Your low carb holiday dessert prayers have been answered! This sugar-free, grain-free maple pecan pie simply takes the cake. Or the pie.
Words cannot express how much I love pecan pie. Since I was a little girl, it was one of my favourite desserts and I would order it any chance I got. We didn’t have it at home very often but if I was out to dinner, my eyes would always scan that dessert menu, searching out the beloved treat, almost before I ordered my main course. If it was on the menu, I would happily tailor the rest of my meal so that I’d have room for some. I loved the richness, the gooey-ness and the buttery-ness. There was good pecan pie and there was bad pecan pie, but I really loved all of it. As a kid, sweet was sweet and even bad pecan pie was better than no pecan pie, in my young brain.
My view on that score has certainly changed over the years. My palate became a little more sophisticated and I became a little more discerning. Pecan pie has to be gooey, buttery and rich, but if it is overly sweet and full of so much corn syrup that you can barely taste the pecans, it really doesn’t taste that good. It is just sweet for the sake of being sweet, and unfortunately there are a lot of pecan pies that fit that description. And now that I follow a low carb diet, I am even more sensitive to things that are cloyingly sweet. I still love sweets, but I actually like to taste the food behind the sweetness, not just the sweetness itself.
With such a pecan pie aficionado, you know you are in good hands when I develop a low carb pecan pie recipe. I wanted my pie to have that rich, caramel-y pecan intensity without being so sweet you needed to jump up and brush your teeth after the first bite. And I wanted it to be gooey, so that the filling oozed a bit as you cut it with your fork. I am happy to say that I think I achieved both of these requirements. I flavoured this pie with some maple extract for a real fall treat, but you can swap in vanilla for a regular pecan pie.
For ease’s sake, and because I packed away my food processor a few weeks ago, I created a press-in almond flour crust for this recipe. It was quite good, but I think if I had the choice, I’d prefer my low carb roll out pastry crust. It can be tricky to work with, but it’s flakier and more buttery than a crust made with eggs and pressed into a pan. You can certainly do that if you have the time or inclination.
Maple Pecan Pie
Your low carb holiday dessert prayers have been answered! This sugar-free, grain-free maple pecan pie simply takes the cake. Or the pie.
Ingredients
Press-in Crust
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 2 tbsp Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- Pinch salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tbsp melted butter
Filling
- 1 half recipe Low Carb Caramel Sauce
- 1 tbsp maple extract (or vanilla extract if you want regular pecan pie)
- 6 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 2 tbsp vegetable glycerin
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1 1/2 cup pecan halves
Instructions
Press-in Crust:
- Grease a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie pan well.
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, arrowroot starch, sweetener, coconut flour and salt. Stir in egg and melted butter until dough begins to cling together.
- Press into bottom and up sides of prepared pie dish, crimping the edges. Prick the bottom a few times with a fork, then freeze one hour.
Filling:
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the caramel sauce, maple extract, powdered sweetener, vegetable glycerin, egg and melted butter.
- Remove pie crust from freezer and spread with pecan halves. Pour filling over and place on a baking sheet.
- Tent the whole pie with foil (to keep crust edges from burning) and bake about 40 to 45 minutes, until center is just a tiny bit jiggly. Bake a little less if you want a really gooey pie.
- Let cool at least 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Serves 10. Each serving has 13.23 g of carb and 5.36 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 7.87 g.
Food energy: 430kcal Saturated fatty acids: 8.21g Total fat: 38.84g Calories from fat: 349 Cholesterol: 24mg Carbohydrate: 13.23g Total dietary fiber: 5.36g Protein: 7.63g Sodium: 198mg
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I can’t wait to try this!
O!M!G! I have been checking your blog every day since you mentioned you were going to post a pecan pie recipe. This looks AMAZING!!! Thank you so much!
Any idea what the carb count would be if using the roll out crust?
About 1 gram more per serving with the roll out crust.
Also regarding the rolled out crust, I was looking at your link for preparing it. Would you bake it ahead of time with pie weights, or would you bake it with the filling already in it?
Thank you! I really can’t wait to try this!
No, fill it and then bake. And still cover it with foil to prevent over-browning.
this looks really good! thanks
I am with you, it is all about the pecan pie for me too. Love that you can SEE how awesome the texture is. YUM!
