A mini sugar-free pecan pie that serves just two. It’s the ultimate keto dessert recipe for the holidays and so easy to make. 6 ingredients and 35 minutes start to finish!
Pecan pie has always ranked up there as one of my all time favorite desserts, and the holidays wouldn’t be complete without it. And while I have an absolutely fabulous full-size Keto Pecan Pie, I thought it would be fun to do an easy small batch version.
Because let’s face it, pecan pie is a big dessert that takes a fair bit of time and serves 10 to 12 people. If it’s just a small gathering, or if most of your family doesn’t enjoy a rich gooey pie filled with pecans, then it’s not always worth all the work.
Plus I adore that gooey, pecan-studded custard filling so much, I wanted an easier way to be able to whip it up any time the cravings strike. And somehow in the fall, they seem to strike fairly often.
Love this sugar-free pecan pie recipe? I’ve got more where that came from! Check out my Keto Pecan Pie Protein Bars for an easy energy snack. My Pecan Pie Cheesecake is also a fan favorite. And the low carb Pecan Pie Bundt Cake makes a stunning holiday dessert recipe.
How can pecan pie be keto friendly?
Excellent question, my dear reader. Excellent question indeed. Thankfully, pecans themselves are very low in carbohydrates, and in conventional pie, it’s the crust and the sugary filling that makes it so unhealthy.
This easy pecan pie recipe does away with the crust altogether, so the carb savings are huge there. Of course, my easy keto pie crust is pretty low carb as it is, but this mini dessert for two doesn’t need any crust at all.
Swapping out the sugar for low carb sweeteners is a trickier matter, since no keto sweetener behaves just like sugar. But I find that a combination of both Swerve Brown and some Bocha Sweet helps me achieve the perfect gooey center with minimal carb impact.
Tips for Easy Pecan Pie for Two
If you watch my video, you will see how simple this mini pecan pie is to make. But there are some tricks to getting that perfect gooey center so I want to give you all the best tips I can.
The mix of sweeteners is critical: Swerve Brown gives you that deeper caramel color and flavor, and the Bocha Sweet helps keep the filling from re-crystallizing as it cools. I know many people will ask about substitutes so I will try my best to answer that here and now.
What to do if you don’t have Swerve Brown: You can use any erythritol based sweetener plus 1/2 teaspoon molasses. Don’t freak out, that tiny bit of molasses has only 2.5 grams of carbs so it only adds 1.25g per serving.
What to do if you don’t have Bocha Sweet: There are several other sweeteners that will keep your filling soft and gooey. Both allulose and xylitol are good replacements here.
Keep the filling on low heat: All you really need to do here is melt the butter and whisk in the sweeteners until smooth. Then immediately remove from the heat. Because you are going to whisk in an egg and you don’t want it to curdle and cook with the heat.
Use chopped pecans: Because this pie for two is so small, chopped pecans create a more cohesive filling. But I always save a few pecan halves for decorating the top.
Don’t overbake! The outside edges of this little easy pecan pie bake and set quickly, and they puff up a lot. But you want the center to not be quite set when you take it out of the oven. It should even look a little liquid. Because this is in a ceramic dish, it continues to bake for a little while when it’s out of the oven.
Want to take this easy pecan pie over the top? Try adding a few sugar-free chocolate chips when it’s still warm, and some keto whipped cream. It’s pure heaven!
More delicious Keto Thanksgiving desserts:
- Keto Pecan Pie Bars
- Pumpkin Cream Pie
- Keto Pumpkin Roll
- Pumpkin Cake with Streusel Topping
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
A mini sugar-free pecan pie that serves just two. It's the ultimate keto dessert recipe for the holidays and so easy to make. 6 ingredients and 35 minutes start to finish!
- 1/3 cup pecan halves, divided
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp Swerve Brown
- 1 1/2 tbsp Bocha Sweet
- 1/4 tsp caramel extract or vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
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Preheat the oven to 325F.
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Set aside 6 to 8 pecan halves to top the pie, then use a sharp knife to chop the rest. Set aside while preparing the filling.
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In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and two sweeteners. Whisk until the butter is melted and the sweeteners are dissolved, about 3 minutes.
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Remove from heat and whisk in the egg, then stir in the chopped pecans. Pour the mixture into one 8-ounce ramekin or two 4-ounce ramekins. Place the reserved pecan halves decoratively on top.
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Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sides are set but the center is still wobbly. Remove and let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
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Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream or some keto ice cream. Share with your favorite person!
