Best Pecan Pie Recipe
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This easy pecan pie recipe is a classic Southern dessert. Salty pecans caramelize in a sweet filling and flaky crust for the BEST pecan pie! It is a must for Thanksgiving and a favorite for Christmas and family suppers!
Our homemade pecan pie is a rich, deliciously sweet family recipe that is always a favorite dessert on our table. It’s super easy and can be made in one bowl; you don’t have to pre-bake the pie crust, and you can even make it ahead of time or freeze it! We love it for family suppers and it is a must on my Thanksgiving dessert table, alongside my sweet potato pie, apple pie, and coconut cream pie!
Southern Pecan Pie Recipe
This homemade pecan pie recipe comes from family recipes passed down from my husband’s grandmother and my own grandmother. It is so quick and easy that my grandmother let me help her make it when I was young. Even though it’s very simple to make and can be mixed together in a single bowl, it’s incredibly decadent and delicious. I think once you try it, you’ll see why it is a must-make dessert recipe in my family.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor and Texture. Nutty pecans in a rich, buttery, caramel-like pie filling sit inside a perfect, flaky homemade pie crust. Yum!
- Simple Ingredients. With only seven ingredients in this pie filling, which include salt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, it’s easy to enjoy the pie’s simple, buttery, nutty goodness.
- Easy recipe. This recipe comes together quickly and easily. Stir the pecan pie filling together in one mixing bowl, pour into the pie crust, and bake.
What is Pecan Pie?
Pecan Pie is classic old-fashioned Southern baking at its best. It is made with simple ingredients, including pecans, butter, sugar, and eggs, that bake into the most delicious, sweet, salty, buttery dessert!
This easy recipe is a great pie recipe for beginning bakers as well as the most skilled cooks!
This scrumptious homemade pecan pie is easy to make in one bowl with simple ingredients:
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Granulated Sugar – I use a bit less sugar than the original recipe has, but with the syrup, the pie filling is sweet enough.
- Eggs – I use large eggs that I have allowed to reach room temperature for about 30 minutes. The room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the other ingredients in the pie filling. The eggs help hold the filling together and give it structure.
- Maple Syrup or Light Corn Syrup – You can use either one. The corn syrup is more neutral in flavor. Maple syrup gives the pie a distinct maple flavor that I find delicious. Our grandmothers’ recipes used corn syrup, but I love the flavor that all-natural maple syrup gives to this pie.
- Melted Butter – Get butter to just-melted, not boiling, so it won’t affect the eggs in the mixture.
- Vanilla extract – I use my homemade vanilla extract, but you can also use another pure vanilla extract if you wish.
- Salt – The bit of salt enhances the sweetness and the flavor of the pecans.
- Pecans – Use pecan halves or pieces based on what is available and your preference. I do not toast them prior to baking the pie.
You will also need an unbaked pie crust. I use my homemade pie crust for the amazing flavor and flaky texture, but you can also use a store-bought pie crust if needed.
How to Make Pecan Pie
Mix pecan pie filling ingredients. In one large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs. Then, mix in the melted butter, vanilla, salt, and syrup (corn or maple). Then, stir in the pecans.
Pour filling into pie crust. After stirring the pecans into the pie filling mixture, pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust. (Again, I highly recommend my homemade pie crust.)
Bake. Place in the preheated oven and bake until the pie is set, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. During the last few minutes of baking time, especially if you notice the edges of the pie crust browning too quickly, lightly place a piece of foil over the top of the pie. Remove from the oven once done, set on a cooling rack, and allow to cool completely. *See notes on How to Tell if Pecan Pie Is Done.
Serve and enjoy. Once the pie has completely cooled, cut the pie into slices. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or plain. It is delicious any way that you serve it!
How to Tell if Pecan Pie is Done
- Internal Temperature – The center of the pie should register 200º F when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
- Slightly Springy in Center – If you touch the center of the pie, it should slightly spring back to the touch. The more you make it, the more you’ll have an eye for when it is just right to remove from the oven and will know it’s not overbaked or underbaked.
Note: It will become firmer once removed from the oven and cools. This is why you should wait until the pie is completely cooled before slicing it to serve.
Storage Tips
To store. Prepare the pecan pie and allow it to cool completely. Store it covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. *See notes about refrigeration.
To freeze. Prepare the pecan pie and allow it to cool completely. Wrap the pie plate entirely in foil, wrapping it around the top and bottom of the pie. Then, place the wrapped pie into a freezer-safe zip-top bag and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To serve. Thaw the pie in the refrigerator overnight, then slice and serve as normal. It’s delicious cold from the fridge, but you can reheat it.
Does Pecan Pie Need to Be Refrigerated?
