# A pecan pie with "no sugar added"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 1, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448 "2012-02-01T18:45:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/1 "2012-02-01T18:45:24Z")
At the supermarket bakery this morning there was a pecan pie with “no sugar added” label - early morning and no one in the bakery to ask. I thought pecan pies had a whole lot of sugar. How does one make a pecan pie with “no sugar added”? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/2 "2012-02-01T18:48:08Z")
Use Splenda or some other sugar substitute. ---
**Author:** ![KneeSid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dec6dc/32.png) [@KneeSid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneeSid)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/3 "2012-02-01T19:01:52Z")
No sugar **ADDED** is different from ‘no sugar.’ ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/4 "2012-02-01T19:21:09Z")
Lots of gelatin? Read the label. What king of poly-syllabic petrochemicals do you see in the ingredients list? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/5 "2012-02-01T19:25:07Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Use Splenda or some other sugar substitute. Yeah, but a Pecan pie is essentially baked corn syrup with some pecan’s thrown in for body. How do you sub in splenda for that? I too want to know the answer. I am guessing gelatin like Alpha Twit suggested, but I would love to actually find out the real answer. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/6 "2012-02-01T19:32:44Z")
The wife of a friend served “pecan pie” this last Thanksgiving. _It had beans in it!_ Bean paste substituted for the corn syrup. I’ve never been more disgusted in my life. One bite and the rest went into the campfire the second her back was turned. 'Twas an affront to all that is Holy. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/7 "2012-02-01T19:42:23Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > At the supermarket bakery this morning there was a pecan pie with “no sugar added” label - early morning and no one in the bakery to ask. I thought pecan pies had a whole lot of sugar. How does one make a pecan pie with “no sugar added”? Basically, “no sugar added” means “every sugar under the sun except granulated white sugar”. I doubt there’s any no-cal artificial sweetener. Why add Splenda to something that probably contains a quart of high-fructose corn syrup? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/8 "2012-02-01T20:14:17Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Yeah, but a Pecan pie is essentially baked corn syrup with some pecan’s thrown in for body. How do you sub in splenda for that? I too want to know the answer. I am guessing gelatin like Alpha Twit suggested, but I would love to actually find out the real answer. [Any number of ways](https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=pfwl&tok=xFf_P9Z8WUgMp_aX3TYQbA&cp=11&gs_id=4u&xhr=t&q=splenda+pecan+pie&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&site=&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=splenda+pec&aq=0&aqi=g4&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=fd7383ffd6cf4dd5&biw=1314&bih=958), all, I’m guessing, absolutely horrible. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/9 "2012-02-01T20:32:22Z")
HA! I am sure there is a point, I guess if you don’t want as many empty calories in your pecan pie, but those all seem to use corn syrup, just not much and then add splenda to sweeten more. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/10 "2012-02-01T21:05:05Z")
You don’t add sugar; you add molasses instead. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/11 "2012-02-02T02:53:45Z")
I made a fine pecan pie a few years back with sugar-free pancake syrup and maple flavoring. The crust was made from almond flour. I fed it to people who don’t ordinarily eat such things and they seemed to like it well enough to finish their slice. I loved it myself, although it didn’t taste like grandma used to make. It had a good flavor in it’s own right. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/12 "2012-02-02T08:20:35Z")
> [@KneeSid](#): > > No sugar **ADDED** is different from ‘no sugar.’ Yes. I’m always wondering, "How much sugar does it start out with, before not adding any more? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/13 "2012-02-02T08:45:39Z")
How can you make a pecan pie without Karo Syrup? Doesn’t the Karo & eggs thicken to make the filling after its cooked down? I’m pretty sure Karo does a lot more than provide sweetness in a pecan pie. ---
**Author:** ![Private\_Bin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@Private\_Bin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Private_Bin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/14 "2012-02-02T09:33:34Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Yes. I’m always wondering, "How much sugar does it start out with, before not adding any more? Until it’s full. When it starts overflowing that’s ‘added sugar’ ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/15 "2012-02-02T10:56:48Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Yes. I’m always wondering, "How much sugar does it start out with, before not adding any more? I can’t find the source, but basically, the food has to have the same amount of sugar it naturally has, with none added during packaging or processing. So that means it has to have exactly as much sugar as it had when it was plucked fresh off the pecan pie bush, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/16 "2012-02-02T18:31:32Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > How can you make a pecan pie without Karo Syrup? Doesn’t the Karo & eggs thicken to make the filling after its cooked down? I’m pretty sure Karo does a lot more than provide sweetness in a pecan pie. I like this [recipe for pecan pie](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pecan-pie-v/detail.aspx), which doesn’t use Karo. Thickens up fine. I guess you could use something like that and add whatever calorie free sweeteners you prefer if you were going for “no sugar added.” It would affect the texture, but I think it would be doable. Maybe sub chopped dates or something for some of the brown sugar? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/17 "2012-02-02T18:38:36Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > At the supermarket bakery this morning there was a pecan pie with “no sugar added” label - early morning and no one in the bakery to ask. I thought pecan pies had a whole lot of sugar. How does one make a pecan pie with “no sugar added”? Was there an ingredients list on the package? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/18 "2012-02-02T20:55:00Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > I like this [recipe for pecan pie](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pecan-pie-v/detail.aspx), which doesn’t use Karo. Thickens up fine. I guess you could use something like that and add whatever calorie free sweeteners you prefer if you were going for “no sugar added.” It would affect the texture, but I think it would be doable. Maybe sub chopped dates or something for some of the brown sugar? That looks really good. I am going to give it a shot once I have time to do a little bit of baking. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/19 "2012-02-02T22:54:03Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > I like this [recipe for pecan pie](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pecan-pie-v/detail.aspx), which doesn’t use Karo. Thickens up fine. I guess you could use something like that and add whatever calorie free sweeteners you prefer if you were going for “no sugar added.” It would affect the texture, but I think it would be doable. Maybe sub chopped dates or something for some of the brown sugar? But that has sugar added. Lots of it. This ‘no sugar added’ pecan pie sounds as impossible as fat free mayo. You may as well have liquid free water or gelatin free Jello. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448/20 "2012-02-02T22:58:03Z")
My pecan pie (it’s an Emeril recipe) contains white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, cane syrup, and chocolate chips (and eggs and nuts which don’t have much sugar in them). I don’t think I could possibly **add** more sugar. So I can honestly say I don’t. ETA: Maybe I could drizzle it with honey… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pecan-pie-with-no-sugar-added/611448.md?page=2)