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!
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.
Since we're avoiding corn syrup, we use a bit of superfine white rice flour in the mixture. That helps the pie set up properly during baking, and keep its shape when it cools.
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 as a no crust pecan pie. 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.
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…
Tips for nailing this gluten free pecan pie recipe
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 gluten free pecan pie, cut 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 gluten free pecan 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 gf pecan 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!
Gluten free pecan pie ingredient substitutions
Dairy free gluten free pecan pie
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 for making that without butter.
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.
Can you make this gluten free pecan pie without eggs?
There are 3 eggs in this pie crust, 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.
Can you make this gluten free pecan pie recipe without sugar?
No, 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 gluten free pecan pie
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 gluten free pecan pie
Yes! 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 my gluten free pecan 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 a gf pecan pie in advance?
Once you make the simple raw filling, it should be baked within a reasonable period of time. But 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 pan for baking a pecan pie that's gluten free?
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 is my gluten free pecan pie not setting?
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.
The best gluten free pecan pie recipe, step by step
Gluten Free Pecan Pie
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.
Gluten Free Pecan Pie
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.
Sara says
Any ideas how to make this refined sugar free?
Nicole Hunn says
You’d need an entirely different recipe, Sara. I’d recommend a Keto or Paleo blog!
Gayle Burton says
Can you make individual tarts with this filling? Could you use cornflour instead of the rice flour?
Love your recipes.
Nicole Hunn says
I discuss substitiutions for the superfine rice flour in the post, Gayle. No, you cannot use cornstarch, if that’s what you mean by “cornflour.” And yes! I think you could make individual tarts.
Ruth Broch says
When you speak about light brown sugar (which I note many of your recipes call for) – do you mean Demerara sugar? Golden Cane Sugar? If not, can I use regular dark brown sugar? These 3 are the only brown sugars we get in Israel.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Ruth, light brown sugar is granulated sugar with less molasses added to it than dark brown sugar. Demerara sugar has much larger crystals, and it won’t dissolve as well, so I wouldn’t recommend using that. You can either add some molasses to white granulated sugar (if you Google it, there are sites that will tell you how much), or use your dark brown sugar. It’s softer and has more moisture, so it will affect the result, but I don’t know how much since I haven’t tried.
Debbie says
Hi Nicole –
Thank You SO much for giving us a corn syrup free pecan pie recipe – priceless and I can’t wait to make it. Quick question for a substitution pretty please – can you substitute tapioca flour, arrowroot flour or ??? for the fine rice flour??? I follow all of your paleo recipes – but I don’t tolerate rice well.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Debbie, I discuss replacing the rice flour in the post, but recommend my basic gum-free blend or sweet white rice flour. I’m afraid I don’t know if you could successfully replace it with anything else you suggest. I guess you could try arrowroot, but definitely not tapioca alone. You’re out on a bit of a limb with arrowroot, though, since I really just don’t know…