped cream. I love this pie with a dollop of my homemade coconut whipped cream, which is totally vegan and is super easy to make!

How to Make Your Pecan Pie More Firm

This pie was created to be just like the traditional gooey but firm Pecan Pie, but if you want it even firmer, put it in the fridge! If you’re keeping it in the fridge and want it softer, you can pop it in the microwave for about 10 seconds or let it sit at room temperature for about an hour to come back to this consistency.

Also note that it is normal for this pie to be a bit jiggly when it comes out of the oven! It will thicken as it cools and sets.

Do I Need to Refrigerate Pecan Pie?

I recommend storing this pie in the fridge if you are not going to eat it within a few hours of its cooling. Let it cool completely, then cover it with saran wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

More Vegan Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas

• Vegan Pumpkin Pie
• Vegan Pumpkin Sheet Cake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Vegan Apple Pie

published on Nov 11, 2020

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