Sweet Laurel Bakery Grain-Free Pecan Pie

I know one thing for sure; you can’t have Thanksgiving dinner without at LEAST two types of pies. A few days ago I made Pamela Salzman’s Apple & Cherry Tart Pie that I love, love, love. But what about if you or someone at your holiday table either 1) can’t have grain or 2) wants a healthy option? Well, my girls at Sweet Laurel Bakery have a recipe that even the most un-health conscious of the bunch will eat right up.

I’ve talked about Laurel Gallucci and Claire Thomas (also from The Kitchy Kitchen) from Sweet Laurel Bakery before and guess what? They’re back again. These adorable girls are like angels from heaven. No seriously—they make the most decadent dishes imaginable actually healthy for you. If that’s not an angel then I don’t know what is!

At their latest “Thanksgiving Table” workshop, they demonstrated a pecan pie that is grain-free and dairy-free. But, I’m telling you—this recipe is not flavor-free. Naturally sweetened with dates, it’s hard to tell the difference. It’s also easier to bake than the real thing because of the simplicity of the ingredients.

Date Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

• 250 g pecans (2 cups)
• 1 cup maple syrup
• ¾ cup date paste
• 3 eggs (or use flax seeds as egg substitute)
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
• 1 prepared pie crust (recipe below)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Mix together the maple syrup and date paste in a mixer until blended.
• Add eggs or flax seed substitute, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt. Add pecans and pour into pie shell.
• Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the filling has puffed up a bit and the crust is golden brown. Allow the pie to cool completely to set, then slice and enjoy.

Grain-Free Crust

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups almond flour
• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

• Blend almond flour and salt in a bowl. Add coconut oil and maple syrup, stirring until dough is formed.
• Using parchment paper to prevent sticking, gently press dough into the bottom and pies of a pie plate.

Want to always bake grain-free? Here’s a list of Laurel and Claire’s pantry staples that are included in most (if not all) grain-free recipes:

Almond Flour: High in good fats, high in protein, low in carbs. Since it’s so nutrient dense, it satisfies the appetite

Coconut Flour: Higher in fiber than almond flour, so a bit dryer. Needs more liquid when baking with it

Coconut Oil: Rich in saturated fat aka the good fat. It’s also the easiest type of fat to digest

Himalayan Pink Salt: High in minerals and balances pH

Grade B Maple Syrup: Potassium, magnesium, and iron. Stronger flavor than other grades

Cacao: High in magnesium. A superfood that provides theobromine, a caffeine like energy source.

Date Paste: A natural sweetener. Sweet Laurel Bakery sells a great one!

Cinnamon: For flavor and antioxidant power

Ground Flax Seed: A vegan egg substitute

Silicone Baking Molds: When grain-free baking, use parchment or baking molds. Almond flour tends to stick more.