My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

My classic homemade pecan pie is traditional in the best possible way. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty—after one taste, you’ll know why it’s a favorite!

My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (1)

Pecan pie is the classic sugary dessert without which no Thanksgiving is complete. It’s as traditional as pumpkin pie and as wonderfully rich as apple pie. Growing up, my family’s Thanksgiving dessert table always included (and will always include) my late grandmother’s homemade recipe. It’s a true honor to share her recipe in memory of her, and I know her recipe will live on for many years to come.

What Makes This My Best Pecan Pie Recipe

This is my favorite pecan pie recipe and here’s why:

  • Simple: There are only 8 ingredients in this remarkably simple filling.
  • Flaky pie crust: We’re talking mega flaky, mega buttery, and mega delicious. This is the one and only pie crust recipe I use. It’s been passed down through generations and stands the test of time. Here’s my recipe for all-butter pie crust if you’d like to try that instead. Both pie crust recipes yield enough dough for two 9-inch pies. You can freeze the second half of the dough, or make another one-crust pie such as this chocolate chess pie, turkey pot pie, or pumpkin pie.
  • No pre-baking needed: The buttery pie crust has a wonderfully flaky texture, but still stays perfectly intact as the pie bakes and cools. Some recipes require you to pre-bake the pie crust before pouring in the filling, but I don’t find that necessary in this recipe.
  • Incredible texture: The pecans on top get all toasty while the nuts underneath have a melt-in-your-mouth chewy texture. The pecans’ flavor and texture, paired with the flaky pie crust, the filling’s vanilla, butter, and cinnamon… it all just makes this my favorite pecan pie recipe. If you love this, try my pecan pie cheesecake next. Talk about a texture lover’s dream!
  • It’s make-ahead friendly! This pie freezes and thaws well, so you can make it up to 3 months before you serve it.
My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (2)

Grab These Ingredients

  1. Pecans: Can’t make pecan pie without them!
  2. Eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients and hold the filling together.
  3. Corn Syrup: Sweetens, holds the filling together, and helps prevent crystallization while the pie bakes. I prefer dark corn syrup here for intensified flavor. See below if you’re interested in pie without corn syrup.
  4. Brown Sugar: You can use light or dark brown sugar; dark has a little deeper flavor, with its higher molasses content.
  5. Pure Vanilla Extract: One of the key flavors.
  6. Butter: Melted butter makes for the best buttery flavor.
  7. Salt: A little salt balances the sweet, and is especially welcome in a pie made with nuts.
  8. Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds an extra layer of flavor! I don’t see many pecan pies with cinnamon; so thank you, Grandma, for giving me the opportunity to present a slightly unique pecan pie on our Thanksgiving tables.

Since it’s made with few ingredients, it’s imperative to use high quality. I genuinely love Diamond of California pecans and if you have homemade vanilla extract, go ahead and use it here.

My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (3)

Here’s How to Make This Pecan Pie

As far as Thanksgiving pies go, this is one of the easiest. There’s no pre-baking the crust or pre-cooking the filling. Grandma truly knows what’s best! Here’s an overview of the process:

  1. Make the pie crust. As always, use my favorite homemade pie crust. This is the same crust you can use when making mini pecan pies too! It needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out, so I always make it the night before.
  2. Roll out the pie crust. You’re aiming for a pie dough circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish.
  3. Spread the pecans inside the pie crust.
  4. Whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over pecans.
  5. Bake. I like to place a pie crust shield on top of the pie edges to prevent them from browning too quickly. If you find the whole pie is browning too quickly, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the whole pie.
  6. Slice and serve. The pie is delicious warm or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.
My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (4)
My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (5)

How to Make Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup

FAQ:Can I make pecan pie without corn syrup? My answer was always: yes, but the filling won’t really set, and it won’t taste like pecan pie. So… no, you can’t. Until I tried maple pecan pie!

Corn syrup is the glue that holds this filling together. Thicker than other liquid sweeteners, corn syrup works with the eggs to help ensure your pecan pie filling will set. However, many bakers are looking for an unrefined substitution for the corn syrup. When creating my recipe for pecan pie without corn syrup, my goal was to find a solution to not only find a corn syrup substitute, but to guarantee the filling will still set and taste delicious.

