Today it’s all about Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie! You see gfe reader Mary C. wanted to convert Erin’s ($5 Dinners) Almond Pecan Pie to a crustless Almond Pecan Pie the other day and asked for help. (We had a discussion in comments on my Crustless Pumpkin Pie.)
In my research for Mary, I came across this Crustless Pecan Pie recipe at Cassandra’s blog, Delightfully Gluten Free. It didn’t call for any flour at all. I got excited! You all know how I love both flourless and crustless recipes!
Even though I hadn’t made pecan pie in years, I immediately added the recipe to my baking plans for Thanksgiving. This Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie came out perfectly, so I thought you might enjoy adding this version to your crustless pie repertoire.
![Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie. This pie gets raves and it's gluten free and grain free with a paleo option! [from GlutenFreeEasily.com]](https://glutenfreeeasily.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Crustless_Pecan_Pie.jpg "Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie. This pie gets raves and it's gluten free and grain free with a paleo option! [from GlutenFreeEasily.com]")
Admittedly, this recipe does have a lot of sugar in the form of granulated sugar and corn syrup. Frankly, I was surprised I even had corn syrup in the pantry, because I don’t remember the last time I used it. I used the last of the corn syrup in this recipe and since then I’ve made many different versions of this pie, with different sweeteners (even refined sugar free options) and alternatives to butter. (All of these options are noted in the recipe.)
This “original” version is a crowd pleaser though—a classic pecan pie, just without the crust. For the record, not a single guest at my Thanksgiving table noticed there was no crust for this pie (or the other two crustless pies—best ever pumpkin pie and coconut)—that I served for that matter).
The crustless versions are just so good; a crust is not needed and, of course, the lack of a crust (and those extra steps required to make one) makes these pies gfe.
By the way, gfe reader Michelle made the really gorgeous version shown below. She took a little extra time in placing some pecan halves, which resulted in a really lovely presentation.
And reader Aleasha shared that she likes to make a chocolate chip version of this Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie simply by sprinkling chocolate chips on the bottom of the pie plate before she adds the filling.
She added that she prefers using pecan pieces (or walnut pieces) instead of pecan halves for easier slicing and, therefore, prettier slices. I tried her method and she’s right! I’ll go with nut pieces versus nut halves from this point on when making pies.
![Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie. Naturally gluten free, naturally delicious. NOBODY will miss the crust. [from GlutenFreeEasily.com] (photo)](https://glutenfreeeasily.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Pecan-Pie-022-21.jpg "Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie. Naturally gluten free, naturally delicious. NOBODY will miss the crust. [from GlutenFreeEasily.com] (photo)")
Are you wondering what is going on next week? Well, there’s the Holiday Food Fest, which continues on next Thursday right here at gfe. The theme is Holiday Dishes: Sides, Main Dishes, Soup … Anything Goes.
I’m sure you’ll have something great that you’d like to contribute or just want to check back to get some new ideas that have already been kitchen tested by some of your favorite bloggers. If you’re still looking for holiday party ideas, be sure to check out my entries for last week’s event: Crab Ball and Reindeer Antlers Holiday Punch.
It’s snowing here now! I absolutely love snow. Now that my post is done, maybe I’ll get in some baking (Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies) and some holiday decorating while Mr. GFE and Huckleberry (one of our cats) both snooze away.
Later, we’ll be heading out to attend a combination family birthday party/oyster roast. I’m taking some Reindeer Antlers to share. There’s probably just enough left of our latest batch for any who want to partake to have a small glass, so that will work out very well.
Holiday cheers to all!
More Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Recipes
~ Chocolate Pecan “Toll House” Pie
~ Grain-Free Maple Bourbon Pecan Tart
~ Pecan Pie (Corn Syrup Free, Refined Sugar Free) (You’ll even find a recipe for gluten-free Pecan Pie Cookies on this site!)