Recipe Video
Note: The baking time depends a lot on the depth of your ramekins. Deeper, narrower ramekins will take longer to bake, whereas shallow ones take less time. This is a recipe to keep your eyes on… start checking at 15 minutes and keep checking every few minutes after that.
Michelle C says
Can monk fruit brown be used instead of the Swerve brown?
Carolyn says
By “monk fruit brown” I am assuming you mean Lakanto. I want you to read the back label of your bag… you will see it is mostly erythritol with only a little monk fruit extract to make it sweeter. Thus, it is an erythritol based sweetener and can be used to replace the Swerve. However, it does not have nearly the dark color or flavour of Swerve.
Jo says
What can you substitute if you cannot use Bocha sweetener:
Carolyn says
Please read the blog post, I answer this question specifically.
Lisa says
Thank you for providing a dessert for two. I always need to cut most recipes in half or quarters, since it is just me.
Carolyn says
I have a bunch of mini desserts like this. 🙂 Just search “for two” or “mini”!
kare says
Love Yewwwwww! Making this tonight for the hubs and I. Perfect fall dessert.
Carolyn says
Let me know what you think!
Marilyn says
Thank you for the recipe for Pecan Pie Foe Two!
What is Mocha Sweet? Where do you buy it?
It isn’t mentioned in the written recipe to
link to find said product.
Carolyn says
Actually, it is linked in the recipe. Just click on that.
Doreen says
Isn’t Milan asking about Bocha sweetener ??
Because I could not find any mocha sweetener any where’ ,,
Thanks doreen
Laura says
Pecan pie is my favorite. Do you think a Pyrex (small 1 cup) size would work? It wouldn’t look as pretty, but in a small kitchen, I hate to buy more stuff! Thanks for this!
Carolyn says
Good question. So it should work but a few things: One, I suspect it’s deeper than my ramekin so it may take longer to bake. But it’s also glass, so a different material, which will also change the baking time. Just keep a close eye on it. The sides will puff up and set but the very center should still be un-set when you take it out.
Bonnie M Sykes says
Please, what’s the size of your Ramekin? How many ounces? the biggest ones I have is 10 & 12 oz.
DavetteB says
Try an 8×4 loaf pan
HTH
Ann D says
I made these, and they were delicious!!
Could this be done as a full sized pie by increasing the recipe obviously, but would it cook properly in a standard glass pie pan?
Carolyn says
I am sure it could, I just don’t know how long it would need to bake. My full size pecan pie has a crust so that makes a difference.
Charlotte says
When do you put the half pecans on? Before you bake it, or after??
Carolyn says
Before.
Doni says
This is going to happen tonight. For two? Who are we kidding here? I’m eating this whole thing myself….
Carolyn says
It’s a lot… hefty in calories and fat. Don’t give yourself a tummy ache! 😉
Ann says
I would rather say that this is pecan pie for one! Maybe I have a too good appetite, but this is an amazing cake :))) I foresaw that this would turn out to be an excellently tasty and fragrant cake, so I baked several at once. And so, as I expected, all three pies disappeared in one evening! This is a real treat for the sweet tooth. I will cook this pecan pie again and again … It is really qiute easy to cook as the recipe is clear and detailed. Thank you very much for the idea!
Carolyn says
I am so glad you liked it! Isn’t it ridiculously easy? Try adding a few chocolate chips next time… pure heaven.
Cecelia says
Made this tonight and OMG!!!! Delish!!! Both myself and my husband thoroughly enjoyed it and it was so incredibly easy.
Linda says
Oh my sweet lord!! I just made this and it is beyond amazing. I already had the Bocha Sweet for your other pecan pie recipe that I haven’t had the time to make yet, so when I saw this recipe I whipped it up this morning. Super easy to make and takes very little time to prepare. This taste just like non-Keto pecan pie. Thank you so much for sharing this terrific recipe and looking forward to getting my copy of your latest book soon!! 🙂
Carolyn says
Yay, so glad you like it!
LaVena Cavanaugh says
Loved it. Easy and delicious!
Margie says
Made 2 small ramekins.
I used Lakanto Golden instead of Swerve Brown and Xylitol instead of Bocha Sweet.
Unfortunately, after the first bite, we all thought it tasted eggy 🙁
Would much appreciate any suggestions to achieve more of the silky texture and a less eggy taste?
Thanks!
(Love your recipes! This is the first one that we didn’t like as much 😕)
Carolyn says
Use the same sweeteners I do and make sure not to cook it too much.
