When making a new recipe I like to see how many steps I can skip without negatively impacting the end result. This pie is a perfect
example of not only skipping a few steps, which I’ve deemed as unnecessary :), but also substituting (most of) the refined ingredients for whole ones. I replaced the white flour with whole-wheat flour and the corn syrup with maple syrup, but I do admit I left in the chocolate chips and some of the brown sugar because it certainly is okay to indulge in such treats in moderation! Just top a warm piece of the finished pie with some homemade vanilla ice cream and you’ll be in love with this super delicious and non-intimidating dessert as well.
If you’re looking for treats that would be okay to eat during the 10-day pledge (meaning without chocolate or brown sugar!) then check out this link for ideas: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-resources/#dessert
Shortcut Chocolate Pecan Pie
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, melted (preferably unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons milk
For the filling:
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pecans, chopped or whole
- ¾ cup chocolate chips, dark
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
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In a pie pan mix together crust ingredients thoroughly including flour, salt, butter, and milk. Squeeze the dough into a ball to make sure there is enough moisture. If it crumbles into pieces too easily then add another splash of milk.
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Shape the crust by thinning it out with your fingers/hands until the pie dish is evenly covered (pictured above). Feel free to make the edges look “fancy” with a fork.
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In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt. Fold in the pecans and chocolate chips.
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Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake until pie is set, about 20 – 25 minutes.
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Let cool for 5 or 10 minutes before serving.
We think it is best topped with a little vanilla ice cream!
Recipe Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
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Do you think it will set right without the corn syrup? That is processed different than the High Fructose kind..just a thought..I know when making candy and other things the sugar has a way of reacting with the heat and setting that makes it a certain consistency. I am anxious to see what happens! They even ate sugar centuries ago but it was a luxury!
Also in my BH&G cookbook from 1945 or 1947, it uses corn syrup too. It has a recipe for Pecan Pie and a recipe for Eggnog and Eggnog pie! Not much processed foods in 1940s :)
Danyelle – Carrie with Deliciously Organic did a post on Pecan Pie where she found that heating the maple syrup made it act more like corn syrup, but I made this pie without heating the maple syrup (because I like to skip steps!) and the outcome was still fantastic. I shared some slices with our neighbors and it was a hit. The filling “set” just fine and allowed us to cut the pie into nice even pieces. I hope that helps!
I’ve made a pecan pie without any form of syrup at all, just white sugar and brown sugar, and it set up just fine. I am making a low sugar pie this year because my Mom and Aunt are both diabetic and I was recently diagnosed this year as having hyperinsulinemia. So we’re watching our carb intake. This uses sugar free maple syrup, which hurts my pea picking heart. But it’s not just me eating. Because personally, I just factor in the real deal with my carb counts and let it go there. I’m going to have to try this recipe. I wonder if you could just use sucanat instead. Isn’t it supposed to be sugar before the bleaching and adding molasses?
What are your thoughts on this:
“White sugar, brown sugar, sucrose, honey, maple syrup, even high-fructose corn syrup are all roughly the same mix of the simple sugars called glucose and fructose.â€
Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., Nutrition and Health Expert for The TODAY Show, Woman’s Day, May 1, 2010
http://www.cornsugar.com/simple-facts/
I don’t think it’s too far off! Honey and Maple Syrup have slightly more nutrients (and are slightly less processed) than the others, but they are definitely still a “sugar” and should be used in moderation!!!
I just read that brown sugar is no healthier or “real”. It is just processed white sugar colored with molasses. If you want real sugar get pure or organic cane sugar.
Would this crust work for pumpkin pie?
I’ve actually never made pumpkin pie because it just does not appeal to me (maybe I just haven’t tried a really good one yet) so I can’t say for sure, but I will tell you this is the same crust I use for quiche!
Hi Vanessa. It will work for pumpkin pie. ~Amy
Are trying to torture us? This sounds so good!!
I’m totally going to try this. I was just thinking the other day about all of the holiday desserts that I need to learn to modify. We did well with Christmas cookies last year with my mom and niece, but the pies are definitely next on my list.
One thought…go with Rapadura or Sucanat instead of brown sugar. I don’t even blink an eye to make this substitution any more. It’s the white, refined sugar I have more trouble with.
Thanks for posting this. My husband is allergic to corn syrup and can never enjoy pecan pie without getting sick. We’re looking forward to trying this for Christmas this year!
I can’t wait!!!
