Low Sugar Pecan and Dark Chocolate Pie

Pecan pie gets a healthy redo with a whole grain, coconut oil crust and a low sugar filling with pure maple syrup and dark chocolate chunks.

Over the last four years, pecan pie has become a new Thanksgiving tradition in our household. I know, it's really odd to start a new tradition this late in life, especially pecan pie, which most people have been eating for Thanksgiving their entire lives.

It all started in September 2011 to be exact, when the newest issue of Garden and Gun magazine arrived with a beautiful looking pecan pie on the cover.

Scott: Ooooohhhh, can we make this pecan pie tonight???

Me: No, Scott. It's, like, Tuesday. I'm not making a pie on a Tuesday. Do you want me to get a slice of pie when I go to the grocery store tomorrow?
Scott: No, I want the Garden and Gun pie.
Me: Well, then you're not getting pie. 

Scott: Ugh, fine. 

It didn't end there. Two weeks later:

Me: What should I make for the tailgate this weekend?

Scott: What about the pecan pie from Garden and Gun?

Me: No, Scott. It's 85 degrees out and who brings a pie to a tailgate??

Scott: Ugh, fine. 

A few weeks after that:

Scott: You know what I'm craving? That pecan pie - let's make it!

Me: Seriously Scott? It's 10:30 at night. I'm not baking a flipping pie. 

Scott: Ugh, fine. 

A few weeks after that:
Me: What should I make for Thanksgiving? 

Scott: Can you make that pie? If you don't want to, I'll make it. I just really want that pie. 

Me: You want to help me bake a pie?
Scott: Yes.
Me: Well, okay then. 

I don't think I've ever seen him so excited. I don't remember exactly, but there may have been a victory dance involved. I told him to pull out the recipe so I could pick up the ingredients when I went to the store. He skipped did a super manly walk into the living room to get the recipe.

A few minutes later, I heard a loud "Nooooooo!" coming from that direction.

As it turns out, there was never a recipe. The gorgeous pecan pie gracing the cover was one you could order from a bakery in Charleston, SC, not one you could make at home. With Thanksgiving in just a few days and no one with the time or desire to spend 5 hours on the road to pick up a pie, Scott was devastated.

To console him, I did my best to whip up an epic pecan pie. And since then, each year I've been sure to include pecan pie on our Thanksgiving table, trying a different recipe each year until we stumble upon "the one."

For my last installation in this Thanksgiving series, I decided to give pecan pie a healthy makeover. Scott was thrilled to come home from running errands this Saturday and find an entire pie waiting on him. I used a whole wheat and coconut oil crust, dark chocolate and just a little bit of pure maple syrup for the filling. Actually, this has been my favorite version yet. Although I don't know if it's a fair comparison since last year I messed up the crust so badly it was probably half an inch thick.

Speaking of crusts, if you're regularly defeated by pie crust, this recipe from Oh Lady Cakes is one you'll want to try. Mine was just a little bit crumblier than hers, but also I didn't listen to instructions and watch the video. Don't be a rebel. Watch the video.

If you'd rather not bother, Wholly Wholesome makes a fantastic spelt pie crust, so delicious I wonder why I even bother with pie crust in the first place. For my gluten free friends, my friend Kylie created this almond flour version which looks, dare I say, easy!

Low Sugar Pecan and Dark Chocolate Pie

Makes 1 pie, ~ 8 slices

1 recipe for coconut oil pie crust, gluten free pie crust, or cheater's pie crust 

3 eggs
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour (or gluten free flour)
2 cups pecans
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare the pie crust by pressing it into a pie pan and making it look as pretty as possible.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon, whole wheat flour and vanilla extract. Add in the pecans and chocolate and stir to combine. Pour into the center of the pie crust.

Place in the middle of the oven and bake 30-35 minutes until set in the middle. Remove from oven, let sit to cool about 30 minutes, then slice and serve.