Serves a Crowd

Raw, Vegan Pecan Pie

by:
October 30, 2013
5
1 Ratings
Raw, Vegan Pecan Pie
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 8 to 10
Author Notes

An easy, forgiving, and absolutely delicious vegan spin on pecan pie. Creamy medjool dates and coconut oil perfectly approximate the flavor and richness of a traditional filling. —Gena Hamshaw

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the crust
  • 3/4 cup raw pecans
  • 3/4 cup raw walnuts
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea sat
  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 cup pitted medjool dates, packed
  • For the pie filling
  • 1 1/4 cups medjool dates, tightly packed, pitted, and soaked in warm water for at least an hour
  • 1/2 cup plus 3/4 cup raw pecans, divided
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • Big pinch sea salt
Directions
  1. To make the crust: Place the walnuts and pecans, sea salt, and coconut in a food processor and grind roughly. Add the dates and process until the mixture is thoroughly broken down and sticks together when you squeeze a bit in the palm of your hand. Press mixture evenly onto the bottom and sides of a pie plate (alternately, you can press it into a 9" springform pan).
  2. Drain the dates, reserving the soak liquid. Transfer the dates to a high speed blender or powerful food processor. Add the 1/2 cup pecans, coconut oil, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and about 1/4 cup of the date-soaking water. Blend until the mixture is totally smooth.
  3. Pour the filling into the crust. Smooth the top over with an inverted spatula. Place in the fridge for at least four hours to set. Decorate the top with the 3/4 cup pecans, and continue to chill till ready to serve.
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13 Reviews

BAD C.
BAD C. November 21, 2017
Would this work in a store bought gluten free graham cracker crust?
 
Natasha R.
Natasha R. November 9, 2016
I have someone with a walnut (but not other nuts) allergy. What would be good to substitute in the crust. Would almonds be okay?
 
Alaina C.
Alaina C. January 7, 2016
This was delicious! Nice that it also has no added sweeteners as well.
 
Sarah
Sarah December 13, 2015
Will the recipe still work of you don't use "raw" pecans?
 
Chef D.
Chef D. November 22, 2015
;)
 
Hannah R.
Hannah R. November 7, 2015
I normally hate recipes that have measurements and I ignore them but I wished that there were suggested weights for the dates. I added more nuts to the crust as the first crust was really sticky. This decreased the sweetness that other mentioned. The crust is delicious and I plan on making "power bars" with the leftover crust mixture.
 
msmely
msmely January 12, 2015
Made this for new years eve dinner for a friend who has a wheat/egg/dairy allergy. It was the perfect dessert (provided nobody's allergic to nuts!) I cut it in small pieces and served with vanilla ice cream for the dairy-eaters. People raved about it. The springform pan was perfect. I loved that it didn't require baking and could be made ahead and left to sit in the fridge. It made a relatively short pie for me using a 10" springform pan, pie was only about an inch high but it's a very rich dessert and people were more than okay with small slices.
 
Rachel Q.
Rachel Q. August 31, 2014
I just made this and it is way too sweet for me. I think next time I would make the filling as is but make the crust without dates, and maybe just a simple ground nut crust. Otherwise the flavor is great.

Also, I bought a glass pie dish just to make this recipe. I noticed there are 2 different depths, 1/2" and then something deeper. Maybe the posts saying there wasn't enough filling were using a deeper dish.
 
saibellanyc
saibellanyc December 6, 2013
Made this for my vegan mom for Thanksgiving, and she loved it! I didn't have any problems with not having enough filling at all... it came out perfect. And freezes beautifully!
 
Sarah
Sarah December 3, 2013
Delicious! I also had the issue with the pie filling not being enough when I used a 9-inch pan. I also had to double it - wish I had read the comments before making it - whoops!
 
kumalavula
kumalavula November 28, 2013
i agree with mynameislaurad. having seen her comment, i anticipated i was going to be short of pie filling so i got creative! i pressed the crust lightly into small ramekins and then filled each with the filling, topping them with 2 pecans and putting them into the fridge to set. that way i have individual pecan desserts for anyone that wants one.
 
mynameislaurad
mynameislaurad November 26, 2013
I just made this in a 9-inch pie pan and I had to double the filling recipe to get it to fill the pan. Just thought I'd let you know!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 31, 2013
Wow, I'm just amazed at how dark those raw pecans are! The raw pecans out here are so much lighter in color, more the color of light cherry wood rather than dark mahogany. The recipe looks wonderful. Will be interesting to see what my very traditional Southerner of a husband will think of it. I do plan to make one for him! Thanks for another great post. ;o)