Gluten free pecan pie with maple syrup and maple dulce de leche cream

A flaky, buttery gluten free pecan pie that is inspired by Southern pecan pie flavors: bourbon, maple syrup and pecans.

Made without corn syrup or artificial ingredients, this healthy pecan pie makes for a showstopper gluten free Thanksgiving dessert!

Pair it with incredible maple dulce de leche cream for the ultimate fall comfort food experience.

Jump to:

• A flaky, buttery gluten free pecan pie that is inspired by Southern pecan pie flavors: bourbon, maple syrup and pecans.
• A Southern twist on gluten free Thanksgiving dessert
• When to serve this pie?
• Why you have to try this gluten free pecan pie
• The perfect gluten free almond flour pie crust
• Is this dairy-free pecan pie really healthy?
• Ingredients
• Directions
• Equipment
• Make ahead and storage
• Variations
• Adaptations
• Top Tips
• FAQ
• Pin for Later!
• Recipe

A Southern twist on gluten free Thanksgiving dessert

Since I was a university student, I became obsessed with the legend of the American South.

The sounds of the banjo and bluegrass, the taste of bourbon, the sordid history of the antebellum period and the Black Freedom movement - they all wove a certain spell on me.

In my worst spells, I binged shows like True Blood, read Edgar Ellen Poe and Flannery O'Connor, and listened to Southern Gothic music like there was no tomorrow.

My dream for many, many years was to rent an open-back truck, grab a boyfriend who can play guitar and take a road trip through the Southern U.S., particularly in summer, so I can taste all the Georgia Peaches and peach desserts.

So you can bet that whenever it came to Thanksgiving, my mind immediately went to Southern flavors - and this Southern Gluten-Free Pecan Pie is the culmination of many years of experiments!

When to serve this pie?

The ultimate gluten free Thanksgiving pie

I kid you not, this maple-sweetened, bourbon-tinged pecan pie is my favorite Thanksgiving dessert.

Step aside, classic pumpkin pecan pie, or even novelties like hubbard squash pie, none of you stand a chance next to this gluten free pecan pie recipe.

But of course, you don't have to wait to Thanksgiving to serve this beauty! Whip it up on any winter or fall weekend when you're looking for baking inspiration. This pie presents the perfect ending to a rich meal full of fall-friendly recipes.

For dishes that would go well with this maple pecan pie, check out some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes:

Why you have to try this gluten free pecan pie

Here's why I think this is the best gluten free pecan pie out there:

• Perfect, flaky gluten free pie crust
• Maple pecan filling
• Just the right amount of sweetness
• Dairy-free (and vegan option!)
• Refined-sugar free recipe
• Made without corn syrup
• Paleo
• Easy to prep
• Can be made ahead
• Freezer-friendly

The perfect gluten free almond flour pie crust

For this recipe, I present you with my favorite, the perfect almond flour pie crust!

I have originally seen this crust developed by Jenni from the cookbook My Paleo Patisserie. It's maleable, easy to work with, and tastes beautifully after baking, even if it was made ahead.

For this gluten free pie crust, almond flour is mixed with arrowroot starch, coconut oil and an equal amount of maple syrup. You can also use tapioca starch or corn starch for the same results.

This is definitely the best almond flour pie crust I ever tried, and I love using it for sweet and savory gluten free tarts, galettes and pies (for a savory twist, omit the maple syrup and add more salt).

Working with gluten free flours

As always, weighing your gluten free flour is better than measuring by cups.

If measuring your gluten free flour by cup, make sure you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not dunk the measuring cup into the flour, as this will result in an overly loose and uneven flour scoop.

Is this dairy-free pecan pie really healthy?

Yes! Well, as healthy as a Thanksgiving dessert is going to be.

The gluten free pie crust is made with almond flour and a bit of arrowroot starch. Almond flour pie crust is really nice to work with, and has a natural sweetness to it that I just love.

The only sweetener used here is maple syrup. I just love the rich, deep flavor it provides the filling and my almond flour pie crust. It's also a paleo sweetener and will be more gentle on your blood sugar levels than regular or brown sugar.

The only truly "unhealthy" or decadent touch in this bourbon maple pie is, you guessed, bourbon! I love it for that true Southern Gluten-Free Pecan Pie feel, but you can easily skip it. You don't even have to sub it for anything.

