The 44-year-old fourth seed led the 16-time world champion 3-1 but trailed 4-3 before going 6-4 ahead.
Taylor showed all his experience to level it at 6-6 and set up a dramatic final set at Alexandra Palace.
Anderson won the first leg of the decider and when Taylor missed double 12 in the next, the Scot capitalised and went on to seal victory.
A 121 checkout gave Anderson the first set and he could have gone 2-0 up but missed double 10, allowing Taylor to capitalise.
But he maintained his good form, taking both the third and fourth sets to give Taylor something to think about and he responded in style to win nine out of ten legs and take a 4-3 lead.
Anderson missed bullseye for an 85 finish in the eighth set but when Taylor missed 24 it allowed Anderson to step up again and make 25 to level the match at 4-4.
The Flying Scotsman suffered frustration with his darts bouncing off the board throughout the match The ninth set was full of drama with Anderson failing to score in his first visit to the board after his third dart knocked the other two out.
The Scot was visibly rattled and went 2-0 down in the set, but he regrouped superbly to take the next three legs to edge 5-4 ahead and then powered through the 10th set and move to within one set of the match.
Taylor was one arrow away from a nine-darter at the start of the 11th set before going on to win it 3-0 and at two each in the next, Anderson had a chance to see out the match, but he could not finish as Taylor levelled again to make it six sets each.
Anderson took the opening leg of the decider, before Taylor again missed three double 16s before the Scot hit double 18.
Anderson hit a 180 to start the third leg before missing bull for victory. Left with with 25, he hit one then double 12 to see out the match and complete a remarkable win to become the first Scot to win a world title since Les Wallace claimed the BDO title in 1997.
"There was a set where I played well and went 6-4 up and then after the break Phil took the next two sets and I felt it was gone," Anderson told Sky Sports afterwards.
"Phil is the best and always will be the best so that makes it more special."
Taylor, who failed to win a 17th world title, said: "Doubles cost me a couple of sets and he took advantage. My double eight and 16 were awful but Gary put me under pressure.
"At 6-6 I felt I had him and my energy levels were good. but he did a job on me and he beat me up in the last set."
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