This salted caramel pecan pie is made with an easy dairy free salted caramel sauce and flaky grain free pastry crust (with a dairy-free option) for a rich gooey and sweet paleo dessert for the holidays or any special occasion!
As it usually does, time is creeping away and pie is now on the horizon. “What is this nonsense?!” You might be wondering. But you read me right – pie is on the horizon, and this, my dear friend, is why you’ve visited me today, I presume.
Yes, it’s still me and I’m still here and mostly sane – just finding a new way to introduce to you yet another Thanksgiving/Holiday themed dessert – Pecan Pie!
Paleo salted caramel pecan pie, that is. The pie that all the cool kids are delicately and quietly placing on their Thanksgiving tables this year, praying that no one guesses said pie is completely paleo (although the lack of food coma might give it away.)
And, FYI, by “cool kids”, I’m talking about me and you, of course.
Since as long as I can remember, Thanksgiving has been my family’s jam. In fact, it was basically the only home-cooked dinner we had the entire year for many, many years, save for the odd chicken cutlet with rice and corn.
Anyhow, Thanksgiving became really special for me growing up as an undiscovered lover of home cooking, and, of course, baking!
In full disclosure, we never actually baked our own pies, but the pies were important, you see. We lived for the stuffing and the pies and not much has changed in that way.
As far as the pies went, we always had the same 4 varieties on the table, every year. Four pies between exactly 6 people around the table – sounds like a good pie/person ratio to me, don’t you think?
The pies were, in order of my favorite to least favorite, were as follows: 1.) Apple 2.) Pumpkin 3.) Pecan 4.) Coconut Custard.
That was my pie order as of the age of 10, however, today, I would have a much tougher time with the order. I think apple might still be #1 though. And clearly, I’m doing nothing to sell you on this salted caramel pecan pie right now, am I?!
This pecan pie, however, is most likely not the pie you grew up with (ya think?!). Making gooey and sweet pecan pie without any dairy or refined sugar can prove to be a challenge, for sure.
I decided to go the salted caramel route with my pecan pie for a couple of reasons. First, dairy free salted caramel is SUPER easy to make on the stovetop. And no, you don’t taste the coconut milk once it’s caramelized! Those of you who read often have seen first hand how much I love my salted caramel lately.
Second, salted caramel and pecans just belong together, if you ask me. There’s not much more you need with that combination! However, because I like to go “big”, I’m giving you a little bit more, as you might expect 🙂
We have my classic paleo pie crust (I linked to the recipe below but you can also find it here). In order for the filling to bake into a custard, we’re whisking eggs into the cooled salted caramel, along with maple-soaked pecans (literally just let the pecans sit in maple syrup!), vanilla, and a bit of cinnamon.
The rest happens in the oven (and on the table!). I hope you guys enjoy this salted caramel pecan pie as much as we did! Now, let’s bake!
Salted Caramel Pecan Pie {Paleo, Gluten-Free}
Salted Caramel Pecan Pie {Paleo, Gluten-Free}
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust recipe for sweet pie pressed into 9” deep dish pie dish poked all over with a fork, then baked 10 minutes at 375 degrees F
Salted caramel:
- 2 1/4 cups full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup organic coconut sugar
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pie Filling:
- Salted caramel cooled for at least 1 hour
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup pecan halves
Instructions
Salted Caramel:
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In a medium saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk and coconut sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring or whisking, then lower the heat a bit so that the mixture is bubbling but not overflowing. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally to avoid any burning, for 15-20 minutes or until mixture is reduced and a deep caramel color*. Once removed from heat, stir in the salt and vanilla extract.
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After preparing the caramel, allow it to cool at room temp for at least 1 hour before continuing with the filling.
Filling and Pie:
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (lowering the temp from 375 for the crust)
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Mix the chopped pecans (saving the halves for the top of the pie) with the maple syrup, 1/2 tsp vanilla, cinnamon, and pinch salt. Allow them to sit for 10 minutes.
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Whisk the eggs into the salted caramel (after an hour of cooling) 1 at a time until smooth, then stir in the pecan mixture. Pour filling into partially baked crust, then arrange pecan halves on the top of the pie.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until center is set and crust is golden brown. Allow pie to cool completely at room temp before serving for easy slicing - if you plan to refrigerate before serving, make sure to first cool completely at room temperature before chilling. Pie is best served at room temp or cooler for easy slicing. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Time will vary based on your stove, this step should not take longer than 25-30 minutes and may be as quick as 10-15.
