My family tends to have too many pies at our holiday celebrations. You really need to cover all the bases when it comes to pie! All the teams need representation: pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, apple pie…and now pecan pie! It took me a while to get a classic vegan pecan pie recipe up on this site, even though pecan might just be my favorite holiday pie. Why? The idea of making an egg-free pecan pie can be a little intimidating at first, but fortunately, it’s not that difficult. There are a couple of magic ingredients that are perfect when creating that gooey, caramelly filling that any good pecan pie has. (Hint: I borrowed some tricks from my vegan custard pie recipe.) What I ended up creating was a pecan pie that’s decadent and delicious, and pretty darn easy to make. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving, holiday celebrations, or any time you’re craving something sweet and indulgent!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Vegan pie crust. Use my homemade vegan pie crust recipe or pick one up at the store. Be careful with store-bought, as many brands contain butter or lard. Always check the ingredients! Brown sugar. Use organic to keep the recipe vegan. Maple syrup. Another liquid sweetener like agave, corn syrup, or coconut nectar can be substituted, but maple adds a really nice flavor to the vegan pecan pie filling. Vegan butter. Look for brands like Miyoko’s and Earth balance near where the regular butter is sold at your store. Silken tofu. Silken tofu comes in both refrigerated and shelf-stable varieties, and either will work with this recipe! You might also have a choice of firm or soft, and again, either will work, though firm is preferable. Non-dairy milk. Any unflavored and unsweetened variety will work, such as soy, almond, or oat milk. Check out my guide to dairy-free milks if you need help choosing one. Cornstarch. This is the magic ingredient for creating that custardy texture in our vegan pecan pie. It’s super important, so don’t skip or skimp on it. Cinnamon. Vanilla. Pecans.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll to the bottom of the post if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Start by blind baking your crust. Poke some holes in the bottom of the crust or pie shell with a fork, line the inside with parchment paper or foil, and fill it with pie weights, or dried rice or beans if you don’t have pie weights.
Pop the crust into the oven and bake it for 15 minutes. This gets the crust baking process started and prevents it from turning out soggy. Blend up a few of the ingredients for the filling using a food processor or blender: silken tofu, non-dairy milk, cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Set this mixture aside for a minute.
Place maple syrup, brown sugar, and vegan butter into a small pot or medium saucepan on the stove. Heat everything up, bring it to a simmer, and let it cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, giving it a stir from time to time. It should be super bubbly and glossy when the time is up. Now pour the blended tofu mixture into the pot. Whisk everything together and let it simmer for just a minute to thicken up slightly.
Fill your pie crust with roughly chopped pecans, then pour your liquid mixture over the pecans. The crust should be filled to the brim! I like to arrange a few whole pecans on top as well.
Pop the pie into the oven. Be sure to place something under it to catch drips, which will probably occur. Bake the pie for about 40 minutes, then take it out of the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. The pie will continue to set as it cools. Slice your pie and dig in!
Leftovers & Storage
Store any leftover pie in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Vegan Holiday Desserts
Vegan Spice Cake Vegan Gingerbread Cookies Vegan Cinnamon Rolls Vegan Chocolate Cake Mini Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