~ Pecan Pie with Bacon Crust and Caramel Drizzle
Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Recipe
![Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie. [from GlutenFreeEasily.com]](https://glutenfreeeasily.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Crustless-Pecan-Pie-Gluten-Free-Easily.jpg)
Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie
Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie
![Easy Crustless Pecan Pie [from GlutenFreeEasily.com]](https://glutenfreeeasily.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Pecan-Pie-026.jpg)
This Easy Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie is the Southern classic that you've always known as far as flavor and texture---just no crust to worry about! Nobody misses the crust, believe me.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar (or coconut palm sugar)
- 1 cup light corn syrup (or honey or maple syrup, or a mix of both)
- 6 eggs
- 2 tbsp butter (or non-dairy substitute), melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups pecans
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in greased pie plate. Bake in a preheated 325-degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 minutes.
Notes
Cassandra said her mother has been making this pie for years, but the source of the recipe is unknown.
The original recipe said you could mix ingredients right in the pie plate, but I mixed all in a bowl and then poured into my greased pie plate.
By the way, gfe reader Aleasha shared that she like to make a chocolate chip version by sprinkling chocolate chips on the bottom of the pie plate before she adds the filling. She added that she prefer using pecan pieces (or walnut pieces) instead of pecan halves or easier slicing and, therefore, prettier slices. I took her latter suggestion and pecan pieces (versus halves) worked so very well that I'll always be using those in the future.
Last Slice of Pecan Pie–Will There Be A Fight Over It?
Originally published December 5, 2009; updated March 1, 2024.
Pam says
Oh no….way to go Shirley….now you really have me in trouble…lol! Hubby luves pecan pie…will have to make for sure….thank you!
Enjoy and hugs!
Shirley says
Hi, Pam–Making our hubbies happy is very important. I know it’s a sacrifice ;-), but it’s really important that you make it. LOL
xo,
Shirley
Pam says
ha ha ha!
Hugs!
Lauren says
Honestly, I’ve never had pecan pie. Our thanksgiving pies are typically pumpkin, lemon meringue and apple. Or at least pumpkin and one of the others ;D. This looks great!
Have a great Weekend Shirley – it sounds like there is a perfectly laid out couple of days ahead of you! Enjoy the party =D.
Shirley says
Lauren–First, I thought wow, no pecan pie ever … but it is largely a Southern thing in the U.S. I think. Your selections are hard to beat, but, I think you should give pecan pie a try. I’ll be interested to see what you think.
Yes, busy and fun days ahead … hope you have something similar planned. 🙂
Thanks!
Shirley
Kim says
Here you have me drooling over another one of your crustless pies! YUM!!! I love a good pecan pie! I think I am making several for Christmas now, though I will have 20+ different kinds of cookies after I am done with my “Cookie-A-Day” thing on my blog! LOL!
Shirley says
Kim–I hear you … I think we need to start inviting extra guests just so we have a good reason to make more pies! 🙂 I’m only partly joking …
I’m just starting to check out the Cookie-A-Day recipes … very neat indeed for your readers (and those of others who are participating), but wow, keeping you busy. Those pecan shortbread cookies looked quite good!
Thanks,
Shirley
Jo (Quirky Cooking) says
This recipe looks delicious – I think I’ll make it for Christmas, although I’ll use Rapadura instead of sugar, and honey instead of corn syrup. Do you use Rapadura at all? I love it! (See this link.)
Shirley says
Hi Jo–Welcome to gfe! I will really look forward to hearing your report when you make this pie using Rapadura and honey. I embedded the link from your site explaining the differences between various sweeters in your comment. 🙂 I’d really like to make it next time using all honey. I’ll report back. I have never used Rapadura before. From reading your site, it looks like your source of Rapadura is not available to us in the States. Any update there?
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing such good info!
Shirley
Jo (Quirky Cooking) says
Hi Shirley, you can get Rapadura in the States, but I’m not sure where. Your best bet would be to check with Debra Lynn Dadd here: http://sweetsavvy.com/sweeteners/summary.php?id=Unrefined Cane Sugar – she in the US and uses Rapadura (also called ‘unrefined cane sugar’).
Shirley says
Jo–Thanks so much for sharing that link to Debra Dadd’s blog. I took a quick peek, but will go back and look more. I also appreciate the translation as to what we call Rapadura here in the U.S. (Rapadura sounds much better! LOL)
What about Demerara sugar? How does that fit into the sweetner profiles?
Thanks!
