Naturally Sweetened Pecan Pie
This delicious pecan pie is sweetened with maple syrup! No corn syrup or refined sugar required, and it's so easy to make. Meet your new favorite pecan pie!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 9, 2024
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Finally! I started working on this naturally sweetened pecan pie recipe last fall, and it’s ready to share with you in time for Thanksgiving this year. I’m so excited.
Unlike most pecan pies, which are sweetened with corn syrup and refined sugar, this pecan pie is naturally sweetened with real maple syrup. As you can imagine, the maple syrup flavor makes this pie extra delicious.
I’ve been intimidated by pie-making for too long, and finally conquered my fears with this pecan pie. The filling is so easy to make.
Here’s a preview: Toast the pecans in the oven for a few minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla, and salt. You can add some bourbon to the mixture to amp up the flavor, if you’d like. That’s it!
Pie Crust Notes
The only intimidating factor is the pie crust. Pastry dough is notoriously tricky and I’ve been scared of it for too long! If I can make flaky, all-butter pie dough, you can, too. I promise.
I used this recipe from The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book to make the pie you see here, and I think it’s a great recipe for beginners.
I’m not a master baker, but I’m working my way through the internet’s most popular pie doughs and might share my own recipe if I can contribute. If not, I’ll share a post on pie-making tips and tricks, because I’ve already found a few to share.
I usually work exclusively with whole wheat flour or other whole grain flours, but my attempts at making whole-grain pie doughs have failed miserably. Pies might be my one exception to the whole-grain rule, at least for the time being. Pies are for special occasions, after all.
Maple Pecan Pie Ingredient Notes
Buy raw pecan halves for this recipe (pre-roasted nuts often go rancid at the store). We’ll toast the raw pecans in the oven for a few minutes to enhance their flavor. Make sure to buy pecan halves, not pieces, for the prettiest result.
Maple syrup categorization has changed over the past few years. Now all store-bought options are Grade A, but their labels refer directly to their color and taste, which varies throughout the maple sugaring season. I chose the “dark color, robust taste” option, which is produced later in the season, so the maple flavor would be more pronounced. Any variety of real maple syrup will work for this recipe. Choose a lighter option if you don’t want as much maple flavor.
Eggs are very necessary in this pie filling, offering both structure and rise. I’m afraid that I don’t know how to make this pie egg-free, if you’re serving a vegan or someone with an allergy. Maybe aquafaba?
Butter adds some richness and golden color to the filling. This recipe calls for just two tablespoons of butter, while many call for five or more. Don’t try to match your old favorite recipe’s butter content; the filling won’t set properly and might drip into your oven.
Vanilla extract and optional bourbon enhance the maple and pecan flavors, making this pie irresistible! Even with a full tablespoon of bourbon, the flavor is pretty subtle, don’t worry about overpowering the pie if you include it.
Pie Equipment Notes
Pie pans vary in size and material. I designed this recipe for a standard 9-inch pie pan (affiliate link). If you inherited a pie pan from your grandmother or want to use a pre-made pie crust, it will work!
Serious Eats recommends using a glass pie pan for best results, so I’ll pass that tip along as well.
Unfortunately, the Pyrex pie pan sold in grocery stores is 9.5-inches in diameter, which is a good amount bigger. Those will work, but the pie won’t be as full (you can add 1/4 cup more pecans to the mixture to help counteract this).
I learned the hard way that you don’t want any pie ingredients dripping into your oven (smoke alarm!). So, I’ve written the recipe to remind you to place a pan under the pie as it bakes to catch any potential drips.
If you don’t have a pastry cutter (for cutting the butter into the dough), I recommend this one made by OXO. It fits into my hand better than the others I’ve tried.
If you don’t want to buy a pastry cutter, no problem—follow a pie dough recipe that you can make by hand, like this one.
A metal bench scraper can also come in handy for removing the dough from your rolling surface. Use it underneath the dough to loosen any stuck parts.
Please let me know how this pecan pie turns out for you in the comments! I hope it’s a big hit at your holiday table.