Jennifer says
Oh my goodness, I love this recipe & I love that it’s made just for two! Sometimes you just don’t want to go all out and bake a whole pie!
Katie says
Mini desserts are just the best and this pecan pie is no exception! My husband and I absolutely loved it! Thank you for the recipe!
Katie says
Pecan pie is my all time favorite pie for thanksgiving! I love that you’ve made a guilt free version. Thanks for sharing!
Laura Reese says
Wow this recipe is so quick and easy! I can’t believe it’s keto friendly. I love the smaller serving option! Delish
Melissa says
Oh my this was heavenly! I really love all your keto friendly recipes!
Jenni says
Can you freeze the finished product? I’m the one in my house that appreciates pecan pie! I’d love to make two small “pies”..eat one/freeze one if it doesn’t change the consistency.
Carolyn says
I think it would change the consistency. They are so easy to make, though, you don’t need to freeze.
Jenni says
Thank you!
Erica B says
Thank you Carolyn, this was tasty and very easy to make! My husband and I liked it. Next time, I’ll let the butter and sweetener mixture cool for 5 minutes or so, because my egg began to cook when I whisked it in just a minute after removing the pot from the stove. I strained the mixture into my baking dish and the texture of the finished product was just fine. Pretty sure I’ll make it again! (By the way, the directions don’t mention when to add the extract.)
Sharon says
OMG, this was great. Just the perfect size for a treat, although I could have eaten the whole thing by myself, at one sitting 😆😃😅. Thank you once more for a delicious treat.
Melissa S says
I think I may have baked mine too long, but it was delicious none-the-less! I’ll definitely be trying the recipe with the crust as well! But this was the perfect size since I’m the only one eating keto desserts around here… Lucky me!
Shelley kozak says
Is there another sweetener that can be used In place of the Bocha sweet??
Carolyn says
Please read the full blog post as I answer this question.
Rosalinda Hernandez says
THANK YOU, thank you… Because of this pie I was finally able to convince my husband (and kids) to go on this Keto adventure with me. I have Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and my doctor suggested I try this way of eating to help with the aches and pain (had it since I was a pre teen). After a few days I started to notice that I was able to get out of bed quicker. My husband loves to cook and he prepares our meals everyday. I have been trying to get him to join me (I’m not much of a cook compared to him) for months. He tried a few things but wasn’t impressed . I made this as soon as I saw it. Had to make two because of the recipe 😉 When it was cooling down he and the kids kept asking what the wonderful smell was. Now they are team Keto,lol… So thank you again. They are excited to try more of your treats.
Carolyn says
Wow, that is amazing, I am so glad my recipe was the deciding factor. And I am so very happy you are finding some success dealing with your RA with keto. I hope it only gets better from here!
Deanna Melton says
Just made these……used the Swerve brown and monkfuit (Lakanto) powdered. I used a drop of maple extract and a nut butter extract instead, I didn’t have any caramel. Anywho, they turned out great!! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Judy says
THANK YOU so much for this recipe, and for saying I could use allulose for gooeyness! i have that, and wasnt excited about buying a 5th sweetener! I saw your recipe on High Falutin Low Carb video. This is great because we can taste test.
Glad you have some mini versons on your site!!!
I had a big separation problem with the Wholesome Yum pie, and she didnt know why. O’m going to try youra,
Glad to finally see what you look like, after just starting to use your recipesknowing it is better
Carolyn says
Thanks Judy. This is a mini one… are you looking for the full size one? It’s here and you can use allulose in that one too. https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/best-low-carb-maple-pecan-pie/
Baker Judy says
Hi Carolyn, I did this size for portion control and to taste test! Wow! We loved it!! You should have seen my hubby’s face.
I had allulose left over from making keto ice cream last summer, and I am so glad to know it will work in these 2 recipes.
Looking forward to making it for Thanksgiving. A few of the people don’t eat dairy, but I don’t think margarine would do it justice. Or would it?
XOXOXOXO
Carolyn says
No, margarine would not work here (and it’s awful for you anyway!). You could try ghee which is clarified butter and many dairy-free people still eat it but I would ask them first.
Judy says
Thanks, Carolyn, but I don’t think the ghee would work for dairy free. They can eat something else!!!
I made the recipe again, testing out the Maple extract I have instead of vanilla extract. Much better.
I’m sure your caramel extract is “the bomb,” but I have so many extracts already and 8 different sweeteners!
