The Perfect Gluten Free Pecan Pie

slice of gluten free pecan pie on white plate with gold fork

5 from 34 votes

Prep Time : 30

Cook Time : 1 15

This irresistible gluten free pecan pie is sweet, salty and nutty, with a light, flaky and buttery gf pie crust—all without corn syrup!

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This classic gluten free pecan pie recipe combines the perfect sweet, salty, and nutty tastes, all in an impossibly flaky gf pie crust that browns and never burns. You won't believe how easy the filling is to make—all without corn syrup!

You may have come looking for a gf pecan pie for the holidays, but you'll find yourself making it all year long. Stash some slices in the freezer and defrost at room temperature for a little treat any time!

Slice of gluten free pecan pie on small white plate with rest of pie in background in white pie plate and small white bowl with pecans

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Why this is the best gluten free pecan pie recipe

The star of any gluten free pie, for me, is always an extra flaky gluten free pie crust. And I always start this pie with that perfect recipe for 1 single pie crust—but the simple, mouthwatering filling is what makes this recipe special.

Pecan pie filling is really just a cooked custard made with sugar, butter, and eggs, poured over chopped pecans. But this filling can hold up even without the pecans—and it doesn't call for any corn syrup.

Most of the pecan pie filling recipes out there call for using 1 full cup of Karo corn syrup, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3 eggs, some butter, plenty of vanilla extract—and, of course, pecans. It's even naturally gluten free.

I don't mind using corn syrup, an invert sugar, which is designed to prevent sugar crystals from forming, leading to a smoother result. But it makes a different pie—and many prefer to avoid using a whole cup of it in a pie.

Set this pecan pie filling with a touch of gf flour

Since this gf pecan pie is made without corn syrup, it's best to cook it at a lower temperature than a corn syrup-based filling. The thickness and stability of corn syrup also helps the pie set up.

To help create the stability that corn syrup helps provide, we use a bit of superfine white rice flour in the filling mixture, like we add an all purpose gluten free flour blend to our recipe for gluten free pumpkin pie. The flour helps the pie set up properly during baking, and keep its shape when it cools.

Overhead image of baked gluten free pecan pie with metal pie server, stack of small white round plates and blue cloth on white surface

Gluten free pecan pie crusts

I always make my own gluten free pie crust from our extra flaky gluten free pie crust recipe. But if you have a favorite brand of store-bought gluten free pie crust, and you have it on hand, use it!

No one is going to give you a medal for making everything from scratch (trust me; I should know!). Everyone just wants to eat a delicious pie filling with a flaky crust. We don't have to serve even a little slice to anyone who cares how you got there!

You can also make this filling with no crust. It doesn't set up well enough to slice neatly without the crust, but it does bake beautifully in oven-safe single-serve ramekins.

You can also try making the filling in lined wells of a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Watch the time, though, since they'll bake much more quickly than a whole pie.

How to serve gf pecan pie

Pecan pie is rich, and rather sweet. If you'd like to cut the sweetness a bit, try serving it with some very lightly sweetened fresh whipped cream.

It's also often served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It certainly doesn't reduce the sweetness, but it does make it taste like you're eating butter pecan ice cream in all the very best ways…

4 images of gf pecan pie being made with a bare crust, crust with pecan pieces, filling on top, and decorative pecans on top ready to bake

Recipe tips & tricks

Don't reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe

This filling recipe has 3 main ingredients: sugar (light brown and granulated), melted butter, and eggs. You can't make it without any of those 3 ingredients.

If you try reducing the sugar at all, you won't just have the less-sweet pie you're going for. You'll have a filling that never sets up and tastes oily and eggy.

Chill the gluten free pie crust before rolling

All pastry dough must be cold at all times other than when it's in the oven. Pie crust is no exception.

Pie crust and other pastry dough become crispy and flaky in the oven when there are cold pieces of butter, or another solid fat, that expand in the oven heat. If they're warm when they go into the oven, they'll just melt without expanding.

For a softer pie, reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes

I like to bake this gluten free pie until the filling is completely set, so it slices very cleanly. If you'd rather have a pie with filling that melts out of the slice a bit, reduce the cooking time by about 10 minutes.

For completely set pie filling, it will resist being pressed in the center when it's done. For a softer filling that's still fully baked, it's done when the filling still jiggles slowly when shaken gently from side to side.

Let your pie cool completely before slicing

Whether your pie is set fully, or set softer, you must wait for it to cool completely before serving. Otherwise, the filling will cave in on itself when you try to slice it.

In fact, I prefer to let it cool completely and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing. It's easier to slice, even if you've made a softer filling pie.

Storing and freezing your pie

You can make this pecan pie long before you're ready to serve it. You can make and bake the whole pie, then let it cool, cover, and freeze it for at least 3 months.

Just defrost it at room temperature, slicing it once it's cool but not cold. Then, serve the slices still cold or at room temperature.

If you have leftover slices, chill them and wrap them each tightly in freezer-safe wrap. Store them in the refrigerator or the freezer and serve whenever you like!

Overhead image of raw gluten free pecan pie with extra pecans on white surface and blue cloth

Popular ingredient substitutions

Dairy free

The dairy in the gluten free pie crust can be replaced if you use our recipe for classic gluten free pie crust and follow the instructions under the heading “How to make a gluten free pie crust without sour cream.”

The butter in the filling can be replaced with vegan butter. My favorite brands are Melt and Miyoko's Kitchen.