Too funny to see this recipe today… after I just ordered this pie from Whole Foods for Thanksgiving! Look forward to making this recipe for Christmas.
We will try it out for sure. Now I’m craving this for breakfast, I shouldn’t read your blog first thing in the morning.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I am pleased to find a pecan pie recipe without corn syrup. I plan to make it later today to serve for Thanksgiving tomorrow.
I really enjoyed this pie, and so did our guests. Sweet, but not too sweet like traditional pecan pie. If you don’t mind, I may link to this recipe sometime in December. Thanks for sharing, I will certainly make this again!
Mmmm, that does sound fabulous with ice cream!
I made this last night for our Thanksgiving feast today – along with the usual pecan pie that my great-grandmother made with corn syrup, 1 C sugar and 1/2 stick of butter. I was anxiously awaiting my husbands reaction. We did a taste test this morning for a ‘snack’ and he honestly couldn’t tell the difference. SO GLAD that we tried it!! Thank you so much for the recipe! I have been so inspired with all of your recipes and your food revolution! We too have been working on eating only real foods now for about 2 years and its been so great to have a place to find good, wholesome recipes! Thanks again and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
I made this pie for Thanksgiving!! It was so yummy and SO EASY!! Thank you!!
I was just curious if anyone had tried this without the chocolate. My husband LOVES pecan pie, and it is one thing I fail at every single time I make it!! I’ve been searching for a corn syrup free recipe, and am anxious to try this one. But would love if it would work the same just eliminating the chocolate (to fill the spot in his heart, lol).
I’m curious too! I love pecan pie and stumbled across this recipe – but I am looking for it without the chocolate. Did you give it a try? How is it without chocolate?
I just tried to make this for Thanksgiving. The filling does not specify unsalted butter like the crust did, so I used salted butter. Not sure if that’s why this happened, but the pie is very liquidy and not set at all after 25 minutes of baking. Any idea?
Hi Stacy. No, the unsalted vs. salted butter should not have had an impact. I’m not sure what may have happened. I hope you give it another try and it turns out better for you. Jill
I put my pie back in the oven for 10 extra minutes…so 35 minutes and now it looks perfect. It was very liquidy at 25 minutes.
Thank you so much for saying this, the same thing happened to me.
I am not a pro, but living in the mile high Denver, I have learned that sometimes things have to be cooked longer one place then another. Don’t know if that is helpful to anyone regarding setting issues. I really liked this pie and am hoping to try it with less pecans and more filler. I hope that does not effect anything but my sweet tooth.
There are ways to substitute for corn syrup – just google substitute. I made a simple syrup to replace it with sugar and water once. It set up just like the real thing. The problem with born syrup is the GMO aspect of the corn used for the syrup, not the syrup or sugars themselves. GMO is a whole ‘nother topic though!
I am so excited to try this out! Growing up my Mom always made chocolate pecan pie (the very unhealthy, but oh so good way). Ever since we started our own Thanksgiving traditions I took this recipe over and began making it for everyone who comes to our home for Thanksgiving. Well, I am so excited to try this healthier version. Thank you!
Use Enjoy Life chocolate chips. Delicious and GMO free.
Has anyone ever tried using almonds or pretzel pieces instead of pecans?
do you think the crust would work with earth balance shortening sticks instead of butter? daughter cannot have dairy.
Hi Emily. We typically substitute coconut oil for butter. ~Amy
I love Pecan Pie… It’s my favorite at this time of year. If you were making the crust gluten free how would you make it?
Hi Michelle. We have not tried this with a gluten free crust. Here is an alternative recipe: http://deliciouslyorganic.net/pecan-pie-without-corn-syrup-grain-free-paleo/. ~Amy
Can the butter in this recipe be substituted with coconut oil and the milk substituted with almond milk? And do you think this recipe would work if the eggs were replaced with flaxseed and water? My daughter can’t have dairy or eggs.
@jennifer: The eggs are what thicken the pie similar to a custard so something like corn starch would be used to thicken the pie. While tinkering with the recipe would work in the long run it might be easier to use a vegan pecan pie recipe such as:
http://hellyeahitsvegan.com/best-vegan-pecan-pie/
or
http://www.myvegancookbook.com/recipes/recipe.php?id=92
Hi Jennifer. We use butter and coconut oil somewhat interchangeably in our baking, so I think that will work. As for the eggs, that is a very large ingredient to substitute in this recipe and I am not sure how well it would work. ~Amy
Hi Jennifer. We use butter and coconut oil somewhat interchangeably in our baking, so I think that will work. However, with the almond milk and the flax eggs as well, those are quite a lot of changes/substitutions to make in one recipe and I can’t predict how it might turn out. ~Amy
I would love to know the nutritional info for this, if possible! Sounds amazing!
