Healthy Sweet Potato Pecan Pie (Gluten-Free Crust)

Are you team sweet potato pie or team pecan pie? Now you don’t have to choose, because I give you the best of both worlds. A healthy sweet potato pecan pie made with wholesome, nutritious ingredients, no added sugar or nasty corn syrup.

We make it on a delicious lectin-free and gluten-free crust but feel free to use your favorite crust. Get ready to surprise your guests with the healthiest and most delicious pie.

We often use the excuse of holiday traditions and festive meals to eat food that is unhealthy and makes us feel lethargic, brain-fogged, bloated, and achy. But what if we can have food that taste and look delightful and makes us feel good?

Sugar Content in a Typical Pecan Pie

A key health concern in traditional pecan pies is the significant amount of added sugars, primarily due to ingredients like granulated white or brown sugar, corn syrup, or even maple syrup.

For example, a single pecan pie slice can contain up to 30-40 grams of sugar, depending on the recipe. In a whole pie (8 slices), that’s 240-320 grams of sugar in total. That’s 7-9.5 teaspoons of sugar per slice.

A typical sweet potato pie, even if it is generally a healthier version, still contains a high amount of refined sugar.

High intake of sugary foods and drinks can cause a spike and drop in blood sugar levels, leading to feelings of fatigue and irritability. Learn more about my journey going sugar-free more than 6 years ago and why excessive sugar is bad news for your health and overall well-being.

Why is This Sweet Potato and Pecan Pie Healthy?

It has no added sugar. This pie is made with naturally sweet ingredients: pecan butter, baked sweet potato, a few dates, vanilla, and toasted pecans. These ingredients have enough natural sweetness to make this pie delicious. There are only 7 grams of sugar (from natural sources) in one serving of our healthy sweet potato pecan pie.

It’s made with nutritious ingredients. When you have a slice of this pie, you are not eating empty calories. You are feeding your body with protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals that will leave you feel full and satisfied. There are 8 grams of protein in one serving and 5 grams of dietary fiber. From just one slice, you will get an impressive amount of Vitamin E and A, the B group of vitamins, and a cocktail of minerals like magnesium, zinc, iron, and potassium.

The crust is gluten-free and lectin-free. Made with organic almond flour, coconut flour, and a touch of tapioca, egg, and butter, this pie crust is rich in nutrients, fiber, and healthy fats and is low-carb.

Ingredients to make a healthy sweet potato pecan pie

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 70 grams cold butter, cubed
• Pinch of salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 1 pastured egg
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 packed cup mashed sweet potatoes (from baked sweet potatoes) / 260 grams
• 1/2 cup pecan butter
• 2 pastured eggs
• 60 grams pitted dates (about 3 large Medjool dates)
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder)
• Pinch of salt (omit if the pecan butter has salt)
• 1 cup lightly toasted pecans

Note on pecan butter: You can buy pure pecan butter, or you can easily make it at home. I used my homemade pecan butter, with no cinnamon added.

For Garnish:

• Carob or cacao powder for garnish

Instructions:

Prepare the Crust:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, and tapioca flour.
2. Incorporate cold, cubed butter and one egg into the flour mixture. Use your hands to blend until a crumbly, buttery texture is achieved.
3. Gradually add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms a cohesive dough.
4. Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it into an 8-inch round shape on a piece of parchment paper. Wrap the dough in the paper and refrigerate while preparing the filling.

Prepare the Pie Filling:

1. Combine sweet potato puree, pecan butter, eggs, dates, bourbon, vanilla, and salt in a high-powered blender. Blend until the mixture becomes creamy.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Coarsely chop half of the toasted pecans and stir them into the filling, along with the whole halves, reserving a few for garnish.

Roll Out the Crust:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Roll out the chilled dough, starting from the center and working towards the edges, to form a 10-inch circle. Mend any cracks by pinching the dough together.
3. Carefully invert the dough into a pie pan or pie dish, pressing it gently to fit the shape of the dish. Mend any cracks by pinching the dough together; crimp the edges for a decorative finish.
4. Using a fork, prick some holes in the base of the crust. Brush the edges with an egg wash made from egg yolk mixed with a touch of cold water.

