My Faux Pecan Pie is a taste twin to the classic but safe for families who have someone with a nut allergy. 
Since I posted this recipe in 2011, I’ve received countless emails thanking me for helping families bring back this treasured holiday pie to the table for folks who have nut allergies. I’m so grateful that this recipe has proved to be helpful to families like that – nut allergies are nothing to play around with! The funny thing is, I didn’t develop this recipe because of that, though. I actually developed it because I felt pecans were just too expensive. I much prefer the unexpected outcome of helping families, though!
This is a fun recipe to feed people. At first glance, it looks like a pecan pie and folks usually don’t take a second glance before digging in for a bite and telling you how good it is. My husband’s exact words were “That is the BEST pecan pie I’ve ever tasted!”. Then I got to tell him it didn’t have any pecans in it.
A similar situation happened at my kid’s school when I took a few of these up there. One of the teachers came into the office talking about how good the pecan pie was and the secretary said “You mean the pecan less pecan pie?” she replied “Oh no, I got the one that had pecans in it…” ~snickers~ Of course, I hadn’t taken anything with pecans in it to the school.
This is a fabulous pie for those with nut allergies but that isn’t why I developed it, I actually didn’t even think about that until someone asked for the recipe, stating that they had a friend with allergies who would be excited to get pecan pie again! I developed it as a way of saving money. Have you seen the cost of pecans lately?
Right about now, making this pie with my recipe instead of pecans will save anywhere from five to seven dollars, depending on where you shop. Most folks I know can cook an entire supper for that amount of money!
So I guess there is a double bonus involved, but in hindsight having a faux pecan pie for those with nut allergies is a much greater purpose.
I have seen some varying recipes for faux pecan pie around the web. The most common one utilizing pinto beans in place of pecans. I have that on my list to try someday and I’ll probably do it, but I couldn’t bring myself to suggest you put pintos in your pie so I set about developing my own faux pecan pie.
I started with my Mother’s No Fail Pecan Pie recipe and then blended it a bit with that crust of my Strawberry Pretzel Salad (which is in my cookbook, but not on SouthernPlate.com). Everyone is always surprised that the crust isn’t made of pecans, so what a great inspiration to add to my pie! It took about seven pies to get the proportions and cooking time just right, because this pie really needs to be made as a deep dish but I’m finally ready to bring it to you today in it’s final form.
I’m gonna start this post out with a disclaimer that I’m sure is obvious to just about everyone reading this: Pecan pie is not a health food. It’s not supposed to be. A good pecan pie is gonna contain butter, sometimes lots of it. It will also have sugar in various forms, usually granulated and corn syrup. A good pecan pie is not for the faint of heart but it is the golden nugget of pies. Rich, buttery, delicious. Unlike any other. This Faux Pecan Pie lives up to all of those expectations.
If you’re on a diet, just have one or two bites and make sure you savor them, then be sure and make it again when you’re not on a diet anymore. If you have a family member or friend with a nut allergy, this would be a welcome treat for them at your holiday dinner! But I suggest not telling anyone it doesn’t have pecans until they eat it, mainly because it is fun seeing the look on their face :).
You’ll need: A Deep Dish Pie Crust, Light Corn Syrup, Butter, Pretzels, Sugar, Eggs, and Vanilla.
I recommend unsalted, real butter in this recipe. I also recommend not spelling “recommend” unless you have to because it is one of those annoying words to spell. I really think it needs two “c” ‘s but Websters never listens to me. ~sigh~
Note: If all you have is margarine or you just can’t afford butter, go for it. Trust me, I’ve been there! The pie will taste slightly different but t’ain’t nobody here gonna judge because we were raised better than that. ~Grin~
Following my recipe below, place the butter for the pie filling in a large bowl and microwave it until melted. Allow to cool.
Once slightly cooled butter and all other filling ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix together with a wire whisk.
Here is our pie filling all mixed up. Ready for an action shot now?
Isn’t that pretty? Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.
Like this.
I know it looks yellow now but it will be that beautiful golden color once baked.
Now we need to crush our pretzels.
Place your pretzels in a gallon zipper bag and crush those puppies. They don’t have to be pulverized, just broke up kinda good.
Melt your butter for the topping (see recipe) and add in your tiny amount of sugar.
Add in pretzels and stir until coated well.