Hi Carolyn,
I am dairy and gluten free….is there something other than heavy cream that I can use for the caramel sauce?
Thanks!!
I’ve made an excellent caramel sauce with coconut milk. 🙂
Hi Carolyn
I am also dairy free. Is there any alternative to using heavy cream for the caramel sauce?
Thanks!
Yes, one reader has had great success with full fat coconut milk.
This looks so good. I have four sisters and we are planning a getaway weekend to Williamsburg in a few days. Two of us are low carbing, so I thought this would be good to take for us, since we always enjoy yummy sweets when we are together. When you say powdered swerve sweetener, is this something different than what is in the crust?
Hi, Tammy –
I use Swerve and can tell you that there is a “regular” Swerve (like regular sugar) and “powdered” Swerve (like confectioner’s sugar). You could probably put regular Swerve in a coffee grinder and render it powdered, but someone may know more than me about that.
Hi Tammy…yes, there is a confectioner’s version of Swerve, that is so finely ground it’s like dust and it works a little better for the gooeyness in this recipe. If you don’t have that, as another reader suggested, you can try grinding it yourself in a coffee grinder.
THANKS SO MUCH! GLAD I ASKED. CAN’T WAIT TO TRY THIS. YUM!!
Looks delicious!
This is so weird, my husband literally just said he would love a low carb pecan pie the night before you posted this! Ever feel like you’re on the Truman Show?
Anyway I just finished making the caramel sauce and I think I might really be able to do this! You’re a hero, Carolyn!
Thank you!
what did I do wrong? It was still liquid after 30 minutes so I put in for another 30 minutes and now it is solid but the top is light brown and bubbly looking…?
I think it got a bit over baked with the extra 30 minutes. The bubbles should subside as it cools though. Also, things tend to firm up as they cool so if it’s still a bit liquid-y when you remove it from the oven, that’s okay.
I look forward to “All” of your low carb recipes ! You’re wonderful. I haven’t found one I didnt love ! You’re a very talented master of yor craft !
Thank you!
My boyfriend’s pre-diabetic father is a downhomesouthernfoodONLY kind of man. Every week or so I drop of a breakfast or dessert you’ve created, easing his sweet tooth into a healthier lifestyle. Your recipes have won him over liiiittle by little (which amounts to a LOT). This pie may just be the ticket to convert him entirely. THANK YOU for all you do, it really makes a difference.
Anyway, quick question: is there any substitute I can use for the vegetable glycerin?
You can leave out the vegetable glycerine altogether, it will just be a little less gooey.
This is the first time I’ve heard of vegetable glycerin. What does it do for recipes? So interesting learning about ingredients that are new to me!
It inhibits crystallization so it helps keep things like this soft and gooey. And it helps keep ice cream from freezing rock hard. It’s a sugar alcohol (like xylitol and erythritol) and people say it doesn’t affect blood glucose levels. Personally, I count half the carbs in it, just in case.
Is there something I can substitute for arrowroot starch? How about Coconut flour?
You can do coconut flour but it won’t hold together quite as well. but for the press-in crust, it’s a bit less of an issue than the roll out crust.
Can’t wait to try it! I have family coming Wednesday and today (Saturday) is the only day I can make it, will it still be good in 4 days or can I freeze this recipe?
Thank you!
I am not sure about freezing it, I didn’t try it myself. But I think it would be worth trying.
Do you think it would still be fine in 4 days if refrigerated? Thank you~
I really can’t say for sure. I wouldn’t leave it for longer than 2 to 3.
Kristie, did you try it? How was it after 4 days? I have to make mine well in advance of Thanksgiving.
I tried it but it wasn’t good so I wouldn’t recommend freezing it. I double checked the recipe and believe I did everything right so it must have been the freezing.
good to know, thank you for the feedback!
I made this this weekend and it was incredible. Honestly. I had to stop my boyfriend from inhaling the caramel sauce while it was cooling on the stove. He couldn’t believe it was sugar free and low carb. I’ll be bringing this to my family’s Thanksgiving, along with your sausage stuffing. I doubt they’ll know what their eating is gf/lc. Thank you Carolyn for all you do. Your site inspires me and your recipes are wonderful.
So glad to hear it!
