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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.
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
Tap 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.
Keto Sugar-Free Pecan Pie Recipe:
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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.
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Get Keto Sweetener For This Recipe
GET BESTIInstructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
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Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large saute pan (not a saucepan!) over medium-low heat, heat the butter and Besti for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until dark golden brown.
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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.
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Remove the sauce from heat. Stir in the vanilla and maple extracts.
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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.
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Once caramel sauce has cooled enough not to cook an egg being added to it (warm is fine), whisk in the egg.
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Place chopped pecans evenly into the crust. Pour the caramel/egg mixture over the pecans. Top with pecan halves.
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Cover the edges of the pie crust with foil, leaving the center open.
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Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is dark brown and the filling is set, except some bubbles on the top.
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Cool completely, then chill for at least an hour before slicing.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/12 of entire pie
Video Showing How To Make Keto Pecan Pie:
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218 Comments
Mark Phillips
Can I use Lankato maple syrup in place of maple extract?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Mark, It will add a bit of extra sweetness to the recipe, but it will work otherwise. Enjoy!
Sarah
Can anything substitute for the maple extract?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sarah, You can omit the maple extract if you don’t have any on hand. Enjoy!
Hannah
How long can I freeze this pie?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Hannah, This pie will keep best in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Sheila
Well, I think it was the baker(Me!) that didn’t do something right! Gathered all my ingredients for crust and filling. Crust came out great. Filling never got golden brown(?). I used Swerve powdered sweetener(all I had available). I used all other ingredients as recipe recommended. I tried simmering filling longer than recipe recommended hoping it would get brown and thicken, but it never did. When I added maple extract filling turned brown. It’s in the oven now.. we’ll see!! What do you think I did wrong?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Sheila, The issue was the sweetener. Swerve does not brown the way Besti does. Hope you’ll get the chance to make it as written in the future.
Christine F
It was delish!!! Thank you for the recipe! Followed instructions exactly, and it came out so yummy! Even our son who isn’t doing keto loves it! This was the second time following your recipe. Love your website!
Mackenzie
My home has three lactose intolerant people so we do all dairy free to make it easy. I used earth balance instead of butter and coconut milk (canned) instead of the heavy cream and it was still sooooo amazing. The cream doesn’t caramelize as much as real cream and is lighter in color but after 45 minutes of baking it was firm enough to cut after 15 minutes of cooling. I also used a bit more ghee for the crust because it wasn’t wet enough for my liking. We are a “food lube” kind of family.
I’m making these tomorrow in a cupcake pan with the crust in only the bottom (to adjust the ratio) so we can share with neighbors and help with portion control. I know they will be awesome.
Karey
I can’t wait to make this. I make a “mystery pecan” which has a cream cheese layer (barely sweetened and with 3 eggs for 8oz cream cheese) on the bottom. Now I know I can still make that!
Kimberly Smith
Loved this recipe, but a whole teaspoon of salt in the filling made it too salty for me. Maybe cut it down to one half teaspoon.
Georgia
Hi, unfortunately where I live we don’t have a lot of keto baking options and I have been unable to find a monk fruit/allulose blend or maple extract. For the sweetener,I have found a monk fruit / erythritol blend and allulose on it’s own. Should I use a mixture of the different sweeteners or stick with one? And is the recipe ok without the maple extract or should I use some sugar free maple syrup in the recipe? Looks delicious!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Georgia, You can use either sweetener. Allulose will give you a gooey pie filling, while the monk fruit erythritol blend will give you a more ‘set’ pie filling. You will need more sweetener if you decide to use the pure allulose. Increase the amount of allulose to 1 cup + 2 tablespoons to get the same level of sweetness in your pie. As for the maple extract, I think it adds a lot of depth of flavor to the pie, but many other readers have written about making it without the extract and it’s still delicious. Hope you enjoy it!
Rocky
Mmmmmm made this last night and just tried it. I didn’t have maple extract but I added a drop of blackstrap molasses and some stevia packets to the monk fruit/erythritol blend. I was surprised the flavour came out with a hint of maple in it despite have no maple in it. I guess that’s the molasses.
I find mixing sugar substitutes gives a closer flavour to sugar than just using a single sweetener — sugar is like a symphony of sweet so adding more instruments to the orchestra makes sense to me!
Giselle Sanders
Excellent recipe. I made it for New Years Eve and everyone thought it was just like the real thing. I browned the almond flour in the oven before making the pie crust and so didn’t bake the crust. I mixed all the ingredients in a bowl rather than a food processor and pressed it into the pie tin. I had some difficulty making the caramel sauce initially. On an electric stove I started off using number 3 and then 4 for a medium-low heat. However, although the butter and xylitol browned, getting very dark, it never bubbled. When I tried turning the heat up to 5 it all separated. Worried about wasting the cream if I added it to try to rescue the sauce in a blender, I ditched it and had another go. For the second attempt I started on heat number 5 and used granulated xylitol, since I didn’t have enough left already powdered. Since I was heating the mixture I wasn’t concerned about it being gritty, and it wasn’t. This time the butter and xylitol browned in about 7 minutes and began to bubble. On adding the cream it bubbled vigorously and everything worked as it was supposed to. I reduced the amount of pecans in the recipe to 1.5 cups. As mentioned above, the end result was excellent and I will be making it again. Now that I know how to make the caramel sauce and that number 5 is the magic number for the heat on my stove, I would rate it as an easy recipe. I served it at room temperature.
