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This crustless pecan pie for one skips the crust and bakes in a ramekin, with a smooth, custard-like filling and crunchy pecans on top, sweetened with maple syrup.
Featured Comment
“This was soooo delicious! Did not miss the crust.”
– Mrs. N.M. Shopper
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Equipment: 10-ounce ramekin, mixing bowl
- Cook Method: Oven
- Servings: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Sweet, with warm maple and buttery, nutty pecan flavor.
This crustless pecan pie bakes up in a single ramekin, a whole pecan pie sized just for you.
Why You’ll Love This Single Serving Crustless Pecan Pie
You get all the flavor of pecan pie here, the sweet maple filling, the pecans, the soft custard center, without making a crust at all. I love my shortbread crust, but some nights you just want pecan pie without the extra step, and this is the recipe for that.
Everything mixes in one bowl. You whisk the filling, pour it over pecans in a small ramekin, and bake. That’s it. The maple syrup and a little flour set the filling into a soft custard as it bakes, so it holds together and eats like pecan pie even with no crust underneath it.
It’s the easiest pecan pie I make, and it’s a true single serving. This ramekin pecan pie bakes in one 10-ounce dish, while most crustless pecan pies you’ll find make a full 9-inch pie for eight. This one’s just for you.
If you’d rather have the crust, try my mini pecan pie with a shortbread crust or my mini pecan pie without corn syrup. For a hand-held version, there’s my small batch pecan pie bars.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this small pecan pie without crust. If you have any ingredients left over, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Egg: The egg sets the filling and gives it structure.
Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the filling. White sugar keeps the maple flavor clean.
Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. It replaces the corn syrup and, with the flour, sets the filling into a soft custard. Agave works too, but maple tastes best. Leftover syrup is good in my maple muffin for one or small batch maple granola.
Vanilla: Vanilla rounds out and warms the maple flavor.
Butter: Melted butter adds richness. Salted or unsalted both work.
Salt: A little salt keeps the filling from tasting flat.
Flour: Flour is what thickens the filling so it sets without a crust. For a gluten-free version, King Arthur 1:1 gluten-free flour works, I’ve tested it.
Pecans: Shelled pecan halves go in the bottom of the ramekin and give the pie its flavor and crunch.
Recipe Variations
You can change up this crustless pecan pie a few ways once you’ve made the base recipe.
Bourbon or whiskey
Stir 1 teaspoon into the filling for a warm, deeper flavor. It cooks off as the pie bakes, so what’s left is the taste, not the alcohol.
Chocolate chips
Stir in 1 tablespoon of mini chocolate chips. They melt into the filling as it bakes and add pockets of chocolate against the pecans.
Different nuts
Swap the pecans for walnuts or almonds, or use a mix. If you use walnuts, blanch them a few minutes first to take off the bitter edge.
Coconut
Stir in 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut for a little chew and a hint of tropical flavor.
Old-fashioned crustless pecan pie
To make it the traditional way, use ¼ cup of corn syrup in place of the maple syrup and leave out the flour. The corn syrup sets the filling the way it does in a classic pecan pie, so you can skip the flour.
How To Make A Crustless Pecan Pie
These step-by-step photos show you how to make this no crust pecan pie in one bowl. For the exact amounts, see the recipe card below.
- Preheat oven to 350° F (177°C).
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and sugar until smooth.
- Add the melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, flour, and salt, and whisk until fully combined.
- Place the pecans in the bottom of a 10-ounce ramekin.
- Pour the filling over the pecans, then set the ramekin on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. The center will look slightly soft and firms as it cools.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.
Expert Tips
Use a 10-ounce ramekin. This recipe is measured for a 10-ounce ramekin, about 4 inches across and 1¾ inches deep. A dish that size gives the filling room to set evenly without spilling over as it puffs.
Don’t overbake it. In a deep ramekin the filling won’t wobble much, so go by how it looks: bake until the top is lightly browned and the edges look set, with the very center still looking a little soft. It firms up as it cools, so pull it while the center still looks soft rather than baking it until it’s firm all the way through, which leaves it dry.
Let it cool before digging in. The filling firms up as it rests, so give it at least an hour. It goes from soft to spoonable as it sits.
Serving Suggestions
This small crustless pecan pie is rich on its own, but here are a few more ways to enjoy it.
- Add a spoonful of homemade whipped cream while it’s still slightly warm.
- Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over the top before serving.
Troubleshooting
A few things can go wrong with a crustless pecan pie, so here’s how to fix the most common ones.
How do I know when my crustless pecan pie is done?