Assemble and Bake the Pie:

1. Pour the filling into the crust, ensuring an even spread. Garnish with the remaining pecans.
2. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust turns golden and the filling sets.
3. Allow the pie to cool completely. For optimal flavor and texture, refrigerate before serving.

How to Serve this Healthy Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

This sweet potato pecan pie is so flavorful, creamy, and delicious that you won’t need anything else. I recommend refrigerating the pie before serving. In fact, this is the perfect dessert to make one day in advance.

Portion it into 8 to 10 slices and serve it as it is. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

Store it in the refrigerator, covered with a plastic wrap, for up to four days.

The nutritional values below are based on a 10-serving pie, which we think is the perfect size to enjoy.

We hope you enjoy this sweet potato pecan pie recipe as much as we do!

More Healthy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

If you are looking for inspiration on creating a healthy Thanksgiving feast, check out our collection of healthy Thanksgiving desserts that are sugar-free, gluten-free, lectin-free, and nutritious.

Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Side dishes are also an opportunity to bring healthy, vibrant, and nutritionally dense food to a festive table, especially to a table celebrating the harvest and the blessings of the past year. Check out our Round-up of Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes.

*This post contains affiliated links, which means I get a small commission if you choose to purchase something via one of my links, at no extra cost to you

Print Recipe

Healthy Sweet Potato Pecan Pie (Gluten-Free Crust)

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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By Claudia Curici, Health Coach – Serves: 10

Prep Time: 40 minutes – Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Indulge in a guilt-free dessert with our Sweet Potato Pecan Pie! Enjoy a gluten-free crust, natural sweetness, and no added sugars or corn syrup.

Ingredients

• CRUST INGREDIENTS:
• 1 cup almond flour, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 70 grams cold butter, cubed
• Pinch of salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 1 pastured egg
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• Egg wash: 1 egg yolk + a dash of cold water
• FILLING INGREDIENTS:
• 1 cup packed sweet potato puree (from baked sweet potatoes) / 260 grams
• 1/2 cup pecan butter
• 2 pastured eggs
• 60 grams pitted dates (about 3 large Medjool dates)
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder)
• Pinch of salt (omit if the pecan butter has salt)
• 1 cup toasted pecans
• Carob or cacao powder for garnish

Instructions

1

PREPARE THE CRUST:

2

In a mixing bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, and tapioca flour.

3

Incorporate cold, cubed butter and one egg into the flour mixture. Use your hands to blend until a crumbly, buttery texture is achieved.

4

Gradually add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms a cohesive dough.

5

Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it into an 8-inch round shape on a piece of parchment paper. Wrap the dough in the paper and refrigerate while preparing the filling.

6

PREPARE THE FILLING:

7

Combine sweet potato puree, pecan butter, eggs, dates, bourbon, vanilla, and salt in a high-powered blender. Blend until the mixture becomes creamy.

8

Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Coarsely chop half of the toasted pecans and stir them into the filling, as well as the rest of the whole halves. Reserve fours pecan halves for decoration.

9

ASSEMBLE THE PIE AND BAKE:

10

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).

11

Roll out the chilled dough, starting from the center and working towards the edges, to form a 10-inch circle. Mend any cracks by pinching the dough together.

12

Carefully invert the dough into a pie dish, pressing it gently to fit the shape of the dish. Mend any cracks by pinching the dough together. Crimp the edges for a decorative finish.

13

Using a fork, prick some holes in the base of the crust. Brush the edges with an egg wash made from egg yolk mixed with a touch of cold water.

14

Pour the filling into the crust, ensuring an even spread. Garnish with the remaining pecans (I only use 4 for the top as they tend to burn).

15

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust turns golden and the filling sets.

16

Allow the pie to cool completely. Garnish with a dusting of carob or cacao powder.

17

For optimal flavor and texture, refrigerate before serving.