Looking for more Thanksgiving desserts? Here are a few of my favorites:
On the hunt for last-minute Thanksgiving recipes? This roundup is for you!
Naturally Sweetened Pecan Pie
This delicious pecan pie is sweetened with maple syrup! This pecan pie recipe doesn’t use corn syrup or refined sugar, and it’s so easy to make. Recipe yields one 9″ pie.
Ingredients
- 1 single-crust pie dough (I used this recipe)
- 1 ¾ cups pecan halves
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tablespoon bourbon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Optional, for serving: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Instructions
- Prepare your pie dough as directed. On a floured work surface, roll the dough into a 14-inch circle and drape it across a 9-inch pie plate. Gently nestle the dough into the edges of the pan. With scissors or kitchen shears, trim around the edge so you have an even 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang under itself to create a thick border that rests over the rim of the pan. Use a fork to press gently all around the perimeter for an easy starburst effect (see photos). Place the pie pan in the refrigerator to chill while you make the pie filling.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle of the oven and the lower third of the oven. Place the pecans on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake them for 5 to 6 minutes, until fragrant. Set the pan aside to cool, for now.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until they are pale yellow. Add the maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, optional bourbon, and salt. Whisk until well blended.
- Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator and arrange the toasted pecans evenly inside the pan. Whisk the maple syrup mixture once more, then drizzle all of it over the pecans.
- Place the pie on the middle rack, and your empty baking sheet on the rack below to catch any potential drips. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and the middle of the pie has puffed up (it will sink as it cools).
- Let the pie cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Carefully slice the pie with a sharp knife and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. This pie will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
Notes
Make it gluten free: This filling is gluten free, so you’ll just need to make a gluten-free pie dough. I haven’t tried, so I don’t have a recipe to recommend, sorry!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Since my husband loves pecan pie I decided to give your recipe a try. I typically find pecan pie to be disgustingly sweet and was pleased the maple syrup gave it a delightful flavor.
We used your suggestion for making a pie crust and it came out fantastic. For a first timer, we were thrilled with the flakiness of the crust and ate every bite. There is a light egg custard flavor in the pecan mixture, that I thoroughly enjoyed. We did use the bourbon and I make homemade pure vanilla which was also used. We will definitely try this again. I believe we might up the vanilla and bourbon a little next time.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Hooray! Yes for the bourbon too. I’m excited you loved it and will make it again, Tricia.
I just made your pie with this GF crust:
1 1/2 cups (180g) chopped pecans
1 cup (70g) unsweetened shredded coconut
8–10 (150g) pitted medjool dates
Mix in food processor and press into pie plate. Pre-bake for 5 min.
I made it for Thanksgiving and it was a perfect addition to our meal! Thanks for a great dessert recipe. Keep the pies coming! I am not a very experienced pie baker but I find your recipes approachable and turnout great results. I even did the pie crust from your link. My mom always bought crust so I’ve only seen crust done on the Great British Bake Off! I am reveling in my success over here, thanks to you.
I made this pecan pie for my family thanksgiving and it was such a hit! I love that it was naturally sweetened. Instead of bourbon, I use 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and I think it turned out perfect. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome, Jean! Thank you for your review.
My 8 year old daughter and I are both gluten and dairy sensitive, and I strive to minimize eating processed sugars, so this recipe was appealing, and easily adapted using a butter alternative (Earth Balance). We decided to split the filling between 4 mini pies (cooked in metal pans, on convection setting for 25-30 mins), and they turned out amazing!!! We added extra crushed pecans, and placed the whole pecans on the top for a pretty look, and were a little surprised it had a little bit of a congealed jello-like consistency at the bottom where the pecans floated to the top. We didn’t mind the slightly different consistency, because the taste was fantastic, and it’s possible it could’ve been effected by a deeper filling depth on the mini-pies, or the gluten-free pie crust we used by wheatbythewayside.com (amazing as well!). Also, the longer the pies sat, the less congealed they seemed. Everyone who tried it was impressed, and I can’t wait to make it again this holiday season! Thank you for all your hard work figuring this out!!
