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A low carb keto pecan pie will make your holiday table complete! This one is so much like the real thing that no one will know the difference. I’ve been working for weeks to make this the best sugar-free pecan pie recipe, and I hope you’ll find a spot for it in your holiday celebrations – or anytime you want a special treat.
How to Make Sugar-Free Pecan Pie
Most pecan pie recipes use corn syrup and a sugar-y crust made with wheat. So, how to make sugar-free pecan pie without these?
Let’s start with the filling. Instead of corn syrup, we’re going to use a variation of sugar-free caramel sauce. Adding vanilla and maple extract makes this low carb pecan pie just like the real thing. And, that caramel sauce solidifies to a decadent filling when refrigerated.
What about the sugar-free pecan pie crust? There are several options.
My Other Low Carb Recipes:
My Other Low Carb Recipes:
Sugar-Free Pecan Pie Crust Options
On the recipe card below, we use almond flour pie crust. It’s easy to make and has only 5 ingredients.
If you prefer, you can use coconut flour pie crust instead. This could be an option for someone who has an almond allergy, but tolerates pecans just fine. Of course you’d need to use pecans for pecan pie. 😉
You can also make a sugar-free pecan crust if you’d like. This is easiest to do by modifying the almond flour pie crust recipe.
To make low carb pecan pie crust using pecans, grind the pecans to a fine meal in a coffee grinder or food processor. Replace some of the almond flour in the recipe with the pecan meal instead, and otherwise follow the recipe as-is.
You could try replacing all of the almond flour with pecan meal, but I’d recommend a blend because it will stay together better, since almond flour has a finer consistency.
Tips for Making Keto Pecan Pie
To avoid any issues making your pie, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Don’t overheat the sugar-free pecan pie filling.
If the caramel sauce gets too hot, it may curdle or split. Sometimes you can bring it back together in a blender, but not always. It’s best to avoid the issue altogether by keeping heat very low.
On the other hand, make sure the caramel is dark enough. Here is what it looks like when done – notice the thickness:
Let the caramel sauce cool before adding the egg.
If you add the egg when the caramel sauce is very hot, it will scramble the egg.
Don’t let the sauce cool completely either, because it will start to solidify.
Instead, let it cool so that it’s warm, but no longer hot.
Alternatively, you can very slowly pour the sauce into a bowl with the egg while whisking constantly, which means tempering the egg.
Bake until dark brown.
Pecan pie should be baked for a while, until dark brown. Here is what it looks like before baking:
And after baking:
Use the right method for cutting your keto friendly pecan pie.
Make sure the pie is completely cool and firm after chilling in the fridge. Then, you can either cut it when cold or place it at room temperature again to soften a bit. Try the second option if you see any crumbling when trying to cut it.
The most important things to do when cutting the low carb pecan pie are to use the right type of knife and motion. A large chef’s knife works best, and use a slow, straight-down motion, starting at the tip and then moving the whole knife down.
Do not use a bread knife or a see-saw motion, because this might make the pie prone to crumbling.
Can You Make Low Carb Pecan Pie Ahead?
Yes! In fact, keto pecan pie is best made ahead in general, since it needs to chill to firm up.
There are several parts that you can make ahead:
Make the sugar-free pecan pie crust ahead.
You can keep it on the counter for a day, or store it in the fridge for a few days before using it for your keto pecan pie.
Make the low carb pecan pie filling ahead.
This is steps 3 to 5 on the recipe card. After making the filling, you can store it in the fridge in a glass container.
When you are ready to use it, reheat it on the stove over very low heat to make it pourable again.
Be very careful not to overheat, because the filling can separate and clump if it gets to hot. If this happens, sometimes you can bring it back together in a blender.
Make the entire keto pecan pie recipe ahead.
This is the best option! Low carb pecan pie stores quite well, and you need to chill it anyway, so it’s perfect for making ahead.
Besides, doing the whole thing at once avoids any risk with the filling separating during reheating.
You can store prepared pecan pie in the fridge for up to a week.
Can You Freeze Sugar-Free Pecan Pie?
Yes, you can! Wrap it in plastic wrap or foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw in the fridge at least overnight.
Tools To Make Keto Pecan Pie:
Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- 9-inch Pie Pan – Of course you need a pie pan for your keto friendly pecan pie! Listed baking times are based on this one, and may vary with a different type of pan.
- Measuring cups and spoons – For precise measurements and easy cleaning. These come in fun colors!
- Chef’s knife – To cut your low carb pecan pie the right way – see tip about that above. A good chef’s knife is one of my top 10 must-have chicken tools.
- Large saute pan – This one is hard anodized without any risk of sticking, but also won’t scratch and is PTFE/PFOA-free.
