This gluten-free pecan pie has an easy press-in oat flour-based pie crust, and the filling is sweetened with maple syrup and brown sugar or coconut sugar. It’s also easy to make dairy-free!
I like to go crazy for Thanksgiving. After Halloween, it’s my favorite holiday.
When we’re done feasting on carb-heavy dishes like this Gluten-free Cornbread, Air Fryer Butternut Squash and Gluten-free Mac and Cheese, I’ll be serving this (also carb-heavy) pecan pie this year. If you prefer something lighter, I can suggest my Crustless Pumpkin Pie.
I actually don’t even like pecans – the texture weirds me out. So that must mean this pecan pie is really good – and it is!
Ingredients
I go into detail about pretty much every ingredient down below, but here’s an overview of what you need. Note that the amount of each ingredient shown is not what you need for the pie.
You indeed need more pecans than that. ;)
For the crust
For the filling
The crust
I like to use cookie-like crusts in my pie recipes, but pecan pie is an exception because it’s already so sweet.
This recipe has a tablespoon of granulated or coconut sugar in it, but it’s far from a cookie crust.
It’s pretty boring on its own (which is, in my opinion, true of all non-cookie crusts), but it’s perfect in combination with the pecan pie filling.
How to make it
Stir together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Then add your oil and stir until you have these crumbs.
Add the water and stir until a dough form. The first few seconds, it’ll seem way too wet and sticky.
It only takes about 20 seconds for the oat flour to suck up the liquid.
If your dough seems too dry, you can add up to another 1 teaspoon of water.
Now you’ve got a ball of dough with a slightly strange texture.
When you press it into the greased pie pan, you’ll notice that it’s more rubbery (can’t think of a better word!) than regular pie crust. Now place it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Why do I have to use store-bought oat flour?
This recipe, like my Oat Flour Brownies, calls for store-bought oat flour because homemade is never as finely ground as store-bought. When your oat flour is too coarse, then your crust doesn’t absorb enough of the fat, leaving you with a soggy crust.
In some recipes, like my Gluten-free Apple Crisp or Swedish Apple Pie, homemade is fine. But crust is so finicky. Store-bought is the way to go!
I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free Oat Flour but think you’d also get good results with other brands.
Gluten-free?
Make sure to use gluten-free oat flour! Some brands aren’t gluten-free because they’re contaminated during processing or in the fields.
You can read more here → Are Oats Gluten-free?
Weigh the flour
I highly recommend weighing the oat flour! It’s one of those flours where you can easily pack your measuring cup too full and ruin your crust.
It tends to get really compacted in the bag, so it’s hard to know how full to pack the measuring cup.
Can I use a deep dish pie pan?
It’s definitely not enough dough to use in a deep dish pie pan and crimp the edges. You don’t want to pat the dough too thin.
You could use a deep dish and press the dough as high as you can get it. And skip the crimping. Then the crust should at least hold all your filling.
Can I roll it out instead of press it in?
You can. The dough will be drier and more delicate than normal crust, so it breaks more easily. I thought it was easier to press it in.
It’s not at all sticky, so you can easily roll it out without flouring the surface.
Can I pre-bake the pie crust?
No. I tried that and the crust cracked.
I baked it anyway, but the filling seeped through the cracks and the crust got soggy. It was still delicious, but you definitely don’t want a soggy crust if it can be prevented!
Can I use this crust for other pies?
As I said above, you can’t pre-bake it. If you don’t pre-bake it, depending on the recipe, the crust can be kind of boring and bland on the bottom.
I used it for this Paleo Chocolate Fudge Pie. The crust wasn’t soggy at all, but it wasn’t crisp and flavorful without pre-baking.
This pecan pie is just special. So for now, I’m going to have to recommend not using this crust in other recipes.
I’ve gone through 7 bags of oat flour trying to find a way to pre-bake this thing. I’m not going to give up after investing so much in it. 😄
How to make the filling
You just stir everything together, except for the pecans, and then stir in the pecans. Super easy!
Maple sub?
You have to use maple syrup in this pie. You can’t use honey, corn syrup, more brown sugar, or anything else in its place.
Pies, and especially pecan pies, are finicky. I don’t recommend experimenting at all with the recipe.
Can I omit the brown/coconut sugar?
Same as above. You can’t use more maple in its place, use anything else or just plain omit it. You need to use brown sugar or coconut sugar.
Can I at least reduce the sweetener amount?
Sorry to be annoying, but I would really, really not recommend that.
