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My 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 worked on this recipe for weeks, and I have to say this version is my favorite yet. It’s sweet and nutty, with a perfectly caramelized filling. A few years ago, I updated it with Besti powdered sweetener to make the texture even better — and it makes all the difference. Make this sugar free pecan pie with me and you’ll see what I mean!
Why You Need My Keto Pecan Pie Recipe
- Smooth, gooey filling with crunchy pecans – This is the biggest thing that makes my recipe stand out from other sugar free pecan pie recipes. Many of them are dry due to the sweetener they use or just lack the flavor of the traditional kind. The filling in mine has just the right texture, plus a caramel flavor you’ll love (based on a variation of my sugar-free caramel sauce) and lots of crunchy pecans.
- Buttery shortbread almond crust – I use my almond flour pie crust for most of my pies, including this one. It’s just so good… sweet, buttery, and easy. But if you prefer a different crust, I’ve got crust options here.
- Clean ingredients – And not too many of them. Aside from the crust, it’s just seven. And no corn syrup or sugar in sight!
- Keto friendly, sugar free, and gluten free – My keto pecan pie has just 4 grams of net carbs per slice, and of course it’s got no white flour.
- Make it ahead – Like most of my keto pie recipes (including my reader-fave keto pumpkin pie, low carb apple pie, and coconut cream pie), this one stores very well. You can easily make it in advance for your holiday celebrations, from Thanksgiving to Christmas!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my sugar free pecan pie recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Keto Pie Crust:
Choose from one of these options:
- Almond Flour Crust – This is my favorite keto pecan pie crust, so it’s what I’ve got on the recipe card below. It’s easy to make and has only 5 ingredients! I highly recommend making this with Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour, because it has a finer texture than other brands.
- Coconut Flour Crust – You can consider this if you have an almond allergy, but tolerate pecans just fine. Of course you’d need the pecans for the filling.
- Pecan Crust – If you really love pecans, you can use them for the crust itself in addition to the filling! Just grind the nuts to a fine meal in a food processor, then replace half of the almonds in my almond crust (above) with the pecan meal. 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.
Sugar Free Pecan Pie Filling:
- Pecans – Obviously the main ingredient! You’ll need some chopped for inside the pie, plus halves for topping.
- Butter & Cream – These combine together to form the gooey filling. I use unsalted butter and regular heavy cream, but you can substitute butter-flavored coconut oil and coconut cream (or full-fat coconut milk) for a dairy-free option.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This sweetener is key for a smooth texture in your sugar free pecan pie filling. That’s because unlike other sugar substitutes, it dissolves completely, won’t crystallize, and most importantly, caramelizes beautifully, giving your pie that lovely gooey filling. It also tastes like sugar without any aftertaste, and has 0 net carbs. Most other sweeteners, including erythritol and most brands of monk fruit or stevia, don’t dissolve well and can crystallize, leaving behind a gritty texture. No, thanks!
- Egg – This sets the filling. Make sure it’s at room temperature before using. One of my egg alternatives might work, but it will probably fall apart more easily.
- Extracts – Maple extract and vanilla extract give the filling the right flavor. Note that different brands vary in potency. If you don’t have maple extract, you can replace 1/4 cup of the powdered Besti above with Besti brown sweetener for a similar flavor.
- Sea Salt – This balances the flavors, but I actually add enough to taste a little (think salted caramel vibes!). If you don’t want to taste it at all, reduce the amount to 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon.
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How To Make Keto Pecan Pie
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Make the crust. Use my almond flour pie crust recipe, or choose one of the other crust options above. Let it cool for 15-20 minutes after baking.
- Make the caramel sauce. In a large skillet or saute pan, heat the butter and Besti, until golden. Add the cream and salt, then simmer until bubbly, dark golden, and thick.
- Add the extracts. Remove from heat, then stir in vanilla and maple extracts. Let the caramel sauce cool until it’s no longer hot, but still warm.
- Add the chopped pecans to the crust. I usually do this while the caramel cools. It should be about half full.
- Add the egg. Whisk it in a bowl first, then stir into the caramel.
- Finish the filling. Pour the caramel filling mixture over the pecans. Top with pecan halves. Cover the edges of the pie crust with foil, leaving the center open.
- Bake until golden and bubbly. It’s done when it no longer jiggles, but will still look a little wet.
- Cool completely at room temperature to set. For cleaner slices, I recommend chilling your keto pecan pie for at least an hour before slicing. Feel free to gently warm up the slices if you prefer it warm. It’s delicious all by itself, or top with a scoop of my keto ice cream or sugar-free whipped cream for a decadent finish!
My Recipe Tips
- Don’t let your crust get too dark. I do recommend pre-baking it because it prevents it from getting soggy from the filling, but if the edges are already golden before filling, they can burn after baking the pie, even with the edges covered. It’s actually a little too dark in my picture above — I usually aim for less golden than that! You might need to adjust the time depending on your oven.
- The time to make the caramel sauce can vary widely. It will depend largely on the size of your pan, so grab the biggest one you’ve got! A skillet or saute pan will be much faster than a saucepan, but still takes a while. Trust me, it’s worth it for the amazing texture you’ll get in your keto pecan pie filling!