Terry
Incredible. I used a ready-to-use pecan pie crust made by Diamond. This crust has 8 net carbs per 1/8 pie slice. Not sure how that compares to the almond flour crust called for in the recipe. OMG! It was SOOO good! I refrigerated it as instructed to firm up, and after letting it come to room temperature, it sliced very nicely. But unless you warm up your slice again in the microwave, it isn’t gooey. But if you warm it up, it is wonderfully gooey, retains its shape, and is every bit as good as, if not better, than regular pecan pie. Kudos to the recipe developer!
CynthiainPittsburgTX
This is the perfect Pecan Pie. My husband and I like it even better than regular Pecan Pie recipes made with syrup. The crust was crunchy and delicious, as well. I will definitely make this recipe again. This was our only desert for Christmas and we’re grateful for it. Thanks, Maya
JudytheBaker
Hi Maya,
A+ pie!!!
I went to this page to looks for tips. I have the Besti Allulose and Monkfruit, but not the powdered kind. I was wondering if people had tried powdering it.
I decided that powdered and granular are the same weight in grams. I used my bulletblender in small batches.
What’s funny is I found my post from Nov 6, 2019. Where the caramel separated! One of answers said her pie came back together when cold. Ours did get a bit better. I think that using a sauce pan was the problem.
So I was really careful this year. I used a big skillet on low heat; you must have updated the recipe. Much better this year.
I started using allulose awhile back, and it does give a much more gooey texture. So cutting the pie into 12 pieces? No way!!! 🙂
I’m having stomach upsets from Erythritol. So glad you have these new allulose products and updated recipes. I imagine that you must have a stellar team, because your recipes are dependable and easy.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Judy
Simi Valley, CA
Kennya marzano
I have made the recipe twice and I love love love the flavor. But my consistency has been off twice. It just thick and grainy. I only have monkfruit (not allulose). Is that to be expected when I make it with this sugar or am I doing something wrong? Like I said the flavor is phenomenal but I just can’t get the consistency.. I followed the recipe to a T.
Thank you!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Kennya, Yes, your issue is the sweetener. What you are calling monk fruit is likely a blend with erythritol (check the ingredients on the back). Get powdered monk fruit allulose blend here to get that smooth, slightly gooey consistency.
Gennifer Keiser
I used Whole Earth allulose baking blend with allulose, erythritol, xanthan gum, Stevia extract, and monk fruit extract. It worked really well and looks beautiful, but it’s too salty. I used salted butter so maybe I should’ve not added salt. My 7-year-old said it’s too much and that’s what’s keeping her from liking it. I agree.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Gennifer, Yes that is a possibility. Salted butter or if the pecans were salted, that would change the flavor too and make it too salty.
sonia
For anyone who wonders about pan size, heat setting, and other blunders that I definitely made every one of … here are my tips:
o I first used a 10 inch sauté pan (aka a skillet), but the butter/monk fruit erythritol mixture wasn’t browning. After the stipulated 15 minutes, I added heavy whipping cream. Still not browning …
o So I switched the mixture to cook in my behemoth 12 inch sauté pan, increased the heat to medium, and stirred continuously.
o The mixture browned beautifully on the medium heat.
o Then I let it cool for a bit before adding the vanilla and maple syrup in dribbles. No separation.
Maya created a divine caramel sauce— that even with all of my mistakes turned into a wonderful sugar free sauce. Excellent recipe, and thank you Maya!
P.S. I will make the pecan pie tomorrow. My husband passed through the kitchen and said, “Wow, that smells delicious!” I concur.
Vince
Follow the recipe exactly crust came out very dark almost burn
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Vince, Did you cover the crust while baking? (see step 9 of the instructions) That should prevent the crust from getting too dark.
Marvette
Thanksgiving is now complete. I personally love brown sugar and can’t wait to use your new Besti sub. Can it be used in this recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Marvette, Yes! Besti Brown Sweetener Blend will work great in this pie.
Judy the Baker
I agree. While I loved the pie, I tasted it with some brown sugar on top (I am ordering the Besti one very soon). Maya, would we use the same amount of the brown sugar as in the recipe? Will that be grainy, as it isn’t powdered?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Judy, No, the Besti Brown sweetener won’t be grainy because it’s made from allulose, so it will dissolve nicely into the pie filling. When you make it with Besti Brown you will use the same amount of sweetener as written in the recipe.
Kristen Miller
I have swerve confectioners sugar I want to substitute in this pie how much should I use?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Kristen, Both these sweeteners are 1:1 with sugar, so you will use the same amount as written in the recipe. However, you won’t get the same gooey texture with Swerve. You can pick up powdered monk fruit allulose blend here if you want the best result.
Jeanette
What an amazing recipe! Your sugar is equally amazing. I can’t wait to make more recipes!