I’ve tried reducing the amount of sugar in other pecan pie recipes, and it causes the oil to separate, float to the top, and make a mess.
You might be able to get away with reducing it by a tablespoon or so, but I wouldn’t recommend even doing that if it’s important that this pie come out perfectly.
Do I have to use pecans?
You can use walnuts. I did once and it was good, but we preferred it with pecans.
Can I freeze it?
I haven’t tried it, and I wouldn’t freeze the whole pie in preparation for Thanksgiving or anything special, but I think it’d work.
Usually, pies heavy on the eggs don’t freeze well. But pecan pie does, thanks to its high sugar and fat content.
If you have some pieces left over, I would wrap them in plastic wrap and then place those in a Ziploc. Then freeze for up to 3 months.
How do I make it vegan?
There’s no sub for the eggs in this recipe. So I would have to recommend finding an already vegan pecan pie recipe.
I can offer you these Mini Pecans Pies that have gluten-free and vegan options. They’re totally different than this pie, but still delicious.
I’ve also got this Vegan Caramel Pecan Cheesecake and Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake. You can make both ahead of time and defrost for Thanksgiving! They’re both in my top 10 favorite recipes on my blog.
I think I love my vegan cheesecake recipes even more than regular cheesecakes! But back to this pie.
How do I make this paleo?
You would have to find a paleo pie crust. There’s no way to make this oat flour pie crust paleo.
I wouldn’t recommend a nut flour-based crust. Maybe one with cassava flour and/or starches, along with some nut flour. But not 100% nut flour, as I believe the crust would get soggy.
And then use the coconut oil, coconut sugar and arrowroot stach options listed in the filling part of my pecan pie recipe.
Other gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes
Not sure what to make this year? Here are some of my favorites!
- Gluten-free Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Air Fryer Apples
- Rainbow Carrots
- Dairy-free Mashed Potatoes
- Apple Juice Cocktails
I hope you like this gluten-free pecan pie! I’m eager to hear how you like it, so if you make it, please leave a comment below or post a photo to social media and tag #texanerin so I can be sure to see it! Enjoy!
Gluten-free Pecan Pie
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 8 slices
Ingredients
- 153 grams1 (1 2/3 cups) store-bought2 gluten-free oat flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or very tightly packed coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons oil3 or 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) COLD water
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar or very tightly packed coconut sugar4
- 1 cup (240 ml) pure maple syrup
- 3 large (50 grams each, out of shell) eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter or 3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (51 grams) coconut oil, melted and still warm
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups (280 grams) chopped pecans
Crust:
Filling:
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 C) and grease a 9” pie plate (a regular one, not deep dish).
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oat flour, sugar, oil and salt with a fork until well combined.
- Add oil and stir until you have coarse crumbs. Add water and stir until well combined, and it forms a dough. It’ll be denser and firmer than regular dough. The first few seconds, it’ll seem way too wet and sticky. It only takes about 20 seconds for the oat flour to suck up the liquid.
- If your dough seems too dry, you can add up to another 1 teaspoon of water (room temp is okay).
- Pat the dough over the bottom and up the sides of the greased pie pan. Make sure the dough goes all the way up the sides. Place in the fridge while preparing the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together all filling ingredients except for the pecans, sprinkling on the cornstarch, rather than plopping down a big clump. If there are any eggy bits that aren't coming out, remove them or they’ll bake up ugly.
- Once combined, stir in the pecans.
- It’s best to do the following step near the oven so that the filling doesn’t spill over the crust as you’re transferring the pan. Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust, but do not pour so high that it goes over the crust!
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the middle is set. It’ll have risen a bit but will settle back down as it cools.
- Let cool completely, about 2 hours, and then refrigerate for at least 2 more.
- Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 4 days.
Make the crust:
Make the filling:
Notes
- I highly recommend weighing the oat flour! It's one of those flours where you can easily pack your measuring cup too full and ruin your crust.
- This recipe calls for store-bought oat flour because homemade is never as finely ground as store-bought. And then your crust doesn't absorb enough fat, leaving you with a soggy crust.
- You can use canola oil, vegetable oil, light oil olive or coconut oil. I use refined coconut oil, but you can use unrefined coconut oil if you don't mind coconut flavor.
- Note that it's best to weigh coconut sugar! Some brands are light and coarse and some brands (like the one I use) are very fine and dense.
- For dairy-free, use oil and not butter in the crust and filling.
