This pie is good enough to slap yo’ mama! Or kiss her. Naomi developed this dessert as a birthday request fulfillment for her husband’s best friend, and it was so good, she decided to veganize it and share it with those of you who don’t do dairy or eggs.

Rich, caramel custard with butterscotch undertones is offset by a generous topping of pecans in a flaky crust, for a pecan pie that’s different, not too sweet, and just right for dessert. The secret to avoiding the cloying sweetness that often besets pecan pies is to use hazelnut extract instead of the usual vanilla extract. Crust: One recipe Perfect Pie Crust, made using dairy free ingredients

Filling:
2 c pecan halves (you can used chopped, if preferred)
1 c white sugar
1/4 c light brown sugar
1/2 – 3/4 tsp salt (the lower amount will yield a sweeter pie with caramel undertones, the higher amount will yield a pie with distinct butterscotch undertones)
1 c light corn syrup or agave nectar
1 tsp hazelnut extract (we like Green Mountain Flavors organic)
6 Tbsp Melted Dairy Free margarine
1/4 c (about .75 oz or 28g) Better Batter Gluten Free Flour

Instructions

Place crust into a 9 inch pie pan, crimping the edges. Place pecan halves (or chopped pecans) into bottom of raw crust and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, hazelnut extract, butter or margarine, and Better Batter Flour until very well mixed. Pour into pan over pecans.

If desired, lightly tap pie pan on counter to bring any bubbles to the surface.

Place pie into a cold oven and turn the temperature to 350 degrees.

Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the surface of the pie is solid and the very center of the pie no longer openly jiggles when you move the pie to check it.

Oven temperatures vary, and we find that bake times will vary even when dealing with consistent oven temperatures. Generally we find this recipe has best texture at 70 minutes, and there is no need to cover the pie to avoid scorching when using the cold oven method.