What I Used To Make My Salted Caramel Pecan Pie:
Want More Paleo Holiday Dessert Recipes? Try One Of These!
Classic Paleo Pumpkin Pie {With Crust Recipe}
Salted Caramel Apple Tart {Paleo}
Maple Pecan Apple Crisp {Paleo & Vegan}
Apple Pie Crumb Bars {Paleo & Vegan}
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Skillet Cookie with Salted Caramel {Paleo}
Orange Cranberry Coffee Cake {Paleo}
Chocolate Pumpkin Cashew Cheesecake {Paleo & Vegan}
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies {Paleo}
Tell Me!
What pies are at your Thanksgiving table?
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This looks so good!!! ?
Thanks! Hope you try!
Can this be made ahead of time. How long will this keep?
Yes it can, I’d say you can refrigerate it up to 3 days and then just let it sit at room temp for awhile prior to serving.
I’ve always wanted to try pecan pie, your recipe looks so mouthwatering! And the fact that it’s GF and Paleo is a huge bonus! 🙂 I’ll definitely be trying your recipe! x
Wow! This looks absolutely amazing and I can’t wait to make it for Thanksgiving! Just out of curiosity – do you think a flax egg would be able to replace the eggs in the filling or the crust?
I haven’t tested this so I’m not sure. I’ve been meaning to test my crust recipe with a flax egg though!
Did you end up trying this with flax or chia eggs? we’re vegetarian and my husband is on AIP so dessert options are limited. this sounds delicious, and I’d love to make this for thanksgiving.
Hi Michele,
Thank you so much for this A-Mazing sounding recipe, this is my sweet hubs favorite pie and his first Thanksgiving since giving up gluten and sugar to help me be more healthy, so I really want to get it right! I am not seeing at what point you put the vanilla and salt into the salted caramel, I see that you mix the coconut milk and sugar together and cook, is the vanilla and salt added after it cooks? Please forgive me if I missed it…I’m constantly in a migraine which make reading hard…lol! Well thank you again, looking forward to making this treat!
Hi Karen,
I’m doing this recipe right now and I also had the same question….and I’m finding that I should put the vanilla and salt in when you remove the caramel from the heat….otherwise it doesn’t reduce very quickly at all…I’m looking at it right now…and have started another batch without the vanilla which seems to be going better. Hope this helps?
Lucy
Just made this for our “Christmas in July” dessert and it is amazing!!! I’ve been loving this crust with quiche and it was equally delicious with a sweet pie! Super easy (a few steps, but all simple) and I actually liked the flavor better than some traditional pecan pies I’ve tried where it’s so sweet I feel like my teeth are going to fall out!
Yay! I’m so thrilled you liked it, and also loving the Christmas in July!
I do not see when the vanilla and salt go in to caramel.
Thanks!
Hi Michele,
This looks like an amazing recipe. I had a question about the salted caramel sauce. When do you put the sea salt and vanilla extract in the sauce? I was looking at the instructions but couldn’t find it. Thanks in advance.
After the sauce is removed from heat – I’ll add that in now!
I love pecan pie and caramel, but not salted caramel so much. Would it still be good if I only added a little salt? Or does it really need all the salt?
Hi! I’m making this pie right now for Thanksgiving and I feel like my salted caramel mixture is no where near thick enough but I’ve had it on the stove top for 25 minutes, it’s definitely a nice shade but super liquid, is that okay??
I made this for Thanksgiving. I don’t like things that are overly sweet, this was perfect! It will be a regular for me!
Holy salted caramel Batman!!
Made this for thanksgiving. This was truly one of the best paleo desserts I’ve ever had. Even my husband who was certain nothing could trump his mother’s good old fashioned pecan pie raved glorious reviews! ?. Not to mention my children who often turn their noses up at Paleo anything couldn’t stop stealing MY PIE! Awesome crust and right amount of sweetness! I generally can’t do sweet desserts. Thanks for all the work you put in to creating this delicious recipe. Next stop… Christmas menu! ?
For the caramel sauce – can you sub date paste for coconut sugar?
What alternatives would you suggest for someone who can’t eat coconut?
Hello
I am not able to get the Grain Brain organic palm oil shortening that you recommend for the crust recipe. Is there another brand that you know should work, for example, Earth Balance or Melt ? thanks.
Can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk?