Sprinkle evenly over the top of your pie.
I know it will seem like a lot of pretzels but they sink down a bit as we cook, which is why I made this a deep dish pie. The first pie I tried wasn’t deep dish and it seemed like there was hardly any filling when the pretzels sunk down a little bit. This will come out in perfect proportions to the top crust and the filling.
Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for one hour, covering with foil after the first thirty minutes to prevent over browning.
Allow to cool completely before serving.
Here is our finished pie.
This is a closer shot that shows the filling a little better (because I couldn’t pick which one I liked the most)
This post is dedicated to my sweet friend, Alyssa, and everyone else who has a nut allergy or love someone who does.
Don’t forget to add this pie to your holiday menu!
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 Eggs
- 1+ 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Deep Dish Pie Shell unbaked
Topping
- 1-1/2 cups crushed pretzels
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- For Filling: Place first five ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix with wire whisk until well combined.
- Pour into pie shell.
- Combine all topping ingredients in medium bowl and stir well with a spoon to coat pretzels.
- Sprinkle topping evenly over pie.
- Bake in 350 oven for 1 hour, covering with foil after 30 minutes to prevent over browning.
- Allow to cool completely before serving. Can be made a day or two ahead of time and stored in refrigerator.
Sara submitted a great quote on our Give A Penny Page that I think really puts you in the right frame of mind for dealing with life sometimes. We can’t just go out meekly with a weak smile and hope for a good day, we have to do it with Gusto!
“Tackle the world with a smile, and the world will tackle you back with more than one.”
Thank you Sara! Submit your quote by clicking here.
Yum 
I love this idea for those like my daughter with nut allergies!
I’m not a big fan of pecan pie (I’ll eat it, but I’d like it better if it didn’t have pecans – I know, I’m weird), so I’m definitely going to have to try this!
Let me know what you think Betsy!
Made this pie this afternoon – the family consensus is yum!!
Thank you so much for letting me know Betty!!! I am glad to hear everyone liked it!!
This is great!! We have nut allergies and this would work perfectly! Any ideas on how I could also adapt this to make mini pies in a mini muffin pan for entertaining?
Hi Christy, I have made this pie several times and love it! Pecan pie is our family favorite! Pecans don’t always fit into my budget but pretzels do. The recipe is delicious!
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m as southern as molasses & Pecan pie is king at my house around the holidays but those with nut allergies unite….you have a faux pecan pie.
Who would have thunk it! Pretzels in place of pecans! Genius! Bravo!!
Your Georgia friend, Kate
This pie is amazing for anybody with nut allergies and a great idea for potluck and holiday meals. That’s just around the corner y’all ! Thanks Christy !
I need an egg substitute. What can I yse?
Pinto Pecan Pie, yes it is DELICIOUS and you can fool people with it. Just has a different “after effect”! (wink- wink ) I will be trying this recipe. I love to experiment with recipes!
I just love pintos in a bowl, I’d hate to use up good old pintos in a pie! lol But I appreciate you telling it me tastes good. I will definitely try it on your recommendation!
How do you fool people when you have pretzels on the top ? Do you say this is Pretzel Pie with pecan pie filling minus the pecans ?
I don’t say anything, they always assume it’s pecan at a glance 🙂
That has to be the coolest thing Ever ! I am most impressed.
Oh I love it when I get to be cool!!!!
This is so stinkin’ cool! My husband and in-laws just flat-out hate nuts… I wonder if they’d eat a pretzel pie? This might be making an appearance at Thanksgiving… 🙂
I started out calling it Pretzel pie but then got to thinking folks might not realize it tastes like pecan pie, lol. We ‘re having it at thanksgiving in place of pecan this year too!
Thank you so much Lynn! I hope she enjoys it! Always makes us feel good when we can do special things for the most special people in our lives 🙂
Hey!
You are SO creative! I love this one – what a great idea! It is a BEAUTIFUL pie!
Oh Cindy! you are so sweet!!!! you got me flying this morning, thank you!
What a wonderful recipe, pecans have gotten so expensive I will definately give this a try.
Thanks so much Christy!
Thank YOU Raquel!!!! Have a great day!
Thank you so much for this recipe! My 31 year old son has severe nut allergies so he’ll finally get to eat “pecan” pie this Thanksgiving!
I will try this soon! Yum Yum!