Shirley
Jo (Quirky Cooking) says
Hi Shirley,
Demarara is still heated and crystalised, like raw sugar, but has some molasses still clinging to the crystals, so it is better than white sugar… but I much prefer Rapadura as it hasn’t been heated at all, and has HEAPS more vitamins and minerals – see the difference between sugar and Rapadura: http://www.daabon.com/australia/pdfs/Rapadura%20Specs.pdf
Shirley says
Hi Jo–Thanks for sharing the additional info! I sort of remembered from other reading that demarara wasn’t that great. That info sheet was amazing! Of course, it all makes sense. We keep bees and we would never dream of heating their honey to process it. We use an old-fashioned hand-cranked centrifuge to spin it out of the comb. 🙂
I like quirky. 🙂 Nice alliteration with Quirky Cooking, too. 😉
Thanks again very much for sharing the info!
Shirley
Shirley says
P.S. Forgot to say that I love your blog’s name and concept … quirky cooking should indeed rule for many of us. 🙂
Shirley
Jo (Quirky Cooking) says
Thanks! I’ve been called ‘quirky’ a few times, so I thought it suited! 🙂
Iris says
First, I love pecan pie! Maybe I’ll make this for Christmas. Second, I can’t wait to hear about your raw pie!
Shirley says
Hi Iris–I bet you can make a splendid version of this pecan pie. 🙂 Stand by for gfe going raw with pie. 😉
Shirley
Marillyn @ just-making-noise says
Looks delicious! Thank you for your comment on my Coconut Custard Cake post :o) We love the tree too.. so rich in history!
Shirley says
Hi Marillyn–Thanks! Yes, I need to get some coconut flour so I can make your cake and so many other fab treats.
Now I’m intrigued about your particular banyan tree … I love them. Incidentally, we were invited to Costa Rica once and didn’t go and have regretted it ever since!
Shirley
Kim says
Hi Shirley,
I love the idea of the crustless pie. We ususally use a GF oat flour pie crust, but I love the idea of a crustless pie for an oat-free version. I’m going to give it a try. Thanks!
Shirley says
Hi Kim–Welcome to gfe! If you look around, you’ll see that I’m quite fond of everything crustless. 😉 I’ll have to check out your site for your oat flour pie crust. 🙂 (I love the name of your site by the way … Welcoming Kitchen—a welcoming kitchen means so much to most of us here at gfe.) I’ve never tried oat flour. I seem to be one of those folks who can only do a small amount of even gf oats, but I do love the taste of anything with oats. I’ll be interested to see what you think of the recipe. Please let us know when you get a moment.
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I look forward to seeing you again. 🙂
Shirley
Diane-The WHOLE Gang says
This looks Diane proof. I’m going to make it to take to the in-laws for the holidays. They all love pecan pie and now I can have some too! Is there any substitute for corn syrup? If not it’s off to the store. Thank you for sharing this on Friday Foodie Fix!
Shirley says
Diane–LOL on the Diane proof! You need to give yourself more credit, dear! You must have had a bad baking experience earlier in life. A home economics teacher with a bad attitude, perhaps? You are a great cook, so that can extend to baking, too. 🙂
Re: subbing for corn syrup, Wendy commented that you can use maple syrup instead. Doesn’t that sound fabulous? It’s full of good stuff, too (which corn syrup is not).
Please report back on how it turns out after the holidays. Thanks!
Shirley
Wendy says
If you’d like to avoid corn syrup, please try making your pecan pie using maple syrup instead. I think you might like it as much as we do. I’ve never seen recipes that use honey, but you may be inventing a great variation. Try the maple syrup first, though. It’s heavenly.
Shirley says
Hi Wendy!–Welcome to gfe! Special thanks for the maple syrup suggestion. I’m sure that is divine and I still have some maple syrup that friends brought us from Vermont. 🙂 We’re partial to honey for many dishes because we keep bees. I’ve actually seen some pecan pie recipes online that use honey. Maybe I’ll have to bake two and then do a taste test comparison! LOL Better try that when I have a large crowd over though … like my support group. 😉
It’s going to be hard to get through the work day now because I’ll be thinking about the heavenly maple syrup version. And, oh, it would be so good with some of the honey cinnamon Grand Marnier ice cream I just made. Yum.
Thanks so much, Wendy!
