The Best Vegan Pecan Pie
The Best Vegan Pecan Pie- made with just 9 simple ingredients, you would never guess this pecan pie is made without eggs or corn syrup!
Now that we have a super easy pie crust, let us discuss the pecan pie. As in the BEST vegan pecan pie on the face of the planet.
Growing up in the south, I ate my fair share of pecan pie. I’m also confident that approximately zero of those pies were vegan. Most recipes call for eggs, butter and corn syrup. You know, typical southern ingredients.
But the reality is you don’t need all of that to make one bangin’ pecan pie. With just 9 simple ingredients you can whip up a healthier pie that everyone will love.
To make a vegan version that was just as good as the classic I used top notch vegan butter (Miyoko’s you da best), pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, organic corn starch and creamy coconut milk.
The maple syrup, butter and coconut sugar create a salty, caramel-like flavor while coconut milk offers a creamy texture.
If it weren’t for the corn starch the recipe would also be grain-free but it is necessary for binding and firming the pie. Arrowroot might work in it’s place but I find it to be more finicky so I opted for corn starch. It’s the safer choice here.
While this pie takes all of 15 minutes to prepare, it does require a lot of time to set as it cools. This means that you need to prepare it at least a day in advance. Which I think we all do anyway, right?
If you or your loved ones like pecan pie then I hope you get a chance to try this one! It’s a winner.
The Best Vegan Pecan Pie
Yield: 1 pie
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter (I like Miyokos)
- 1 and 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk (from a can)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 (9-inch) prepared pie crust
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F then parbake your prepared pie crust for 7 minutes. Set it aside to cool. In a measuring cup, combine the coconut milk and cornstarch then whisk until smooth.
In a saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the pecans and toast in the pan for about 30 seconds while stirring continuously. Pour in the maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut milk mixture, vanilla and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Remove from heat then pour the mixture in the pie crust until filled to about 1/4-inch of the top of the crust. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until filling appears mostly firm when you gently jiggle it. Cool on the counter for 2-3 hours then cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least an hour before serving. If it’s too cold then it will be firm but serving it at room temperature makes for the perfect texture.
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback! 
That looks so good and I love that it doesn’t have corn syrup in it!
Thanks Kelli! I’ve never even bought corn syrup and probably never will, lol.
This pecan pie is beautiful! I love all of the healthy ingredients too!
I just recently bought the Miyokos butter and it’s amazing! I just found out that we’re hosting Thanksgiving, so I’m in full-on recipe search mode right now. This looks so good!
Pecan pie is my FAVORITE for thanksgiving but I haven’t had it in about two years because of the dairy issue! I must try this!!
This looks so good! My mom loves pecan pie, so I might have to make this for an upcoming holiday at her house.
Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving full of delicious vegan food my friend!
Thanks Nicole! Same to you!!
Does arrowroot powder work in lieu of corn starch?
I haven’t tested it because it tends to be finicky compared to corn starch. It’s certainly worth a try but if you don’t have time to give it a test run then I would recommend sticking with corn starch.
Have you tried potato starch? I find it less finicky than cornstarch.
I haven’t but I will next time! Thanks for the suggestion!
Can you substitute coconut sugar for brown sugar?
Yes! That will work the same.
OMG!!!!…I am Soooo mad at you!!!!….It’s better than non vegan pecan pie….absolutely perfect!!!…Im addicted…my 17 yr old is addicted…and my thighs…oh God what’s gonna happen to my thighs now???!!!!….cidthealg@gmail.com
Haha!! I feel your pain, Tisha!
This is a great recipe! I will admit that I did treat it as I do most recipes and substituted whatever I had on hand for things I didn’t have. I used regular sugar instead of coconut, and used golden syrup instead of maple. My husband tried it and had felt the need to verify that I had indeed used dairy free ingredients because it tastes so sweet and buttery! I have already sent the recipe to my dairy free and vegan friends. =)
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you! :)
Way to go Sarah! A beautiful and fabulous pie for Thanksgiving…. I always struggle with what pie to make, because I love them ALLLllll! lol! Happy Thanksgiving Sarah! xo PS. Thank you for your reminder about Miyokos butter!
Is there any way I can avoid using vegan butter? Would anything work in its place? I want to make this for Thanksgiving but am not super into the idea of vegan butter.
You could use coconut oil! The flavor shouldn’t change too much.