Also, suggest oatmeal pie, for the people with nut allergies. You would never know! I’m gonna try this with gluten free pretzels and no pie crust. Pecans have gotten so EXPENSIVE! or am I being chintzy?
Oatmeal pie?
This is genius….I can’t wait to try it. Pecans are so darn expensive.
PURE genius! Christie, you have outdone yourself girl.
I am not crazy about pecans texture (weird, I know). But, I do like the taste of pecan pie. This looks like a great recipe! I can’t wait to try it.
This will be perfect for our sunday school get together. A lady in our class has a son that is severly allergic to nuts so we have to be careful with what we serve. Thanks for sharing.
I love this faux idea. My mom has been making a similar faux pecan pie for over 30 years. She was asked to bring pecan pie to the huge family meal….her heart sank because of the cost of pecans, even then. So, she coarsely crushed Cheerios and added them, instead. My grandpa, who loves pecan pie, declared it to be the best, and appointed her to make it for each holiday meal!! HaHa. She kept her trick a secret, and just smiled at the compliments.
Besides those with allergies, it is also good for older pecan pie lovers who have dentures.
Have a Happy and Blessed Holiday Season!!
Now this gal will never give up her pecans but this is quite clever Christy! Sure would have loved to have been part of all the experiments leading up this one – I’m gonna have to try this and see if I can fool anybody with it.
Looking forward to trying it. One caution: be sure to check the ingredients on your bag of pretzels. Many brands contain the dreaded “peanut” or “shared equipment” warning…
Christie, thank you for this. As a mother of 2 children w/ nut allergies, I now have a “pecanless” pie I can make for Thanksgiving. Bless your heart!
Wow, what a fabulous idea! And I agree about the price of pecans being outrageous now! I’m definitely going to try this. I never would have thought of faux pecans, though cracker pie (mock apple) is a household favorite, if they like this one as much that will save me time and $$$. Christie, you are so amazing, and thanks so much!
Thanks Christy another wonderful and fun recipe. I love your posts, and I can’t wait to make this pie!!!!
I have big bags of pecans in the freezer that I was gifted last year so I might have to make a real pecan pie for Thanksgiving! And some sugar-free spiced pecans for Christmas. My husband gripes about the space they take up in the freezer, but some of them came from *his* coworker. Seems like when you don’t need them, everyone has trees or knows someone who does and has too many to use! My parents are the exception. The squirrels always seem to get theirs.
Hurray!!! A no-nuts pecan pie! I love the taste of pecan pie filling, but absolutely hate nuts, although I love peanut butter. Anyway, this is going to ROCK!!!! Thanks Christy!!
I love Pecan Pie. We even had a pecan tree when I was growing up. As a 4-H’er, I made pecan pie for the fair one year and got a blue ribbon. ( I would have had a best of show if they hadn’t waited so long after the first judging. It started to weep. 😉 )
Now, many moons later, I have a child with a nut allergy. He loves pretzels. So, we just may have to try this one.
Thank you for thinking of the NO NUTS kids.
My grandma always made me a pie without the pecans because I hate nuts. She always used oats. Yummy! I miss her pies.
We love pecan pie but don’t like the cost of pecans….think I’ll try it!!!! Thanks!!!
Christy,
This will make Alyssa’s day!! I will be trying this yummy recipe, and thanks so much for coming to our school yesterday. Both you and your recipes were a BIG hit. Bless you for giving back. Ruth 2:12
You can also substitute the amount of nuts, or pretzels, with coconut. I tried that once and it was delicious.
My father loves nuts and Pecan pie is a favorite of his. My mama always says “if you put nuts on a haystack, he’d eat it”. I can’t wait to make this for him. I think I’ll hide his glasses before I serve it! Thanks, Christy!
Fabulous!! I can hardly wait to try it. I will say, though, that my syrup will be Alabama’s own Golden Eagle. It is a combination of corn syrups and honey. Our family has used this syrup since before I was born. My mother and I either order a case at a time direct, or my uncle brings some to Texas when he visits. Anyway, the Texas papers say that pecans will be even more expensive than before because of all the drought this year, so, this will be a welcome recipe. I also plan to set my DVR to get you recorded. We will be out of town at an event this weekend, so, I will not be able to watch you with Paula. I do not want to miss it, though!