How well does this freeze after you bake it? Want to try to make as much as possible ahead of time for thanksgiving. Thanks! Also thinking of making the chocolate pecan pie bars too—do those freeze well???
I didn’t freeze mine so I really can’t say for sure. I think they would be okay.
One more question, since you are using swerve, can you taste the coolness in this recipe? Some recipes you can and some you can’t so I was wondering how this recipe is. Because if there is coolness, I was considering using a mix of xylitol and lakanto since neither of those have any coolness but they’re more expensive so I would rather use swerve if there isn’t any coolness in this one. I want to give it to non-low-carbers and want to fool them but if there is coolness, they may not like it. Thanks.
I do not get any cooling sensation from Swerve for any recipe so I might not be the best judge. Some people do get it and some don’t…I am one of the ones that don’t. But you may want to try your mix of sweeteners, just in case.
I made this recipe this past weekend, and brought it to a dinner party where only 2 of us were low carbing. The pie was a huge hit with everybody, whether low carbing or not, and I was afraid that people were going to eat the pie tin! Seriously, this is a great dessert that you can serve all your guests and know that they will enjoy it. I will be making it again to bring to the family Thanksgiving celebration.
Glad it was such a hit!
Ok then. Recipe is awesome. One thing is missing. What is that you ask? I’m glad you asked 🙂 – what is the white topping? And where is the recipe for that? I want to make it exactly as the picture, so I can say I made it exactly like the picture, even though it probably won’t LOOK exactly like the picture ::sigh:: Thank you.
Ah, that’s just lightly sweetened whipped cream. Simple to make: if you’re serving up the whole pie, whip 1 cup whipping cream with 2 or 3 tbsp powdered Swerve and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Dollop over slices of pie!
Awesome! Will copy that onto my copy of the recipe. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Happy Thanksgiving. Big hugs to you and yours.
Are you sure you don’t prebake the crust? I found another pecan pie by Maria Emmerich where she pre-baked the crust.
Yes, I am quite sure. Pre-baking the crust for a pecan pie would mean the edges got too brown because it takes so long to bake.
could you freeze the crust for longer than 1 hr? Thinking about making the crust a few days early.
What a good substitute for arrowroot powder? I have xantham gum, Glucomannan & gaur gum would any of those work? I noticed in an earlier comment that coconut flour wouldn’t make it as thick.
Since this is a press in crust, I think you can just do more almond flour in place of the arrowroot.
Hmmm. I followed all directions. In there almost an hour and it is still like liquid.
I made this for Thanksgiving dessert and it was seriously delicious! EVERYtime my husband and/or I took a bite we exclaimed, “Oh My God, this IS so good!” By the end of the weekend and the end of the pie, we’d said it so many times it had become a joke– true one tho! I’m thinking of making it in a square pan, chopping the pecans and cutting it into squares for a holiday cookie/bar treat.
Love your idea for pecan squares!
After refrigerating the pie, will the sugars recrystallize and make it gritty? I know the caramel sauce after refrigeration gets gritty and needs to be rewarmed for it to become a smooth texture again so I was wondering how this pie is after it gets cold.
THIS IS AWESOME!!! I have never had pecan pie before but love pecans and butter and such so was game to try it. I was using sukrin brown in stead of the mentioned sweetener, I used some more of this in place of the molasses (could not find any) and blitsed some for the powdered version. I used more coconut flour in place of the arrowroot (again, couldn’t find it). My pie was in the oven a full 55 minutes to leeve it with a wibble in the middle and I left it to cool the night in the oven and transferred it to the fridge the next day. We ate some last night and oooooh wheeee lady I wish you lived closed so I could give you the kiss and cuddle you so deserve!! Even the hubs, who doesn’t like any form of toffee or caramel, thought this was delish!! The only thing I did find was that the mixture felt slightly gritty but I did serve it straight outof the fridge, maybe if I leave it at room temp for a bit that will get better? (or maybe it is because I used a different brand of sweetener … I dunno) THANK YOU!!! xxxxxxxx
Hi Carolyn, yet another absolutely incredible recipe from you, it looks dangerous. It may not stick around for long in my house. I have included it in my recipe roundup – Top 20 Low Carb Thanksgiving recipes from my favourite low carb websites. Love this pie. Libby
Is there a good substitute for the vegetable glycerin?