Hi Gabi. We do not provide nutrition information on our recipes. We want people focusing on eating real foods/more whole foods and less on numbers. Here are some posts which help explain our philosophy: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/04/healthy-eating-defined/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/23/portion-size-matters/, and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/10-reasons-to-cut-out-processed-food/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/04/29/mini-pledge-week-8-stop-eating-when-you-feel-full/. There are many tools available online which can help calculate nutrition detail for recipes
Could you suggest round about how many people this would serve or can you say what size pie pan you used so I can have a better idea? I want to serve this as dessert for my Thanksgiving dinner, it looks and sounds amazing. Thanks!
Hi there. Depending on how you slice it, it should serve 6-8. ~Amy
I don’t know if you’ll see this, as this is an old post and I’m not sure how that all works but… I’m not sure if I’m late to the party or I’ve discovered something few people have realized. Given your efforts to skip steps, I thought you might appreciate it. What do you do with those huge jack-o-lantern pumpkins? I used to bake them, wring them out, puree them and freeze them in cup size packages for baking. Huge time investment. I just tried it in pizza crust, pumpkin zucchini (turned 2 kinds of pumpkin) bread, and pumpkin beer bread… you don’t have to pre-cook or puree the pumpkin. I used a hunk of raw pumpkin with the skin removed and I grated it and replaced the pumpkin puree with it in the beer bread. I replaced the zucchini in the other bread and just added it to the pizza crust. I think it works even better than zucchini at creating a really moist, nice texture for the breads. I’m not sure how much it changed the pizza crust, but it didn’t hurt it. I’m not sure I’m brave enough to try it with something like pumpkin pie, where there’s not a bread texture to maybe hide it, but I’ve got so much pumpkin sitting in my fridge right now I might have to.
Hi there. I responded to your email before I saw your post! ;) ~Amy
Would using coconut palm sugar work just as well as brown sugar do you think?
Hi Naomi. Texture and consistency will be very similar but keep in mind that it is less sweet. ~Amy
Hiya,
This sounds and looks amazing! Any chance you would know what I could substitute the whole wheat with if I wanted a whole wheat option? BTW– I have about 10 bottles of vanilla beans and vodka in my kitchen! I love it! Thank you for sharing the vanilla extract recipe! It will make a unique Christmas gift! Love this blog!
San
Hi Sandra. Here is a wheat free pie crust from Deliciously Organic: http://deliciouslyorganic.net/apple-pie-grain-free-paleo-gluten-free/. You could try it with this recipe. ~Amy
Hi– I just saw one of your above comments on the gluten free option! Thanks!
Where have you been all my life?? LOL. Seriously, though — does the maple syrup add any maple flavor to the pie? Also, real maple syrup is super pricey. Have you had success with another lower-cost option?
Love, love, LOVE your mission. You are helping SO many people. Thanks very much!
Hi Margaret. It adds flavor but it does not taste maple-y. We only use 100% real maple syrup. We know it costs more than the artificial stuff but it is so worth it. You can find it priced better at larger grocery chains. ~Amy
Would spelt flour work for the crust
Hi Melissa. We have not tried that substitution but I think it would. ~Amy
Trying to bake some things ahead of time for Thanksgiving. Thoughts on baking it Tuesday or Wednesday? Should i just reheat in the oven, or is it better fresh from the oven?
Hi Meg. While I don’t think there is anything as yummy as a fresh from the oven pie, I think baking and reheating would work just fine. ~Amy
We loved this pie last year, but this year I’m baking Monday night for thanksgiving. Do I need to refrigerate it, or will it keep for a few days?
It will keep longer in the fridge.
I have this recipe in the oven now. However, my chocolate isn’t melting. Have I done something wrong? I followed the instructions exactly and it’s been in 25 minutes.
Thanks!
Hi there, Bonnie. Did it turn out? ~Amy
Has anyone tried to blind-bake this crust? If so, how long, and does it turn out? This crust is so easy, I’d like to use it for every pie I make!
