This Plant-Based Bourbon Pecan Pie is decadent yet healthy. It's sweet, sticky, crunchy and boozy but made with whole food plant-based ingredients!
If you're a fan of anything sweet and decadent, this pie is calling your name. It's rich and dense, but since it's has whole food ingredients, you won't feel sluggish after eating it. AND it's filled with bourbon, which puts this pie over the top.
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Most pecan pies have corn syrup. Yuck! That's the last thing I'm going to put in a Plant-Based Bourbon Pecan Pie. This pie has whole food ingredients that nourish our bodies, not ultra-processed ingredients that harm us!
The key to pecan pie is the texture, so we are using a couple ingredients in several different forms. The right balance of solids, liquids, and binders creates an amazing sticky texture that just holds together but melts in your mouth.
This pie is sticky sweet and a little boozy -- just how it should be!
Why I love this Bourbon Pecan Pie
- Dietary needs -- this recipe is plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free
- Perfect holiday dessert -- pecan pie is a classic for the holidays - the seasonal ingredients will fit right in with any holiday dessert selection
- Prep ahead -- this pie is the perfect make-ahead dessert because it actually requires refrigeration overnight, make it the day (or two) before and save time on the big day
Ingredients
Crust
Since the real star of the show is the inside of the pie, I wanted to keep the crust super simple. I even considered having no crust. But, come on, a pie needs a crust.
That being said, this crust is just oats, pecan butter, date syrup, and salt. No fuss. Just throw the ingredients in a food processor and blend until they start to stick together. Press the crust into your pie pan (it might get a bit sticky!) and then start on the filling.
Filling
The filling has a couple different elements. Each serve a unique purpose. You may be wondering about substitutions so I'll note them below, but for optimal results, I suggest using the ingredients as listed.
Flax Egg: Typical pecan pie recipes use eggs as a binder. I'm using flax eggs for that same purpose. They help create the perfect texture that's not too runny or too dense. You can sub chia eggs here with similar results.
Toasted Pecans: It wouldn't be pecan pie without pecans. Toasting the pecans add that extra bit of flavor that puts this pie over the top! To toast, simply heat the pecans at 350 for about 10 minutes.
Date Sugar: Many pecan pie recipes call for some sort of granulated sugar. I'm using date sugar here because it acts exactly like a granulated sugar but it's healthy sugar because of the fiber!
Date Syrup: Remember how I said most pecan pie recipes have corn syrup? Well we're using date syrup instead. It's not as thick as corn syrup so we'll add some arrowroot powder to thicken things up.
Dates: When I made this recipe without whole dates it came out pretty dry and a little like a melted Jolly Rancher. I realized I could use some whole dates for a bit more moisture and sweetness.
Bourbon: YAAAAH. Of course there's bourbon in this Plant-Based Bourbon Pecan Pie. I am thrilled with the level of booze in this pie. It tastes slightly of bourbon, without being overpowering. That being said, if you hate the taste of bourbon, 1) why are you reading this? jk don't leave - I still love you, and 2) you can always decrease the amount of bourbon. Or if you're a bourbon-lover, feel free to increase the amount to your liking, though you may want to add some extra arrowroot to balance out the additional liquid.
Vanilla Extract: For a hint of vanilla!
Cinnamon: One of my favorite spices. It pairs well with just about everything, including pecans and bourbon.
Nutmeg: I've been loving nutmeg lately. It has a unique flavor and it reminds me of fall. I threw some in this recipe and thought it came out great!
Salt: We need some salt to balance all the sweetness going on. The salty-sweet combo is amazing. I love sprinkling some sea salt on the top of this pie so when you bite into it you immediately get a combination of salt and sweet.
Arrowroot Powder: Like I mentioned, we'll use arrowroot powder to thicken the filling and create a perfect texture. You can sub tapioca starch or cornstarch.
Pecan Butter: Every good baking recipe needs some fat. Many recipes I saw had tons of butter. But we don't do butter around here. Unless it's pecan butter. Just process some pecans in your food processor like you would to make any other nut butter and you'll have yourself some amazing pecan butter. Warning: you may want to make extra, pecan butter is delicious! If you don't want to make pecan butter, you may sub almond butter, cashew butter, or walnut butter, but the pecan pie won't be as pecan-y.
Wow, lot's of ingredients. I know. But once you get all of them, you don't have to do a whole lot.
Substitutions
If you're not a fan of the alcohol or just want a regular pecan pie, you can decrease the amount of bourbon or omit it all together. The pie will taste different, but still delicious!
You can find other substitutions in the ingredient section above.
How to make Plant-Based Bourbon Pecan Pie
Step 1. Add the crust ingredients to a food processor and blend until they start to stick together. Press the crust into your pie pan (it might get a bit sticky!) and then get started on the filling.
Step 2. Start by making a flax egg. Then process the dates in your food processor until they are broken down and form a ball. Next, just stir all the filling ingredients together. Make sure to mix well - the dates and the pecan butter are notorious for liking to stick to themselves.
Step 3. Pour the filling into the pan with the crust and then bake the pie in the oven.
Step 4. Now here comes the hard part: when the pie is out of the oven, let it cool and then put it in the fridge overnight. I know, I know. All you want to do is dig in, but trust me, pecan pie is best served cold after it's had time to rest in the fridge. It's worth it!
The only thing left is to enjoy!
Preparation and Storage
Prep: This pie is perfect to make ahead! You need to refrigerate it overnight, so make sure to make it at least the day before you'd like to eat it.
Storage: Plant-Based Bourbon Pecan Pie will keep best if refrigerated. Cover the pie pan with foil or transfer the pie slices to an air-tight container. This pie should last for a week or so in the fridge, but watch carefully - since it is made from whole food ingredients it is much more likely to go bad than a pie with processed ingredients.
Recipe Prayer
Jesus, thank you for inspiration, motivation, and hard work. We know those graces come from you and we are grateful. Amen.
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📖 Recipe
Plant-Based Bourbon Pecan Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 Cups Rolled Oats
- 5 Tablespoons Pecan Butter*
- 5 Tablespoons Date Syrup
- 2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
Filling
- 2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed
- 4 Tablespoons Water
- 8 Pitted Medjool Dates
- 1 ½ Cups Toasted Pecans chopped
- 6 Tablespoons Date Sugar
- ¾ Cup Date Syrup
- ½ Cup Bourbon
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Salt
- ¾ Teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ Cup Arrowroot Powder
- 3 Tablespoons Pecan Butter*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Make the crust. Add all the crust ingredients to a food processor and blend until combined. You should be able to press the crust together with your fingers. Press the crust into a pie pan.
- Make flax eggs. Combine the ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of water. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Make the pecan filling. Start by blending the dates in a food processor until they form a ball. Then, stir the flax egg, the dates, and all the remaining filling ingredients together in a medium bowl. Pour the filling into the pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes, until the pie is set on the outside. Remove from the oven, cool, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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