Yes. According to the USDA, the pie needs to be refrigerated for food safety because of the eggs in the recipe. Do not leave it out for over 2 hours without refrigerating it. Make sure the pie is completely cool before you cover it and place it in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, there is no need, and I recommend that you do not toast the pecans! That is what makes this recipe such an easy pie recipe! As the pie bakes, the pecans rise through the filling and form a crispy, glistening, nutty topping for the pie. I’ve found that the pecans taste overcooked if toasted before making the pie.
You may place a loosely tented piece of foil over the top for the last few minutes of baking to prevent the edges of the crust from becoming too brown.
Yes – I use maple syrup in this pecan pie recipe. It’s a natural option and gives the pie a maple flavor that is rich and delicious. Light corn syrup (sometimes referred to by a brand name of Karo syrup) has a more neutral flavor and is what my grandmother used.
If using maple syrup, the amount is given in the recipe card, but you use the same amount of it as you’d use of corn syrup.
You may also enjoy our Pecan Pie Bars or Pecan Chewies if you love pecans as my family does! Delicious!
More Favorite Southern Desserts
- Southern Caramel Cake
- Easy Peach Cobbler
- Chocolate Chess Pie
- Southern Banana Pudding
- Pumpkin Pie
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Here’s my family’s easy Pecan Pie Recipe. It indeed makes the BEST Pecan Pie! I sure hope you love it as much as we do!
Best Pecan Pie Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Read Thermometer optional
Ingredients
- ½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large (150 g) eggs
- 1 cup (312 g) light corn syrup or maple syrup
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
- pinch (0.4 g) kosher salt
- 1 cup (114 g) pecan halves or pieces
- 1 unbaked pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Add granulated sugar and eggs to a large bowl. Whisk together until well-combined. Add in syrup (corn or maple), melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir in pecan halves and pour into the unbaked pie crust.
- Place in oven and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your oven. A piece of foil may be placed over the top for the last few minutes of baking to prevent the edges of the crust from becoming over-brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Hi Robyn,
Try this: add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder to the sugar and mix to remove any lumps. Then mix as usual. The cocoa will cut the sweetness and enrich the overall favor. With just one tablespoon cocoa, people might not be able to guess what the secret ingredient is, but they like it. More than this and you are getting into a chocolate pecan pie, and that is a whole different thing. Even my Mom thought it was better then her proven family recipe.
Try it and let me know how you like it,
David
Thanks, David, I will give this a try. Thanks for the tip.
I hate pecans..but my father-in-law grew up in the south. He is always reminding of his mother’s scratch pies. This Connecticut Yankee always bakes him southern delights. This year I’m looking for a new pecan pie recipe to try. I love sweet potato myself so I’m gonna try both of your recipes. I’ll let you know how they come out. Thank you 💗
Jennt, I hope everyone enjoys your pies. You may want to try my Mock Pecan Pie Recipe sometime, no nuts!
Awesome recipe. Just like my Mother’s. The thermometer comment helped immensely. Thank you!
Thanks, Frank. I’m glad that internal temperature helped you.
Does the pie thicken up if you use the maple syrup rather than the Karo? Thanks.
Danine, the pie does thicken with the maple syrup. The pie in my photos was made with the maple syrup. I hope you enjoy!
This pie is beyond good! It’s so delicious and not hard to make at all. And it’s really something special with your pie crust recipe.
I love it cold from the fridge with my morning coffee.
Thanks so much, Leigh! I agree, it is great at breakfast time with coffee.
I made it with maple syrup. This might be the easiest pie I have ever made. Looking forward to eating it again the day after Thanksgiving when we enjoy everything again left over!
It seems to me that the pie is better the second day so I hope you do enjoy it again today. Thanks, Audrey!
This pecan pie sounds delicious! I was wondering if you thought it would work to use 1/2 cup light corn syrup and 1/2 cup of maple syrup? Our friends in Michigan give us maple syrup every year. It’s not very thick, in fact it is a little runny, but the flavor is awesome!
Judy, I think the pie would be delicious with a half cup of each of the light corn syrup and the maple syrup. I think the maple syrup gives the pie an amazing flavor. Hope you enjoy!
Omg, I have been using this recipe for 37 years! My late mother-in-law shared it with ne. It was her mother’s recipe! This is the first time I’ve ever seen anyone else use this recipe, that I hadn’t shared it with!
How neat is that?! Isn’t it amazing? Do you make yours with maple syrup or corn syrup? If you’ve not tried maple syrup in it, try it sometime.
Never had much luck with pecan the middle has been real runny you gave me a answer for what I have been doing wrong got to try it with my thermometer thank you for the advice
I hope that helps, Betty! xo