Wanna slice of vegan pecan pie?
I thought so.
You know how you see desserts that start with “to die for ____”?
Well, I thought “to live for” is a much better descriptor! In many ways.
I created this vegan pecan pie for Let Them Eat Vegan.
Indeed it is to live for!
I loved pecan pie in my pre-vegan days. Did you?
That custard-y, caramel-y filling with chunky pecans and that hint of salt in the crust. Yep.
With this vegan pecan pie, the pecan topping is kept more distinct from the custardy filling.
I like having that contrast with the creamy filling and then the pecans maintaining crunch (rather than plumping through baking).
This vegan pecan pie is delicious on its own, but oh-my-heavens, pair it with a vegan vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for dessert bliss!
Either way, this is a pie that will impress during the holidays – or anytime of year.
Enjoy! x Dreena
Vegan Pecan Pie
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1½ tbsp arrowroot powder
- ½ + 1/8 tsp agar powder
- 1 400 ml can full-fat coconut milk (not light), using only thick cream and discarding watery portion (this is about 1 cup + 2 – 4 tbsp of cream)
- ¼ cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk almond or soy preferred
- ½ cup brown rice syrup
- 1/3 cup agave nectar can substitute maple syrup but filling will be darker in color
- 1 ½ tbsp flax meal
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp rounded sea salt
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Topping:
- 1 ¼ – 1 3/4 cups pecans whole or pieces, see note
- 1 ½ – 2 tbsp unrefined sugar for topping
- 2 tsp coconut butter warmed through to melt; can sub 1-2 tsp coconut oil
- couple pinches sea salt
1 prepared pastry pie crust (I use Wholly Wholesome brand), or can use “Rustic Pie Crust” or “Gluten-Free Pie Crust”, both in Let Them Eat Vegan.
Instructions
- In a saucepan, first whisk together the arrowroot and agar with a small amount of the coconut milk or non-dairy milk (about ¼ cup). Once incorporated, whisk in the remainder of the milks, as well as the brown rice syrup, agave nectar, flax meal, nutmeg, and salt. Bring mixture to a low boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently. Once at a boil, remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool in refrigerator to a cooler temperature (can still be fairly warm), stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, mix together the topping ingredients. Set aside and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Once filling is cooled somewhat, pour mixture into the pie shell (scraping out all you can!) Bake (without pecan topping) for 15 minutes. After that time, reduce heat to 350, sprinkle on pecan mixture, ever so gently patting into surface of filling. Bake for another 15 minutes, then carefully remove and let cool on a cooling rack. Once pie is fully cooled, it will set (refrigerate if desired). Slice and serve. Serves 6-8.
Notes
- Serving Suggestion: Serve with “Lemon-Scented Whipped Cream” from LTEV, or a scoop on vanilla non-dairy ice cream.
- Pecan Note: If using whole pecans, it’s helpful to roughly chop them before using in the recipe. It’s easier to cut the pie with the pecan pieces broken up rather than kept whole. I prefer this pie with just 1¼ cups of pecans, but if you really love plenty of pecans in your pecan pie, use the full 1 3/4 cups. If using the greater amount of pecans, then also use the greater amount of sugar and oil to toss through the pecans.
What is your “to-live-for” dessert? Have you ever made a vegan pecan pie?
All photos done by Marika Collins, madcapcupcake.com
Claudia says
Oops. Sorry, Dreena. Meant to also ask what to substitute for brown rice syrup I don’t have.
Claudia
Claudia says
Hi Dreena,
Would love to make this pecan pie possibly for Thanksgiving. Anything that can be substituted for the agar? Chia seeds (ground up?) perhaps?
Thanks, and happy holidays.
Claudia
Linda G says
Yes, I have made a vegan pecan pie once before. But, I don’t remember how it tasted! Lol. I just made this pie today and my husband loved it. I’m used to richly sweet tasting pecan pies, so this took a few bites to get used to, as it is NOT at all sickly sweet, like a regular pecan pie. But, it is delicious! We put a few spoonfuls of Coco Whip on it and enjoyed… and he had 2 pieces! I didn’t have brown rice sweetener or agave, so I subbed honey and maple syrup, respectively, but we’ll be trying it as written next time. Thanks for a great recipe!
Jen says
Does the coconut milk need to be refrigerated or can it be straight from the can at room temp? I don’t think I’ve had any can have some solid in it, without refrigeration. Thanks!
Chantal says
Mine did the same, it stayed runny. I kept it in the freezer so that we could eat it but would love to know what I might have done wrong. I know I used agar flakes instead of powder, could that be why? Pls advice as I am a big fan & would love to do it again.
Dreena says
Sorry to hear that, Chantal. Yes, very likely it was the sub of agar flakes. Agar powder is far more concentrated, generally we need to use 3x as much flakes as powder.
JaimE says
It turned out running I even cooked it a little longer. I put it in the fridge and am hoping it will thicken up. What did I do wrong?
JuliannieM says
How long in advance do you think this could be made? Thank you!
Stephanie Dreyer says
I made this last night for an early Thanksgiving feast and my family loved it! Thank you for the delicious recipe!!!
Christine (The Raw Project) says
Looks wonderful and a perfect ad to our Thanksgiving menu, thanks!
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
Pie judging? You poor, poor thing 🙂 This looks like an AMAZING kick-off to the event and not an easy recipe to conquer – seriously impressed Dreena!
Christie F says
I just wanted to say, I have used honey for the thick sweetener with success, as well as maple syrup- to give Dave Nielsen some alternatives. However, I will be trying this recipe out this holiday season, because like you, Dreena, I like pecan pies in which pecans stay separate from filling and stay crunchy, too. Thank you for your great recipes!
Dave Nielsen says
Any substitution options for the brown rice syrup, or does it need to be that?
Dreena says
Hi Dave, It needs a thick sweetener, and brown rice is particularly thick. Another option would be coconut nectar. Does that work for you?
Helyn says
This looks marvelous! I have my own version but I’m always interested in exploring others. Thanks for sharing, Dreena!
Dreena says
Thanks Helyn, hope it suits!