Thank you for sharing, Carla! I’m happy you were able to find something you could enjoy together. :) I hope you love it again the next time you make it!
Do you need to blind bake the crust?
Hi Amy, not for this particular recipe.
Made this for my dad and he loved it! He said it was the best pecan pie he ever had. Just made two more for him tonight, one for the freezer and one now. Thanks so much for this! It is now a staple for my family. ❤️
I love that! Thank you for your review, Emilia.
Hi Kate! I really want to make this for the holidays this year (it’s my favorite pie, but my whole family is allergic so I never get it!). Do you think halving the recipe for a 5 or 6 inch pie pan would be okay? Thanks in advance! :)
Hi! As long as you have the space, it may work. Be sure to watch and adjust the time as necessary.
I made a similar recipe to this that came out really well so I was super excited. Unfortunately something went wrong with my eggs in this recipe. We had jumbo which I didn’t realize in time. The filling came out like scrambled eggs. My mother said it reminded her of a quiche. Perhaps this is because the eggs were too large… I’m not totally sure. I made it for New Years Eve 2020. Seems to reflect how the year has gone so far. It did taste good though. The texture was just airy and awful. Moral of the story be careful with your eggs.
Oh no! It sounds like there was too much egg. I’m sorry this one didn’t turn out for you. How many did you add?
I was really looking forward to this pie recipe. Sadly, though I did not use oversized eggs, it also felt more like a quiche as the eggs seemingly dominated the flavour. The pecan portion was tasty though.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe. I appreciate your feedback, Carolyn.
Can you use molasses instead of the maple syrup?
Hi! I don’t recommend that change as molasses acts different than maple syrup.
Another option: Halving the syrup and replacing with chopped dates gives a chewier texture that we love!
I tried this recipe today but used a different recipe for the pie crust. The bottom of the crust came out soggy :( any idea as to how to prevent that?
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. I can’t say for sure since I don’t know the pie crust you used.
I used this recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/baking-basics-homemade-buttery-flaky-pie-crust/
I had a leftover batch that I froze and defrosted in the fridge for about 36 hours before I rolled it out. I don’t know if any of that information helps, but if you have any suggestions on how to improve for the next attempt, I would really appreciate it!
Sorry, I would have to try it.
hi Kate, your pecan pie sounds lovely.want to make pastry base tomorrow the pie filling next day, so short notice for a reply.
my problem is pie dish.i have an old style pyrex pie dish, looks like yours in pic
it measures 7 1\2″ across base and 9″ across top.
if that’s too small have ovenproof china flan dish 8 1/2″ base with sides 1 1/2″high.
which shall I use
thankyou so much for sharing your recipes
Hi, I know this is an old post but if I wanted to use Steeve’s sugar-free maple syrup, would I need to half the quantity since it’s uber sweet?
I made this pie today for Thanksgiving and it is a perfect pecan pie to me. I made the crust last night with the recipe on the link above to Food 52 and let it chill overnight. Today I rolled the crust and made the filling exactly per the recipe (extra pecans since I have the 9.5” pie plate). I am not a pie baker and this may have been my first pecan. We loved how it was not overly sweet and had the flavors of maple, vanilla, and bourbon (I actually used Jack Daniel’s as that is what I have). Other pecan pies just taste sweet but this one has depth of flavor. I did not find an overly eggy flavor as one comment suggested. Probably a personal preference and taste bud differences. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Pat! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I made this pie last Christmas. Everyone loved it! My daughter and I are on a gluten free diet, so I used a store bought, frozen pie shell and it ended up perfect! Everyone said that this is the best pecan pie they’ve ever eaten. I’m making it again this year. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’m glad it was a hit, Herminia! I appreciate you sharing.
My family loved loved loved this. I’ve always been the pecan pie person but always store bought. I’m working on healthy eating and decided to try this. I did buy gluten free pie crust but the maple syrup was a perfect switch. My daughter said I know you don’t bake pies but you should start now
I’m happy you enjoyed it, Cathi! I appreciate your review.
Made this for an anniversary dinner and it was delicious!! I bought premise pie dough cuz I ALWAYS mess that up. Super delicious filling that doesn’t leave your tummy feeling heavy.