- Be careful not to overheat the sauce. If it 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.
- Get the caramel dark enough. It should be golden brown and thick, and coat the back of a spoon in a thick layer. See my pictures above, or my video below!
- Let the caramel cool before adding the egg. If you add the egg while it’s very hot, it will scramble the egg. Don’t let the sauce cool completely either, because it will start to solidify. Alternatively, you can very slowly pour the sauce into a bowl with the egg while whisking constantly (this is called tempering). I prefer to just do it in the pan, though, so there isn’t another bowl to wash!
- Tips to cut your sugar free pecan pie: First of all, make sure it’s completely firm and cooled, preferably chilled in the fridge. (You can either cut it cold or let it soften a bit at room temperature.) Second, use a large chef’s knife (avoid serrated ones) and use a straight-down motion. Don’t see-saw your knife, or the filling can crumble!
- Want a quicker and easier version? Try my pecan pie bars recipe instead.
Make Ahead Options
Yes, you can make this in advance! In fact, I almost always make my keto pecan pie ahead. There are several ways you can do it:
- Make the pie crust ahead. You can keep it on the counter for a day, or store it in the fridge for a few days before filling and baking. After baking is fine, too.
- Make the caramel sauce ahead. You can store it in the fridge in a glass container. It will solidify, so just 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 my entire keto pecan pie recipe ahead. This is my favorite option! Plus, doing the whole thing at once avoids any risk with the filling separating during reheating. You can store the prepared pie in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze. Wrap the pie in plastic wrap or foil, and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge at least overnight.
More Keto Thanksgiving Recipes
My keto pecan pie recipe is perfect to end your holiday meal! Before you serve it, start with:
- Turkey – Make my foolproof Thanksgiving turkey and all your guests will be amazed at how juicy it turns out! For a smaller gathering, try my Crock Pot turkey breast or roasted turkey wings. Don’t forget the sugar free cranberry sauce and keto gravy!
- Sides – I’ve got you covered with low carb versions of the classics: keto green bean casserole, cauliflower stuffing, and keto sweet potato casserole.
- Biscuits – My simple 5-ingredient keto biscuits are the most popular around here, but you can also try my keto Cheddar Bay biscuits for more flavor.
My Tools For This Recipe
- Pie Pan – I love how easy it is to clean! Also, my filling amount and baking time is based on this one, and may vary if you use a different pan.
- Large Nonstick Skillet – This one is hard anodized, which means the surface has lasted me for 6 years and counting. And it’s large enough to make the caramel sauce relatively quickly.
- Pie Crust Shield – Avoids burning the crust without having to fuss with foil. You can also try a silicone shield like this.
Keto Pecan Pie (Best Sugar Free Recipe)
By
You'll love my keto pecan pie recipe! The sugar free pecan pie filling is sweet, gooey, and caramelized, and each slice is just 4g net carbs.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
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Make the almond flour pie crust here, using a glass pie pan like this.
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Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large skillet or 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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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 in a thick layer.
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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 cooling time is almost 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 or a pie shield, leaving the center open.
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Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is dark brown and the filling is bubbly, thick, and almost set (it should no longer jiggle but will still look a little wet).
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Cool completely to set. For best results, chill for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/12 of entire pie
- Tips: See my recipe tips above to help you get the right gooey, caramelized texture in your keto pecan pie filling! If done incorrectly, it can separate or burn. I’ve also got tips for slicing the pie cleanly.
- Make ahead: There are several ways to prep this recipe in advance, including just certain components or baking the whole pie. You can store it in the fridge or freeze it. See my meal prep details above!
- Note on serving size: 1/12 of the pie might not seem very big for a serving, but this sugar free pecan pie is very filling! After a whole meal, it’s plenty.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Low Carb Holiday Cookbook, Keto Ebook Bundle, and Fall Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto Pecan Pie
407 Comments
Sharel Firstenberger
0Made this for thanksgiving, woke up 2am thinking about it. Had a small slice and thought it was amazing! Great texture and mouth feel. The crust has many possibilities too! Thank you for creating this recipe!
Kat
0Do you think the liquid allulose will work in this recipe? All I have right now is the liquid and a bunch of powdered lakanto.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kat, I have only used powdered, but I think liquid might turn out too runny. Let me know how it goes if you try it, though!
Karey
0I’m wondering if I can bake your almond crust with the pie and not prebake it. My “Mystery” pecan pie recipe I do every year does not prebake the crust. I did a practice run following your recipe and it was delicious, but my pie crust, even with a metal guard (not snug enough?) got black and the butteriness of the pie went over into the oven a bit. I may do another practice but with my Mystery part.
The Mystery is a cream cheesecake layer in the bottom. So it would be 1/3rd of your basic cheesecake recipe. It’s put in an uncooked pie crust. Then the chopped nuts – 1 1/4C. Then because I always make 2 pies, I’m making your caramel sauce for the 2 pies, which does get poured on top of the nuts. Mine doesn’t all for the pecan halves on top, but I might do it.