Shirley
Alta says
Oh I love pecan pie! I’m wondering if you could also sub agave nectar for the corn syrup. I’ve done this in other recipes and it worked, so many it’ll work here too? Yum!
Shirley says
Hi Alta– 🙂 It’s hard not to love pecan pie. Some are cloyingly sweet though, but this one wasn’t. I’m betting that others have used agave in place of corn syrup. I bet you could google that and find some good “starting point” ideas, but if you’ve done it before, I think it should work. Worst case scenario … you’ll have a wonderful ice cream topping! 😉 Our local frozen custard stand makes a maple-nut sundae that people go bonkers over, so I’m imagining failed pecan pie in that way. Not a bad way to go. LOL
Please let us know if you make it with agave how it turns out. 🙂
Shirley
Rachelle says
Last year for thanksgiving I made mini pecan pie tarts using a gluten free pie crust and substituted agave in place of corn syrup and they were amazing! This year I will probably try your crustless version as a quicker option using the agave as well.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Rachelle–Welcome to gfe!! 🙂 Oh, I bet your mini pecan pie tarts were so lovely! I like the individual factor, too. Makes them even more special. Personally, I find agave to be a bit thinner than corn syrup so I would probably use a slightly lesser amount of agave in this recipe. I hope this concept works well for you!
Shirley
Betsy says
Wow I would have never thought of this pie without the crust. I have always separated the crust from the pie. I have never liked the texture of the crust after baking the pie. Thanks for the idea. I am new to your website but will be visiting often.
Thanks for new ideas!!!
Betsy
Shirley says
Hi Betsy–Welcome to gfe! I have several other crustless pies here at gfe. Just click on the following links: pumpkin, coconut, and apple (that one’s a pour-over crust, but it’s one that’s lovely to eat). I am so glad you are enjoying my website. My approach is all about making things easy and not often using specialty products. I shop at a basic grocery store all the time. Shoot me an email or leave a comment on any post if you can’t find something you are looking for. 🙂
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
Shirley
gina says
corn syrup is SOOO BAD for you, no matter that it isn’t HFCS. i am seeing so many gluten free sites where corn syrup or even sugar is used and i am so frustrated. i choose agave and will work my way to coconut sugar as i read more on it. sugar and corn syrup are terrible.
Shirley says
Hi gina–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 I agree that corn syrup is not something I’d want to use often. This was literally the first time I’d used it in a year, probably longer. I haven’t given up sugar yet though. We all have our own eating plans and have to transition to what is best for us. Some folks can have a small amount of sugar from time to time … some not. I like using raw honey from our bees, but even that must be done in moderation. I admit that sugar is something that I want to greatly reduce. That’s why you’ll see a post on my blog later today that has an alternative sweetener that is not anything bad at all. And, by the way, I’m sure you know that there’s negative info on agave on as well. Sweetening is not often a black and white subject it seems. Last, I do plan to get some coconut sugar and work with that. There are lots of gluten-free blogs that have wonderful sugar-free recipes … like Kelly’s (The Spunky Coconut), Amy’s (Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free), and Ali and Tom’s (The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen), to name a few. Hope you’ll check out my sweet muffin recipe later today and follow my own journey to eating more sugar free, here on gfe.
Thanks!
Shirley
Tara says
The crust-less Pecan Pie sounds yummy! I am allergic to eggs though. Do you think the egg replacer would work in the pie?
