Crustless Bourbon Pecan Pies (GF)

Who is looking for a super easy and fun dessert for Thanksgiving? I love pecan pie, but making crusts can be daunting. I created these Crustless Bourbon Pecan Pies that can be baked in your oven or on an outdoor grill – a delicious and fun adventure!

My pecan pie is different from most you’ve had. It is a little less sweet and has a lot more nuts. In ordinary pecan pies, the pecan halves tend to float to the top during baking leaving you with lots of goopy filling on the bottom and nuts on the top.

I like to chop half of the nuts so they are more likely to stay suspended in the filling. You can use pecan halves to create a decoration on the top of the pie if you like. Or feel free to chop all of them if you prefer.

I often use Steen’s Pure Cane Syrup or Golden Syrup in any recipe calling for corn syrup. They are made from pure cane sugar and have a cleaner flavor. There is a very slight molasses quality to the flavor that blends beautifully with the pecans. If you can’t find them or choose not to use them, just use dark corn syrup, it will be delicious. You can usually find these options in the pancake syrup aisle at the grocery store.

If you don’t already own ramekins, you should consider buying them or the adorable mini cocottes from Le Creuset. They are incredibly versatile and are often used by The Artist and me for snacks, bowls of nuts on the table, cups of soup for dinner parties, holding small office supplies, and of course for baking.

I have an array of them in different sizes and colors and use my 6-ounce ramekins most often. If you want more information on ramekins, look at this article for guidance. 

Using your grill for part or all of your cooking relieves the pressure of juggling dishes in your oven and helps you get everything on the table while it is still warm. If you don’t want to use your grill, you can bake these crustless bourbon pecan pies indoors in your oven just as easily. 

In addition to cooking over indirect heat (heat on one side of the grill only), another technique I use when baking on the grill is called double panning. That simply means that you are stacking one sheet pan inside another, creating a layer of insulation and slightly elevating the baking dishes. When you are baking on a grill, this is very helpful.

These crustless bourbon pecan pies are the perfect ending to a holiday meal. The lightly smoky pecans combined with bourbon makes a lovely pairing! If you are using your outdoor grill to prepare your holiday meal make sure you don’t forget the dessert!

If you don’t want to use your grill, you can bake these crustless bourbon pecan pies indoors in your oven at 375°F (191°C) just as easily.

The Artist and I wish you a delightful harvest season and the happiest of holiday celebrations!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

Key Ingredients for Crustless Bourbon Pecan Pies:

• Pecan halves, butter, eggs, brown sugar, Steen’s Golden Syrup or dark corn syrup, maple syrup, bourbon (or alternative), and vanilla, Whipped cream for serving, optional

 

PRO Tip:

Because you are preparing a complex meal that may require you to pre-bake and reheat some items, warming your plates will help keep the food warm while you dish up the servings.

 

How to make Crustless Bourbon Pecan Pies:

1. Chop about half of the pecans, set some of the halves aside for decorating.
2. Prepare the grill for indirect cooking at 375°F (191°C) and butter the ramekins.
3. Melt the butter; whisk together the eggs with the sugar, salt, corn syrup, maple syrup, bourbon**, and vanilla – add the butter and whisk until combined.
4. Stir in the pecans and scoop the pecan mixture into the prepared ramekins.
5. Bake the “pies” on the grill or in the oven for 20 minutes, then spin the trays so the opposite side is facing the heat source; bake another 20 minutes or until done (spin the trays front to back if baking in the oven) when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Serve warm or at room temperature topped with whipped cream if desired.

 

PRO Tip:

While you can use a charcoal grill to bake these pecan pies it is much easier to maintain an even heat with a gas grill. And of course, you can bake these in the oven – you’ll just miss the delicate smoky flavor of the grill. But they will be just as delicious! Just bake in your oven at 375°F (191°C) for 40 to 45 minutes, spinning the tray front to back halfway through.

 

PRO Tip:

Always taste your nuts when you buy them to make sure they are fresh, especially if you are buying in bulk from bins. There is nothing worse than getting halfway through making the pie and finding out that the nuts are rancid.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Gas grill or charcoal grill
• Baking sheet pans
• Silicone baking mats (Silpats)
• Ramekin baking dishes
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Ladle

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

* You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of flour or regular flour, whisk it, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial gluten-free blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good gluten-free choices.

** The major gluten-free organizations have declared that distilled alcohols are gluten free. But some distillers may use caramel coloring or flavorings which sometimes contain gluten. For some very sensitive people this may cause issues. If you are making this recipe for a very reactive person, or if they have Celiac disease, you can use 2 tbsp potato vodka mixed with two teaspoons brown sugar in place of the bourbon called for. If you want to leave it out entirely, that is fine too, just add a little more maple syrup!

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site. This post was first shared in Nov 2018. The article was updated in 2025.