It might still be snowing where you live, but the weather is already hot in our area! Since the heat makes us think of cold desserts, we started having visions of pecan pie. This succulent dessert can easily be made vegan and gluten-free, and it’s every bit as tasty as the non-vegan variety. Our addition of coconut syrup, instead of the traditional Karo, imparts a sweet but subtle flavor. You’ll want to make this pie again and again.

Gluten-Free Vegan Pecan Pie

Ingredients

2 cups raw pecan halves
1/3 cup oat or other plant milk (the richer, the better)
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut syrup (also called coconut nectar)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose gluten-free flour
3 tablespoons Earth Balance or other vegan butter or margarine

1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons soft Earth Balance or other vegan butter or margarine
4 tablespoons water

Directions

Spread the pecans evenly on a baking sheet and heat for 5-8 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Do not burn! Remove pecans from the oven. Let them cool for a couple of minutes, and then crush half of them. Leave the other half intact.

Combine plant milk, flaxseed meal, vanilla, and sea salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

Stir the coconut syrup, coconut sugar, maple syrup, flour, and Earth Balance together in a saucepan on your stovetop. Keep your burner on a medium setting as you stir the ingredients together. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat and stir for about five minutes.

Remove pan from the stove and stir in the chopped nuts and flax mixture.

Make your crust in a large bowl. Stir all ingredients together until they form a moist (but not wet) ball. Flatten the ball into a pie pan, smoothing the bottom with your fingertips. Push the edges up over the side of the pan and either pinch them or flatten the edges with the tines of a fork.

Pour the hot, bubbly mixture into the pie pan and arrange the remaining, uncrushed pecans across the top to make an artful pattern. Brush the edges of the crust lightly with plant milk. Place another pie pan over the top of the first one, and carefully place the two pans into a 350 degree oven.

Bake for about 40 minutes, then remove the top pan. The crust should be lightly browned and crispy. Bake for another 10 minutes. Let the pie cool for at least an hour before you dig in! You’ll have a hard time controlling yourself. You can serve it as is, or with vegan ice cream or vegan whipping cream.

Serves four, but two people can make short work of this dessert. You won’t have any left over, but the pie can be refrigerated for at least a couple of days. Yum! You won’t believe how good it tastes.