It also slices beautifully once set, making it a great make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving. I use my flaky vegan pie crust and blind-bake it first so the base stays crisp underneath the gooey filling.
Note: I have updated my original recipe (from 2022) with simpler instructions, and it now makes a deep-dish pecan pie that sets and slices beautifully!
Why this recipe works
- No corn syrup: Pure maple syrup combines with brown sugar to create the sticky caramel filling, with a much deeper flavor than sweetness alone.
- Sets without eggs: Cornstarch thickens the maple filling, while coconut cream and vegan butter give it the rich texture you'd expect from classic pecan pie.
- Loads of toasted pecans: Toasting the nuts first brings out their flavor, with chopped pecans throughout the filling and glossy whole pecans on top.
- Perfect for Thanksgiving: The pie can be made ahead and actually slices best once it has had plenty of time to cool and set.
Key ingredients
Pecans: Toasting the pecans before assembling the pie makes a big difference to their flavor. I chop half for the filling and leave the rest whole for the classic pecan topping.
Pure maple syrup: Instead of corn syrup, this maple pecan pie uses pure maple syrup as part of the caramel filling. Its deeper flavor pairs especially well with toasted pecans and brown sugar.
Soft brown sugar: The molasses gives the filling an extra caramelized flavor and works alongside the maple syrup rather than relying on corn syrup for sweetness.
Cornstarch: This is what helps the filling set in this pecan pie without eggs. In the US, you'll know it as cornstarch; in Ireland and the UK it's often sold as cornflour. Ground arrowroot can also be used.
Full-fat coconut milk: Use only the thick cream from the top of the can. It adds richness and helps create the gooey caramel consistency without making the filling overly runny.
Vegan butter: Use block-style vegan butter rather than a spreadable tub variety. Together with the coconut cream, it gives this dairy-free pecan pie its rich, buttery filling.
Bourbon: Optional, but a little bourbon deepens the caramel and toasted pecan flavors without making the finished pie taste strongly boozy.
Vegan pie crust: I use my flaky vegan pie crust, made with vegan buttermilk for a crisp, buttery base. You can prepare the dough up to 3 days ahead, which is especially useful if you're making this for Thanksgiving.
How to make vegan pecan pie
Here's a visual overview showing how to make this recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card at the end of this page for full measurements and written instructions. You can also hit the jump to recipe button at the top of this page to skip to it.
Start with the pastry. Roll the chilled pie dough to around ⅛-inch thick, gently fit it into the pie dish, and dock the base with a fork. Blind-baking is really important here - the filling is deliberately gooey, so giving the crust a head start is what prevents a soft or underbaked bottom.
While the crust cools, toast the pecans in a skillet for a few minutes until fragrant. Once cool enough to handle, chop half and keep the remaining pecans whole for the top.
For the filling, whisk the maple syrup and cornstarch together before adding the other ingredients. This makes it much easier to get a completely smooth filling without little pockets of starch. Add the vegan butter, brown sugar, and thick coconut cream and cook until the caramel has thickened slightly - it should still be pourable at this stage.
Scatter the chopped pecans over the cooled crust and pour over most of the maple caramel. Arrange the whole pecans across the top, then brush them with the reserved filling for that glossy caramelized finish.
Before baking, cover the exposed pastry with a foil pie shield. The filling needs longer in the oven than the already blind-baked crust, so this prevents the edges from becoming too dark.
The filling will still look hot, sticky, and bubbling when the pie comes out of the oven. Don't judge the final consistency while it's hot. It firms considerably as it cools, so give it at least an hour before serving and chill it for a few hours or overnight if you want especially clean slices.
Christina's recipe tips
Don't skip blind-baking the crust. This is the most reliable way I've found to keep the pastry crisp underneath such a gooey filling.
Toast the pecans first. It only takes a few minutes but brings out much more of their warm, nutty flavor.
Mix the maple syrup and cornstarch before heating. Whisking these together first prevents the cornstarch from clumping once the remaining filling ingredients are added.
Keep the coconut cream and vegan butter. I've tested the filling without coconut milk and without vegan butter, but the combination of both gave me the best consistency and flavor.
Use a pie shield. The crust has already been partially baked by the time the filling goes in, so covering the exposed edges prevents them from browning before the center is ready.
Let it set before slicing. Pecan pie is very soft straight from the oven. For the neatest slices, I recommend chilling it for a few hours or overnight.
Frequently asked questions
This eggless pecan pie uses cornstarch rather than eggs to thicken the maple caramel filling. Full-fat coconut cream and vegan butter also add richness and help give the filling its classic soft, gooey consistency once cooled.
There's no need to add flax eggs, chia eggs, or another commercial egg replacer.
Yes. This is actually one of my favorite ways to prepare it because the filling sets more firmly as it cools.