You can skip it but your final product may recrystallize.
I made this yesterday for Thanksgiving, but made a low carb shortbread pie crust (it was yummy!) instead. I had a problem with the filling not solidifying, even with quite a bit of extra time in the oven. ( Even after cooling, it was still runny.) Do you think if I cut down on the vegetable glycerine, it might get a bit more solid? Taste wise, it was PERFECT! I’d like to make it again for Christmas!
What sweetener were you using?
Swerve (powdered style).
Hmmm, then I really don’t know why it wouldn’t thicken properly. Taht’s the first time someone’s had this issue, I think.
Okay, thanks for trying to help me figure it out! It really is a yummy recipe, so I’ll definitely make it again!
I made this last night for a family dinner today and it was OUT of this world. The taste is fabulous, the texture is perfect and I absolutely love how the crust just slides right out of the dish. THANK you so much for this recipe and I am having so much fun going through your blog for great recipes. 🙂
Can I use a substitute for the Swerve sweeter? Maybe Truvia baking blend? If so, would it be the same measurements?
The Trivia baking blend has sugar in it, I believe. I really don’t know the conversion but I believe you can google that and find out.
Thank you. I will stick to swerve, I was just having trouble finding it at the local store.
Hi, I was looking at your pecan pie recipe to see if I could use it to modify an old traditional colloquial pie we love here in Kentucky called “Transparent Pie”. It’s a simple custard pie mostly butter, eggs and sugar but it calls for white corn syrup 2Tbs for gooeyness. What do you suggest I use for Karo syrup (white corn syrup)? Would the vegetable glycerin work? Thanks and just love your recipes!
Vegetable glycerin or possibly the fiber syrups from Sukrin?
The fiber syrups work wonderfully well! You can also get one from Amazon that’s called Fiber Yum. I tried a pecan pie with Sukrin Gold syrup and the pie was scarfed down by my husband, who is not a low carber.
I got everything together to make this only to discover I don’t actually own a pie plate. If I use an 8×8 square glass pan I know it makes the crust thicker than what would be in a pie plate. Would I need to cook the crust slightly before I add the pecans and filling, or just make the pie as normal and cook the whole thing slightly longer?
I would probably bake it 10 minutes first. If you put everything in on top and bake, it may not crisp up enough. Maybe pre-bake 10 minutes?
Thank you, I will try this. It is in the freezer now. I honestly thought I just bought a glass pie plate, but maybe I just looked at one in Walmart and never bought it, lol. I wanted to test this pie out before Thanksgiving. The caramel sauce may not make it to the pie. Oh my word, that is the best low carb caramel sauce I have ever made!
Thanks, Christie! Hope they turn out that way.
I wokld like to try this recipe since I love so many of your others! Do you think it wokld taste weird if we exchanged the butter for some other oil? Daughter is now sf, gf, and df. I know it wouldn’t be “buttery” but would it be a bust?
I think it might work but I can’t say for sure!
I’m getting ready to make this for thNksgiving this year. Full disclosure, I sometimes have a hard time sticking to recipes completely without some tweets. The filling looks thinner than traditional pecan pie, is that to keep it at the proper carb count? I thought about doubling the filling recipe to make it thicker OR using the pancake syrup from the THM cookbook and adding another egg. Thoughts?
It’s not thinner, I don’t think. I like my pecan pie gooey!
This recipe looks awesome! Totally making it for thanksgiving this year.
Quick question: The filling ingredients say to use two eggs, but in step 5 of the instructions the word “egg” is singular. I’m assuming that’s just a typo, and the ingredients list is correct?
Thanks for the great recipe! I already made the caramel sauce, it’s ridiculously good. You’d never know it’s low carb.
Yes, a typo.
My pie turned seriously lighter than when I put it in..what could have happened? It still taset good though. Maybe I cooked it too long..
Is it just the top that turned lighter? That’s happened to me, like some of the egg rising up before. But the center is usually still darker.
Hi Carolyn,
I love pecan pie and I’m going to try to make this for Christmas but i don’t have any xantham gum: is it possible to substitute with chia seeds? how would you do it?
Thanks in advance!
You can skip it but don’t sub with chia. And it may harden a little more upon cooling.