Gluten-free pecan pie has no crust, so there’s no messing with wheat flour substitutes. All you have to do is create a firm filling, top with pecans, and bake!
I love pecan pie. It has long been my favorite pie ever, and I have made a lot of them. And ate them. No holiday went by without a decadent pecan pie.
When I went gluten-free, I thought I wouldn’t be able to eat another pecan pie, because the filling is sort of jiggly and won’t hold up without a crust. And I certainly didn’t want to mess around with alternate flours and baking mixes and have a crust that sort of tasted like a pie crust but not really.
But then I had a thought. I never loved the crust of the pie anyway, so why not adjust the recipe a bit and make the pie without the crust?
I did it, and the pie was a crazy success. As you can see in the photo above, the pie was sturdy enough to hold its shape even without the crust. It came out of the pan easily, held together just fine, and tasted amazing.
So, yes, you CAN have pecan pie even if you are gluten-free!
This recipe is so simple and easy that it almost feels like cheating to share it with you. All you have to do is measure out the ingredients in the right proportions, mix it all together, pour it into a pie pan, and bake.
I have only used the shallow Pyrex pie plate pictured below, so I don’t know whether you could make this crustless pie in metal or stoneware pie plate. I also don’t know if it will work in a deep dish pie plate. I suspect that the shallow pan is part of why this gets as firm as it does.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
slices
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- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 6 eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups pecan pieces
Ingredients
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|
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased pie pan. Bake for 45 minutes.
Some people like to reserve whole pecans to put on top of the filling. I don't do that because, in my experience, those whole, unsugared pecans burn long before the rest of the pie is cooked through.
I don't really know how some home bakers add those without burning them, unless they cover the whole pie with foil, in which case the pecans won't toast properly. I just had a thought, and that is that maybe they cook the pie for a while covered and then take the foil off for just the last 10 minutes or so. It's possible.
But I really don't care that much, and I like the pie better with all the pecans all covered with the rich, sugary filling anyway.
© 2017 – 2020, Tara Ziegmont. All rights reserved.
Angela says
My daughter has to be gluten free and lactose free as well. Would this work with a butter alternative? Such as ghee?
She’d love to have a traditional dessert during the holidays. We can get around her allergies in the other areas, but get stuck with dessert.
Thanks!
Tara Ziegmont says
I’ve never tried it. Pecan pie can be finicky, so if you decide to give it a go, make sure to do a test run before the holiday. I would hate for you to try it for the first time and not have it set up!
Tammy Wiggins says
Do you have any idea on calories and can you use an artificial sweetener in place of the white sugar
Tara Ziegmont says
No idea on calories. I have tried an artificial sweetener, and it didn’t set up properly.
Tammy Wiggins says
Have you tried blue bonnet, my grandbabies are allergic to milk also
Tara Ziegmont says
I haven’t tried it.
Chris says
Can you please tell me if the butter needs to be softened OR melted? Thank you!
Tara Ziegmont says
Melted will work better.
Cindy Hechler says
This just made my daughters Thanksgiving. She recently went gluten free but was bemoaning missing her favorite pecan pie! She didn’t Ike the rest much anyway!
Tara Ziegmont says
I’m so glad!
Beth Hill says
I am so excited to try this pecan pie. Thank you for posting the recipe. I do have a question. Did you put parchment paper, foil, or just sprayed with cooking spray in the bottom of pie pan to keep from sticking?
Tara Ziegmont says
I just sprayed it.
Larae says
What size pie pan did you make this in? Have your ever split the recipe in half?
Tara Ziegmont says
I made it in a traditional pie plate, and I have never tried to split it in half.