Shirley says
Hi Tara–It looks like you are new to gfe–welcome! 🙂 I have to be honest and say I don’t know about the egg replacer. If you’d made other recipes successfully with egg replacer that called for more than one egg, I’d say it’s likely to work. But, I just don’t know. I use the flax “egg” approach with cookies and muffins fairly often for a vegan option, but have never tried those with a pie either. Be brave … give the egg replacer a try and let us know. 😉
Hugs,
Shirley
Anna says
I tried this pecan pie recipe today and loved it! Then add a bit of rum after baking it and it’s perfect. Classic, really easy to make, and my hubby loves it too. And who’d need the crust anyway…
Shirley says
Hi Anna–It’s wonderful to wake up to your review today! And adding a bit of rum to this pie before serving–genius! I’m so glad that this recipes please both you and your hubby! You’ll find many crustless pie recipes here at gfe. It looks like it’s your first time here, too—welcome. 🙂
Shirley
KarenO says
Hi Shirley…thanks for this recipe, can’t wait to try it! But I’d want to replace BOTH the granulated sugar & the corn syrup. Do you think I could use 2 cups of raw agave nectar instead? I don’t know if that would end up too sweet! Karen
Shirley says
Hi KarenO–You’re welcome, of course! 🙂 Hmmm, my first inclination is that substitution alone is unlikely to work. First, I think you’d need to use less agave simply because it has a higher water content than corn syrup (or honey). That amount of agave would take a long time to “bake down” so to speak. But without the granulated sugar, I think you’re going to need something else to thicken your mixture. My usual trick when making crustless pies is to use 1/4 cup of gluten-free all-purpose flour added to the mix. That can make a big difference in texture and the pie setting up, but not flavor or texture, except it might help a bit with “too sweet” consideration. Or you might use something like tapioca flour instead or a bit in addition. I have to admit I’m just speculating on all of these adjustments. You’ll actually have to try them to see if they work. I think how the mixture looks and “feels” will be a good indicator. You might start out by adding 1 1/4 cups of agave and 1/4 cup of gf ap flour and see how that mixture looks. It should still be fairly liquid and not too thick so it can thicken/cook during baking time. If it’s too think, add a little more agave. Best of luck and let me know how it works! Happy Thanksgiving!
Shirley
KarenO says
Thanks so much for your helpful advice, Shirley! I will do as you suggested with gf flour plus agave. And if it doesn’t work out, I can use it for ice cream topping, as someone already mentioned. Hope you have a wonderful time with your family!
Meg says
Thanks for this recipe! My boyfriend just went gluten-free about a month ago and pecan pie is his favorite, so I’m excited to try such an easy and delicious looking solution! We will let you know how it goes!
Shirley says
Hi Meg–Just happening to take a quick break from cooking and see your lovely comment–welcome to gfe! 🙂 I hope your boyfriend will love this recipe just as much as his old favorite. 😉 I’m sure he’ll be very grateful to you for making it for him. Look forward to his and your review!
Shirley
Chuck says
Made this recipe last night…and did not refrigerate it as I really have never refrigerated Pecan Pie until after it was cut into. This Pie is much more like a custard type pie with Pecan’s in it…albeit with more sugar. When I bit into it I thought, “custard” and thought perhaps it should have been refrigerated after it cooled on the table. Do you think leaving it out overnight and eating it at room temperature after dinner tonight is cause for alarm? Should I still eat it from the refrigerator or throw it out?
Shirley says
Hi Chuck–Well, pecan pie is a custard type pie because of the eggs. As far as refrigeration, there are varying opinions over whether pecan pie has to be refrigerated. A Google search shows many discussions in various forums on this topic . I have definitely not always refrigerated mine all the time and would eat one left out overnight without hesitation, but please review the discussions (like this one) to make your own best judgment.
Shirley
Sarah M says
Our first gluten-free, dairy-free Thanksgiving was a success! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, my Mother (the GF, DF one) thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you for all you do for the gluten-free community!
Shirley says
Hi Sarah–What wonderful news! 🙂 Thank you so much for making this pie for your mom and for coming back and sharing your success with us all! I’m so happy that you had such a successful Thanksgiving. With a few tried and true recipes in the future and maybe a new one now and then, you’ll keep the great holiday meals coming. 😉
Thanks, too, for the kind words … they’re much appreciated! Have a terrific holiday season with your family, Sarah. 🙂
Shirley
CathyS says
I made this for Thanksgiving and I must say, it was very easy to make and tasted AMAZING! Thanks so much for sharing this, and all your GF recipes. Much appreciated!
Shirley says
Hi Cathy–First, it looks like you are new to gfe–welcome! 🙂 Second, I really appreciate you being willing to share your comment here as well as on my gfe page on Facebook, especially when requested to share it here, too. 😉 I can never get enough of these kinds of reviews and I know my readers like hearing what other reader reviewers have to say.
Thanks so much!
