Vegan Double Chocolate Pecan Pie 

One important tradition for Thanksgiving in my family is pecan pie. I know pumpkin and apple are the most popular, but my Grandma and Mom's favorite pie was always pecan. I have to agree.  It is pretty decadent and delicious and I consider it special because I only got to enjoy it for Thanksgiving.  No other time of the year. So now every year I make a pecan pie.  Since I like to switch things up a bit though when it comes to recipes, it is not my Grandma's pecan pie, it is even better.  And I know my Grandma would approve because when she was still alive, she always loved my desserts that I would share with her, especially ones involving pecans and caramel.  I know Thanksgiving isn't here quite yet, but I decided to bake a pecan pie last weekend.  I decided to enter the Tresomega “Organics For Life” Blogger Recipe Challenge contest, and I decided what better recipe than a fabulous pecan pie featuring their coconut oil!

After all, coconut oil is essential to my flaky tender pie crusts.  When I first switched over to a vegan diet, I used buttery sticks for my pie crusts because I thought they would be closer to butter. But I actually discovered that coconut oil is perfect for pie crust and it doesn't have preservatives in it that you usually find in those sticks, also I am not keen on canola or palm oil which are often found in butter substitutes.  I like to keep things as unprocessed as possible.  Coconut oil gives your crust a lovely sweet flavor and tender texture.

For this pie, I made my classic pie crust and it was the perfect base for the gooey pecan pie filling.  I decided to be decadent this time and make a double chocolate pecan pie.  So I made a date caramel filling with a touch more of the coconut oil and some pecan butter for richness plus a little cacao powder to make it chocolaty.  It was so good, almost like a fudge caramel!  In addition to the pecans, since this is double chocolate pie I stirred in vegan chocolate chips. I could not wait to try this pie!

It smelled amazing as it baked.  Like caramel and chocolate heaven!  It was a bummer I had to let it cool overnight because I made it pretty late, but it was well worth the wait.  This pie is pure decadent delicious goodness!  Rich, gooey chocolate caramel filling, crunchy pecans and chocolate chips in a buttery crust!  You won't even miss the sugar and corn syrup that you would find in regular pecan pie, this is plenty sweet.  You would never guess that it is vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free!  If you love pecan pie for the Holidays as much as I do, definitely give this version a try!  I have a feeling your family will love it even if they aren't all vegan.

Vegan Double Chocolate Pecan Pie 
Makes one 8 inch pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose gluten free flour
• 2 Tbsp coconut sugar or maple sugar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp Tresomega virgin coconut oil in its solid state
• about 3-4 Tbsp cold water

Filling:

• 1 cup soft pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain well
• before using)
• 1/4 cup pecan butter
• 2 Tbsp cacao powder
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup, plus more for brushing the top of the pie
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup filtered water
• 1 Tbsp Tresomega virgin coconut oil
• 1 cup toasted pecans, plus more for top of tart
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chunks, plus more for top of tart

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
2. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in  just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn't too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Roll out into a 9 inch circle using floured parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. Transfer dough to an 8 inch tart pan or pie pan (don't worry if it tears, just patch it up and nobody will know).  Set aside in the refrigerator.
3. To make filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor except the pecans and chocolate. Process until smooth, then scrape into a bowl and stir in the pecans, and chocolate. Spread the filling over the crust, and top with more pecans and chocolate. Brush the top lightly with maple syrup. Place in the oven.
4. Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the crust is starting to brown lightly. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.