- Non-stick pie crust shield – Avoids burning the crust without having to fuss with foil. You can also try a silicone shield like this.
RECIPE CARD
The BEST Keto Sugar-Free Pecan Pie Recipe
This keto pecan pie recipe is the only one you'll ever need for the best sugar-free pecan pie ever! Easy to make and just like the real thing.
PrintIngredients
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- 1 recipe Almond flour pie crust (or coconut flour pie crust)
- 3/4 cup Butter
- 3/4 cup Powdered monk fruit sweetener
- 1 1/2 cup Heavy cream
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 1/2 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp Maple extract
- 1 large Egg (at room temperature)
- 2 1/2 cups Pecans (2 cups chopped coarsely + 1/2 cup halves for topping)
Instructions
More TIPS about this recipe in the post above!
VIDEO + NUTRITION INFO + RECIPE NOTES below!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large saute pan (not a saucepan!) over medium-low heat, heat the butter and sweetener for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until dark golden brown.
When golden, add the cream and sea salt. Bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbly, dark golden and thick. The caramel sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
Remove the sauce from heat. Stir in the vanilla and maple extracts.
Let pie crust and caramel sauce cool separately for 15 to 20 minutes, until warm but not hot. While they are cooling, you can either leave the oven on (you will need it again) or preheat it to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) again when the 20 minutes is close to up.
Once caramel sauce has cooled enough not to cook an egg being added to it (warm is fine), whisk in the egg.
Place chopped pecans evenly into the crust. Pour the caramel/egg mixture over the pecans. Top with pecan halves.
Cover the edges of the pie crust with foil, leaving the center open.
Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is dark brown and the filling is set, except some bubbles on the top.
Cool completely, then chill for at least an hour before slicing.
SIMILAR KETO LOW CARB RECIPES
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/12 of entire pie
Video Showing How To Make Keto Pecan Pie:
Click or tap on the image below to play the video. It's the easiest way to learn how to make Keto Pecan Pie!
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
More Low Carb & Keto Support!
If you want to know more about how to start a low carb diet, want to substitute sweeteners, need a food list, or need support, check these guides:
Low Carb & Keto Diet Plan
Starter Guide 
Sweetener Conversion Calculator 
Keto Low Carb Macro Calculator 
Low Carb Keto Food List
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. We'd LOVE for you to share a link to this recipe, but please DO NOT COPY/PASTE the recipe instructions to social media or websites. You may share a photo with a link back instead.
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74 Comments
Rebecca
Made this today and its currently in my oven. But I have a friend who had to avoid egg. Is there a sub she can use for the egg? Thank you!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Rebecca, I hope you like it! Sorry, I haven’t tried without the egg as regular pecan pie typically includes this, so I’m not sure how well that would work.
Melanie Carpenter
I totally missed the step where you add the extracts and only just realized it. After I finished baking it. I made it for my diabetic father, so I hope it doesn’t taste terrible. It smells really good! I’m assuming there is no way to make some sort of drizzle after the fact with extract?!?!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Melanie, That was so nice of you to do for your dad! It would still probably taste good, just more bland without the extracts. You could make a drizzle with some heavy cream, powdered sweetener, and extract(s) if you’d like.
Nancy Conner
I’m as southern as pecan pie! And now I can eat it again!!!
nancy
Get in my belly, already! I can’t WAIT to try this one!
Amee Estevez
I’ve been keto baking for almost 2 years now. I love baking, I love keto and I love sweets!! So I bake a lot and I’ve tried many recipes. This is in my top 3! And my family loved it!! It holds together very well and has that perfect maple-pecan pie taste. I used confectioners Swerve instead of powdered monk fruit and it was absolutely delicious!
Robyn
This is the best pecan pie ever! My family loves pecan pie and now I get to make it low carb. Thank you, Maya!
Season’s Greetings!
Renee
Great recipe! Everyone loved it. Can’t wait to make it again. I did use Splenda for the sweetener though to make it more suitable for me being diabetic.
Carol Little
Decadent !! This looks SO good. Thanks for the step by step instructions + the list of do this and not that.. which is very helpful for novice bakers like me!
Sunrita
The pictures and the caramel is making my mouth water. Great tip on how to make a good caramel. Will surely be trying this and driven by guilt!
Lindsey Dietz
Loooooove this pie so much! Pecan is my favorite holiday pie. I’ve never successfully made it sugar-free, so I’m trying this STAT!
Heather Davis
Pecan pie is my absolute favorite so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. I was a bit apprehensive because I’m not a regular at baking but I read your blog several times to be sure I followed all your hints. This pie is absolute perfection without breaking the carb bank. Thank you!!! Keep em coming.
