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Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup!)

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This homemade pecan pie recipe is naturally sweetened (no corn syrup!), easy to make, and so comforting and delicious!

Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup)

Alright, so the million dollar Thanksgiving question — which pie do you choose? ♡

I’m a lifetime member of Team Pumpkin myself, and have already been counting down the days until I get to make this naturally-sweetened pumpkin pie recipe again for our big Thanksgiving fiesta here next week. But my husband is one thousand percent on Team Pecan, and as such, he has already made sure that our pantry is well stocked for at least a few homemade pecan pies this holiday season. (We usually have to make an extra pie on Thanksgiving just so he can be sure to have some leftovers!)

The thing is that neither of us really want to be cooking with corn syrup nowadays, which has always traditionally been used to sweeten pecan pies. So for the past few years, we have been trying out some of the internet’s most popular naturally-sweetened pecan pie recipes. And after a few trials (and a few “whelming” fails, as Barclay calls them), I think that we have finally landed on our new family favorite pecan pie recipe. It’s our twist on the maple pecan pie recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction, and we absolutely love it.

First off, we love this pecan pie because it is indeed corn-syrup-free and naturally sweetened instead with a combination of pure maple syrup and coconut sugar (or you can use brown sugar, if you prefer). It’s also delightfully full of pecans, since we prefer a dense nutty filling, versus just a thin layer of nuts floating on top. We also added in plenty of butter and vanilla and a hint of cinnamon to our filling, as my grandma always used to do with her classic pecan pie recipe. But then we took things a step further and also added in a generous (yet optional) splash of bourbon, whose flavor kicks this pie up a mega notch and pairs perfectly with the toasted pecans. So good.

I also used my favorite homemade pie crust in this recipe, but you’re welcome to sub in a gluten-free pie crust if you would like this pie to be completely gluten-free. And if you’re interested in more of a chocolate pecan pie, I’ve included an option below for how to also add in some chocolate chips too.

Basically, this pecan pie recipe is everything we love about the classic — just modernized with some more natural ingredients, with all of those good flavors amped up a bit. The result is a total winner. And if you or your loved ones are on Team Pecan, you should totally give it a try.

Pecan Pie Recipe

Team Pecan

Homemade Pecan Pie Ingredients

Pecan Pie Ingredients:

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this easy pecan pie recipe:

  • Pie crust: I used my favorite homemade pie crust recipe, which you are welcome to make with coconut sugar as a natural sweetener if you’d like, instead of granulated sugar. Or if you’re short on time, a store-bought pie crust will work too.
  • Pecan halves: This recipe uses the equivalent of one (10-ounce) bag of shelled pecan halves, which I typically leave whole but you are welcome to roughly chop if you prefer.
  • Eggs: Three of which we will add to the pecan pie filling, and one of which you are welcome to whisk with milk (or water) to create an egg wash to brush on the crust, which will make it nice and golden.
  • Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup will serve as the primary sweetener for this pecan pie.
  • Coconut sugar (or brown sugar): Either coconut sugar or traditional brown sugar will work as our secondary (dry) sweetener.
  • Butter: Melted and then slightly cooled.
  • Cornstarch: To help thicken the pecan pie filling.
  • Vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and sea salt: To make this pecan pie taste extra delicious and cozy.

Full ingredient amounts/instructions listed in the full recipe below.

How To Make Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup

How To Make Pecan Pie:

To make this pecan pie recipe, simply…

  1. Blind bake the pie crust. Use parchment paper to line the inside of a chilled unbaked pie crust, then fill the bottom of the crust with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the pie pan from the oven, carefully lift out the parchment and weights, and set them aside.
  2. Prepare the maple sauce: Whisk together three of the eggs, maple syrup, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), bourbon, cornstarch, vanilla, sea salt and ground cinnamon — followed by the melted butter — together in a large bowl until combined.
  3. Make the egg wash. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining one egg and an extra tablespoon or milk (or water) until combined. Brush the egg wash lightly over the edges of the pie crust, which will help it to bake up nice and golden.
  4. Assemble the pie. Arrange the pecans in an even layer in the blind-baked pie crust, then pour the maple sauce evenly over the top of the pecans.
  5. Bake. Bake the pie for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. After the first 20 to 25 minutes of bake time, you are welcome to loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the whole pie if the crust or pecans seem to be browning too quickly. The pie will be ready to go once the top is puffed up into a dome (which will sink to become flat again, once the pie has set and cooled). Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it rest until it reaches room temperature.
  6. Serve. Slice and serve pie at room temperature (or you can refrigerate and chill the pie, if you prefer). Cover and store leftover pie at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Easy Pecan Pie Recipe

Possible Variations:

Want to customize your homemade pecan pie? Here are a few more twists you are welcome to try…

  • Brown the butter: For extra nutty flavor, feel free to brown the butter in a saucepan before adding it to the pecan pie filling.
  • Add chocolate chips: Feel free to also stir up to 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips in with the pecans before adding them to the pie crust for a chocolate pecan pie.
  • Add flaky sea salt: To make more a salted pecan pie, feel free to sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top just before serving.

