Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie
Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie
Pecan pie needs no introduction--It is one of the most popular desserts of the Thanksgiving season. Now, imagine a twist with the Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie – a revamped, plant-based version that maintains that irresistible sweetness and nuttiness, all wrapped in a homemade crust infused with the warm and inviting essence of orange, making it a perfect choice for the cozy holiday season. Gluten-free + Make Ahead option.
Why This Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie Is A Holiday Table MUST HAVE!?
'Tis the season for pie cravings! Are you a pie person? Pie people are my type of people. I like to see 5-6 different types of pie on the Thanksgiving dessert table everything from Grandmas's Dutch Apple Pie, Vegan Pumpkin Pie, and Sweet Potato Pie---And yes I will be having a small slice of every single flavor!
If you are bringing the dessert to your Thanksgiving celebration, look no further! My Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie it's a warm, flavorful pie that tastes even better than a classic pecan pie. The gooey center is perfectly luxurious and nutty, and the homemade crust is scented with orange while being 100% vegan! As it bakes, the alcohol cooks off, leaving behind a rich flavor and a mouthwatering sweet filling. Trust me, you'll never want to make it any other way! Whether you're gearing up for Thanksgiving or planning a delightful gathering, this is your perfect pie recipe!
Since I've been cutting back on my dairy intake, I wanted to make a totally dairy-free version of this holiday favorite--And this Pecan Pie is every bit as sweet and satisfying as traditional recipes. There's even an easy hack to make the recipe gluten-free so you can have a dessert for everyone at your holiday table.
Jump to:
- Why This Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie Is A Holiday Table MUST HAVE!?
- What Is Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie?
- What You'll Love Most About this Vegan Pecan Pie:
- How To Make Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie
- Ingredients
- Tips For Making the Flakiest Vegan Pie Crust
- How to Fix Pie Crumble
- How To Serve Vegan Pecan Pie?
- Is This Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie Suitable for Kids?
- Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie Q + A's
- Other Vegan Holiday Recipes You'll Love
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie
What Is Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie?
Well, it's like taking a classic pecan pie and giving it a plant-based makeover. This pie is the epitome of sweet, nutty, and gooey perfection, but with a vegan twist. Imagine a rich, pecan-studded filling that's been taken to the next level with a generous splash of bourbon, a hint of orange in the crust, and a plant-based, egg-free flaxseed "glue" holding it all together.
Because hey, vegans still enjoy Thanksgiving too, so why not have some dishes that cater to our plant-based friends? You will absolutely love this pie. In fact, the whole family will! If you are searching for more plant-based Thanksgiving ideas try check out my article on How to Host the Perfect Vegan Friendsgiving!
What You'll Love Most About this Vegan Pecan Pie:
- It has a buttery, flaky crust.
- Has a rich, perfectly packed warm-spiced filling
- Comes with a gluten-free option for everyone to enjoy!
- It's super easy to make.
- A true staple during Thanksgiving and the holiday season.
- Perfect Fall vibes---thanks to the sweet pecans + spices!
- Did I mention, it's just TOO good to pass up?
How To Make Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie
This incredible vegan pecan pie recipe is a breeze with just three straightforward steps: first, crafting the delectable pecan bourbon filling; next, preparing the mouthwatering orange-infused crust, and finally, the delightful assembly. It's as easy as pie!
Ingredients
For the Orange-Infused Crust:
- Organic all-purpose flour: Serves as the foundation, providing structure and texture to the pie crust.
- Orange zest: Infuses a delightful citrus aroma and a hint of tangy flavor to elevate the crust's taste.
- Organic cane sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the flavors in the crust.
- Ground cinnamon: Brings a warm and comforting spice note.
- Pinch of sea salt: Enhances the flavor by balancing the sweetness and other ingredients in the crust.
- Vegan butter, COLD!: Provides the essential fat for a tender and flaky crust, and ensuring it stays chilled is crucial for the right texture. I love using the brand Earth Balance
- Almond milk: Creates a dairy-free, cold liquid to bind the crust ingredients together.