Ingredients

To make this gluten free, dairy free pecan pie, you will need:

• almond flour
• arrowroot starch
• maple syrup
• coconut oil
• pecan halves
• coconut sugar (or light or dark brown sugar)
• eggs
• bourbon (optional)
• dulce de leche (optional)
• heavy whipping cream (optional)
• vanilla pudding (optional)
• flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

See recipe card for exact quantities.

Directions

Make the gluten free pie crust

Preheat oven to 325 F. Prepare a 9-inch pie dish by greasing it with coconut oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours and salt until fully blended. Add coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix fully until a soft dough forms. Wrap dough up in plastic and chill for 15-30 minutes.

Using a rolling pin, roll dough into desired shape, as per the shape of your pan. Lay the dough out in the prepared pie dish. If desired, flute or crimp the edges of the crust for a decorative design (you can also press a fork into the edges of the crust all around the pie).

Blind-bake the pie crust for 10 minutes. (Blind baking a pie means you top the pie crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil, then fill the pie with baking beans or pie beads and bake it without a filling.)

Make the dairy free pecan pie filling

To make the filling, whisk together melted coconut oil, coconut sugar (or brown sugar) and arrowroot starch in a large bowl. Whisk in vanilla extract, salt, eggs, maple syrup and bourbon, if using.

Spread the pecans inside the warm pie crust. Pour the liquid mixture over the pecans, sealing them in place.

Bake maple pecan pie

Increase the oven to 350 F. Transfer pecan pie to the oven, and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.

Check on pie halfway through the baking - if the edges are browning, cover them with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield

Once pie is baked, removed from the oven and place on a cookie rack to cool completely and for the filling to set. If desired, sprinkle with flaky sea salt on top.

Make maple dulce de leche cream (optional)

Using a standing mixer or a handheld mixer, whip cream and vanilla pudding until firm peaks are attained. Fold in dulce de leche and 1 teaspoon of maple syrup. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes.

If desired, pipe around the edges of the chilled pie. You can also serve the maple dulce de leche cream on the side.

Serve gluten free pecan pie

Serve gluten free pecan pie in room temperature with maple dulce de leche cream, regular whipped cream, or coconut cream.

Equipment

• 9-inch pie dish
• Mixing bowls
• rolling pin
• pie beads
• pie crust shield
• standing mixer or a handheld mixer

Make ahead and storage

This gluten free pecan pie can be made ahead. It will keep perfectly fresh in the fridge for up to 2 days, and you don't even need to reheat it.

If you'd like to make the gluten free pie crust in advance, you can leave it raw and wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It can be blind baked as well.

The maple dulce de leche cream will keep in an airtight jar for 3-4 days as well.

Freezer

The entire maple pecan pie can be baked and frozen. Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

You can also freeze the crust, raw or blind-baked. Wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Make sure you defrost it fully in the refrigerator before attempting to roll, fill or bake.

Variations

Gluten free maple walnut pie - you can substitute the pecans in this gluten free Thanksgiving dessert for walnuts. Dice them for a better texture, as they are less soft than pecans when baked. You can also use hazelnuts.

Adaptations

This maple pecan pie is naturally gluten free, dairy-free and refined-sugar free. It is also sweetened with maple syrup, and therefore made without corn syrup. Looking for a paleo pecan pie? This fits the bill!

The maple dulce de leche cream is gluten-free but not dairy-free or refined-sugar-free, but you can skip it without any harm (for vegan cream, try my vegan dulce de leche recipe).!

Keto & Whole 30

This recipe can be adapted to make a keto pecan pie. Use coconut flour in place of arrowroot powder in the crust. Substitute the maple syrup for erythritol or xylitol in a 1:1 ratio for a low carb pecan pie.

Vegan

Though I have not tried it, you can attempt to use an egg replacer like JUST eggs in this maple pecan pie filling.

If looking to substitute the maple dulce de leche cream, feel free to serve this dairy free pecan pie with coconut cream, or a scoop of dairy-free ice cream.

Top Tips

• Chill your pie crust for at least 15, and preferably 30 minutes before rolling it out. If baking on a hot day, chill it again once it's been rolled out in the pan and crimped.
• Do not skip the blind baking stage - it really upgrades this pie's texture!
• Crimp the edges of the pie for a beautiful design, especially if not serving with maple dulce de leche cream.
• If you have any leftover dough, you can cut out toppings to decorate the pie.
• To protect your oven from spills, place the pie pan on a baking sheet while baking.
• Cool the gluten-free maple pecan pie completely before slicing.
• If looking to substitute the maple dulce de leche cream, feel free to serve this dairy free pecan pie with coconut cream, or a scoop of dairy-free ice cream.

FAQ

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