Shirley
Shianna says
oooo well i know what im making tonight… yumm XD
Shirley says
Hi Shianna–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 I sure hope you loved this pie. Let us know. 😉
Shirley
Laura W says
Made it with soy free earth balance & 1/2 maple syrup & 1/2 honey in place of the corn syrup & it was FANTASTIC! Who needs crust? I’ve always been the type that ate the pie filling & left the crust anyway;-)
Shirley says
Hi Laura–Welcome to gfe! I am thrilled with your success, especially with the mix of maple syrup and honey–YUM! My family says the same about a crust … we don’t need it. 😉
Thanks again! Happy Holidays!
Shirley
Katie says
Hey Shirley,
As with any pie, the filling is always the best part anyhow, so who would miss the crust, which is the most fattening part anyhow? 😉
When I was growing up, my Mom made a similar recipe w/ tart shells, although we used diced walnuts for the nuts in the filling instead of pecans. I would assume this crustless version would also make tarts, too, right? If so, I might just try it, substituting maybe 2 cups of diced walnuts for the pecans. What do you think?
Thanks for the inspiration, as always!
~Katie
Shirley says
Hi Katie–Good to see you, dear! I think that would work fine. As much as I love pie, tarts are something special, too. 🙂 Let us know how they turn out. Are you considering a trial run? 😉
Hugs,
Shirley
Bonnie says
I substituted 2 cups maple syrup for the sugar/corn syrup, and added 1/3 cup flour for thickener. It turned out perfect! A person would need to experiment using honey instead because I think a little more flour would be needed, but I could be wrong. That will be a tasty project for another day.
Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe!
Shirley says
Bonnie–Thank you so much for sharing your success! I already shared your comment on Facebook so others can take advantage of the lessons you learned by your experimenting. 🙂 You used the method that I normally use for my crustless pies. I love it! So happy that this turned out so well for you—enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!
Shirley
Deb says
Bonnie ,
Did you use GF flour to thicken?
Heather says
Hey Shirley! I just took this pie out of the oven for our Thanksgiving Celebration tomorrow! It looks awesome & Ben is excited 🙂 Pecan is his all time favorite!
Off to make MY favorite now (3 guesses what that is LOL)
Have a blessed day!
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
I love adding chocolate chips to pecan pie, yum!
Shirley says
Now that’s one way to make pecan pie even more delicious, Sharon! 🙂
Shirley
Barbara says
Made this today and it’s fantastic!
Shirley says
Yay, Barbara! You’ve made my day! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment so others will know and welcome to gfe, too. 🙂
Shirley
Shirley says
Oh, and your Elf on the Shelf ideas are so cute! 🙂
Barbara says
Thank you!
Shirley says
🙂
Bethany says
I just found your website for the first time tonight in my search for a gluten free pecan pie recipe. It is baking in the oven right now and I can’t wait to try it tomorrow at Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks!
Shirley says
Hi Bethany–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 I’m so happy you found my site and this pecan pie recipe. I hope you and your family love it. Happy Thanksgiving!
Shirley
Janis S says
Great idea to use pecan pieces on the pie because full pieces are hard to cut. I will remember this recipe! I love pecan pie.
Shirley says
Hi Janis–I do find the pieces to be much more amenable. 😉 I’ve never had a pecan pie that looked like all the pretty pictures so I need all the help I can get. LOL Hope this tip helps you when you do get to make the recipe! 🙂
Shirley
katie chalmers says
Hi Shirley. How do you think this would be with light brown sugar instead of white sugar?
Shirley says
Hi Katie–I’ve never subbed light brown sugar for the granulated sugar. I *think* it will work, but I know it will change the flavor some as it yields more of a molasses taste. The cooking time might need to be adjusted as well as brown sugar has more moisture. Not sure on that though. Please let us know if you give it a try!
Shirley
Kathy says
This pecan pie recipe looks the same as the Karo Syrup recipe except double the eggs. Did you double the eggs b/c of going crustless? The Karo Syrup recipe is my favorite.
Shirley says
Hi Kathy–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 Yes, the recipe is almost identical except for the additional eggs. They give the pie enough “substance” to work as crustless. If you don’t want a crustless pie, you can certainly use the original recipe for the filling and simply pour it into a gluten-free pie crust like this one.
Shirley
Lisa says
Is the texture more or less the same as a traditional pecan pie in the crust? I’ve recently been diagnosed with celiac and I’m devastated…now I’m exploring my options.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Lisa–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 Yes, the texture is the same. I have another pecan pie recipe that uses a crust that you might also want to check out here, but this recipe uses ingredients you’re used to.