- Apple cider vinegar: Acts as an acid that, when combined with almond milk, helps tenderize the crust and create a delicious flakiness.
For the Pecan Filling:
- Halved pecans, toasted + cooled: These form the heart and soul of the pie, providing that wonderful, rich, and nutty flavor that pecan pie is known for.
- Flax eggs (flaxseed meal + warm water): A vegan alternative to traditional eggs, they act as a binding agent in the filling.
- Canned full-fat coconut cream: Adds creamy richness to the filling while keeping it dairy-free.
- Bourbon: Infuses a deep, warm, and slightly smoky flavor that pairs beautifully with the pecans.
- Pure maple syrup: Sweetens the filling naturally and contributes to its luscious, gooey texture.
- Organic brown sugar: Adds another layer of sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall aroma and rounds out the flavors in the filling.
- Ground cinnamon: Provides a classic spice note that complements the pecans and adds warmth.
- Ground nutmeg: Adds a touch of nutty and spicy flavor to the mix.
- Ground allspice: Contributes a hint of warmth and complexity to the overall flavor profile.
- Sea salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
- Arrowroot starch: Works as a thickening agent to give the filling that ideal, gooey consistency.
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS PIE!
Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie. Everything from my fave baking dishes, baking sheets, wooden spoons, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Tips For Making the Flakiest Vegan Pie Crust
- The butter is SUPER important. When it comes to the vegan buttery sticks, ensuring that they are COLD and of course from a great brand is key! For Vegan pastry crusts, I generally go for Earth’s Balance Buttery Sticks, which taste like real unsalted butter.
- Fridge time is an important time! Chilling your dough for an hour at a minimum is so imperative to a flaky crust. Even slightly longer makes for a great advantage.
- Your flours matter, big time! While different brands of flour hydrate differently (causing a slightly different result), ensuring that you mix in all-purpose flour with pastry flour is also just as important. Believe it or not, pastry flour makes a difference and serves a greater purpose!
- SLOWLY pour in water, don’t dump it! Gently pouring in the water-ACV mixture is so imperative. I pour ¼ cup at a time and work the dough with my hands to eyeball how wet or dry everything is.
- The dough can be made in advance, too. If making your crust ahead, you can always store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. No longer!
- Not too Thick or Thin. Ensuring that you roll out a good enough crust is of course a must. Most go by the rule of thumb being ⅛ of an inch thickness or even slightly thicker. This helps your crust to the perfect thickness to carry the weight of your filling without compromising flakiness.
How to Fix Pie Crumble
If for any reason you feel like your peach pie crumble is a bit too dry or crumbly, just add additional melted butter (about 1 tablespoon at a time) until moist. If it's too wet by any chance, just add additional flour (about 1 tablespoon at a time).
How To Serve Vegan Pecan Pie?
This Vegan Bourbon Pecan Pie recipe is a star on its own, with its gooey, nutty charm. And you can absolutely savor a slice in its pure, nutty glory, and it'll leave your taste buds singing.
But if you're in the mood for a little extra indulgence, consider a generous dollop of coconut whipped cream or a scoop of homemade ice cream, I recommend No-Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream to maximize all that toasted pecan goodness.
And for that perfect cozy drink pairing, you can't go wrong with a steaming mug of Creamy Homemade Caramel Hot Chocolate or Homemade Slow Cooker Apple Cider for the ultimate fall vibes. The comforting warmth of the beverage harmonizes wonderfully with the sweet, nutty notes of the pie.
Is This Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie Suitable for Kids?
Absolutely! This Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie recipe can be a delightful treat for kids. However, it's good to know that during baking, most of the alcohol in the bourbon does evaporate, leaving behind its warm essence. But, there might be just a tiny hint of grown-up flavor that lingers.
So, if you're sharing this pie with little ones, consider having a chat with their parents or guardians. They'll appreciate the heads up, and you can all enjoy this tasty pie while keeping everyone in the loop. And hey, for a completely alcohol-free version, feel free to skip the bourbon and still savor the scrumptious pie!
Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie Q + A's
Keep leftover pie tightly wrapped with heavy duty plastic wrap or foil and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Re-heat each slice when serving.
To make these GF, simply substitute All-Purpose Flour with 2 cups Gluten-Free Flour or GF All-Purpose Flour (Bob’s Red Mill has a great one!) and the Pastry Flour with ½ cup coconut flour. If your GF Flour doesn’t have Xanthan Gum included, add 1tsp in recipe. Also, reduce vegan butter to 1 ¾ sticks instead of 2. Continue all other steps!
Yes, you can freeze the pie. Wrap it securely in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing. Thaw it in the refrigerator when you're ready to enjoy it again.
Of course! If you prefer a totally non-alcoholic version, you can omit the bourbon. The pie will still be delightful without it!
Absolutely! This pie is an excellent make-ahead dessert. You can prepare it a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. It often tastes even better after a day of resting.
Certainly! You can make mini-pies by using smaller pie tins or even as mini tartlets in a muffin tin for individual servings.
Other Vegan Holiday Recipes You'll Love
If you love my Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie try out these delicious recipes, too!
- Easy Skillet Vegan Stuffing
- Easy Vegan Wild Rice Stuffing
- Vegan Skillet Sweet Potato Casserole
- Leftover Turkey Southern Collard Greens
- Vegan Sweet Potato Maple Cornbread
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you.
Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie
Ingredients
ORANGE-INFUSED CRUST:
- 1 ½ cups organic all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 Tbsps organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
- ½ cup vegan butter, COLD!
- ½ cup Almond milk + 2 Tbsps, very cold (You can also use water, if preferred!)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
PECAN FILLING:
- 6 cups Halved pecans, toasted + cooled (See Notes!)
- 2 flax 'eggs' (2 Tbsps flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsps warm water)
- 1 ½ cups canned full-fat coconut cream (You can also use canned full-fat coconut milk)
- 2 Tbsps Bourbon
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup (See Notes!)
- 1 cup organic brown sugar
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 Tbsps Arrowroot starch
OPTIONAL TOPPING:
- Coconut whipped cream
Instructions
FOR THE CRUST:
- In a measuring cup, add the milk and apple cider vinegar, stir and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, salt, orange zest, and cane sugar, whisking them all together.
- Add the cubed vegan butter sticks (or regular vegan butter) and using a pastry blender, blend butter into dry ingredients until the mixture becomes “peas-like” and crumbly.
- Pour the cold apple cider vinegar-milk mixture (slowly) and stir (working it together with one hand) until the dry ingredients are moistened. NOTE: If the ingredients feels a little too dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time, until it’s moistened BUT not too wet!
- Once you’re able to form it into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour (minimum), up to 1 and a half hours or of course overnight.
- In the meantime, make the Pie Filling.
FOR THE FILLING:
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a standard pie dish with vegan butter.
- Meanwhile, add the flaxseed meal and warm water together and stir until well combined. Let sit for 5-7 minutes until it appears thick like paste. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the coconut cream/milk, flaxseed mixture, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, Bourbon, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, arrowroot, stirring everything together until completely smooth and combined. Fold in the cooled toasted pecans.
ASSEMBLY:
- Remove dough ball from the refrigerator and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out dough ball using a rolling pin (not making it too thin), about ½-inch thick and gently placing it in your pie dish; working it around evenly. Be sure to do any folding or tucking of any excess pie crust.
- Pour/scoop pie filling mixture over crust and evenly spread and lightly brush the top of pie crust with melted vegan butter.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes, until crust becomes golden brown and the center of the filling is only‘ slightly jiggly’ if not fully set. **NOTE: If the crust begins to get too dark quickly, cover around the pie’s crust with foil paper or a pie crust shield halfway through, leaving the middle opened and exposed.**
- Once done, remove from the the oven and let cool completely, about 30-45 minutes. When cooled, place pie in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving and slicing.
- To serve, slice the pie, top with Coconut whipped cream (optional), and enjoy!
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Keep leftover pie tightly wrapped with heavy duty plastic wrap or foil and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Re-heat each slice when serving.
