The Ultimate Pie Crust
Speaking of the crust, let’s start with that. You won’t believe how tasty this pie crust ends up being, and it’s all thanks to an incredible combination of ingredients that mesh together perfectly. It starts with using two cups of almond flour. This gives the crust a slightly nutty taste while also giving you some great heart-related benefits. (1) A pinch of salt goes in next followed by a tablespoon of maple syrup. I love using real organic maple syrup as a sweeter, as it contains over 65 types of antioxidants that are beneficial for protecting your body from chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes. (2) Finally, add a single egg and some melted coconut oil to complete the crust dough.
Gooey Pecan Filling
With the pie crust taken care of, it’s time to turn your attention to the filling. Start out by melting the ghee before whisking together three eggs with coconut sugar and more maple syrup. Combine the egg mixture with the melted ghee, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Take a moment to breathe in the filling mixture — it smells delicious! Finally, add in your chopped pecans. While not quite as popular as other nut varieties, like almonds or walnuts, pecans are still incredibly good for you as well. They’re high in healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, making them excellent for heart health. They also contain an abundance of vitamins and minerals. So with that in mind, this recipe takes it a step further with the pecans and even uses pecan halves for decoration after the pie comes out of the oven. It all adds up to making not only a pie that’s amazingly yummy, but one that you can enjoy totally guilt-free since it’s so good for you as well.
All too often pecan pie ends up taking the backseat to more popular options like apple pie or pumpkin pie. Well, let me be the first to tell you that once you try this paleo pecan pie, that definitely won’t be the case anymore. I mentioned it before but it bears repeating again — the homemade crust and ooey gooey pecan filling of this pie can only be summarized with the word ‘perfection’. After you try a slice of this pie, I’m sure you’ll be in agreement.
And while we’re on the topic of paleo-friendly alternatives to the more common types of pies, you should have a look at these other fantastic recipes for paleo pies:
Ingredients
- For the crust
- 2 cups almond flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp melted coconut oil plus extra for greasing
- 1 egg
- For the filling
- 1/3 cup ghee
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups pecan halves, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
- For decoration (optional)
- pecan halves
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To make the crust, place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
- Grease 9-inch pan with extra coconut oil.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan.
- Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Refrigerate the crust while making the filling.
- To make the filling, melt the ghee in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
- Cool slightly.
- Whisk the eggs with maple syrup and coconut sugar.
- Add the melted ghee, orange zest, vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Fold in the chopped pecans.
- Pour the filing into the crust.
- Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for 15- 25 minutes more or until the top no longer jiggles in the center.
- Remove from the oven.
- To decorate, arrange the pecan halves on top in concentric circles.
- Cool completely before slicing.
Servings
Nutrition Information
| Calories | 375 kcal |
|---|---|
| Potassium | 383.8 mg |
| Vitamin A | 71.2 µg |
| Vitamin C | 3.6 mg |
| Folic Acid (B9) | 9.8 µg |
| Sodium | 52.2 mg |