Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup!)

This homemade pecan pie recipe is naturally sweetened (no corn syrup!), easy to make, and so comforting and delicious!

Alright, so the million dollar Thanksgiving question — which pie do you choose?  ♡

I’m a lifetime member of Team Pumpkin myself, and have already been counting down the days until I get to make this naturally-sweetened pumpkin pie recipe again for our big Thanksgiving fiesta here next week.  But my husband is one thousand percent on Team Pecan, and as such, he has already made sure that our pantry is well stocked for at least a few homemade pecan pies this holiday season.  (We usually have to make an extra pie on Thanksgiving just so he can be sure to have some leftovers!)

The thing is that neither of us really want to be cooking with corn syrup nowadays, which has always traditionally been used to sweeten pecan pies.  So for the past few years, we have been trying out some of the internet’s most popular naturally-sweetened pecan pie recipes.  And after a few trials (and a few “whelming” fails, as Barclay calls them), I think that we have finally landed on our new family favorite pecan pie recipe.  It’s our twist on the maple pecan pie recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction, and we absolutely love it.

First off, we love this pecan pie because it is indeed corn-syrup-free and naturally sweetened instead with a combination of pure maple syrup and coconut sugar (or you can use brown sugar, if you prefer).  It’s also delightfully full of pecans, since we prefer a dense nutty filling, versus just a thin layer of nuts floating on top.  We also added in plenty of butter and vanilla and a hint of cinnamon to our filling, as my grandma always used to do with her classic pecan pie recipe.  But then we took things a step further and also added in a generous (yet optional) splash of bourbon, whose flavor kicks this pie up a mega notch and pairs perfectly with the toasted pecans.  So good.

I also used my favorite homemade pie crust in this recipe, but you’re welcome to sub in a gluten-free pie crust if you would like this pie to be completely gluten-free.  And if you’re interested in more of a chocolate pecan pie, I’ve included an option below for how to also add in some chocolate chips too.

Basically, this pecan pie recipe is everything we love about the classic — just modernized with some more natural ingredients, with all of those good flavors amped up a bit.  The result is a total winner.  And if you or your loved ones are on Team Pecan, you should totally give it a try.

Team Pecan

Pecan Pie Ingredients:

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this easy pecan pie recipe:

• Pie crust: I used my favorite homemade pie crust recipe, which you are welcome to make with coconut sugar as a natural sweetener if you’d like, instead of granulated sugar.  Or if you’re short on time, a store-bought pie crust will work too.
• Pecan halves: This recipe uses the equivalent of one (10-ounce) bag of shelled pecan halves, which I typically leave whole but you are welcome to roughly chop if you prefer.
• Eggs: Three of which we will add to the pecan pie filling, and one of which you are welcome to whisk with milk (or water) to create an egg wash to brush on the crust, which will make it nice and golden.
• Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup will serve as the primary sweetener for this pecan pie.
• Coconut sugar (or brown sugar): Either coconut sugar or traditional brown sugar will work as our secondary (dry) sweetener.
• Butter: Melted and then slightly cooled.
• Cornstarch: To help thicken the pecan pie filling.
• Vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and sea salt: To make this pecan pie taste extra delicious and cozy.

Full ingredient amounts/instructions listed in the full recipe below.

How To Make Pecan Pie:

To make this pecan pie recipe, simply…

1. Blind bake the pie crust. Use parchment paper or aluminum foil to line the inside of a chilled unbaked pie crust, then fill the bottom of the crust with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the pie pan from the oven, carefully lift out the foil/parchment and weights, and set them aside.
2. Prepare the maple sauce: Whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), bourbon, cornstarch, vanilla, sea salt and ground cinnamon — followed by the melted butter — together in a large bowl until combined.
3. Assemble the pie. Arrange the pecans in an even layer in the blind-baked pie crust, then pour the maple sauce evenly over the top of the pecans.
4. Bake.  Bake the pie for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. After the first 20 to 25 minutes of bake time, you are welcome to loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the whole pie if the crust or pecans seem to be browning too quickly.  The pie will be ready to go once the top is puffed up into a dome (which will sink to become flat again, once the pie has set and cooled).  Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it rest until it reaches room temperature.
5. Serve. Slice and serve pie at room temperature (or you can refrigerate and chill the pie, if you prefer).  Cover and store leftover pie at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Possible Variations:

Want to customize your homemade pecan pie?  Here are a few more twists you are welcome to try…

• Brown the butter: For extra nutty flavor, feel free to brown the butter in a saucepan before adding it to the pecan pie filling.
• Add chocolate chips: Feel free to also stir up to 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips in with the pecans before adding them to the pie crust for a chocolate pecan pie.
• Add flaky sea salt: To make more a salted pecan pie, feel free to sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top just before serving.

More Favorite Pie Recipes:

Looking for more delicious pie recipe inspiration?  Here are a few of my faves:

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