Thank you so much for your reply. I’m glad to find another baker. I’m looking forward to your recipes!!!
Bonnie M Sykes says
Never mind about ramekin size see it in the recipe sorry
Tammy Kaylor says
Carolyn, can I use JUST Bochasweet in place of the Swerve Brown (using the molasses sub as suggested)? I am trying to experiment with moving away from Swerve as it does appear to have a mild laxative effect on me which I do not like. I would love your thoughts.
Carolyn says
I think so. I haven’t ever tried it this way.
Odessa says
Thanks for the recipe. It looks wonderful. The recipe states use an 8 oz ramekin (or 2- 4 oz) but the ones I see online seem to be deeper than the one you have. Please provide the depth and diameter. Thanks so much.
Carolyn says
The depth doesn’t matter if the capacity is sufficient. These are what I use: https://amzn.to/33TyAld
Odessa says
Thank you.
Brenda says
Just wondering…I found Bocha Sweet online, but one just said Bocha Sweet and but there was also “powdered” Bocha Sweet…is there a difference? Don’t want to order the wrong one. Thanks!
Carolyn says
Either will work but the granulated is better (not powdered)
Liz says
Perfect timing! Got BochaSweet In today and have ordered 6 inch pie plates. Am planning on mini Pecan Pies for Christmas for a few Friends.
Carolyn says
Enjoy!
Carole Corey says
I have been baking this Easy Keto Pecan Pie at 325 deg. for 25 minutes + 5 + 5 + 5 * 10 (50 minutes so far and it is done around top outside edge but underneath and center is fully liquid like very thin pancake syrup. Is there supposed to be flour or a thickening in ingredients? ? I finally removed the cookie sheet and it looks done after 1 hour.
Carolyn says
Well something went wrong on your end because as you can see from the comments, this one works out well for the vast majority. I honestly can’t say unless you tell me all the ingredients you used…
Terry S says
Adding the caramel extract after adding the egg should be in the written instructions.
Marcia Burrows says
I want to make this for the two of us, but I’d really like to include a crust. Can you give me any advice? 1/3 your crust recipe? Size of dish?
Carolyn says
I’m sorry, I haven’t tried anything like that so you will need to experiment.
Marcia Burrows says
OK. I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks anyway.
Marcia Burrows says
Made it as you described with no crust to celebrate pi day. So delicious! Turned out perfectly. We didn’t miss the crust. A happy pi day for us 😉 Thanks so much for all the care you take perfecting these recipes.
Julie says
Made this tonight in 2 small ramakin’s. I didn’t have caramel extract so I used 1/8 tsp maple and 1/8 tsp vanilla. Over cooked it, was lazy and just poured HWC over it…didn’t change the fact that it was Absolutely DELICIOUS! Love your blog and video’s. Thanks!
Tracy says
How long do you cook when you use 2 small ramakins?
Carolyn says
Not sure, I would keep a close eye on them.
Candace Spaid says
Might want to add a step to the procedures for adding in the extract. I love the magic bars. I’m sure I’ll love this.
Estelle says
Very easy, quick and super yummy gooeyness made with xylitol, erythritol and molasses. It was delicious warm on its own. Perfect portion control too…
Nonya says
By chance will Allulose liquid work in place of Bocha Sweet. I have Xylitol, but I also have Allulose liquid that I’ve never used and just wondered if it would work here. Thank you in advance. Your recipes are wonderful!
Carolyn says
I haven’t ever used it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
Yvette Cross says
Can I use LaKanto Monkfruit in place of the Bocha Sweet?
Carolyn says
No, because it’s mostly erythritol, like Swerve, and your filling will re-crystallize. See the blog post for appropriate BochaSweet subs.
Dee says
Thank you for the recipe I’m making it right now, however I didn’t see in the written instructions went to add the caramel extract. I went to your video and it was indicated there.
I was craving something sweet and I’m just starting this low-carb life and found your site. Thank you again.
Saritha says
It’s a great recipe, simple and quick but not very helpful for first timers I’m afraid. It says, ‘remove from heat and add egg’.. even on medium heat, the sugar mixture is going to be too hot for even room temp eggs. People who have worked with custard recipes or eggs in hot mixtures, wouldn’t know that they cannot add eggs as soon it’s off the heat.
Carolyn says
You do remove from heat and add the egg right away… It’s not that hot because you combine the butter and sweeteners over LOW heat, not medium. If you did medium, then that’s a problem.