PS I added a half a bag of sugar free chocolate chips to the pie. Divine.
Janice Meche
I made your pie with the almond flour crust. the Carmel sauce is to die for. the only issue I had is the crust burnt. I covered with foil
Jerry
When I cut my sugar-free pecan pie, my caramel sauce was solidified. Not the consistency of a traditional pecan pie. Is it suppose to be this way or what did I do wrong?
The almond flour pie crust super easy to. Make and tasted delicious.
The pie tasted great but my pie filling had solidified.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jerry, The filling will be firmer when chilled, softer at room temp or warmed. The consistency is pretty similar to other pecan pies I’ve tried, but if you prefer it to be softer, you can warm it up again after chilling to set. I’m glad you liked the taste!
Debbie Easley
I just made this pecan pie. It boiled over while baking ( we are at 7500’). I followed the instructions but my sauce never turned golden brown & didn’t thicken up. Should I refrigerate first before pouring into pie? I used monk fruit for the sweetener. I’m a little confused on what pan to cook it in. I used a sauce pot. You state: “make the filling. In a large saute pan (not a saucepan!)”. Do mean a skillet?
My husband loved it but I want to make again as pecan pie is his favorite & we haven’t had in almost 5 years since going on low carb way of eating. I wanted to get you advice before trying again. Love all your great recipes!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Debbie, I don’t have the ability to test at elevation, so that could be part of the issue, but it’s more likely that the issue is the pan you used. It will take well over an hour to brown in a sauce pan like you used. You need to use a saute pan, which is kind of like a skillet but it has taller sides. This is one that I like. A larger pan means more surface area, so it browns and thickens much faster. The recipe definitely won’t work if you don’t let the caramel brown and thicken.
ChihYu
This looks amazing! I love pecan pie and this looks so delicious!
Bethany G Tirhi
The butter and sweetener browned like they were supposed to, but when I added the heavy cream and the salt it turned back to all white and is not browning, it just smells like it is burning!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Bethany, It’s normal for it to lighten again right after adding the cream. It will take longer to brown after that, about 15 to 20 minutes at a gentle simmer. That’s assuming you are using a large saute pan (not a sauce pan). If your pan is smaller, it can take much longer, even over an hour – which is why I recommend the largest saute pan you have. 🙂
Jean
Pecan pie is one of my favorites and I love that you made a keto version! Looks so perfect and that crust looks amazing as well.
Emily
This looks awesome but I’m having multiple issues. The first time while trying to brown the butter and sweetener, it took an extremely long time to start to brown. Once it did, the sweetener Chrystalized. I started over and browned the butter first and that worked better. However, After adding the cream and salt it got to a nice thick consistency but not brown so i kept cooking at a low simmer and poof it separated into oil and. ..not even sure what. I’m on my third attempt. Any suggestions? I am using a saute pan and a very low seeing on my electric stove.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Emily, If it takes a long time to brown, use a larger pan. Make sure it’s a saute pan and not a sauce pan. Splitting can occur if heat is too high, which is unfortunately more likely on an electric stove. Most stoves have several burners with different heat elements – try on the smallest heat element on the lowest heat. Hope this helps!
Danielle Collins
I had the same problem twice, then I gave up on monkfruit and switched to Swerve. Half a cup granulated, half a cup brown, and it turned out beautifully. The only other change I made was the salt – a teaspoon was WAY too much. I just changed to salted butter and left it at that.
Christine
Hands down one of the best pies I have ever made! Thank you!!!
Diana
Is it possible to use lakanto maple syrup in place of extract?? I just don’t have the extract on hand.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Diana, It’s better to just skip it if you don’t have it. The Lakanto syrup is not concentrated, so you wouldn’t get the flavor from a small amount, and if you add more the consistency won’t set.
Renee D Kohley
That is so much easier than I was envisioning! It is beautiful!
Raia Todd
It looks delicious! Could just eat it through the screen… 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I get that, Raia! Thanks for stopping by!
Mandi
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it today, and it is delicious! I did make a few errors. I didn’t let the caramel get dark and thick enough before adding the cream, so I cheated and added a little xanthan gum and some brown food coloring. I also subbed erythritol for the monk fruit and caramel extract for maple, just because that’s what I had on hand. Even with all that, it still came out fabulous! And I will have a chance to fix my mistakes next time, because I am *definitely* making this again. Yum!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Mandi! Have a nice day!
Morgan
Did you use 1:1 for the erythritol or did you lessen the amount of erythritol?
Shelby @Fitasamamabear
Looks decadent and sounds delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Shelby!
