Vegan Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
Vegan Sweet Potato Pecan Pie- layered with sweet potato filling on the bottom and a pecan pie top. You won’t believe how easy it is to make! (vegan, refined sugar-free, + a gluten-free option)
What do you do when you can’t decide between sweet potato pie and pecan pie? You make sweet potato pecan pie!
This recipe pleases everyone by dishing up the best of both worlds. With a creamy sweet potato layer on the bottom and a gooey pecan pie layer on top, it is like heaven in a pie dish.
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie Ingredients
- Sweet Potato Puree- To save time I like to use canned sweet potato puree such as Farmers Market brand. Alternatively you can make your own by boiling peeled and chopped sweet potatoes and blending in a food processor until smooth.
- Pure Maple Syrup- Maple syrup provides moisture and sweetness to the filling. The maple flavor is subtle but ideal for the end result. While you could use honey or agave nectar, the pie will end up much sweeter so I recommend sticking with maple syrup.
- Coconut Sugar- Using both maple syrup and coconut sugar imparts an irresistible caramel maple flavor. If you want to substitute the coconut sugar, I would use granulated brown sugar in its place.
- Coconut Milk- Full fat coconut milk is best for an extra creamy texture and also to help the pie set up as the fat solidifies when cooled.
- Vegan Butter- Just a little bit of vegan butter gives the pie a mild buttery flavor and also prevents the pecans from burning as they toast. Miyokos butter is my all-time favorite.
- Pecans- I find the texture of pecan pie to be more palatable when they are chopped, however you can use whole pecans if you prefer.
- Vanilla Extract- While you can get away without using vanilla, I find that it really elevates the flavor so it is a must, in my opinion.
- Cornstarch- This is our main binder and ultimately what helps the pie set up as it cooks and cools. I haven’t tested the pie with arrowroot but it would likely work in place of the cornstarch if you were to use a bit more.
- Cinnamon- Because what would sweet potato pie be without cinnamon? Feel free to use more or less, if you prefer.
- Salt- A small amount of salt helps balance out the sweetness.
- Prepared Pie Crust- For the crust, I followed Dana’s recipe but used spelt flour in place of all-purpose. It turned out a bit rustic in appearance but tasted great. If you’re looking for a gluten-free crust, I found this recipe that looks like it’s worth trying. Or you could take the easy route and buy a prepared crust. Wholly Wholesome makes a prepared vegan/GF pie crust that’s delicious!
How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
- Blend together sweet potato puree, maple syrup, coconut milk, coconut sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Pour into prepared pie crust and bake for 30 minutes.
- Melt butter in a saucepan and lightly toast pecans. Pour in coconut milk and cornstarch, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut milk, vanilla and salt. Simmer until thickened. Pour on top of sweet potato layer and bake again for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool at room temperature for several hours then refrigerate to set. Serve with whipped cream and enjoy!
Looking for more vegan holiday recipes?
- Mushroom Lentil Loaf
- Barley Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Simple Green Beans with Olive Oil and Shallots
- Best Vegan Green Bean Casserole
- Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Easy Vegan Mashed Potatoes
- Honey Roasted Parsnips with Dates and Hazelnuts
- Vegan Porcini Mushroom Gravy
- Slow Cooker (Or Stovetop) Cranberry Sauce
Vegan Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Filling
- 15 ounce can sweet potato puree
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ unsweetened full fat coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Pecan Filling
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter, I like Miyokos
- 1½ cups chopped pecans
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 prepared pie crust, see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Poke the pie crust with a fork along bottom and edges then set aside.
Prepare the Sweet Potato Filling
- In a blender, combine the sweet potato puree, maple syrup, coconut milk, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Blend for about 10 seconds, or until smooth. Pour the filling into the pie crust and spread to the edges. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until filling is mostly firm. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Prepare the Pecan Filling
- In a measuring cup, combine the coconut milk and cornstarch then whisk until smooth. In a saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the pecans and toast for about 30 seconds while stirring continuously. Pour in the maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut milk mixture, vanilla and salt. Whisk until smooth then pour on top of sweet potato mixture in the crust and smooth to the edges.
- Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until filling appears mostly firm when you gently jiggle it. Allow to cool on the counter for 2-3 hours then cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight.
- Slice the pie into pieces then top with coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Made, for a Christmas potluck, a double batch for 2 pies. The recipe went really smoothly. I baked my own sweet potatoes, puréed them, including skins, with the liquid ingredients (Vitamix). They smelled sooo good in the car on the way to the party! Yummy! Next time I’ll add some cloves & nutmeg to the sweet potatoes…I just really love those spices.
So easy to make and extremely tasty! Can’t wait to make it again :)
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Wow this is delish! We made it with a GF crust and it is sooo good. Looks pretty also. Quickest pie I have made in a while. Thanks given to you for your great recipies!
This pie is FANTASTIC! And I haven’t even refrigerated it yet. It looks and smells so good, I had to sample a sliver after it cooled on the counter. Now to just wait until tomorrow!
I made the crust using Prince brand Tahini – 1/3 cup, whole wheat/all-purpose flour 1-1/3 cup, pinch of salt and cold water – about 3 Tbsp. It mixed and rolled out beautifully and worked well with this pie.
Love, love this pie! Made it a second time using extra sweet potato filling to make the layer a bit thicker.
For the crust I used only oat flour with the Tahini above and it’s super! Lightly crisp but not tough. Sarah you must give it a try!
This was amazing! I don’t use vegan butter, so I substituted same amount of almond butter and 2 tbsp applesauce when roasting pecans. I used an oil free gluten free crust. Even my neighbor, who is skeptical of plant based foods and doesn’t like sweet potato pie, loved it!
does the coconut cream give the pie a coconut flavor ? Can the coconut milk be replaced with something else ?
So long as you are using plain unsweetened, full fat coconut milk then you will not taste it! The other flavors overpower it. I don’t recommend replacing it for best results. :)
I made this last year and it was a hit. This year I need to make it sugar free… where is the sugar free option recipe?
Hi Jessica! I haven’t developed a sugar-free option for this recipe, only refined sugar-free as it uses maple syrup and coconut sugar. I don’t have any experience with sugar alternatives (like stevia, etc.) so I’m not sure how to advise you on that. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Hi, I am just curious if you can suggest how to increase the sweet potato filling to make a full sweet potato pie using this recipe? I searched your site for just a straight sweet potato pie recipe, but didn’t see one.
You could probably double the amounts for the sweet potato filling (although I feel like 4T of cornstarch would be enough, not 6T) and then just omit the pecan topping!
I have this blender. You won’t be disappointed! Hope you are feeling better since you posted this!
Can I make the pumpkin portion of the pie, refrigerate overnight, and then continue making the pecan portion the next day? (Short on time)
Oh my YUM! This pie is so delicious it was difficult not to eat the entire thing in one sitting! Although I loosely kind of measured & had leftover caramel sauce. But I did not go to waste! I used it on oatmeal pancakes, your recipe! I will definitely remake this pie as often as I can! And it will become my Thanksgiving dessert!
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Hi Sarah – This is the perfect vegan sweet potato pecan pie recipe that I have been searching for! How far in advance of serving can the pie be baked? Thanks very much!
You could probably bake it up to 2 days in advance! Just be sure to cover and refrigerate it then let it sit out for a bit prior to serving. :)
Great, thanks Sarah! I’m going to make the recipe for Canadian Thanksgiving in October, and I’m sure that everyone will love it!