Easy & Delicious Pretzel Pie AKA Pecan-free Pie
I don’t remember where I was the first time I had pecan pie. But it changed my life. Every year, I’d beg my mom for a pecan pie for Thanksgiving. And she was happy to oblige. So, when we went nut-free in my home I had to come up with a pean fee version of pecan pie. And this incredible Pretzel Pie was born!
Why You’ll Love It:
Pretzel Pie is the perfect combination of sweet and salty. And I’m not sure there’s any better combination. If you’ve never had Pretzel Pie before (and I’m willing to bet most of you haven’t), it combines a flaky, buttery crust, with salty pretzels that somehow manage to stay a little bit crusty despite being baked in the oven, and a sweet, creamy filling.
Creamy? Lisa, did you describe the filling as creamy? If you have had Pretzel Pie (or okay, pecan pie) before you might not think of the filling as creamy. The traditional filling is thick, gooey, rich, and maybe a little bit gelatiny.
Not a word. I know. The real word is gelatinous, but do you know how some words just make your cringe. Gelatinous is one of those words for me. Just hearing it–or typing it apparently–make my a little bit nauseous. So I’m going to stick with gelatiny. But all of that is really irrelevant, because this filling is not like that at all.
I mean it’s thick. And rich. And delicious. But it’s so creamy. It’s the perfect complement to the pretzels.
And Pretzel Pie is easy to put together. One bowl and ten minutes are all you need. (Unless you make your pie crust from scratch. In which case you will need more like two hours). It’s way easier than peeling apples or cooking fruit for a fruit pie or whipping egg whites.
How to Make Pretzel Pie:
The first step is preheating your oven to 375 degrees F. Place your pie crust in a 9 inch pie pan and set aside.
Then break pretzel sticks into small pieces. I usually use thin pretzel sticks and bark them in half or thirds. Don’t worry if some of the pretzels remain whole. You can use any type of pretzel, just be sure to break them up. Transfer the pretzel pieces to the bottom of the pie crust.
In a large bowl, combine 3 lightly beaten eggs, corn syrup, sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, salt, corn starch, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
Just a quick note about the corn syrup. I know corn syrup has gotten a lot of bad press recently. And, on a daily basis, I do avoid it when purchasing processed foods. But, it is the key to holding this pie together. The corn syrup and eggs work together to make the custard. This is probably the one time of the year I buy corn syrup, and it is 100% worth it. Everything in moderation, I always say.
And the corn starch is not optional. It is the ingredient that takes the filling from gel-like to creamy. You don’t need much. Just teaspoons of cornstarch change the whole texture of the pie.
Pour the filling over pretzel pieces. Don’t worry about fixing it, just try to pour it evenly into the pie crust. The pretzels will rise to the top when baked.
Bake pretzel pie in a preheated oven for 45-60 minutes until middle of pie is set. Oven temperatures vary a lot. You do not want the filling to be jiggly when you take it out..
Allow the pie to cool for at least two hours. Then you can serve immediately. Or refrigerate and serve within 24 hours.
Enjoy!
Pretzel pie is a nut free take on a classic Thanksgiving dessert. So, imho, Pretzel Pie deserves a spot on your Thanksgiving table.
And don’t fret about adding one more recipe to your already packed baking schedule. Pretzel pie is so easy, I plan to make it in my AirBNB this year. (I’ll definitely be using a Pillsbury crust).
I love pretzel pie served cold with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream. New some coffee or tea and then call your friends, because dessert is ready!
Happy Eating!
PS: Want to make the crust from scratch? You can find the directions in my Cherry Pie recipe.
Easy, Delicious Pretzel Pie (Nut Free)
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust homemade or refrigerated
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup corn syrup
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup salted butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups (pretzel sticks broken into small piece
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place pie crust in pie dish.
- Break pretzel sticks into small pieces. Transfer pretzel pieces to the bottom of the pie crust.
- In a large bowl, combine egg, corn syrup, sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, salt, corn starch, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
- Pour filling over pretzel pieces. Pretzels will rise to the top when baked.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45-60 minutes until middle of pie is set. You do not want the filling to be jiggly.
- Allow to cool two hours.
- Serve immediately. Or refrigerate and serve within 24 hours.
Notes
Store pretzel pie in the refrigerator for up to one week.