Taking a note from mybrown butter pecan pie bars, I reached forpure maple syrup. This is a thinner liquid than corn syrup, but has the most remarkable flavor, as you know. The bars recipe calls for tempering the eggs, but I wanted a no-fuss filling that skipped the extra steps. Enter the magical ingredient: 1 tiny Tablespoon of flour. Simple, delicious, and pure flavors give us a maple-infused, buttery, sweet, deliciously thick slice of pie. So, I know you’ll love my maple pecan pie variation too.

My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (6)
My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (7)

Success Tip: How to Freeze Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is a wonderful dessert to make ahead of time. Simply bake the pie as directed, allow it to cool completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before slicing and serving with a big dollop of whipped cream.

I made about 3 or 4 of these pies the past couple of weeks to freeze for the upcoming holidays—they freeze and thaw beautifully! No one ever realizes they aren’t freshly baked.

More Thanksgiving Pie Recipes

  • Caramel Pear Pie
  • Pumpkin Pie
  • Apple Pie with Chai Spices
  • Sweet Potato Pie (like the dessert version of Sweet Potato Casserole!)
  • Apple Pie

And make sure to check out my list of the 10 best tools for baking pies!

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My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (8)

My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.5 from 166 reviews

  • Author: Sally
  • Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 hours
  • Yield: serves 8-10
  • Category: Pie
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

My classic homemade pecan pie is traditional in the best possible way. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty—after one taste, you’ll know why it’s a favorite! No need to pre-bake the crust.

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 unbaked Flaky Pie Crust(what I used) orAll Butter Pie Crust*
  • egg wash for pie crust:1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk or heavy cream

Filling

  • 2 and 1/2 cups (250g) shelled pecans (pecan halves)
  • 3large eggs
  • 1 cup (240ml) darkcorn syrup*
  • 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. The crust:Preparemypie crustthrough step 5.
  2. After the pie dough chills, adjust oven rack to the lower third position and preheat to 350°F (177°C).
  3. Roll out the chilled pie crust onto a lightly floured surface. Remember, when rolling out the pie dough, always use gentle force with your rolling pin. Start from the center and work your way out in all directions, rotating the dough with your hands as you go. Roll it out into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough in a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it’s smooth. For a beautiful edge, as shown in the video tutorial, fold the overhanging dough back over the edge and use your hands to mold the edge into a nice thick rim around the pie. Crimp the edges with a fork or use your fingers to flute the edges. Again, you can see me do this in the video above or in my separate how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial. Brush the edges with egg wash. (To help guarantee a beautiful edge, I always chill the shaped dough in the pie dish for 10 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer before filling.)
  4. The filling: Very roughly chop the pecans—some whole, some coarsely chopped is fine. Spread pecans evenly inside pie crust. Whisk the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl until combined. Pour over pecans.
  5. Bake the pie for 50–55 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly. You can also tent a piece of aluminum foil over the whole pie if it is browning too quickly. Remove finished pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. The pie filling will settle as it cools.
  6. Slice and serve pie warm or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.
  7. Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for 1–2 days or in the refrigerator for 4–5 days.

Notes

  1. Make-Ahead Instructions: Pecan pie is a wonderful dessert to make ahead of time. You can get started by combining all the filling ingredients (except the pecans) one day ahead of time. Keep it covered tightly in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the pie. You can also make the pie dough 1–5 days in advance since it needs to chill. If you want to bake the pie 1 full day in advance, bake it as directed, allow it to completely cool, then cover tightly and keep at room temperature until ready to serve the next day.
  2. Freezing Instructions: Bake the pie as directed, allow it to cool completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before slicing and serving.
  3. Special Tools(affiliate links): Rolling Pin |9-inch Pie Dish | Pastry Brush | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Pie Crust Shield | Cooling Rack
  4. Pie Crust: Both linked pie crust recipes make 2 crusts. You only need 1 crust for this pie, so freeze the 2nd half for another use or another one-crust pie like pumpkin pie.
  5. Corn Syrup: You can use light corn syrup instead. I have no substitution suggestions yielding the same texture, moisture, and flavor. Corn syrup is a must in traditional pecan pie. For a variation without corn syrup, try my maple pecan pie.
My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