It’s not unusual to feel devastated when one first gets the diagnosis, Lisa. I am glad you’ve been diagnosed because it means you can start healing and will avoid many future health problems, but it’s a shock for all of us when we initially have to gluten free. Here are some posts at the bottom of my comment that might be really helpful to you right now. Note that some you might only skim initially and then come back to later as you move along in your journey. I’ve also shared the link to my latest post which is a giveaway of a book that you might find helpful.
What makes living gluten free so much easier is taking the gfe approach. I came to this approach as I myself was devastated and struggling. When I stopped and thought about all the foods, recipes, and meals that I already ate that were gluten free, things became SO much easier. If you make a list of all the foods/recipes/meals you love and use them as your starting point, you see how much you can still eat vs what you can’t. The gfe approach is about naturally gf foods–real food like meat, seafood, most dairy products, fruits, and veggies, then some mainstream packaged products that are gluten free (think things like popcorn, nuts, potato chips, salsa–always check labels, of course), and then just a handful of gluten-free specialty products (those items in the special section of the store). It is like learning a new language, but you’ll be surprised how quickly you pick it all up.
Grieving Gluten: The Five Stages of Loss of Gluten Plus a New One
GFE Tip Sheets Page
11 Recipes That Make You Want To Eat Gluten Free (Make the Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies right away. I’m not kidding. They will show you that gf living is good and doable.)
Stop the Madness
That’s enough to get you started, Lisa. Please feel free to reach out via email if you need some more guidance.
Hugs to you,
Shirley
Lisa says
Thank you SOOO much for such a thoughtful reply! I’m really glad I’ve come across your website. I happened to Google “crustless pecan pie” because I started thinking it wouldn’t be hard to do, and who needs crust anyway? As so many have pointed out, the filling is the best part?
What do you think about adding a couple tablespoons of bourbon?
Shirley Braden says
Lisa–You’re welcome, of course! I’m so glad to have you here at gfe. I truly hope my blog will help make your transition easier. How wonderful that you are already thinking in the gfe mindset … crustless pies are my favorite! I have recipes for Crustless Coconut, Crustless Apple, Crustless Fudge, Crustless Pumpkin, and more. Search on Crustless pies and they should all come up for you. 🙂
I see no problem with adding some bourbon. I’d probably reduce the liquid in the recipe (i.e., the corn syrup) a tad though. So I’d suggest adding your bourbon to your glass measuring cup and then filling it the rest of the way with the corn syrup, maybe even going just a very wee bit above the one cup measurement. Another reader added rum to this recipe, but she added hers after baking, just pouring the small amount over her pie after pulling it from the oven and then letting it cool. I’ve never tried either, but I hope it works for you!
Last, another post that might be helpful to you is this one: 5 Things You Need To Know When You Go Gluten Free.
Heather says
I’ve got it in the oven now! I used maple syrup & coconut sugar & added chocolate chips 🙂 My mom made it with chocolate chips growing up & then one of my roommates told me it’s a Derby Pie & made it every year for Derby Day!
Shirley says
Heather–If you have time, please let me know how your version turned out. It sure sounds divine! I do know about Derby Pie. Not too different from Toll House Pie. I think to be “authentic” Derby Pie has to have some bourbon added though. 😉
Shirley
Lula Spear says
This is an awesome recipe for pecan pie! My 17 year old granddaughter has serious ciliac disease, and she loves pecan pie. She loved it, but wanted crust, so I made crust from honey nut Chex cereal. I used it just like graham crackers, and it was incredibly delicious. I have since made this pie ten times. It is my family’s favorite. Thank you so much for the recipes. Lula Spear
Shirley says
Hi Lula–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 I’m so glad you’ve been able to make this for your gluten-free granddaughter and that she loved it. Hearing that you’ve made it over and over makes my day! While it doesn’t need a crust at all, I know that some really want a crust so I appreciate you sharing how you made yours. I’ll be sharing my new, slightly different Pecan Pie recipe soon, so stay tuned.
Thanks again for all the lovely feedback and simply taking the time to comment!
