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Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie

October 31, 2021
Shanika | Orchids + Sweet Tea
Gooey pecan pie is a southern staple, and my updated Vegan Southern Bourbon Pie is the perfect plant-based dessert for your Holiday table!

Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie

Pecan pie needs no introduction, it is one of the most popular desserts of the Thanksgiving season. This Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie is an updated plant-based pie that is gooey, sweet, and delightfully nutty! The homemade crust is scented with orange, which adds an even warmer holiday flavor.

Fork where a slice is missing from a Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie

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, 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 is 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!

Pecans on a baking sheet

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!

Serve this pie alongside your Tofurkey loaf, mashed sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and other vegan Thanksgiving delights!

Making the Perfect Pie

Perfect pie takes some time, but it is possible. There are a few tricks I've learned for flaky pie crust, so follow these simple instructions for a delicious crust.

  • Make sure all of your crust ingredients are very cold! Cold butter will suspend within the dough, creating layers once the butter hits the heat of the oven.
  • Refrigerate your crust until ready to use to keep it very cold. Be sure to place your dough in the fridge after making to let it rest. Then, place it back into the fridge until baking.
  • Allow the pie to cool completely after baking. If you cut into it while hot, you might have a mess on your hands!

Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie in a white pie dish

Ingredients in Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie

For the Orange-Infused Crust:

1 ½ cups organic all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
½ cup vegan butter, COLD!
½ cup almond milk + 2 tablespoons, very cold
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

For the Pecan Filling:

6 cups halved pecans, toasted + cooled
2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flaxseed meal + 6 tablespoons warm water)
1 ½ cups canned full-fat coconut cream
2 tablespoons Bourbon
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 cup organic brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons arrowroot starch

Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie missing a slice

How to Make Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie

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.
 

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.
 
Fork where a slice is missing from a Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie

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!

Other Recipes You'll Love

If you love my Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie try out these delicious recipes, too!

Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie missing a slice

Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie

October 31, 2021
5 from 15 votes
Gooey pecan pie is a southern staple, and my updated Vegan Southern Bourbon Pie is the perfect plant-based dessert for your Holiday table!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: 8 Servings

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
  • 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.
  • 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

Calories: 1025kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 81g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Monounsaturated Fat: 36g | Trans Fat: 2g | Sodium: 264mg | Potassium: 566mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 47IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 4mg

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  1. Just want to inform you that the spices have been left out of recipe directions. They are in the reading but not the recipe.

  2. 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

  3. 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.

  4. The natural sweetener is a great tip! I also want to try out this pie crust with the orange infusion. YUM

  5. 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!

  6. 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!

  7. 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.

  8. Sounds like you've got a lot of awesome things going on! This vegan pecan pie looks delicious and perfect for holiday gatherings! 🙂

  9. I LOVE that you made this pie... and I'm going to love even more when I make this pie! Looking forward! Thank you. 🙂

    • Thanks so much, Pam! Yes, December will be a super busy month, but I'm looking forward to it!