- FOOD PROCESSOR FOR CRUST: If using a food processor to incorporate water (or milk) to flour/butter mixture, ONLY ADD ¼ cup of water/milk AT A TIME to your dough, keeping it on “pulse” to avoid the dough from breaking down too much and it becoming “watery”. With this method, you may not need the entire 1 cup of water/milk.
- TIPS FOR THE PERFECT PIE CRUST: Be sure to check out my article on How to Make the Perfect Pie Crust!
- GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make these GF, simply substitute All-Purpose Flour with 2 cups Gluten-Free Flour or GF All-Purpose Flour (Bob’s Red Mill has a great one!) and the Pastry Flour with ½ cup coconut flour. If your GF Flour doesn’t have Xanthan Gum included, add 1tsp in recipe. Also, reduce vegan butter to 1 ¾ sticks instead of 2. Continue all other steps!
- ARROWROOT: If you don’t have arrowroot starch, feel free to substitute with regular starch or all-purpose flour, which both act as a thickening agent. Simply mix starch into WARM water until it becomes 'milky' and liquified.
- COCONUT CREAM: If you don't have Thai Kitchen's Coconut Cream on hand, you can use canned Coconut Milk and refrigerate it overnight so that it thickens into a cream.
- TOASTED NUTS: Add chopped pecans to a baking sheet and toasting them in the oven (400 degrees Fahrenheit) for 5-10 minutes, tossing them halfway to avoid browning on one side.
Nutrition
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Can you use Silk Whipping Cream here in lieu of Coconut Cream? Ty
Hi Mary! I'm not familiar with Silk's whipping cream and I do know that brand's texture does vary, but I think you should be fine! I'd use slightly less to ensure that it doesn't become to wet! 🙂
Just want to inform you that the spices have been left out of recipe directions. They are in the reading but not the recipe.
HI! Thanks so much for pinpointing that! Fixing now!
I love your vegan recipes!! Every time I need to entertain vegans, I come to your page 🙂 Can't wait to serve this pie next! Thanks, girl xx Happy Holidays!!!
OMG! I’m so humbled, Aline! Thanks so much! I’m so happy that my vegan recipes are of help! I do hope that you’ve enjoyed them! Happy Holidays to you too, girl! Xx
Your photos are beautiful! I'm testing this recipe on my mom to see if she can tell the difference--pecan pie is her favorite.
The natural sweetener is a great tip! I also want to try out this pie crust with the orange infusion. YUM
This looks like a great vegan dessert option!
Yesss to a naturally sweetened pie! I don't like corn syrup lol this looks absolutely delicious!
You had me at “orange-infused pie crust”!!! This looks incredible! Who knew that a vegan pecan pie could be so full of flavorful ingredients! I can’t wait to try this!
This pie looks delicious!! A must try!
This pie is gorgeous and sounds delicious. But since it's southern, how about sorghum for sweetener? It should be vegan and I think it has such an interesting, complex taste.
Thanks for sharing, I'm going to try it!
Wow, I've never heard of sorghum, but I'll definitely look into it! Thanks so much for that bit of information! I do hope that you enjoy this pie as much as I did, Louise!
This is such a pretty pie. I have vegan family members. I will make this recipe for them to try when they come over. I am sure they will love it.
Yes, they will love this! It's so good and not that sweet at all! Enjoy, Katie!
Pecan pie is one of my favorites! I love how you made this vegan so easily. Yum!
Before this, I've never tried Pecan Pie. It's my newest must-haves now, Marisa!
Sounds like you've got a lot of awesome things going on! This vegan pecan pie looks delicious and perfect for holiday gatherings! 🙂
Thanks so much, Sherri! It really is the perfect sweet treat for the Holidays! 🙂
I LOVE that you made this pie... and I'm going to love even more when I make this pie! Looking forward! Thank you. 🙂
I do hope that you enjoy it, Catherine! It was SO GOOD! Believe me!
This pie sounds so good! And, you are going to be quite busy for the month of December!!
Thanks so much, Pam! Yes, December will be a super busy month, but I'm looking forward to it!