Classic Vegan Pecan Pie

This Vegan Pecan Pie is a classic holiday dessert for a reason—it’s perfectly sticky, rich, and gooey, complete with a buttery homemade crust. Make-ahead instructions are included!

Is it really Thanksgiving if pecan pie isn’t on the table? Planning our annual Vegan Thanksgiving Menu is something we look forward to every year, and planning desserts is top of the list. 

This year, Vegan Pecan Pie is certainly going on the list. In the past, it was our Vegan Pecan Pie Tarts (Pecan Tassies), but this year, we’re going all the way with a classic pie.

It’s one of those vegan dessert recipes that no one will detect is vegan. It’s rich and gooey, and every bite seriously melts in your mouth. All in all, this pie deserves a spot on your holiday tables this year, right next to our Vegan Pumpkin Pie! 

Ingredients You’ll Need 

• Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of the homemade pie crust and yields the best light and flaky crust. 
• Sugar: You’ll need granulated sugar to sweeten the crust and light brown sugar to sweeten and add moisture to the filling. To ensure your pie is vegan, opt for organic sugars. 
• Vegan butter: A crucial ingredient in both the crust and pie filling for added flavor, moisture, and richness. We like to use Country Crock plant butter but use your favorite vegan butter sticks. 
• Ice water: Helps keep the butter in the pie crust from melting and gives the crust the signature flaky layers any good crust has. 
• Pecans: Raw pecans are best. Avoid using salted pecans or pre-roasted pecans. The flavor will be too intense and overpower the pie. 
• Dark corn syrup: A signature ingredient in most pecan pie recipes. It has a deeper, richer flavor compared to light corn syrup thanks to the added molasses and gives this pie the perfect sticky, gooey filling.
• Silken tofu: Traditional pecan pie recipes contain eggs because they help to bind the filling together and holds the filling together. In this vegan twist on the classic, we’re using firm silken tofu for that same structure and creaminess! If you’ve made our Silken Tofu Chocolate Mousse, it adds a very similar texture here!
• Vanilla: A splash of vanilla extract is key for depth of flavor and warmth! 

Equipment Needed

• Large bowl
• Pastry cutter
• Plastic wrap
• Rolling pin
• Pie dish
• Pie weights/dry beans
• Baking sheet
• Small saucepan
• High-speed blender

How to Make Vegan Pecan Pie

Make the Homemade Pie Crust

If you’ve never made a pie crust from scratch, don’t be intimidated! It’s much simpler than it sounds. Plus, this pie crust is universal – you can use it to make virtually any pie, including our Vegan Pumpkin Pie and Ube Pie! 

With that being said, if the thought of making a homemade pie crust is too much, feel free to swap in your favorite store-bought frozen pie crust. Many of them are vegan-friendly, including popular brands such as Marie Callender’s.

1. Combine dry ingredients. To start, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add butter. Cut in the vegan butter, ideally using a pastry cutter. If needed you can do this with your fingertips, but work quickly; you do not want the butter to melt! 
3. Mix in ice water. Add in one tablespoon of ice cold water at a time until the pie dough comes together and holds together when squeezed between your fingers. If it seems too dry and sandy, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. ​Once the pie crust holds together well, dump it onto a clean work surface and use your hands to work the dough into the disc. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerate to chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight. 
5. Roll out the dough. Once the dough has chilled, roll the dough into a circle on a lightly floured work surface until it is about 12″ in diameter and 1/4″ thick. Transfer the pie crust to a pie dish and carefully press the dough into the bottom of the dish. Cut off the excess dough, leaving a 1″ border hanging off the edge of the pie dish. Fold the dough under itself and use your fingers to pinch a fluted edge.
6. Blind bake the crust. This is going to ensure the crust does not go soggy once the filling is added. Line the pie crust with crumpled parchment paper, then fill the pie crust with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 15 minutes at 350F, or until the crust begins to slightly brown. 
7. Set aside to cool. We find that by the time the filling is ready, the crust is cooled enough! 

Make the Pie Filling

Making a homemade pecan pie filling requires just 3 easy steps:

1. Toast the pecans. We like to do this in the oven. After 5-7 minutes, the pecans are fragrant and perfectly toasted! 
2. Make the syrup. Add the corn syrup, brown sugar, and vegan butter to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble. Then, remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and salt. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly. 
3. Blend the syrup with silken tofu. Add the slightly cooled filling and silken tofu to a high-speed blender and blend completely smooth. 

Then mix in the toasted, chopped pecans and pour it into the cooled, homemade crust!

Lastly, place additional raw pecans on top of the filling in a decorative pattern, if desired, and bake for 40-45 minutes. 

Cool for at least three hours, or overnight, then slice and enjoy with a big dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream and a scoop of your favorite vegan vanilla ice cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size pie dish do I need?

This recipe is made for a 9″ pie dish. If you were to bake this pie in a larger crust, the filling layer will be thinner and will require a lower bake time. 

Can I make this pecan pie oil-free?

The vegan butter in this recipe is essential for yielding a flaky pie crust and getting the pecan pie syrup the right consistency. Making this recipe oil-free would require some significant changes that we have not tested at this time.

If you’re interested in oil-free holiday recipes, you might love our Vegan Apple Crisp or Vegan Chocolate Fudge! We also have a Healthy Thanksgiving Menu, which includes several oil-free recipes!

Can I make it gluten-free?

This vegan pecan pie filling is naturally gluten-free, but the pie crust does contain flour. To make this pie fully gluten-free, we’d recommend swapping in your favorite homemade or store-bought vegan and gluten-free pie crust. 

What can I use instead of dark corn syrup?

Dark corn syrup has the perfect deep color, caramel flavor, and thick consistency to make the perfect pecan pie consistency. However, if you prefer to avoid it, brown rice syrup is the next best thing. 

It is lighter in color, but it is similar in thickness and sweetness. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will be close.

Can I make this pie ahead of the holidays?

This pie is a great Thanksgiving dessert to make in advance. The pie crust dough can be prepped 5 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator until ready to roll out and blind bake. 

The pie itself is best prepared 24-48 hours in advance (this gives it enough time to cool!). Then, tightly cover and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. 

Storage Instructions

Once baked, this pie can be kept for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

More Vegan Pie Recipes You May Enjoy:

Dessert

Classic Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Dessert

The Best Vegan Apple Pie

Holiday

Creamy Ube Pie (Vegan)

Dessert

Date-Sweetened Vegan Pumpkin Pie (Oil, Gluten & Refined Sugar-Free}

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos! 

Print