Classic Pecan Pie ~ No Sugar and No Corn Syrup!

Pecan pie is such a popular holiday dessert that I just had to create a healthy one for you… almost every recipe out there for this sweet treat is loaded with sugar AND corn syrup. Not to mention eggs, which of course I don’t eat. And butter! No.

What about corn syrup, anyway? Is it the same as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)? No. Not generally, although some food companies actually add HFCS to their corn syrup. Both products are made from corn starch, but regular corn syrup is 100 percent glucose, while high-fructose corn syrup has had some of its glucose converted to fructose enzymatically. Either way, it’s best to avoid these products which deliver a wallop of sugar in a short period of time into the bloodstream and tax the poor pancreas to keep up. Empty calories in the extreme.

Growing up, we always had a pecan pie on the table, for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I was never a big fan, probably because it was just way too sweet for me. But I have been eating THIS pie! It’s so deliciously decadent, not overly sweet, but definitely sweet enough and made from whole foods. I hope you’ll try it!

Ingredients:

~ for the crust

• one recipe of my 2-ingredient Grain-free Pie Crust (or any crust you prefer) 

~ for the filling

• 1 heaping cup pitted medjool dates 
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup 
• 3 TBS tapioca flour 
• 1 cup water 
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 1 cup rough-chopped pecans 
• ½ cup applesauce 

~ for the topping

• about 1 cup more whole pecans
• 2 TBS pure maple syrup 

the pie will be puffed up in the center when it’s done baking

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 
2. Blend the dates, water, maple syrup, tapioca flour, salt and vanilla until smooth. 
3. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the applesauce and the chopped pecans. 
4. Pour into your prepared pie crust. 
5. Decorate the top with whole pecans however you like. They should sit nicely on top. Push them in JUST A LITTLE when done to secure them in the filling. 
6. Cover loosely with a foil tent and bake for 50 minutes until puffy (see photo above). 
7. Remove from oven and brush with the additional maple syrup. Return to oven for 5 more minutes. 
8. Let cool completely before cutting. 
9. Store refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Healthy trails,