This pie is AMAZING! My entire family LOVES this pie, including my 7 and 4 year old boys. I have made it 5 times and it never disappoints! DELICIOUS!
Wonderful to hear, Sarah!
Hi Kate, I want to try this recipe. Can we use honey instead of maple syrup? Thanks a lot!
Traditionally they are made with syrup. Honey might work, however I haven’t tried it! Let me know if you do, Eleni.
I thought the inside of the pie was way too strange. It tasted much too eggy for me or my partner. Not sure if I messed up a step, but I don’t think this one’s for me.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it, Patrick.
My pie came out with a layer of custard under the pecans. The level of sweetness was great but the custard layer was unexpected. Am I supposed to have this result? I whisked the eggs until it was pale yellow as instructed which I think was what created that custard layer. Does it have to be whisked that much? The taste was good but the consistency was not that of a normal pecan pie.
I’m sorry to hear that. Did you make sure all the wet ingredients are well blended and then whisk again in step 4?
Thanks for getting back to me.
Yes. I followed the instructions exactly.
Can you tell me if the consistency of this pie recipe is supposed to be the same as a regular pecan pie?
I felt like whisking the eggs to a pale yellow might have been too much and contributed to creating that custard like layer.
I find it similar, but it can also be based on your experience. I’m sorry I don’t have more specifics for you. Take a look at the last image, it gives a great representation of how it should be.
Yes I made this pecan pie. Thank you.It was delicious. Only change I made was to add more pecans.
My husband loves Pecan Pie, I rarely bake one because they are so unhealthy made with the traditional recipe.
Your recipe was the best tasting pie ever! Thank you for sharing.
This is a super delish pecan pie recipe. I made it a few years ago and my entire family loved it. I wish it wasn’t so easy to make :) Making it again for this Christmas. This time I’m going to make little mini pies, 2-bite pecan pies in a mini cupcake pan. Hope they turn out just as amazing. Thank you Kate, love your cookbook and your website!
I’m glad you loved it, Andria! I appreciate your review. Thank you for all your support!
Has anyone used a stevia maple syrup?
Pecan pie was a huge part of my childhood. Among other reasons it was one of the few things my mother cooked well. I despaired of finding a vegan version until I tried Bob’s Red Mill’s egg substitute. It works perfectly. Aqua faba would not work. The richness contributed by the Bob’s Red Mill (no other I tried worked) makes the pie. I use what my mother did, light Karo Corn syrup. I would find the maple flavor intrusive. (Karo is not high fructose corn syrup)
Great recipe! I wanted to add that I’ve had very good results with flax eggs to make pecan pie vegan. Everyone raves about my pecan pie and I just keep its secret
Hi Ingrid! Did you make *this* recipe with the flax eggs? I’m trying to make pecan pie without cane sugar, molasses, etc. AND vegan. I’ve used flax eggs a lot in the past and would love to know if they worked for you in this recipe!
Yes. I use flax eggs for this recipe. Happy babe lot baking
I used the frozen GF pie crust and roasted pecans from Trader Joe’s. I followed the recipe exactly and the pie was perfect. I could’t believe how easy this was. Since my pecans were already roasted and salted, I skipped the oven roasting and used 1/2 of the salt.
Thank you for sharing how it made it!
Hi,
I just put this pie in the oven and I’m super excited about trying it! I did have a question about the maple syrup being lumpy? I didn’t see anyone talk of that in the comments, so I was surprised to see it. Maybe my maple syrup was old?! I told my daughter it should still turn out well, so let’s hope it does
It sounds like it started to crystalize, so likely old.
This is a fabulous recipe for pecan pie. Did not make my own crust, but it worked out fine with a store-bought crust. I increased the amount of pecans by probably another 1/2 cup. In Vermont, with our local maple syrup and local butter, what a delicious treat—and amazingly, not super sweet, as pecan pies generally are. Roasting the pecans definitely upped the depth of flavor. This was made on a dreary, rainy, chilly spring day and brightened the mood considerably. Thank you!
That’s great to hear, Nedene!