FAQs

What can I use instead of Karo syrup in pecan pie? ›

5 Corn Syrup Substitutes
  • Maple Syrup. Swap in equal parts maple syrup for light or dark corn syrup in pies, cakes, or any recipe where its subtle maple flavor would be welcome. ...
  • Brown Rice Syrup. ...
  • Honey. ...
  • Golden Syrup. ...
  • Cane Sugar Syrup.
Jul 30, 2022

Does Joanna Gaines have a pecan pie recipe? ›

Not only is it chock-full of approachable, family-friendly recipes, the book is also packed with priceless nuggets of kitchen wisdom from Queen Gaines herself. One such gem is her surprising twist on classic pecan pie. The recipe itself is pretty basic, spare one unexpected ingredient: ancho chile powder.

Why does pecan pie need corn syrup? ›

Corn syrup is the glue that holds this filling together. Thicker than other liquid sweeteners, corn syrup works with the eggs to help ensure your pecan pie filling will set.

Why is my pecan pie hard on top? ›

Why is my pecan pie hard? A hard pecan pie means it was cooked too long.

Is light or dark Karo syrup better for pecan pie? ›

Light and dark corn syrup can be used interchangeably in almost every instance, with slight flavor variances. In a pecan pie, for example, light corn syrup will contribute sweetness and a hint of vanilla, but that's about it. Dark corn syrup, in addition to sweetness, will add color and a more robust, toasty flavor.

Why is my Karo pecan pie runny? ›

A pecan pie is essentially a custard pie, and a liquid center is almost always the result of underbaking. The Karo Classic Pecan Pie recipe calls for baking the pie for 60 to 70 minutes at 350 degrees. In some ovens, however, the pie can take 75 minutes or more.

What makes a pecan pie not set up? ›

If you look in the oven and see that your pecan pie crust has turned a perfect golden brown, you'll instinctively want to take it out -- even if the filling is too jiggly or even soupy. Here's the thing to remember: If you're filling hasn't set, it means the bottom of the pie crust isn't fully cooked, either.

Should Karo pecan pie be refrigerated? ›

The answer is yes! Because it is rich in eggs, pecan pie should be refrigerated according to food safety rules. Keeping it out at room temperature could leave it at risk for spoiling too soon.

What is a good substitute for corn syrup? ›

The best corn syrup substitutes for baking are brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave, tapioca syrup, honey, golden syrup, and black treacle.

Can you over bake a pecan pie? ›

Cook pecan pie too much and it'll crack and be dry. Underbake it and it will be watery and runny. You want to cook pecan pie to an internal temperature of 200°F. Use a digital thermometer to make this easy.

How do you keep pecan pie crust from sticking to a pie plate? ›

Chill the pie pan before you place the pie crust in the pan. Aerosol non-stick sprays - Use a very, very light and even coating so the spray doesn't pool in the pan. Hold the pan over the sink and spritz gently in short bursts, so that just the edge of the spray hits the pan at an angle.

Can I use cream of tartar instead of corn syrup? ›

Making this corn syrup substitute could not be easier. Made of only sugar, water, cream of tartar, and lemon juice, this candy-like sauce cooks up to be super thick, full-bodied, and sweet just like corn syrup.

What is a non alcoholic substitute for bourbon in pecan pie? ›

Vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar have often been used to mimic the taste of bourbon in recipes, but you can clearly tell when they are used as substitutes.

What is a good substitute for pecan flavoring? ›

7 Easy Substitutes for Pecans
SubstituteTasteSuitable Dishes
WalnutsEarthy, slightly bitterBaked goods, salads, pesto
AlmondsSweet, nuttyBaked goods, granola
HazelnutsSweet, butteryBaked goods, chocolate desserts, salads
Macadamia NutsRich, butteryBaked goods, ice cream
3 more rows
Jun 6, 2024

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