Best Pecan Pie Recipe

More Favorite Pie Recipes:

Looking for more delicious pie recipe inspiration? Here are a few of my faves:

Pecan Pie with Ice Cream

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Pecan Pie

Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup!)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 3.4 from 5 reviews
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 55 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 mins
  • Yield: 8-12 servings 1x

Description

This delicious pecan pie recipe is naturally sweetened (no corn syrup!), easy to make, and so nostalgic and delicious.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust, homemade or store-bought
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature, divided
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup packed coconut sugar (or packed brown sugar)
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon*
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch (or 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 1/2 cups (one 10-ounce bag) pecan halves

Instructions

  1. Heat oven.  Heat oven to 400°F.
  2. Blind bake the pie crust. Chill the unbaked pie crust for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer.  Use parchment paper to line the inside of the chilled crust, shaping it gently around the inner edges to form a mold of the crust. Fill the bottom of the crust with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pie pan from the oven, carefully lift out the parchment and weights, and set them aside.  Decrease the oven heat to 350°F.
  3. Prepare the maple sauce: Meanwhile, whisk three eggs, maple syrup, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), bourbon, cornstarch, vanilla, sea salt and ground cinnamon together in a large bowl until combined.  Add the melted butter and quickly whisk in until combined.
  4. Make the egg wash.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining one egg and an extra tablespoon or milk (or water) until combined.  Brush the egg wash lightly over the edges of the pie crust, which will help it to bake up nice and golden.
  5. Assemble the pie. Arrange the pecans in an even layer in the pie crust.  Pour the maple sauce evenly over the top of the pecans.
  6. Bake.  Bake the pie for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. After the first 20 to 25 minutes of bake time, you are welcome to loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the whole pie if the crust or pecans seem to be browning too quickly.  The pie will be ready to go once the top is puffed up into a dome (which will sink to become flat again, once the pie has set and cooled).  Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it rest until it reaches room temperature.
  7. Serve. Slice and serve pie at room temperature (or you can refrigerate and chill the pie, if you prefer).  Cover and store leftover pie at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.


Notes

Bourbon alternative: If you don’t have bourbon on hand, you are welcome to sub in any other kind of whiskey, brandy, rum or cognac.  Or if you prefer not to cook with alcohol, you can instead increase the amount of vanilla in the recipe to 2 total teaspoons (instead of 1 teaspoon).

Source: Recipe slightly adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

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20 comments on “Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup!)”

  1. I’m confused. How is coconut sugar considered naturally sweetened but corn syrup is not? The corn syrup we buy in the grocery store is not the same thing as HFCS (which is also a “natural” sweetener, just has more fructose in it which is what makes it bad on your body. Agave syrup is also very very high in fructose, but no one talks about that being as bad for you as HFCS even though it is.)

    I am interested in alternative ways of making things and a pecan pie with maple syrup in it sounds delicious.

  2. Can I make this a few days ahead, and freeze it?

  3. What brand(s) of bourbon do you like? i have never had, or bought bourbon before, and I’d like to give it a try. Thanks!

    • Jim Beam, smooth as ever.

    • Could you use 14 oz. Eagle Brand sweetened milk and 1/3 cup of Dark Brown Sugar instead of the maple syrup to give it the sweetness without the maple flavor. Perhaps substitute 1 tbsp of Usumacinta Amber Mexican Vanilla Blend for a unique flavor

  4. Any suggestions for people with egg allergies for a pecan pie?

  5. Do all 4 eggs go in with the maple syrup? Ingredients say “divided” but I don’t see eggs mentioned in any other steps.

    • Oh, thank you for catching that! My apologies, one of the eggs is used for an egg wash. I’ve edited the recipe to include that now.

  6. Could you substitute xanthan gum for the cornstarch? Thanks!

  7. Made this for Thanksgiving with Mark Bittman’s (How to Cook Everything) flaky butter crust. Used much less than 10 oz bag of pecans. Didn’t seem to have enough room for more than half a bag. Used Maine maple syrup. The bottom line was it was delicious. Of course it is sweet, but the flavor was great. Made homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream would also be a wonderful topping.






  8. I love that this pie isn’t cloyingly sweet like most pecan pies. I toasted my pecans before adding to the pie. I also put a bit of whiskey in the whipped cream. Delicious

  9. I made this as my first pecan pie recipe and the first time I made pastry myself. It turned out great. I too roasted the pecans first but left a small amount raw and blitzed for the bottom. I was so pleased with how it turned out, it looked very similar to the picture and tasted delicious. I don’t think it was too sweet either. I reckon this recipe is a 10 out of 10, just roast the pecans first. Tim from Oz.

  10. The directions say 4 eggs, separated, which to this sixty something year old means separate the whites and yolks, which I did. The instructions need to be more clear, please. Otherwise I am looking forward to eating this!

  11. Way too many pecans in this recipe. 2 cups is more than enough and there was too much syrup for a 9 inch pie, better 9.5. Won’t be using this recipe again, but the overall flavor was good.






  12. Holy moly! This pie was SUPERb. Do yourself a favor, y’all. Make it. Eat it. Repeat. I made two for Turkey Day. One as prescribed. One with Guittard Dark Chocolate Chips. Who Ho Mr. Telephone. It was DElicious. I will be adding this to my family repertoire.






  13. Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?

  14. As others commented–way too much filling! I would reduce filling and almonds to fit a standard shell. But I would assume it tastes amazing like the rest of the recipes here. :)






  15. Made this for thanksgiving today! So good. As someone else said there was a bit too much pie batter for a 9in BUT that’s never a bad think lol. I used the remaining on top of a homemade vanilla cake and OMG HEAVEN! I accidentally added all 4 eggs and didn’t do an egg wash. Still came out amazing!

  16. I tried both pecan pie recipes – I was not a fan of the maple syrup recipe, but the Grandmother’s recipe was delicious.