Shirley
Georgia L Milliren says
I made this recipe with the chocolate chip “crust”. but my question is, How do you keep the chips from floating to the top? Once I started pouring slowly the mixture on top of the chips, they began to float and there was no going back. Also, the person who used Rice Chex for the crust, wouldn’t that do the same thing? Thank you.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Georgia–First, welcome to gfe. 🙂 I have to confess that I’ve never personally made this pie using chocolate chips like that. I’m sure your pie will still be delicious but I’m sure that was frustrating to have that happen. I wonder if putting a light dusting of gluten-free flour mix on the chocolate chips would make a difference. I also wonder if simply mixing the chocolate chips into the rest of the filling would yield better results as they would be “weighed down” by the filling instead of being displaced by it.
As far as the person who used that Chex for the crust, they said that they made that like a graham cracker crust so they would have crushed them and combined them with melted butter and a little sugar perhaps. (I believe you can find recipes online.) Then you press the mixture into the bottom of the pie plate and pour pie filling over it. I can’t imagine that type of crust floating up after filling is added.
Best of luck with the future experimenting, Georgia, and I learn any more tricks on the chocolate chips, I’ll definitely share. Happy Thanksgiving!
Shirley
Georgia L Milliren says
I think I’ll be back here a lot! Thanks for the suggestions on the Chex mix. i will try that next time and pat down with butter, similar to a Graham cracker crust. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend using the chocolate chips at all, unless you’re a total chocaholic! I spread them on the bottom of the pie dish in a single layer, so no pecan mixture would “leak” through, so I have no idea what the measurement would have been. You might imagine how upsetting it was to see them start to float up. I should have known better but I was already past the point of return. Suffice to say, it was a ruination of both good chocolate chips and pecans! At least now I know a gluten-free pie can be made! It was, however, a gorgeous looking pie which I would be happy to share, but don’t know how to load photos onto this site. THX.
Shirley Braden says
I hope you will be back a lot, Georgia! You’re always welcome to send me photos via email at [email protected].
Carolyn says
Thank you! Making this for my dessert hungry hubby during shut in from Covid-19.
It looks delicious !
Carolyn in Natchez Ms
Shirley Braden says
Hi Carolyn–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 I hope you and your husband really enjoy this pie. Stay safe!
Hugs,
Shirley
Dawn says
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I used coconut palm sugar and maple syrup, along with Earth Balance buttery sticks. Both my husband and I decided we like this better without the crust! My husband asked me to please save this recipe (I already had). Do you know if leftover pieces can be frozen? There’s just 2 of us, it would be nice to save a few pieces to enjoy again in a couple of weeks.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Dawn–First, welcome to gfe! Second, woohoo!! I’m so glad that you had such terrific success with this recipe using your favorite ingredients and that you and your husband enjoyed this crustless version so much. 🙂 I’ve used similar ingredient combinations with this recipe myself and I agree that the results are so good. You should be able to freezer your leftovers successfully. You can wrap them with plastic wrap or foil and thaw them in the refrigerator when you’re ready to enjoy this pie again. Enjoy and thanks so much for taking the time to leave your review here!
Shirley
Dawn says
Hi Shirley-I did freeze a couple of slices which we thoroughly enjoyed tonight! No issues with freezing. Thank you again 😊. Now – to share his recipe with my daughter!!
Shirley Braden says
Yay, Dawn! I’m so glad that freezing the leftover slices worked out for you. I bet getting to enjoy pecan pie again was very, very nice! 🙂 I love that you’ll be sharing this recipe with your daughter. Having one of my recipes shared with a loved one is always high praise indeed!
Thanks so much for reporting back. Happy weekend!
Shirley
Lisa Griffith says
Ok, came upon this site from a search. Glad I found you, and being Gluten free I am going to make this when I get done with my message. I also will sign up for other goodies you make. Again, thank you and have a great holiday.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Lisa!–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 Thanks so much for subscribing. I hope you enjoy this pie—it’s definitely a reader fave!—and all the other goodies you find here. 😉
Shirley
Teresa Davis says
Divine!! Next one with chocolate chips.
Shirley Braden says
Hi, Teresa. It looks like you’re new here at gfe. Welcome! 🙂 Your “divine” review makes my day! I’m so glad you enjoyed this pie and I hope you love your upcoming chocolate chip version just as much!
Shirley