Hi Vonda. We have not tried. If you do, please share your results with us. ~Amy
On the night before Thanksgiving, I blind-baked it (filled w/dry beans) for about 15-20 mins. at 350 degrees with the edges covered with foil. It turned out perfect! I used the crust to make a pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving Day. It looked and tasted like I spent hours on it–this is definitely my new “go-to” pie crust recipe!!!
In response to the high price of maple syrup – our local Costco carries organic 100% Maple Syrup that we purchase and use to make our water kefir.
Can you leave the chocolate chips out or would that not work well?
Hi Melissa. That is a pretty big ingredient and we have not tried subbing for it. ~Amy
The flavor of the pie was fine but I must warn – this is A LOT of nuts. I felt like my pie was all nuts and chocolate, no other filling. So this was not my preference for pecan pie. I like a more traditional type with some filling I guess? some other people who had it tonight liked it But some agreed too many nuts. Just FYI.
I agree. The pecans came out kind of hard and not soft and chewy like I’m used to. I read somewhere pecans should be roasted first. Not sure if that would help.
I was looking forward to all that goo and unfortunately too many pecans take it over. But I will say it’s not a bad substitute. As someone else said earlier I agree that it does need to go in for another 10 mins because it was still liquified on my end.
I finally tried this recipe yesterday when I had a friend over for coffee. It’s delicious and I recommend it with these slight modifications: I used whole wheat pastry flour instead of just whole wheat flour so the crust was light and crumbly. I only used 1 and 1/2 cup of peacans instead of 2 cups.
I’m new to the website and it’s my first 100 days of food recipe and I will now move on to the crock pot pulled pork!
Hi! I would really like to try this recipie but I am on a sugar free diet – is there any way to make this without brown sugar? Thanks!
Hello Caroline. We’ve not tried as we really don’t use sugar free alternatives in our recipes. You are welcome to experiment and share your results. ~Amy
I thought the flavor was good, but it did have too much pecans and not enough filling for our liking. Also, the chocolate didn’t melt too well and the pecans were not soft. Maybe it needs a longer cook time?
Hi Ana. Every oven is going to cook a little differently, so adding a bit of time as long as you watch is closely may work. Also, feel free to experiment with the filling to make it work for you. :)
Do you have ideas for making this dairy free?
Hi there. You could try using coconut oil and almond milk. :)
This pie is amazing!
Technical difficulty resolved. ;)
I cannot see the recipe :(
Thanks for the recipe. We made this for thanksgiving and it was great!! Love that the crust was so simple! Crust was a tad salty but otherwise it was fantastic! I agree with others who’ve said it was mostly pecans…but that’s what we wanted! We don’t love all that goo in traditional pecan pie anyway! With leftovers, I actually like this pie even better cold with a nice glass of ice cold milk!
I wanted to love this recipe but I didn’t. It was VERY easy to make but it’s NOT a pecan pie. It basically a chocolate pie with tons of pecans but doesn’t even come close to being a pecan pie. Even if you judge it based on taste alone and not expectation of the title it’s like eating chocolate fudge w/ pecans. It’s super rich but just not very good.
I tried a similar recipe with the same ingredients to make bars and it came out great!
do you have a recipe for a pumpkin pie?
Hi Barbara. Lisa does not have a pumpkin pie recipe.
She has an awesome pumpkin cheesecake with pecan crust- search for that one!
Can maple syrup be substituted for honey? I live in India and do not have access to maple syrup.
Hi. While we’ve not tried subbing in this recipe, we do use honey and maple fairly interchangeably. Let us know if you give it a go.
Also…I saw many people said they would try w/o chocolate chips but I never saw anyone post afterwards… Would anyone like to share how this was w/o chocolate chips? My husband can’t have chocolate, and I only have one bag of pecans from the States so I don’t want it to go to waste!
Can the eggs be omitted? I have vegan guests.
Hi there. Eggs are one of the largest ingredients here and we have not attempted to make this recipe without them.
Loved this recipe! If I’m being utterly honest, it wasn’t my grandma’s traditional pecan pie I was going for…but for a healthier, real food option it was great! And I totally didn’t feel nearly as guilty consuming this one compared to grandma’s classic made with all the not-so-good-for-you goodness :)
I love your honest review! Now I can wait to try it out. :)
This has become a dessert staple in our house. I was never one for pecan pie but this recipe is incredibly delicious and I love that its made of real ingredients so I don’t feel bad indulging a bit. I LOVE how this has chocolate in it! Soo yummy. It smells like s’mores when its cooking. An absolute fav.