I’m dairy and soy free for my breastfed baby (she has an intolerance) and this hit the spot this year for me! I have an extra pie crust so I’m definitely making this again when there’s less people in the house to share it with, lol!
Can I use lite coconut milk. My full fat won’t blend together the fat is separating
If you heat the full fat in small pot that will help it blend back together.
Thank you for your quick response, that worked. One last question, I just took it out of the oven and it’s bubbling and a little more jiggly than I’m used to. I cooked a bit longer, will it firm up as it cools?
Does the crust need to be pre-baked? The one I bought is frozen, but its instructions say to just thaw and then pour in filling and bake the whole pie.
I would still pre-bake it, if only for 5 minutes, to prevent a doughy crust under the filling. Just keep an eye on it once it’s close to being done with filling. Sometimes it helps to put a little foil around the edges if the crust starts to look too brown.
Would almond milk work instead of the coconut ?
I don’t know because I haven’t tested it. The coconut milk gives it a creamy texture and also helps bind because it’s solid when chilled.
It came out beautifully!! I used a Wholly Wholesome GF and vegan pie shell, l0oks awesome. We’ll be eating today for Thanksgiving :)
Hi im currently making this recipe thanksgiving day is the 8 hours is refrigerator necessary or is it alright to eat after like 2 hours on counter and 2 in fridge and maybe one on counter before serving
Hi Tanya! Sorry I didn’t get a chance to respond on Thanksgiving day…hopefully it firmed up in time for you!
Loved this! Thanks for the easy and straightforward recipe.
I kept it vegan and made four changes:
1) full fat coconut cream blended with the cornstarch
2) topping the pie with pecan halves arranged all pretty
3) spritzing the topped pie with organic canola spray oil and then sprinkling with salt
4) using the vegan Wholly Wholesome pie crust from While Foods. I parbaked it at 400 for 7 minutes then turned the heat down to 350 for the main bake
Highly recommend this recipe!
I made this with coconut oil instead of vegan butter and a little extra vanilla and it was delicious! Everyone had seconds.
I’m glad to hear that! Thank you for the review!
Hi,
This pie looks great. Question. I can’t have coconut or palm oil. Do you know of an alternative vegan butter that does not contains those ingredients?
I wish I did! Thankfully the amount of vegan butter in this recipe is minimal so you could probably get away with using a neutral flavored oil (like sunflower or grapeseed) in it’s place.
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was amazing! I want to make it for another gathering today but am short on time. Does it really need to set for 8 hours?
You might be able to get with refrigerating it for just a few hours!
BEST PECAN PIE EVER! I made this pie for thanksgiving and it was a success, it was super easy to make. I also made the vegan pie crust recommended in the recipe. Ingredients are expensive but well worth it, a must have treat.
Yay! I’m so glad you agree it’s the best. Unfortunately nuts and maple syrup are super expensive and I cook with both of those things often. :/
This sounds great! Do you use canned coconut milk or the kind in a carton? Thank you!
I use canned coconut milk!
Thank you!
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Can you use coconut milk in the carton and just up the cornstarch?
I wouldn’t recommend it because I can’t guarantee the texture will be right.
I don’t think that I have ever logged online to review a recipe before but this one needs some serious praise. I made it for Christmas dessert yesterday and it was AMAZING! Thanks so much for your recipe. It was loved by vegans and omnivores alike.
Made this for a Christmas and it was a huge hit! But I made 2 and only 1 got eaten. How long is it good for in the fridge/freezer??
So happy to hear it was a hit! I would think the pie can keep for up to a week in the fridge. I haven’t tried freezing it so I’m not sure if that will work. If so, it should last a month or two.
Hello,
I was gun-shy about trying this recipe because the night before I had tried a recipe for vegan Baileys Irish cream which failed miserably. However, this pie was a great success! I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out really well. It looks really pretty and tastes delicious. Thank you so much. It will be among my “tried and true” vegan staples for festive occasions.
I’m honored to hear it’s on your list of staples! Thanks Shelley!
I made this for Christmas dinner and it was a big hit with both the vegans and omnivores at the table. Even my mother, who usually doesn’t like pecan pie, asked for the recipe. She said this pie tasted lighter and less sweet than traditional pecan pies. My pecan filling was much thicker than the pictures show (it had to be scooped into the pie shell, not poured). I’m not sure why this happened (maybe I cooked the sugary ingredients too long), but the result was good regardless. I substituted brown sugar for the coconut sugar, because that was what I had on hand, and I used a local spicy chipotle bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. I used Wewalka brand refrigerated pie crust and it worked well with this recipe.
