Quick & Easy Walnut Pie Recipe

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

Diet Bites Recipe for English Walnut Pie, Prepared From Scratch

Before we get started we need to note that this recipe isn't diet-friendly. It contains enough calories to sink a respectable-size ship - so dieter beware.

When I created this recipe, it was for a holiday event - and it went over huge. My husband said that it's the best pie that he has ever tasted - and he isn't even a fan of its cousin, the pecan pie.

With this said, you may wish to reserve this pie recipe for special events - such as during the holidays. The finished walnut pie is quite beautiful - and looks much like a traditional pecan pie.

How to Reduce Calories & Fat Content in This Recipe

1. Use margarine rather than butter. For a richer-tasting pie, opt for the butter - but trust me, it's plenty decadent with the margarine. Only a tiny slice will satisfy the deepest of sweet tooth's. I chose not to use reduced calorie margarine in my recipe - but you can give it a try if you wish.

2. I did opt to substitute light Karo syrup for the regular. It not only slashed the calories, but also the sugar grams. And the pie is still very sweet.

3. I used about 1 cup of English walnuts in my recipe - but you can use a little less OR a bit more, based on your love of the English walnut.

4. You can also experiment with reduced fat cream cheese which is used in the crust - but I would not recommend the fat-free varieties.

5. I also used granulated white sugar in my recipe. I have not tried using Splenda - which holds up to baking really well. So feel free to experiment with the sugar substitutes. I'm no longer a fan of the sugar substitutes due to recent studies which indicate they play a role in insulin production within the body.

In addition, all sugar substitutes tend to create a gas pocket in my gut - as big as the Grand Canyon. Oh the misery....but oh the delightthat can be found in the following recipe. I do declare that this time, I may have out-done myself. Yes, it's that delicious!

Recipe Ingredients for Diet Bites Quick & Easy Walnut Pie, From Scratch

Walnut pie recipe, from scratch.Filling Ingredients

2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup of white granulated sugar
3/4 cup of light Karo syrup, white
2 Tablespoons of melted margarine
1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract OR imitation vanilla
1½ cups of English Walnuts, chopped

Pie Crust Ingredients

1/2 cup of cream cheese [regular, not fat free]
1/2 cup of margarine [1 stick]
About 1½ cups of white, all-purpose flour

How to Prepare Diet Bites Quick & Easy English Walnut Pie Recipe

I baked this original recipe in a quiche pan - but you can use a small pie plate, too - or you can bake tiny tartlets that are about 4-6" round, or even tassie-size that can be served as appetizers.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes - checking the pie for doneness as it can burn easily as it contains a good amount of sugar. The cooking time will also depend upon the baking pan used. The smaller the container, the shorter the baking time. Also, cooking time will be impacted by the temperature and size of your oven. I baked my walnut pie in a little toaster oven. It took about 25 minutes to bake.

How to Prepare Pie Crust

As a note, I placed the crust into my toaster oven for about five minutes - while I mixed up the filling. This ensured that the crust was baked and not left 'doughy'.

1. Melt the cream cheese and margarine in a small microwave-safe bowl.

2. Add the flour and press into the baking plate, tartlet pan or quiche pan.

3. Add the prepared filling.

How to Prepare Filling for Walnut Pie

1. Whisk the eggs - enough to break them up.

2. Add the vanilla extract or imitation vanilla.

3. Add the melted margarine. Be sure the margarine isn't hot - or too warm or it will cook the raw eggs.

4. Add the sugar and the syrup.

5. Add the English walnuts and pour into the prepared pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees.

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