Clean Eating Pecan Pie Recipe (2024)

ByTiffany McCauley

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This naturally sweetened pecan pie without corn syrup is made with REAL FOOD ingredients and no refined sugar. It’s a healthy pecan pie recipe that makes the perfect holiday dessert!

Clean Eating Pecan Pie Recipe (1)

Lighter Holiday Dessert

You asked for a naturally sweetened pecan pie recipe, but I won’t sugarcoat this for you. This pie may be lighter than the typical holiday dessert, but it’s definitely not conducive to losing weight. It is, however, technically clean.

Pecan Pie Ingredients

This pie recipe is a little bit healthier and lighter for the fact that it doesn’t call for any corn syrup. No refined sugars is a good thing! Not just that, but there are hidden dangers in high fructose corn syrup.

However, any time you have pecans, you’re going to get a lot of fat. There’s no way around that. Even this pie has a lot of fat. But the difference is, all the ingredients are real, whole food. So your body actually gets nutrition from it. Plus, the fat from the pecans is a healthy fat. So even though this is still high in fat, it’s far better than the stuff you buy or get in a restaurant.

Clean Eating Pecan Pie Recipe (2)

What You’ll Need

  • Whole wheat pie crust– You can purchase whole wheat or whole grain crust, but there are usually unwanted added ingredients. And it’s so easy to make your own! My whole wheat pie crust recipe makes a tad over 2 pie crusts. So, top and bottom for one pie, or bottom for 2 pies. Plus a little extra to cut out and make pretty shapes to put on top of your pie if the urge grabs you.
  • Honey– You can adjust the amount of honey you use to get your desired level of sweetness. A ¾ cup will give you a middle-of-the-road, medium sweetness. A ½ cup will be lightly sweetened and let the nutty flavor come through more. 1 cup will give you that super sweet, make-your-teeth-hurt, kinda sweet that some people like. Adjust accordingly.
  • Largeegg whites– Whipped with a fork until frothy
  • Light-flavored oil – This can be any oil such as liquid coconut oil, grapeseed, or safflower oil. Use what you feel comfortable using.
  • Raw pecan pieces– chop finely after measuring. These little bits will fill in the gaps between the halves and help this pie truly stick together without corn syrup.
  • Raw pecan halves – These are the “meat” of your pecan pie. Use raw nuts or they will be overdone after baking.
  • Pure vanilla extract – I use bourbon vanilla, but use whatever real vanilla you have on hand.
  • Ground cinnamon – This is technically optional, but gives the pie wonderful flavor.
  • Whole wheat pastry flour – It’s not much, but it’s an important ingredient here. You can use regular whole wheat flour, but your pie will change a tiny bit in texture. A good middle-ground flour that is easier to find in stores is white whole wheat flour if you can’t find the pastry variety.

How To Make Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
  • Pour batter into raw pie crust and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and continue to bake for 20-25 minutes. The pie should raise in the oven and have small cracks in the top when it’s done.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool overnight.

Other Naturally Sweetened Pies

  • Pumpkin Pie
  • Apple Pie

Naturally Sweetened Pecan Pie Recipe

Clean Eating Pecan Pie Recipe (4)

Naturally Sweetened Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup!)

Do you love pecan pie but don't like all that corn syrup? Try this naturally sweetened Pecan Pie recipe! It's the perfect Thanksgiving holiday dessert!

3.69 from 29 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 servings (a single 9 inch pie)

Calories: 171kcal

Equipment

  • Standard-size pie pan

Ingredients

  • 1 batch pie crust recipe (see link above – makes 2 pie crusts)
  • ¾ cups honey (for medium sweetness – ½ cup for less sweet – 1 cup for super sweet)
  • 3 large egg whites (whipped with a fork)
  • 2 tbsp. light flavored oil
  • 1 cup raw pecan pieces (chop fine after measuring)
  • 1 cup raw pecan halves
  • 4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp. whole wheat pastry flour

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400° F.

  • Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

  • Pour batter into raw pie crust and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and continue to bake for 20-25 minutes. The pie should raise in the oven and have small cracks in the top when it's done.

  • Remove from oven and allow to cool overnight.

Notes

NOTES ON THE HONEY: Please note that increasing or decreasing the honey will give you more or less filling. Using ¾ cups honey is just right for filling a 9-inch pie. When I made my pie, I only used ½ cup honey and I have to say that it was plenty sweet. But I know that by other people’s standards, it would be hardly sweet at all. I enjoy the natural sweetness from the nuts. So I didn’t feel the pie needed much. So just be aware that if you go up to 1 cup of honey, you are really, honestly going to get a pie that is sickeningly sweet by my standards (which some people like).

Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible. Data does not include pie crust. See that recipe for that data.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.5mg

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Clean Eating Pecan Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is pecan pie healthy to eat? ›

Studies have found that pecans can help reduce your bad (LDL) cholesterol and total cholesterol. Cons: Pecan pie is traditionally made with a good amount corn syrup and/or brown sugar, which only contributes sugar and calories. Once again, your crust can be a big source of fat, especially artery-clogging saturated fat.

What is a good substitute for corn syrup in pecan pie? ›

For every one cup of corn syrup that the recipe calls for, use one cup of maple syrup instead. The great thing about maple syrup is it has some nutritional benefits. Maple syrup contains antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, such as Vitamin B6, calcium, niacin, potassium, and riboflavin.

What is the healthiest type of pie? ›

Pumpkin Pie: This one is our winner! When in doubt, choose pumpkin pie. In competition with those mentioned above, it offers the fewest calories, and least fat and added sugar.

Which is healthier, pecan pie or pumpkin pie? ›

Pecan pie contains more calories but offers you plenty of nutrients that you can't find in any other pie. On the other hand, pumpkin pies have a lower calorie content. But pumpkins contain fewer nutrients compared to pecans. Hence, both of these pies are healthy in their own way.

Is it OK to eat pecans every day? ›

Eating a handful of pecans each day can help satisfy cravings for unhealthy snacks and provide a nutritious boost to any meal. Furthermore, pecans can also be included as part of a healthy diet when combined with other nutrient-rich foods in moderation.”

Can pecan pie upset your stomach? ›

Bottom Line. Pecan pies can't make you sick if you eat them within a day or two. The simple solution to avoid any health problems is to keep the leftover in the refrigerator instead of keeping them on the counter.

Is light or dark Karo syrup better for pecan pie? ›

Light and dark corn syrup can be used interchangeably in almost every instance, with slight flavor variances. In a pecan pie, for example, light corn syrup will contribute sweetness and a hint of vanilla, but that's about it. Dark corn syrup, in addition to sweetness, will add color and a more robust, toasty flavor.

What is a natural replacement for corn syrup? ›

The best corn syrup substitutes for baking are brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave, tapioca syrup, honey, golden syrup, and black treacle. Whether you're avoiding using corn syrup, are allergic to corn, or don't have it on hand, there are a ton of substitutes for corn syrup to try instead.

Is Karo syrup the same as corn syrup? ›

Karo syrup is a popular brand of corn syrup, which is obtained from corn starch that is derived from maize. It is a concentrated solution of several sugars, such as glucose (dextrose), derived from corn starch. Because of various sugars, corn syrup has a naturally mild sweet taste.

Which is healthier, pecan pie or apple pie? ›

At around 300 calories per slice, pumpkin pie is a good bet for an indulgent dessert. It's a calorie bargain compared with other fall pies —apple pie weighs in at around 400 calories, and pecan pie at about 500 calories per slice. The type of crust used can make a big calorie difference.

What is the least popular pie in the United States? ›

The least popular types of pies were salted caramel, gooseberry, blueberry and peach, all being the most popular in only one state each.

What is the healthiest pastry to buy? ›

Which pastry is healthier? Pastries made with whole wheat flour and minimal added sugar are the healthiest pastries. You can find whole wheat pastry dough options for both puff pastry and filo pastry, two of the most common pastry dough types.

Are pecan pie good for you? ›

Apart from this, pecan is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and helps in reducing inflammation. You also get zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E, Riboflavin, folate, thiamine, manganese, and other vital nutrients. Therefore, munching on a piece of pecan pie is not that bad as you think.

Why is pecan pie so good? ›

The pecans mix with a decadent blend of butter, eggs and sugars and bake inside of a flaky and buttery pie crust. You can enjoy this treat as-is or in one of its many variations. Just thinking about this dessert can make you crave a slice instantly!

What kind of pie has the least sugar? ›

Pumpkin, unlike pecan, only has 15 grams of added sugar, only half of pecan's added 30! The pie with the next least amount of sugar is apple pie.

Is pecan pie high in carbs? ›

Pecan pie (1 piece - single crust - 1/8 of 9" pie) contains 63.8g total carbs, 61.9g net carbs, 29.9g fat, 5.4g protein, and 527 calories.

Are baked pecans healthy? ›

Some roasting skeptics believe nuts lose part or all of their nutritional value when roasted or cooked. Fortunately, for healthy eating enthusiasts everywhere roasted nuts of any kind remain great sources of natural proteins, fiber, and fats.

What is unhealthy in a pie? ›

Sadly, they're not great as a regular part of your diet. An average individual meat pie provides around 450kcal, but the biggest problem is the 12g of saturated fat inside it – that's more than half the daily guideline.

References

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