You can prepare the pie crust dough up to 3 days ahead, then bake the finished pie the day before Thanksgiving. Once it has cooled completely, cover and refrigerate it overnight. Bring it closer to room temperature before serving if you prefer a softer filling.
I don't recommend it. I tested the filling without coconut milk and without vegan butter, but found that using the two together gave the best texture.
Make sure you use the thick cream from a can of full-fat coconut milk and a block-style vegan butter rather than a spreadable variety.
More vegan Thanksgiving pies
If you're planning your Thanksgiving dessert table, you can also browse all of my vegan Thanksgiving desserts for more pies, pumpkin desserts, cakes, and make-ahead options.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ★★★★★ rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment as well, thanks!
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup)
Ingredients
Using a 9-inch Pie Dish (Deeper filling)
- ¾ batch vegan pie crust *see note 1
- 300 g (3 cups) pecans
- 180 ml (¾ cups) pure maple syrup
- 60 g (6 tablespoons) cornstarch (cornflour) or ground arrowroot
- 100 g (3.5 oz) vegan butter *see note 2
- 180 g (¾ cup + 1 tablespoon) soft brown sugar
- 200 g (7 oz) full-fat canned coconut milk use only thick cream from top the of can
- 30 ml (1 floz) Bourbon whiskey or rum, optional
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Using a 9-inch Tart Tin
- ½ batch vegan pie crust
- 250 g (2 ½ cups) pecans
- 120 ml (½ cups) pure maple syrup
- 40 g (4 tablespoons) cornstarch (cornflour) or ground arrowroot
- 70 g (2 ½ oz) vegan butter *see note 1
- 110 g (½ cup) soft brown sugar
- 130 g (4.6 oz) full-fat canned coconut milk use only thick cream from top the of can
- 30 ml (1 floz) Bourbon whiskey or rum, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Make the pie crust: Prepare this pie crust recipe through to step 6 of the recipe instructions (you can do this up to 3 days ahead and store the dough in the fridge).
- Preparation: Preheat your oven to fan 190°C/374°F or conventional 210°C/410°F. Also, preheat an aluminum tray or baking sheet in the oven. Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling it out.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to around ⅛ inch in thickness, then fold it over and roll again. Repeat this process so it has been folded 4 times, dusting with flour as needed. Finally, roll the dough to a ⅛ inch in thickness with a circumference larger than your pie tin. Carefully lift the pastry into the tart tin using your rolling pin. Gently press the dough into the base and sides of the tin, being careful not to stretch it. Use scissors to trim off the excess pastry around the edges of the pan. To crimp the edges of the dough simply press the edges down using a fork. Pierce several holes into the base of the pastry using a fork.
- Blind bake the crust: Take a sheet of parchment paper and cut it into a circle slightly larger than the pie. Rest it on top of the pastry and fill the base with baking beads (or dried beans, rice, or lentils). Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the baking beads and turn down the oven temperature to fan 160°C/320°F or conventional 180°C/356°F. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the pastry is lightly golden. Place the pie dish on a cooling rack and cool to room temperature.
- Toast the pecans: Toast the pecans in a skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted, for 3-4 minutes. once cool enough to handle, chop half of the pecans into small chunks, and leave the rest of the pecans whole for the topping.
- Make the filling: Add the maple syrup and cornstarch to a saucepan and whisk until smooth without lumps. Add the butter, brown sugar, and coconut milk and bring to a simmer and cook for 2-4 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and whisk in the Bourbon, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
- Arrange the tart: Add the chopped pecans to the base of the pie dish. Pour the caramel mixture on top (holding back a few tablespoons for glazing) and roughly stir the chopped pecans and caramel. Arrange the whole pecans on top of the pie, and use a pastry brush to gently glaze the top of the pie with the remaining filling mixture.
- Create a pie crust shield (foil tent): Take a sheet of aluminum foil and cut it into 3-4 pieces to fit around the circumference of the dish, then fold each piece in half. Carefully place it around the pie dish so that you can turn it in to cover the visible pastry (image in the blog post).
- Bake: Bake at 160°C/320°F or conventional 180°C/356°F for 30-35 minutes, then remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack. The caramel will appear sticky and bubbling - don't touch it as it will be piping hot!
- Serving: Allow the pie to cool to room temperature for at least an hour. Serve topped with homemade vanilla vegan ice cream, or whipped vegan cream. For clean slices, refrigerate the pie for a few hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
- Homemade Pie Crust: For a deep-dish pie tin you'll need ¾ of this pie crust recipe. I recommend making a full batch so you have extra to work with. You can freeze any leftover dough for another time.
- Vegan butter: Make sure you use vegan block butter NOT spreadable butter from a tub.
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