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30 comments on “Gluten-free Pecan Pie” — Add one!
4 comments are awaiting moderation!
My didn’t turn out as pretty as yours, my first time baking a pecan pie. I will let you know how the taste came out:)
BTW, how do I post a Picture of my pie?
Hi! My site unfortunately doesn’t have an upload functionality. It’s totally normal for someone’s first pie to not be a thing is beauty. ;) But I hope you could still enjoy it!
I made this pie yesterday and it was absolutely delicious. Best Gluten Free Pecan pie I have made yet! Very delicious.
Ooh, yay! I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks a ton for letting me know. :) Happy Thanksgiving!
Love that this recipe is gluten-free. I am always looking for recipes that don’t deprive me from eating my favorite recipes. So, gave this one a try and it’s absolutely delicious. You can’t tell the difference between the regular pecan pie vs. the gluten free one. happy that I can still enjoy these recipes using healthier options. Looking forward to seeing more healthy recipes on this blog. :)
Aww, yay! I’m glad that you didn’t feel deprived with this pie. :) Thanks so much for your lovely words and happy Thanksgiving!
Made this recipe ahead to taste test before the holidays. I love how it turned out. The filling came out thick and creamy with a hint of maple syrup. Cant wait to make it again for the holidays. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it. :) And glad that it made the cut for the holidays! Thanks for your comment and happy Thanksgiving!
Made this for grandma who is GF but we all thought it was the perfect pecan pie! Way better than normal pecan pie. SO SO perfect. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy that everyone enjoyed it. :) Thanks for your comment and happy Thanksgiving!
I can’t wait to make this again! Do you think you could add chocolate chips? I’d love to try that at Christmas! Thanks so much!
Ooh, yay! So glad that you want to make it again! And yes, you can. Please see my Cocoa Pecan Pie recipe here. :) Thanks for your comment and I hope you’re having a great Thanksgiving!
This crust was so easy! And the smell incredible. My whole family practically inhaled this. Thank you so much for this great recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad that your family enjoyed it so much. :) Thanks for your feedback and happy Thanksgiving!
Hey, I noticed you stated to use oil in the crust for dairy free version . I was wondering why I can’t use dairy free butter. I really want to try this. I love pecan pie but don’t make it because of the (unhealthy) corn syrup.
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but I think it’d work. You would need to use the same amount as the butter, so 3 tbsp. I’d love to hear how it comes out. :)
Hi Erin! Fellow Texan here 😊 I’m fixing to try this recipe, using dairy free options. My question is about the butter. I only have Ghee…would that work in this recipe?
Hi Jeanne! :) I have to admit that I have zero experience with ghee. I looked it up, and it’s almost 100% fat, so in that case, you’d use the amount (3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (51 grams)) that’s given for coconut oil. I haven’t tried it, though, so it’s just a guess. I can’t guarantee it’ll work without having tried it myself, but I see other people listing it as interchangeable with butter and coconut oil. I hope you’ll love the pie as much as we do and that you have a great Thanksgiving!
Just to let you know, the ghee worked beautifully! This will forever be my go to recipe for Pecan Pie! Also, I doubled it and made 2 pies at Thanksgiving and froze one for Christmas. It froze perfectly and tasted just as fabulous when we ate it yesterday!
So glad I came across your recipe! my cousin is gf, and she came to visit last weekend. I made this for her as pecan pie is her fave, and she absolutely loved it! Thank you!
Such a delicious and gluten-free pie to make for GF guests. This recipe sounds so good. Can’t wait to make.
What a lovely gluten-free pecan pie recipe. I’m afraid it won’t last long in my house. It’s a perfect holiday treat. Yummy!
I made your pecan pie for my wife’s book club and no one had a clue it was Gluten Free and they loved it!
I’ve never tasted a gluten-free pie that was so delicious! I couldn’t even tell it was gluten-free! Loved every bite. I’ll be making this for the holidays for sure.
Such a perfect dessert to make for my guests this weekend.
It looks delicious and easy!
I had never made my own pie crust before. I followed your recipe and it came out so good. Everyone loved it.
Wow! This pie is totally overloaded with taste and flavor. Absolutely looks so delicious and yummy! I’ll definitely make this at home! Thanks!
Pecan pie always screams fall to me! This recipe sounds delicious! Excited to give it a try! Thanks for the share!
I will be trying this out closer to Thanksgiving!
I hope that you’ll enjoy it and that you’ve been well. :)