Love the addition of that bourbon syrup! Thanks for the review!
This was a WIN for me. It was so easy to make and incredibly delicious. Your would never even guess that this is a vegan, healthier option. 10/10 would recommend!
I have tried other vegan pecan pie recipes, but this one takes the prize. It has so much caramel goodness. I think I ate half of it by myself for Christmas dessert. I couldn’t stop myself from going back for more.
It is addicting, lol! Thank you for the review!
This recipe was so easy & quick to make! Love that the pie isn’t too sweet & the ingredients are good quality. I used regular sugar & honey instead of maple syrup. I also didn’t pre-bake the crust & next time i will add chocolate chips to it. I also only waited like 30 minutes to serve & it was perfectly fine & set.
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for the review. :)
Just made this and as a southerner I will say I’m extremely impressed! My parents were shocked that it was vegan and my mom ( a southern whose obsessed with pecan pie) said it’s one of the best she ever had!
I’m so in love with the recipe!! It’s brilliant!! Thank you so much for your hard work and sharing this with us!
I made this yesterday and followed instructions to a T except I used pecan halves. My pie came out with good flavor, though less sweet than a traditional pecan pie.
However, the pecans were squishy, chewy, and mushy. I used raw pecans and prob should have toasted them under the broiler a bit. They gave the pie an odd texture. That is prob why the recipe calls for chopped pecans.
Oh my goodness! It absolutely is divine & you wouldn’t know there was no corn syrup or egg in the mix. I decided to make my own gluten free pastry, but whilst it was chilling nearly devoured all the pie filing….whoops! Changed one ingredient & that was the butter, couldn’t find that here in Australia so I used set coconut oil taste free. Plus….Dressed the pie with pecans to make it look fancy. Sadly couldn’t wait 8 hrs for it to cool….however, good news …..after just an hr it was cool enough & had set so we could have a taster. It’s delicious. How we stopped there & didn’t devour the whole thing I don’t know!
Lol it can be hard to resist eating it raw when there isn’t any eggs in it! ;)
I’m so glad it turned out well for you. Thank you for the review, Karen!
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Can I leave out the coconut sugar?
I wouldn’t because it adds a lot of flavor to the pie. It’s not overly sweet with this amount of sugar, at least not in my opinion. If you have a coconut allergy you could use brown sugar instead.
Oh my gosh, I feel like crying. Pecan pie is my favorite dessert in the world, but I haven’t been able to eat it since going vegan. I just bit into a piece of this that I made for my 40th birthday party tonight and it is the best pecan pie I’ve eaten. I am in awe. So excited and happy. Thanks for creating a recipe that will be used again and again.
I’m so glad to hear that! I hope you had a wonderful birthday!!
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Hi! Can I use any other plant-based milks like almond milk, rice milk or soy milk? Or should I stick to the coconut milk? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Lucia! The coconut milk provides a nice creamy texture and the fat solidifies when cooled which helps bind the pie. With that in mind, I recommend sticking with the coconut milk (the canned kind) for best results. :)
Wow, this is the perfect pecan pie. It’s less sweet than the store ones that are full of high fructose syrup. I did use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar and only the fat white part that floats on Top of the coconut milk. So yummy and easy to make. My crust was also a homemade whole-wheat vegan crust. I added a heart that I formed out of my remaining dough to the top and it looked adorable.
Has anyone reheated before serving so it could be served warm?
Hi Diana! If you want to reheat it just keep in mind that coconut milk melts when heated so the texture will be very loose and might not hold together well. I would suggest letting it sit at room temp for a few hours before serving and maybe microwave each piece for 10-20 seconds to warm it. That way you don’t have to worry about whether or not it will fall apart when you go to serve it. I hope that helps!
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I was the eater of this recipe, not the cook. Everyone at the potluck loved it, we all wanted the recipe. Thanks!
I love that recipe, but can I substitute maple syrup with honey? My son had funny reaction after maple syrup.
That should work! Honey tends to be a little bit sweeter than (pure) maple syrup so keep in mind the pie might turn out a little sweeter with that option.
I made this for a Friendsgiving, and it came out looking awesome. Unfortunately, when we cut into it the next day, I was all liquidy. I followed the recipe ingredients and directions completely, except I subbed cane sugar for coconut sugar, but I do not think that would change anything. Closer to the edges it was a little more solid and more like the texture of a thick pudding, but in the center is was straight up liquid. Do you have any suggestions?
