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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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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? ›

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. Although pecans have many healthy attributes, more doesn't mean it's healthier.

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. It's also loaded with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, phosphorous, calcium, and iron.

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.

Which is healthier pecan or pumpkin pie? ›

Well, we can't name one pie as a healthy choice as both are different from each other. 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.

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.”

Does pecan pie raise blood sugar? ›

Pumpkin or pecan pie

Who wouldn't want a piece of pumpkin pie with a bit of vanilla ice cream for dessert? With the crust, butter, and sugar needed, pies are a danger to blood sugar. Limit the serving by splitting a slice at the table with a family member.

Which pie has the least amount of sugar? ›

Blueberry is always delicious and less sugary option than apple pie. For a taste similar to pumpkin pie with half the sugar content, reach for some sweet potato pie.

What is the healthiest dessert? ›

Healthier Desserts
  • Berries and Cream. 1/12. It's a classic combo. ...
  • Frozen Fruit Bars. 2/12. Some store-bought brands offer low-calorie, lower-sugar options. ...
  • Dark Chocolate. 3/12. ...
  • Yogurt Parfait. 4/12. ...
  • Oat Apple Crisp. 5/12. ...
  • Fruit and Cheese. 6/12. ...
  • Chocolate-Covered Frozen Bananas. 7/12. ...
  • Nut Bar. 8/12.
Dec 1, 2022

What makes a pie unhealthy? ›

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. If you have buttery mashed potato or chips on the side, the fat content of your meal is even higher.

Is corn syrup or maple syrup better for pecan pie? ›

The flavor of your pie will definitely be different. But maple and pecan is a popular combination, and most the maple syrup you buy in store is just corn syrup with flavoring anyways. You may want to cut the maple syrup with some corn syrup or honey so maple flavor isn't too overpowering.

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.

Is Aunt Jemima syrup the same as corn syrup? ›

Aunt Jemima is a fenugreek-flavored corn syrup. For some reason, the industry has decided that fenugreek tastes like maple syrup, and uses it to make “pancake syrups” like Aunt Jemima, Log Cabin, etc. There's a vague similarity between the fenugreek flavor and maple, but it's not really a convincing substitute.

Is apple pie or pecan pie healthier? ›

With an astounding 620 calories per slice, pecan pie dominates the contest from a caloric standpoint. Pecans themselves provide a wide variety of vitamins and minerals and are thought to be healthy for the heart.

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!

Why is pecan pie the best? ›

It does not require a scoop of ice cream, or a dollop of whipped cream, or, God forbid, something like a slice of cheddar (another knock against apple pie). Pecan pie is a pie that stands on its own. It has the gooeyness of a candy bar, the crunchy texture and warm flavor of toasted nuts, and that flaky, buttery crust.

How much sugar is in a slice of pecan pie? ›

Pie, pecan, commercially prepared, 1 piece (1/6 of 8" pie)
Protein (g)4.52
Total lipid (fat) (g)20.9
Carbohydrate, by difference (g)64.64
Energy (kcal)452
Sugars, total (g)31.92
34 more rows

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? ›

Absolutely! Pecans are full of healthy fats, antioxidants and fiber. Combined with the natural sweetness of maple, they're a healthier choice for a sweet treat or easy snack recipe.

Why is pecan pie good? ›

It's the perfect combination of sweet and salty—after one taste, you'll know why it's a favorite! Pecan pie is the classic sugary dessert without which no Thanksgiving is complete. It's as traditional as pumpkin pie and as wonderfully rich as apple pie.

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