Description
This gluten free pecan pie recipe offers a rich, nutty dessert with a perfectly tender and flaky crust made from a gluten-free flour blend. The filling is a smooth and silky mixture of toasted pecans, butter, sugars, eggs, maple syrup, bourbon, and warm spices. Baked to golden perfection, this pie is ideal for special occasions or a comforting treat, catering to those with gluten sensitivities.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1½ cups gluten-free flour blend
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend contains it)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 1½ tablespoons sour cream
- 1½ teaspoons white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons ice water
Filling
- 2 cups pecan halves, divided
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- â…› teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Prepare the crust dough: In a food processor, combine gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum, salt, and sugar. Add cold butter pieces and pulse about 10 times until the butter pieces are pea-sized. Mix ice water, sour cream, and vinegar in a small bowl; add to the flour mixture and pulse about 10 more times until dough begins to clump. If not clumping, transfer to a bowl and press together by hand.
- Chill and roll out dough: Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour to 2 days. Before rolling, let sit at room temperature 15 minutes. Roll between parchment sheets to ¼-inch thickness. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate by flipping dough over and pressing it in. Trim excess and flute edges.
- Blind bake the crust: Prick bottom with a fork, wrap loosely with plastic, and freeze 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 20 minutes, remove weights and foil, bake 5-10 more minutes until light golden. Reduce oven to 325°F.
- Toast pecans: Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Cool completely. Coarsely chop 1½ cups pecans; reserve ½ cup halves for decoration.
- Make filling base: In a heatproof bowl over simmering water (bain-marie), melt butter. Remove from heat and whisk in brown sugar, granulated sugar, tapioca starch, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add eggs and cook filling: Whisk in eggs one at a time until incorporated. Return bowl to simmering water and cook, stirring, until mixture reaches 130°F (about 3-4 minutes) for smooth texture.
- Finish filling: Remove from heat. Stir in maple syrup, vanilla, bourbon, and nutmeg. Fold in chopped pecans evenly.
- Assemble and bake pie: Pour warm filling into warm crust. Arrange reserved pecan halves flat-side down decoratively on top. Place pie on baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for 20 minutes, then reduce to 300°F and bake 35-45 minutes until center is set with slight jiggle.
- Cool and serve: Cool pie on wire rack at room temperature for at least 4 hours before slicing. For cleaner cuts, refrigerate for 2 hours after cooling.
Notes
- Make sure the eggs are at room temperature to ensure smooth incorporation.
- Keep close watch on pecans while toasting to prevent burning.
- If your gluten-free flour blend already contains xanthan gum, omit additional xanthan gum.
- The baking sheet helps catch any drips during baking.
- Using cold butter and chilling the dough helps yield a flaky crust.
- Letting the crust warm slightly before adding filling prevents sogginess.
- Refrigerate the pie after initial cooling for the best slicing results.
