Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust

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Pumpkin pie with pecan crust is one of the best desserts to have after Thanksgiving dinner (or any time of year). It's one of my favorite pumpkin pie recipes because the creamy pumpkin pie filling goes so well with the buttery graham cracker pecan crust.

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Slices of pumpkin pie with pecan crust topped with whipped cream.

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Why You'll Love This Healthy Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
How to Make Pecan Crust Pumpkin Pie
Variations & Substitutions
Pro Tips
Storage, Serving, & Making Ahead
Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust Recipe FAQ
Other Recipes You May Like
Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust Recipe

Why You'll Love This Healthy Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust

This healthy pumpkin pie with pecan crust is not only delicious, but easy to make and better for you than traditional pumpkin pie! It has just enough sweetness without overdoing the added sugar, and contains primarily unsaturated fat from the pecans (and minimal butter).

It's a fun spin on a classic pumpkin pie recipe that the whole family will love!

Three slices of pumpkin pie with pecan crust and the whole pie sitting on a linen in the upper left corner. Forks and a bowl of pecan pieces in the bottom of the picture.

Equipment

8- or 9-inch pie dish - you can use either size for this pecan pumpkin pie recipe.
Blender or food processor - either a blender or food processor is ideal to chop up the pecans for the pecan pie crust!
Medium bowl (3-quart) - a medium mixing bowl is perfect for combining all of the crust ingredients before pressing into the pie dish.
Rubber spatula - a rubber spatula is great for pressing the pecan graham cracker crumb mixture into the prepared pie pan, however this is optional and you can use your hands!
Large bowl (5-quart) - a large mixing bowl is needed to mix the pumpkin pie filling ingredients.
Whisk - I like to use a whisk to mix the pie filling to ensure even mixing!

Ingredients

Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

For the Pecan Crust

Pecans - I love a good pecan crust because the pecans add a buttery crunch to the crust, which compliments the pumpkin pie filling so well. Plus pecans are a good source of unsaturated fats! Pecan halves or whole pecans both work well. You can use walnuts to make a pumpkin pie with walnut crust if you'd like!
Graham cracker crumbs - graham cracker and pumpkin go so well together. The graham cracker crumbs help to bulk up and bind the pecan crust while adding a delicious flavor!
Brown sugar - to give the pecan crust a little sweetness, I like to add some brown sugar. You can use light or dark brown sugar, or use pure maple syrup or honey! I haven't made the crust using granulated or coconut sugar, but imagine it would be just as good. If you try it, let me know in the comments below!
Melted butter - using just a little bit of melted butter helps to bind the crust so it stays together and gets nice and crunchy. I don't like to use a ton of butter so I add water as well! I haven't tried using oil in place of butter in this pumpkin pie recipe, but if you do, let me know how it goes in the comments below!
Water - the main purpose for adding water to the pecan crust is to help keep it binded together without using too much butter.
Pure vanilla extract - vanilla extract compliments the pecan/graham cracker/butter flavors in this delicious pecan crust!

For the Pumpkin Pie Filling

P umpkin puree - you have to have pumpkin puree to make a classic pumpkin pie! I highly recommend getting pumpkin puree over pumpkin pie filling because the already-made filling will have added sugar in it. Pumpkin is a source of fiber, vitamin A, and iron!
Eggs + egg white - the eggs and egg white give the pumpkin pie filling a custardy texture that's creamy and smooth. Plus they add some protein! I like to use a combination of whole eggs and egg white to decrease the saturated fat content of the pumpkin pie.
Pure maple syrup or honey - pure maple syrup or honey adds a hint of sweetness to the pumpkin pie filling. If you use maple syrup, I recommend splurging on high quality pure maple syrup! The cheaper stuff is primarily corn syrup with artificial flavoring.
Milk - in addition to the eggs and egg white, milk adds to the smooth texture of pumpkin pie filling (and also adds protein). You can use any milk of choice!
Pure vanilla extract - like in the crust, pure vanilla extract contributes a smooth vanilla flavor that compliments the other filling ingredients in this healthy pumpkin pie recipe.
Pumpkin pie spice & ground cinnamon - what's a pumpkin pie without pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon?! The warm spices made this pie taste like fall and the holiday season. I like using pumpkin pie spice instead of combining individual spices to make things easier.