Sarah Walker
I made this yesterday and it turned out well, but the time for each step was significantly longer for me. The carmel sauce alone took about an hour to make. I finally turned up the heat to medium-high and stirred constantly.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Sarah, It will depend on the size of your pan. I used a large saute pan, not a sauce pan. A saute pan is a very large pan typically used for something like a stir fry, and it cuts down on the time needed to make the caramel sauce a lot. Hope this helps for next time!
Morgan
Is maple extract necessary? Or do you know of a suggested substitute? I’m not able to get my hands on any by the time I need to make this pie.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Morgan, You can skip it, it won’t affect consistency, but the flavor is much better with it. Most grocery stores at least carry an imitation extract, though a real one does taste better and it’s what I always use.
Mandi
I didn’t have any maple extract on hand, so I used caramel extract instead. Not sure if you’re able to get that either, but It worked beautifully.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thanks for sharing with us, Mandi!
Lindsey
I am trying to make this for my mom for Thanksgiving, but my caramel sauce came out SUPER salty! I have checked and rechecked the recipe, and I used the right amount. Is it supposed to be this way? I don’t want to finish it if it is wrong because I don’t want to waste the pecans and crust.
I love your website. Every recipe I have tried has been amazing!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lindsey, Did you by chance use table salt? You’d need less if using that rather than sea salt, as table salt has a stronger salty taste. Other than that, the caramel sauce does taste just a touch salty, but shouldn’t be super salty. It’s also possible it reduced a little too much and got too concentrated, though I’ve never seen that happen even after simmering for a while and getting it quite thick. I think there’s some wiggle room there as any saltiness will be reduced when combining with pecans and crust, but if you want to be on the safe side you can try mixing your existing caramel sauce with an extra batch that isn’t salted, to dilute the saltiness… then just use half of that for this recipe and half for something else.
Hope
This looks incredible! Can’t believe it is sugar free and low carb, I am definitely adding this to my must make list!
Christina Shoemaker
I love that you used maple extract and almond flour! This sounds right up my alley! <3
Glenda
Can I use erythritol instead of monk fruit sweetener? Or will it seriously impact the results?
I’m making this for my son for Thanksgiving and trying to keep my $ down – this is one expensive pie for me to make!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Glenda, Yes, that should work. Check the conversion calculator here.
Rhiannan OShea
Looks amazing, and we love all of your Keto recipes! We plan to make your pumpkin pie recipe with the low-carb almond flour crust. My favorite pie is a pumpkin pie topped with pecan pie filling – could I combine these two? If I did, would I have to bake the pumpkin filling a bit first to set it and then top with this pecan filling, or could I do it all at once? Hope that makes sense! Thanks for your help!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you so much, Rhiannan! I have not yet tried a combination of pecan and pumpkin pie. I would estimate that you’d need to bake the pie with pumpkin filling first to almost set, then top with pecan pie filling, cool, and chill.
Chelsea Oberle
I’m wanting to make this for thanksgiving and my brother has a condition where he can not have any dairy, sugar, or gluten. Can I substitute the heavy cream with something else?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Chelsea, Coconut cream would probably work.
Ann
Oh, Happy Day! Pecan Pie! I have missed pecan pie for a long while and thought I’d never again enjoy without guilt or totally wrecking my progress. Thank you for this recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Ann! Have a great day!
ahmad
Turned out great!
thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Ahmad! Thank you!
Diane Kimes
The link for the monkfruit sweetener is powdered. Is that what we should use?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Diane, Yes, that’s correct.
Amira
Is the 533 calories per 1 piece or the whole pie?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Amira, The nutrition info is per slice. It’s a low carb and sugar-free pecan pie.
Pat Siddons
Can you use Sukrin gold instead of monkfruit? I prefer the taste.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Pat, Yes, that will work!
Justine Janney
Question, can you replace the butter with coconut oil or another non-dairy option (shortening), or lard?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Justine, Possibly, but I haven’t tested it to say for sure. Let me know if it works for you!
Lindsey Cook
Do you think the heavy cream could be replaced with coconut cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lindsey, Yes, you can probably do that. Let me know if you try it!
Vickie
What is best type of whey protein powder to use for baking?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Vickie, This recipe does not have whey protein powder, are you asking about a different one?
Terry
Print button does not work.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Terry, I just tested the print button and it’s working for me. If you’re having issues, please use the contact form here.
Serenity M Simpson
You’re absolutely awesome!!! I cannot wait to make this! One of my favorite pies, after apple pie.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Yay, thank you so much, Serenity! Hope you love it!
Gabby
Hi! This recipe looks amazing! Can you replace monk fruit sweetener with Swerve sweetener? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you so much, Gabby! Yes, either will work.