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Can I make a pecan-less pecan pie?

15 years ago

My sweet son-in-law loves the filling of the pecan pie recipe on Karo syrup bottle but not the pecans.

Is it possible to make a pie using just this filling and omit the pecans? Will it thicken and hold up in a pie crust?

Thanks for your time and have a nice day.

Comments (25)

  • 15 years ago

    think so...but it won't taste like much...
    Eggs, sugar butter and kyro....sounds good to me....but don't forget the vanilla....and maybe some chocolate in the mix.

  • 15 years ago

    I wonder how it'll be in a crust. Probably runny.
    I may try corn starch or something to thicken it up unless someone comes up with other suggestions.
    I won't forget the vanilla 'cause that's probably the only flavor he'll have. lol
    He doesn't care for chocolate.
    Thanks for the quick response.
    Have a nice evening.

  • 15 years ago

    Does he like any other nut, maybe almonds or walnuts. I think the pie will set up OK but it is going to be awfully sweet.

  • 15 years ago

    It works fine. My wife isn't crazy about nuts and while pecans are one that she likes I occasionally make her a pecan pie with no nuts. Yes, using the Karo recipe. Just make sure you cook it nice and well done so it will hold up good. Give it the old shake test and the middle can be wobbly, just not too liquid. Btw, I use the dark Karo when I do it like that.

  • 15 years ago

    If you're worried about it setting up you could add an extra egg. In England they make a similar thing with treacle instead of Karo syrup called, unimaginatively, Treacle Tart.

  • 15 years ago

    If you Google - Mock Pecan Pie - you will find recipes that contain oatmeal instead of pecans. Some recipes will use oatmeal and coconut, etc... -Grainlady

  • 15 years ago

    Speaking of Mock Pecan Pie, any one still make the Mock Apple pie, made with Ritz Crackers?
    I think your pie will set up with out the Pecans just fine.

  • 15 years ago

    A pecan pie without nuts is very like a Chess Pie..It is an old Southern favorite. Here is a recipe

    Chess Pie
    Ingredients:
    3 eggs, beaten
    1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
    3 tablespoons melted butter
    1 tablespoon white cornmeal
    1/3 cup buttermilk
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
    Preparation:
    Whisk together the eggs, sugar, melted butter, cornmeal, buttermilk, salt, and vanilla. Blend well and pour into an unbaked 9-inch pastry shell. Bake in at 375� on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350� and bake 20 minutes longer.

  • 15 years ago

    If he loves pecan pie he will love Canadian Butter Tarts. This is the recipe I use now it was posted here by Jasdip and I prefer it to my old recipe.

    I never put nuts in and you don't need the raisins either but we like them.

    Jasdip's Mom's Butter Tarts

    2 eggs, beaten
    1 cup brown sugar
    1 tsp vanilla
    2 tsp cream or half and half
    1/2 cup butter, melted
    raisins

    Make pastry and cut with a large biscuit cutter and put into muffin cups.
    Put some raisins in each unbaked shell. Spoon mixture over top.
    Bake at 425 degrees 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 until
    done, another 8-10 minutes.

  • 15 years ago

    You have probably already made your pie. I wanted to add that yes it will set up if you put enough eggs in it. I forgot the eggs one time and my pie was very runny and guess what? It was a greenish tint to. And I had made it for my sweet son-in-law. So embarassed. I don't understand why the lack of eggs made it green but it did.

    If he likes any kind of nut I would add that. Walnuts would be good.

  • 15 years ago

    Like Sharon, I would recommend a butter tart filling for your pie. If your SIL loves the pecan pie filling minus the nuts , this should do the trick.

    Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

    Butter Tarts
    ============
    1/4 cup butter at room temperature
    1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    2 eggs
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
    1 cup maple syrup
    1 cup walnut halves

    Optional - 1/2 cup currants or raisins
    Water
    . Blend together the butter and brown sugar. Beat the eggs lightly and
    stir into the butter and brown sugar and add the corn syrup. (You can
    substitute Corn syrup for all or part of the Maple syrup.), add
    vanilla and raisins if using.

    Fill tart shells about two thirds full. Bake at 375�F for 15 to 20
    minutes or until pastry is golden.

    The filling in these tarts is runny. Do not over bake or the filling
    will firm up. Let tarts set in the tins for about 3 minutes. Remove
    carefully and cool on racks. Makes about twenty 3 inch tarts.

  • 15 years ago

    Going to make the pie tomorrow. Will try a few of these recipes.
    lisa from Germany: glad I brought you a fine memory.

    Thanks to all of you for the help.
    Hope you all have a very nice Sunday.

  • 15 years ago

    I had to chuckle when I read this post. My mother makes delicious pecan pies. My children love the pies minus the nuts so she now makes a special "pecanless" pie for them. My daughter has dubbed it the "silver spoon pie". Mama says it is much less expensive and everyone is happy. Susan

  • 15 years ago

    Ever since she was little, DD loved the pecan pie filling but never liked the pecans. So I always made little pecan-less pecan pie tartlets for her when I made the pie. My pecan pie recipe has a tablespoon of flour in the filling which I think is what helps it set up and not be runny:

    Pecan Pie

    1 cup sugar
    1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
    2/3 cup light corn syrup
    1 tablespoon flour
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    3 eggs
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    1 cup pecan halves (can omit)

    Combine sugar, butter & corn syrup until smooth. Add flour, salt & eggs together and beat. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Bake in unbaked pie shell 1 hour at 350 F.

    Notes: Since the pie bakes so long, I make a collar out of foil to cover the edges of the pie crust for the first 45 minutes of baking. Remove the foil and continue baking the remaining 15 minutes.)

    Lori

  • 15 years ago

    That crust looks gorgeous, Lori!

  • 15 years ago

    Thanks so much. These pies look delicious.
    Will make these too next weekend.

  • 8 years ago

    Looking forward to making these !PECANLESS! Pies.I love the filling too, you can eat it better too much chewing takes away time that i can be on my 2nd or 3rd piece. Thanks a million for the recipe, been looking every where. Cant wait.

  • 8 years ago

    Actually, if you google "Butter Tarts" (a canadian dish) they taste like pecan pie without the pecans.

  • 8 years ago

    If you scroll up there are already recipes for butter tarts on this thread.

  • 6 years ago

    Iam going to put strudel on top

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Lisa-in-Germany, were we twins separated at birth?? I could have written *exactly* the same post, but subbing “Sister” for “Dad.” I love the Karo filling but I can’t stand the nuts. I don’t like nuts of any sort. Mother thought a dish wasn’t fit to eat until she had found a way to put nuts in it. It made for an interesting childhood!

    ETA: OMG, I just saw how old this post is!

  • 6 years ago

    Lisa from Germany was a great poster. Good perspective. Wonder if she still lurks . . .

  • 6 years ago

    I’m not sure why I’m chiming in on a 8 year old thread but at least the recipe I use for pecan pie, which comes from a 60’s cookbook is essentially a custard. Just leave out the pecans although with all due respect I can’t possibly understand why. They’re one of my favorite nuts.

  • 2 months ago

    My mother in law always got free walnuts for the holidays so she alwaYs made ”pecan” pie with walnuts. it tasted wonderful.