That’s so strange! I’ve never had anyone have this issue before. You’re right that cane sugar shouldn’t change anything. Did you make sure that your coconut milk was shaken well so that the cream was evenly incorporated? Sometimes canned coconut milk will separate if it’s too cold. If you only got the liquid and not the cream then it won’t solidify as well when chilled. Even so, it still shouldn’t have been totally liquid in the center. Perhaps your cornstarch was bad?
Did you use canned coconut milk?
The recipe stated unsweetened coconut milk and i purchased the coconut milk in carton… will this milk not work?
Unfortunately no. It needs to be canned coconut milk. I will clarify that in the ingredient list!
This is the best pecan pie I have ever eaten, vegan or not!! Thank you for sharing!
So glad to hear that! Thanks for the review, Elle!
Can this be made 2 days in advance?
Yes! It will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
So is the recipe for the filling of the pie only? Is there supposed to be anything on the top of the pie? The picture shows a filling and then you pouring something on top of the filling.
The recipe is for the filling and that’s all that’s needed. The only thing on top of the filling in the pictures is coconut whipped cream.
Can you substitute xanthan gum for cornstarch?
No, unfortunately that won’t work the same. Arrowroot starch might work but for reliable results I recommend using cornstarch.
I frequently use vegan recipes because I am allergic to eggs. Would this recipe work with regular whole milk? would I need heavy cream instead?
Neither of those would work because they are not solid when cooled. The cream in the coconut milk solidifies when chilled which is part of what helps bind the pie (in addition to the starch) without the eggs.
We have really missed pecan pie so I’m excited to try this and have a question. Does it have a coconut taste from the coconut milk or is the taste of the pecans strong enough to mask it?
You can’t taste the coconut milk. Just make sure you are buying full fat, unsweetened coconut milk in a can.
Hello!! Would it be possible to make this in a cupcake pan? Would you suggest Changing anything?
I think it would be possible, just a little more tedious. The crust will likely cook faster so you may want to reduce the precooking time and cover the edges with foil to prevent burning. The overall cook time might also be a little less. I can’t guarantee anything or give specific directions without testing myself though!
This pie was delicious! Made it about a week ago for a test run and it turned out better then expected. I also used Arrowroot starch which worked out well. Everything was nice & firm. I’ll be making 2 more pies today for Thanksgiving tomorrow. 1 for the get together and 1 for me after. Haha
This looks awesome, I’m excited to try this recipe for Thanksgiving!
Quick question: Do you know what difference would it make to separate out the liquid from the “solid” coconut milk? I see in an earlier comment you mentioned shaking the can to blend it, but I saw another commenter mention separating out the solid to use. I’ve only used coconut milk for making truffles, so I’m used to using only the solid.
Thanks in advance, both for the advice and the bangin’ recipe!
If you just used the solid part it would make for a very dense filling. The liquid combined with the cream thins it out enough so that it isn’t too thick.
Making this right now. Followed the recipe exactly. It seems thick. Maybe I had it on the stove a second too long. Also only fills half my pie shell. About to put in the oven now.
This was delicious! I used arrowroot starch instead of corn starch and coconut oil instead of vegan butter and it came together perfectly. I also added 1 and 1/4 cups of pecans laid out on top for decoration.
I also had the same experience as Karissa mentioned – it didn’t fill my pie shell completely – but now just looking over your photos, it seems that you didn’t put the crust over the top of the glass edges and instead made a pretty crust just inside the edge.
Thanks again. It was our first vegan Thanksgiving and we were excited to have a healthy and vegan alternative to our holiday staple!
This recipe was FABULOUS! Soooo easy to prep and make (great for the holiday rush) and seriously so delicious. It thoroughly impressed my non-vegan and highly skeptical family. They’re all requesting me to make it again for next years holiday. It was the only pie with no leftovers (it even beat out the non-vegan pies)! Thank you so much for bringing pecan pie back into my life!
Omg made this for thanksgiving. Used dark corn syrup instead of maple syrup. Came out as caramel pecan pie.
My non vegan family went nuts over it proclaiming it the best pie that I’ve ever made beating out my peanut butter pie.
I’ve been ordered to make it again at Christmas. It was very easy to make. Thank you for an amazing recipe!
This was a major hit. So delicious and so easy, thank you! I subbed dark brown sugar for the coconut sugar, no problems with that.