For the bit of milk, just use your favorite unsweetened unflavored nondairy milk. Any will really do.

Egg-free?

There are 3 eggs in this pie, and I don't know if it can be made without them. If you have a really trusty egg-replacer that works for custard, then try using it if you're feeling brave!

Can you replace the superfine rice flour with something else?

Yes! Our basic gum-free gluten free flour blend works, too. So does sweet white rice flour (also called glutinous rice flour).

Do not use cornstarch, as it creates a custard that tends to leak liquid as it cools.

Sugar-free?

You can't make this recipe entirely without sugar. Sugar is one of the main ingredients that form the custard that is at the heart of the filling.

You may be able to use brown sugar and granulated sugar alternative granulated sweeteners in place of those two ingredients, but I don't have enough experience with sugar-free baking to hazard a guess.

Pecan-free

Even though it's called “gluten free pecan pie,” you can make this recipe without pecans. Another semi-soft nut like walnuts works great.

The other nuts that come to mind are: pistachio nuts (although they're so much smaller), skinned hazelnuts, and even boiled and skinned peanuts.

Nut-free

You can make gluten free pecan pie without pecans—or any other nut. The filling is a simple brown sugar custard that's poured over chopped pecans and baked. The pecans on the top do help the custard rise and set evenly on the top, but they're definitely not essential.

Try making the filling without any nuts at all, or try sprinkling some chocolate chips on top of the filling before baking. They should sit right on top, but sink a bit during baking—but still hold their shape.

FAQs about gluten free pecan pie

Is pecan pie gluten free?

No! Unless it's made with a gluten free pie crust, no crusted pie is gluten free. But a crustless pie that's made with the classic corn syrup filling should be gluten free as long as it's not contaminated with any gluten-containing ingredients.

Is corn syrup gluten free?

Karo brand corn syrup is gluten free unless it's contaminated by something with gluten in it. But we don't need that here.

Can I make the pie crust ahead of time?

Yes! You can make the crust recipe weeks ahead of time, and store it in a disk, covered tightly, in the freezer. Defrost and shape before baking.
You can also shape and line your pie pan with the crust, and freeze it as shaped. You won't have to defrost it at all before filling and baking it.

Can I make the whole pie in advance?

Yes! You can bake, cool, and freeze or refrigerate the whole baked pie quite a few days (in the refrigerator) or weeks (in the freezer) in advance.

What's the best pie pan to bake in?

I bake pies in a porcelain pie dish or an aluminum pie pan. For best results, avoid a glass pie pan, which retains heat too well and is prone to burning your pie.

Why won't my gluten free pecan pie set up?

Don't take your pie out of the oven when the filling is loose in the pan. It should, at most, jiggle in a very controlled, slow way, when you move the pan from side to side.
Make sure your oven isn't running hot, or cold. Most ovens are off calibration, so I bake using a simple, inexpensive analog oven thermometer—and replace it often. Did you replace or eliminate any filling ingredients? Cut back on the sugar or eggs? Your filling won't set.

Fork being inserted into slice of gf pecan pie on small white plate with small bowl of pecans and rest of pie in background

The best gluten free pecan pie recipe, step by step

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Gluten Free Pecan Pie Recipe

This irresistible gluten free pecan pie is sweet, salty and nutty, with a light, flaky and buttery gf pie crust—all without corn syrup!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 1 15

Chilling time: 3

Yield: 8 slices

Author: Nicole Hunn

Ingredients

For the gf pie crust

1 gluten free pie crust (homemade (linked) or store-bought)

For the filling

1 ½ cups (327 g) packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons (75 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) milk at room temperature
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
3 (150 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons (30 g) superfine white rice flour
2 cups (180 g) shelled pecan halves very roughly chopped

For finishing

½ cup (60 g) shelled pecan halves for decorating the top
Coarse salt for sprinkling

Instructions

Prepare the pie crust according to the recipe instructions but without par-baking the crust. Arrange the crust as instructed in a 9-inch deep dish pie crust.
Place the shaped crust in the pan in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 days (if covered).
When you’re nearly ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a large bowl, place the brown sugar and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine. Break up any lumps in the brown sugar.
Add the milk, vanilla, and melted butter, and whisk vigorously until the mixture is very smooth.
Add the eggs, then the salt and rice flour, and whisk until just combined after each of the two additions.
Place the chopped pecans in the bottom of the raw, chilled pie crust. Pour the mixture over the pecans in the crust.
The pecan pieces will rise toward the top on their own.
Arrange the remaining pecan halves, flat side down, placing them gently on top in concentric circles. Start along the perimeter and work your way in.
Sprinkle the top of the filling lightly with coarsely salt.
Place the pie dish pan on a rimmed aluminum baking sheet and in the center of the preheated oven. Bake at 325°F for 20 minutes.
Lower the oven temperature to 300°F, and bake for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until set as you like.
For a fully set pie, bake it for about 1 hour, or until you can feel that it’s set just below the top pecans when you press the filling gently toward the center.
For a softer filling that’s still fully baked, bake until the filling still jiggles slowly when shaken gently from side to side, in a controlled way (about another 45 minutes).
The crust should not burn, as the pie is being baked at such a low oven temperature.
Let the pie cool to room temperature. For the cleanest slices, place the pie in the refrigerator and chill until firm, at least 3 hours. Slice and serve chilled.