I love this recipe, getting ready to make it as well as you’re Apple crisp pie!! Hoping it keeps 3 days until Thanksgiving. Any suggestions? I see let it cool at room temp first ?. Other than that?
note to self…read instructions….ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS. lol I put the vanilla in from the start and it took FOREVER to become caramel. But it was totally worth the time. Next time I will do it right the first time. thank you for this recipe. 🙂
This is by far my favorite holiday treat. I made this recipe for a holiday exchange party and it was a huge hit. I made one for tomorrow’s dessert and we can’t wait to dig in. Yummy!
OMG. This we made and just had this and the pumpkin pie recipe. Not only could NO ONE TELL that this was paleo, but we all legitimately said and felt that these were the BEST PIES we’d had. Ever. Period. And we are not first time bakers, we are very picky! It must be the perfectly balanced real foods that make these so scrumptious! Well done! You have a bunch of new fans!
I made this for Thanksgiving and multiple people told me it was the best pecan pie they had ever had. I didn’t tell anyone it was dairy, gluten or refined sugar free.
Looking to make this over the next few days. Is the coconut milk supposed to be refrigerated over night or used straight from the can?
Also super excited that I preordered the cook book!!!
I made this for Thanksgiving this year, and everyone who tried it loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Ok Michele, after wrestling back & forth for a couple hours, Lol, between your Chocolate Pecan Pie and this Salted Caramel Pecan Pie… I think for our family, the Salted Caramel will be the most preferred flavor. We LOVED your Pumpkin Pie at Thanksgiving (best healthy dessert I’ve tried without recipe heartbreak in awhile…). So after reading many of your dessert recipes, my question is about your use of full-fat coconut milk. For example, in your Coconut Custard Pie, you discard 1/2 of the coconut “water” in the can, and blend what’s left, if I’m reading correctly. Now is this what you do for EVERY recipe of yours calling for full-fat coconut milk? I ask, as many of us, I am certain, just blend the whole can & use this in recipes. Some friends of mine even add 1 can of filtered water to their blender, to thin it out a bit. Regardless, can you very specifically clarify your “norm” on the full-fat coconut milk in your recipes? Do you always discard some of the water? It is very important to me to not ruin the recipe (the Salted Caramel, in this case) by just blending the whole can & using it. But for cost purposes, discarding the water will most often constitute at least two cans per recipe. PLEASE CLARIFY! Love, love LOVE your recipes!
Made a larger mixture, but quantities were about same ratios.Tried it but ended it with very watery liquid in the bottom(didn’t set properly) . What did I miss? How thick should caramel be? Is there meant to be Arrowroot flour added in the caramel?
It was amazing! Sweet but not too sweet. Gooey but not runny. This was the first time I’ve ever made a pie and it was easy enough that I didn’t screw it up lol. This will be on the Thanksgiving table. Thank you!
Could you use just dairy free store bought pie crust?
OMG! This pie is amazing! Flaky crust & gooey pecan pie filling. Only wish the caramel filling didn’t take so long to make. I did the pecans on top in a circular pattern instead of the rows like in the picture & it didn’t cut very clean, so I’d definitely recommend placing the pecans on top like in the picture provided.
Is the caramel supposed to turn thick during that step? I’ve got a watery liquid going into the pie and worried its not going to set after baking.
I can’t wait to make this for thanksgiving! Do you know if I can make this with a 10.5 inch pie pan? Thanks in advance!
This is my second year making this pie! It is my favorite and was a hit last Thanksgiving!
I made this pie for Thanksgiving this year, and it was a collective favorite. Truth be told, I had never had pecan pie before, despite it being a multigenerational family favorite. As it was, I did not like pecans until last year, and I always thought the pie looked disgusting. When I realized I like GOOD pecans last year, I decided I should try to also find a GOOD recipe for pecan pie (as instinct told me it was probably pull of corn syrup and sugar). I love salted caramel, and it seemed like the perfect compliment. I baked mine in a stone pan, which I think made it cook faster. My only complaint would be that it was maybe a little overcooked (but that’s not a fault of the recipe, but the rather the cook…er…me 😀 ). Reading through the comments had me concerned about it being too wet. While making the caramel, there was definitely a moment of deliberation of “it looks like caramel right now, but do I stop?” I waited a minute or two longer and it made all the difference visually and texturally. I caramel does take a bit to make, but I put my children on stirring duty while I made the crust. I printed this recipe out for the Thanksgiving recipes stash – it’s a keeper! Thank you!
Love this pie! An absolute favourite. Wondering if it could be made into tarts?