When the top is lightly browned and the center still looks slightly soft. In a deep ramekin the filling won’t wobble much, so go by how it looks rather than a shake: the edges should look set and the very center should still look a little underdone. It firms up as it cools, so pull it while the center still looks soft rather than baking it until it looks firm all the way through.
How do I fix a pie that is still runny after it has cooled?
It needed more time in the oven. A loose center after cooling means the custard was underbaked. Chilling it in the fridge for an hour or two will firm it up some, but the real fix is next time: bake a few minutes longer so the center sets before you take it out.
Why is my filling foamy on top?
You over-whisked it. Whisking the filling too hard beats air into the egg, which bakes into a foamy layer on top. Stir it just until everything’s combined and the top bakes up smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not as written, but it’s easy to make gluten free. The recipe uses a teaspoon of all-purpose flour to set the filling. Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour like King Arthur Measure for Measure and the pie is gluten free. I’ve tested it and it works well.
Cover it and refrigerate for up to 2 days. It’s good chilled straight from the fridge or warmed in the oven for a few minutes.
Yes. Double the ingredients and bake in two 10-ounce ramekins or one 5×5-inch baking dish.
A 10-ounce ramekin, about 4 inches across and 1¾ inches deep. That size holds the filling and gives it room to set without spilling over as it puffs.
Yes. Cool it completely, wrap it tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge before serving.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this mini crustless pecan pie without corn syrup please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Crustless Pecan Pie For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter – melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F (177°C).
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and sugar until smooth.
- Whisk in the melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, flour, and salt until fully combined.
- Place the pecans in the bottom of a 10-ounce ramekin.
- Pour the filling over the pecans, then set the ramekin on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. The center will look slightly soft and firms as it cools.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Can I use light Karo syrup in this instead of the maple syrup?
Yes, light Karo works here. Use the same 1/4 cup in place of the maple syrup, and leave out the teaspoon of flour. The flour is there to help the thinner maple syrup set up, and corn syrup is thick enough to set on its own without it. You’ll lose the maple note since corn syrup is more of a plain sweetness, but it gives you that classic pecan pie flavor. I mention the swap in the post too, if you ever want to see the other notes on the syrup.
Can I make this with corn syrup instead of maple syrup? I think the maple would conflict with pecan flavor.
Yes, you can use corn syrup instead of maple syrup — just replace it with 1/4 cup corn syrup and leave out the flour. That said, the maple syrup in this recipe absolutely does not conflict with the pecan flavor. In fact, it takes the place of corn syrup and adds a natural sweetness that many people prefer if they don’t want to use corn syrup.
I need to make it gluten free. What can I substitute for the flour?
I’ve tested this recipe with King Arthur 1:1 gluten-free flour and it works well.
Delicious! The filling is smooth and soft, and not cloyingly sweet. The maple syrup isn’t identifiable. This pie isn’t as sweet as the Pecan Pie with corn syrup and a shortbread crust, but without the crust, it didn’t feel like pie to me. The next time I’ll make this filling with the shortbread crust. You can’t go wrong with either recipe. They’re both excellent.
This was DELICIOUS! I made several in small ramekins and my family really enjoyed. Very rich and comforting feeling as we ate it.
I doubled the recipe and it turned out perfect. It was so good that my friend and I finished all those calories at one time.🙂
Regarding the walnuts in the Canadian Maple Pie: the walnuts should be blanched for 3 minutes and then dried, in order to remove the bitterness of the walnuts.
Don’t really like maple syrup so — can this be made using honey instead??? Plan to make it using almonds or cashews. Thank you!!! — love every recipe used so sent URL to my sister who also loves everything she’s made…
Thanks so much! We haven’t tried honey here. It’s best to stick with any variety of pure maple syrup, from golden to dark amber.
Can’t wait to try with Steens sugar cane syrup. I know it will be delicious.
This was soooo delicious! Did not miss the crust.
Very tasty! 🙂
I am thrilled to find a Pecan pie recipe made with maple syrup instead of Karo syrup! How can this recipe be converted to make a 9 inch pie ? Should I double or triple the amount of the ingredients? Thanks for your help!
Oh goodness, by math you’d have to multiply the ingredients by 5 but by taste, I’m not sure how it would turn out. I’ve only doubled this recipe with success and haven’t experimented beyond that.
I doubled the recipe and made the pecan pie for my hubby and me. We both loved it, it was very delicious warm with vanilla ice cream!
I can’t eat pecans. Could you substitute walnuts?
Yes.
Good recipe.
A question…what contributes to there being .5 Trans Fat?
Butter.