Maple Pecan Cream Pie Recipe

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There's no denying that pecan pie is one of the tastiest and most classic types of pie out there, but it's not necessarily the easiest thing to whip up. Moreover, when it comes to summer baking, no one wants to have their oven heating up the kitchen for long periods of time, which is where no-bake cream pies become particularly ideal. This maple pecan cream pie recipe, courtesy of developer Jessica Morone, captures those sweet, nutty flavors that make pecan pie so irresistible, all while transforming them into an ultra-rich, creamy take on a classic. The addition of cream cheese gives a welcome tang to cut through the sweet nuttiness of the pie and gives this the quality of a creamy and airy cheesecake.

Another lovely aspect of this pie recipe is that it's a light and pretty dessert that feels utterly summery. "I love that maple and pecan go so perfectly together, and this does have a really good maple flavor to balance with the pecans," Morone describes. "Usually maple and pecan are more fall flavors, but because this is a chilled pie, it takes those flavors perfectly into the warm weather as well." Perfect for a backyard BBQ, as a special holiday twist on a traditional pecan pie, or as a simple after-dinner dessert for the family, this cool and creamy pie is perfect for any occasion any time of the year.

Gather the ingredients for maple pecan cream pie

There's no need to make your own pie crust for this recipe (unless you'd like to, of course) — just a good old store-bought, unbaked crust will do the trick. As for the pie filling, you'll need heavy whipping cream, maple extract, powdered sugar, softened cream cheese, light brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, and chopped toasted pecans.

Step 1: Bake the pie crust

Poke holes all over the bottom of the pie crust and bake it according to the recipe instructions.

Step 2: Cool the pie crust

Let the crust cool completely while you make the filling.

Step 3: Mix heavy cream, maple extract, and powdered sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat together the heavy whipping cream, maple extract, and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Step 4: Beat cream cheese, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt

In a separate bowl beat together the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt until combined and smooth.

Step 5: Fold half of the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture

Gently fold in ½ of the maple whipped cream until combined, refrigerate the remaining whipped cream.

Step 6: Fold pecans into cream mixture

Mix in 1 cup of the chopped pecans.

Step 7: Spread pecan cream filling into pie crust and refrigerate

Spread the filling evenly into the bottom of the cooled pie crust. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, until set.

Step 8: Top the pie with the remaining whipped cream

When you are ready to serve the pie, spread the remaining whipped cream evenly over the pie.

Step 9: Sprinkle pecans on top of pie

Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup pecans over the top of the pie.

Step 10: Slice and serve the maple pecan cream pie

Cut and serve.

What can I serve with pecan cream pie?

Maple Pecan Cream Pie Recipe

4.9 (31 ratings)

This cool creamy version of a pecan pie, with a sweet maple flavor, a tangy cream cheese layer, and crunchy pecans, is an easy and perfect summer dessert.

Prep Time
8.33
hours
Cook Time
0
minutes
servings
8
Slices
Slice of maple pecan cream pie on plate
Total time: 8 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
  • 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon maple extract
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups finely chopped toasted pecans, divided

Directions

  1. Poke holes all over the bottom of the pie crust and bake it according to the recipe instructions.
  2. Let the crust cool completely while you make the filling.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat together the heavy whipping cream, maple extract, and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  4. In a separate bowl beat together the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt until combined and smooth.
  5. Gently fold in ½ of the maple whipped cream until combined, refrigerate the remaining whipped cream.
  6. Mix in 1 cup of the chopped pecans.
  7. Spread the filling evenly into the bottom of the cooled pie crust. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, until set.
  8. When you are ready to serve the pie, spread the remaining whipped cream evenly over the pie.
  9. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup pecans over the top of the pie.
  10. Cut and serve.

Nutrition

Calories per Serving 619
Total Fat 46.5 g
Saturated Fat 19.9 g
Trans Fat 0.9 g
Cholesterol 79.1 mg
Total Carbohydrates 48.9 g
Dietary Fiber 2.3 g
Total Sugars 30.4 g
Sodium 294.7 mg
Protein 5.6 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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How is pecan cream pie different from classic pecan pie?

You may be wondering just how different this maple pecan cream pie is from a traditional pecan pie. While both desserts aim to capture the rich, nutty, flavors that pecans have to offer, they do have some pretty distinct differences. "A classic pecan pie is a baked dessert made with a gooey, caramel-like filling in a traditional pie crust," Morone explains. "A pecan cream pie, on the other hand, typically has a creamy, whipped cream-based filling and is served chilled, giving it a lighter texture and flavor."

Aside from the gooey vs. creamy filling, another big difference between the two pies comes down to time in the oven and time in the fridge. Many classic pecan pie recipes call for pretty long bake times, upwards of an hour, whereas the only baking that this recipe requires is for the crust. You do have to plan ahead with a pecan cream pie, however, as it does need to chill in the fridge for 8 hours, so making it the day before you plan to serve it is ideal (and convenient). 

Finally, the biggest difference you'll notice between traditional pecan pie and pecan cream pie comes down to the texture of the filling — both are delicious, but they sort of lean towards different seasons. "While both feature pecans, the cream pie is less dense and rich than its baked counterpart and is perfect for summer," Morone says.

How can this pie be modified?

Despite being a fairly simple and bare-bones recipe, there are ways you can switch up this maple pecan cream pie, should you desire to do so. The first customization is for those who can't bear the thought of turning on their oven for even just enough time to bake the crust — simply opt for a no-bake crust instead. Morone specifically suggests another classic pie crust, the humble buttery graham cracker crust, which would play up the cheesecake quality of the dessert. You could even try something a little more adventurous, like an Oreo crust for a chocolatey twist that would complement the pecans.

Then there's plenty of room to switch up that creamy, maple-infused, pecan-y filling as well. "If you don't like pecans, you could try different nuts as well, like almonds or walnuts," Morone suggests. Or, you could use any combination of nuts for a little more diversity in the nutty flavor profile of the pie, along with some added crunch. Finally, if you like the pecan aspect but aren't too keen on the maple part, simply omit the maple extract and replace it with vanilla. You could swap out the maple syrup in favor of more brown sugar if you wanted, but maple extract is what really adds that super concentrated maple flavor profile to this pie.

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