Another thought I had is that I live at a high elevation. I used to (grown kids still request sometimes) make a boiled brown sugar frosting. Your caramel sauce could almost replace that frosting. It is supposed to cook to 210 degrees and I found doing the math I need to bake it to 197. In the process of cooking your sauce to browned, I’m wondering if it overcooked. My pie didn’t look quite as moist as yours.
Anyway … I’m really wanting to know if I can bake my pie without a prebaked almond crust!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karey, That sounds like a great recipe. You could try, but I find the crust gets soggy if not pre-baked. It sounds like you baked it a little too long before filling – you don’t want it to get golden yet at that step. It could also be a difference with your high elevation, as I don’t live at high elevation and can only test where I am. You could try pre-baking the crust for just like 5 minutes and see if that works better for you?
Jasmin
0Hi! I made this pecan pie yesterday for Thanksgiving. My first pie much less keto. It was absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for this recipe. It will bey one of my favorites!
Jennie Heater
0Thank you for the very detail instructions for us novices. I had to write out the instructions on paper, because I am too slow to follow the video or waste my battery on my phone by keeping it open long enough to complete the recipe. I do not have a working printer right now! Thanks for making a Keto recipe of my favorite pie.
Megan
0Hey! The monkfruit/allulose blend is no longer available. What would you recommend instead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Megan, So sorry, we’ve been affected by the global supply chain issues but it will be back in stock very soon! In the meantime, granulated Besti will work just as well, because (unlike other granulated sweeteners) it dissolves very easily. It’s available here. Hope this helps!
Trudy
0I made this last year for Thanksgiving and it was delicious. The caramel sauce was so good. Tasted every bit as good as my old Karo syrup pecan pie recipe and low carb. Win win. Highly recommend this recipe. Be careful not to overbake as I did. It was still great even though I baked it a little too long, lol. I plan on making two pecan pies this year everyone loved it.
Denise
0I scanned thru the comments and didn’t see anyone try mini-pies in cupcake liners- wondering how time changes – I’m going to give it a shot and will try to remember to come back and let y’all know…
Carla
0I want to make mini-pecan pies in a silicone mini muffin pan. Do you think making the crust, cooking, adding chopped pecans to each well then filling with the caramel will work? I was thinking of using half Lakanto confectioners and half allulose for the sweetener. Whatcha think?
Matt Allman
0I think a little less salt would be good, but it was incredible! My first time making pecan pie ever, and kept at that! Highly recommend.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Carla, I think making mini pies would be a great idea. As far as the sweetener, I haven’t tried it with a blend of those two in particular, but in general only recommend allulose-based sweeteners (like Besti) for pecan pie. I previously used to make this with erythritol-based sweeteners (like Lakanto), and the difference is night and day.
Diane Shively
0This looks amazing. I would like to have a printable version.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Diane, There is a print button on the recipe card that will take you to a printable version.
Vic
0Hi, Sounds delicious. What changes should I make if I want to do this crustless?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Vic, Due to the texture of the pecan pie being gooey, I doubt that crustless would work. But please let me know how it goes if you try it!
Sheri
0I don’t understand why you suggest sweeteners that are not available!?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sheri, Due to global supply chain issues, sometimes we run out of stock, but we’re doing our best. My suggestion is to purchase the Besti granulated sweetener and use a food processor, blender or coffee grinder to make it powdered.
Anastasia Root
0Would this one work? Lakanto Powdered Monkfruit Sweetener – 1:1 Powdered Sugar Substitute. I am not sure if that one can be used since it is a different brand
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Anastasia, No, I don’t recommend that sweetener. It doesn’t dissolve well, does not caramelize like Besti does, and will crystallize when storing, so you won’t get the right texture in the filling.
Susan
0I’ve got your Besti Powdered sugar but since we’re also trying to be dairy free, want to know if it’s possible to use coconut cream in place of heavy cream.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Susan, Yes, you can use coconut cream.
Amy
0This is the most heavenly pie ever! Everyone devoured it. I will be making this again real soon!
Audrey
0The Bestie powdered monk fruit with allulose is out of stock.. in the US I read, can you purchase the allulose separate and mix it with a powdered monk fruit and what would the ratio be?
My boyfriend has type 2 diabetes and pecan pie is one of his favorites.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Audrey, My recommendation would be to purchase the Besti granulated sweetener and use a food processor, blender or coffee grinder to make it powdered. Sorry for the inconvenience, powdered should be back soon!
Kristyn
0Mmm…if there isn’t chocolate, pecan pie is my next in line!! Thanks for sharing some healthier alternatives for making this. My family will love it!
Natalie
0Love pecan pie!! The crunch & taste is perfection!
Betsy
0Yum! Pecan Pie is one of my most favorite! I love that you’ve developed a believable keto version! So delicious!
Lisalia
0OMG… this is definitely going to be on my Thanksgiving dessert spread! SO SO good for keto and non keto alike!
Robin
0Great recipe! Really delicious!
Glenda
0I love recipes that find alternatives to refined sugar! I often use medjool dates. Maple syrup is another fantastic option and I’m betting it’s scrumptious in this yummy pecan pie. Looking forward to trying your recipe!