How to Make Pecan Crust Pumpkin Pie

pecan and graham cracker mixture for a pumpkin pie with a pecan crust

1: Add pecans and graham crackers to a blender or food processor. Pulse until finely ground and the mixture resembles wet sand. Be careful not to overblend! It may become pecan nut butter if you blend too long. I like to pulse a few times, scrape the sides and bottom with a rubber spatula, and repeat until big chunks of pecans are gone.

crust ingredients in a bowl for pumpkin pie with pecan crust

2: Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and add sugar, melted butter, water, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until fully combined.

pecan crust before going in the oven to make a pecan crust pumpkin pie

3: Press crust mixture into an 8" or 9" pie plate. You can use a rubber spatula or hands, whichever you prefer! Be sure to press some crust mixture along the edges of the pie pan.

a golden brown baked pecan crust for pumpkin pie

4: Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and it feels solid to the touch (be careful not to burn your fingers or crack the crust! Gently touch it to see if it's solid).

pumpkin pie filling ingredients whisked in a large mixing bowl.

5: While the crust cools, combine the pumpkin pie filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined. If you prefer to use an electric mixer here, you can but it's not necessary!

pumpkin pie filling being poured into a pecan crust

6: Once the pecan pie crust is completely cool, pour the filling in.

a finished pumpkin pie with pecan crust on a linen with pecans around it.

7: Bake the pumpkin pie for 55-60 minutes, or until the center only jiggles slightly (some jiggle is okay - the pie will continue to cook as it cools!).

Let the pie cool (on a wire rack, if desired) for at least 1 hour before slicing!

Variations & Substitutions

If you prefer walnuts, you can substitute walnuts for pecans to make a pumpkin pie with walnut crust!
You can use any milk in the pie filling: skim milk, low-fat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, etc. I would just be sure to use an unsweetened milk!

Pro Tips

Be careful not to overblend the pecans and graham crackers in the blender or food processor! The mixture may become pecan nut butter if you blend too long. I like to pulse a few times, scrape the sides and bottom with a rubber spatula, and repeat until big chunks of pecans are gone.
A slightly jiggle in the pumpkin pie filling is totally okay! It will continue to cook and solidify as it cools. You just don't want it to still be mostly liquid (and very jiggly) when taking it out of the oven.

A slice of pecan crust pumpkin pie on a plate with another slice and whole pie in the background. An orange and white pumpkin and pinecone are in the background.

Storage, Serving, & Making Ahead

Storage

Store this pecan crust pumpkin pie in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Wrap with foil or plastic wrap before putting it in the refrigerator to prevent it from drying out!
I haven't tried freezing this pie as I'm not sure how well it would hold up after thawing (and it never lasts long enough to have that much leftover!).

Serving

This pie is delicious on it's own but I love making homemade whipped cream to serve with it! I'll blend up heavy cream with a dash of vanilla extract and Stevia for a hint of sweetness. I'll blend until stiff peaks form and dollop some on each slice of pumpkin pie before serving!

Making Ahead

This pie is great to make ahead of time. I usually make it a day before I plan on serving it to save time the day-of! Plus the flavors seem to be even better the next day.
For best results eating the pie the next day, be sure to cover the pie with foil or layers of plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator after making it and before serving.
If you like to serve pumpkin pie warm, you can pop it in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 10 minutes or so.

Whole pecan crust pumpkin pie on a beige linen, with pecan pieces scattered around. A bowl of pecans in lower right corner. A pinecone, plates, and forks in upper left corner.

Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust Recipe FAQ

How do you keep the bottom of the pumpkin pie crust from getting soggy?

Be sure to pre-bake it long enough! Pumpkin pie filling is pretty wet and can make the pie crust soggy. By baking the crust long enough on its own before pouring the filling in, the bottom crust can hold up better.

How do you keep a pecan pie crust from sticking to the pie plate?

To prevent a pecan pie crust from sticking to the pie plate, I recommend spraying the dish with nonstick cooking spray before pressing the pecan crust into it. This will prevent it from sticking! You can also rub some butter or coconut oil around the pan instead of nonstick cooking spray.

Is pumpkin pie healthy?

Pumpkin is a great source of nutrients like dietary fiber and vitamin A. Traditional pumpkin pie can be high in added sugars and saturated fat, depending on what type of crust is used. This pumpkin pie with pecan crust is a healthier alternative with those delicious traditional flavors!

How do I prevent my pumpkin pie from cracking?

Be sure to not overbake it. Cook it at the oven temperature and for the time specified in the recipe below and once it's just slightly jiggly in the center, take it out of the oven. Going from hot to cold temperatures can also cause the middle to crack, so let it cool at room temperature before putting it in the refrigerator.

Other Recipes You May Like

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Why You'll Love This Healthy Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust

Equipment