This vegan version of classic pecan pie will have everyone second-guessing, as there is no way you'd know it is completely eggless and dairy-free!
It has the flakiest vegan pie crust ever, baked until golden brown (no soggy crusts here!). With a delicious crunch from caramelized pecans, the maple caramel filling is sticky and sweet, pairing perfectly with the flaky pie crust.
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!
🧾 Ingredients
You'll need a batch of homemade pie crust, which you can prep in advance if you want to save time on the day of baking the pie! Otherwise, you need pretty simple ingredients to make the perfect vegan pecan pie from scratch. Here's what to grab:
Ingredient Notes
Pecan Halves: These are toasted in a skillet to bring out their warm, nutty flavor. You can use pecan pieces if you're not fussed about the topping looking too neat!
Soft Brown Sugar: This contains molasses, unlike granulated sugar, giving a delicious caramelized flavor to the vegan pecan pie filling.
Pure Maple Syrup: Maple and pecan nuts are a match made in heaven, and the maple flavor in the caramel pie filling shines through beautifully.
Cornstarch: Also known as cornflour, this thickens the filling. You can also use arrowroot powder in its place.
Vegan butter: This forms the base of the caramel filling. It also gives a delicious butter pecan flavor to the pie.
Bourbon: While you won't necessarily taste the bourbon, it enhances the overall flavor of the pie. You can omit or swap for whiskey or dark rum if needed.
📷 Step-By-Step Images
Here's a visual overview showing how to make this vegan pecan pie 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.
Making the pastry
Roll out your vegan pie dough to about ⅛" thick - not too thick or it'll stay doughy, but not so thin that it tears. A light greasing and dusting of the pie pan helps the crust release easily once baked.
Press the dough gently into the base and sides, and don't skip docking the base with a fork. This stops the crust from puffing up like a balloon in the oven.
Blind baking is key here. It gives the crust a head start, so it stays crisp even with the gooey filling. Pie weights (or rice, beans, whatever you have) keep the base flat while baking.
After the first bake, removing the weights and baking again helps the crust turn golden and hold its shape.
Making the pecan pie filling
While the crust cools, toast the pecans. A quick toast brings out their natural oils and deepens the flavor, which makes a big difference in a pie where they're front and center.
For the caramel filling, whisking the maple syrup and cornstarch before heating is what prevents clumps later on.
Once the mixture simmers with the sugar, coconut milk, and butter, it thickens slightly. It doesn't need to be super thick, just rich enough to set as it cools.
Assembling the pie
Layer the chopped pecans into the cooled crust first, as they help distribute the texture and stop the filling from sinking. Pour the caramel over the top, saving a little for brushing over the pecans later.
Arranging the whole pecans on top gives it that bakery-style finish, and brushing them with the leftover filling makes them glossy and beautifully golden once baked.
Finally, shielding the crust edges with foil is the trick to preventing burnt edges without underbaking the filling. Once it's out of the oven, let the pie cool fully so the filling sets properly and slices cleanly.
💭 Recipe Tips
Prep ahead. Make your pie crust up to 3 days before baking the pie and store it in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap.
Blind-bake your crust! I would not recommend trying this recipe without par-baking the pie crust. This is the best way to avoid soggy pie crust, which no one wants!
Save any excess pastry for later! You can freeze the uncooked pastry in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before using it.
Don't skip the pie shield. This will prevent the pastry from browning too quickly. Otherwise, it will cook before the pie filling is ready.
Take your pecan pie to the next level by adding a big scoop of homemade vegan vanilla ice cream, or a dollop of whipped coconut cream before serving.
💬 FAQs
Yes and no! Once at room temperature, you should store pecan pie in the fridge if you're not serving it the same day. Preferably in an airtight container or covered with foil, but a cake dome also works.
Because this pecan pie is made without eggs or dairy, you can leave it out at room temperature for 4 hours or so.
Absolutely, you can reduce the recipe to fit a tart tin. Reduce the filling to two-thirds, and use only half of a pie crust.
I'm often asked whether vegan block butter or coconut milk can be replaced in recipes, and the answer is sometimes!
But when it comes to this pecan pie, it's important to stick to the exact ingredients, as I have tested it without coconut milk and without butter, but a combination works best.
🥧 More Vegan Pies
📖 Recipe
The Best 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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