This classic southern pecan pie is full of toasted crunchy pecans with a gooey, rich, caramely filling in a flaky buttery pie crust.
Pecan pie is my favorite addition to the Thanksgiving dessert table. But it's also perfect for Christmas or anytime of year really!
You might also like these pecan pie bars or this classic pumpkin pie!
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
You just need a few simple ingredients to make this classic pecan pie!
Pie Crust - I use my homemade buttery pie crust recipe for this classic pecan pie! But you can use store-bought crust or your own homemade crust if desired.
Pecans - I like using toasted unsalted pecans for the filling and whole raw pecan halves for arranging on top! If you want to arrange pecans on top, you'll need about 1 cup or roughly 75 whole pecan halves.
Eggs - The eggs are essential for binding the filling together.
Corn Syrup - The corny syrup not only sweetens the filling, but helps hold it together and also prevents crystallization while the pie bakes. I prefer using dark corn syrup because it has a richer flavor, but light corn syrup works too.
Brown Sugar - I like using brown sugar for that little extra molasses flavor, but regular granulated sugar works too.
Cinnamon - This is optional, but I like adding in a pinch of cinnamon for that warming fall flavor.
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
Optional Add-Ins
- Different flavorings! Add in ½ teaspoon of maple extract or rum extract. Or 1 tablespoon of bourbon!
- Add chocolate! Add ½ cup of chocolate chips to make chocolate pecan pie.
- Use a variety of nuts! Replace up to 1 cup of the pecans with chopped walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts!
How to Make Classic Pecan Pie
In order to get a super crispy, flaky pie crust I use a method call par baking. It literally means "partially bake" and it's a great way to get the crust to set before adding in a soupy filling like this pecan pie.
I use my perfect pie crust for this recipe, so you can also check out that blog post for all my pie making tips and tricks!
Lightly flour your counter-top and roll out the pie dough to ¼ inch thick and about 2 inches wider than your pie pan. Roll the pie crust into the pie pan and cut away any excess crust. Curl or crimp the edges however you desire.
Chill the pie crust in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking (if you skip this step, the pie crust will shrink). While the crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place a piece of parchment paper or heavy duty aluminum foil inside the pie crust and fill with pie weights (uncooked rice or dry beans also work great).
Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment paper and pie weights then return the pie crust to the oven to bake for another 5 minutes until the bottom of the crust is just starting to brown.
Remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly while you prepare the filling!
Reduce the oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the corn syrup, eggs, melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until combined and smooth.
Add the chopped toasted pecans to the slightly cooled pie crust.
Pour the filling evenly over the pecans.
If desired, add the whole pecan halves on top and arrange into a pattern.
Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes or until the filling is set. It should jiggle just slightly when jostled. If the top or edges of the pie are getting too dark during baking, you can add a pie shield or loosely tent the pie with aluminum foil.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely to room temperature (at least 4 hours) before slicing. Top with flaky sea salt if desired.
Serve either warm or room temperature with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
Tips for the Best Pie!
For all my pie recipes, I like to use my classic flaky pie crust! I have a whole blog post with tons of tips and tricks for perfect pie crust, but the most important are listed below. Be sure to check out the rest of our pie recipes too!
Keep it cold! The secret to a super flaky pie crust is keeping the dough cold at every step. Use cold butter and cold water while making the dough, and try to keep the dough as cold as possible while working with it. I often refrigerate my pies for at least 10-20 minutes after each step so that the dough stays as cold as possible. You want very cold dough going into a very hot oven for the best results!
Use a metal pie pan! Not all pie pans are created equal! Most pie pans on the market are either metal, glass, or ceramic. Overall, metal pie pans are the best of the best because they keep the crust very crispy and they're also the most durable and affordable. A fun alternative to classic aluminum pie pans that yields the same results is a cast iron skillet! I know ceramic pie plates certainly are pretty, but unfortunately the bottom crust just never gets crispy so I just don't recommend them.
Brush the crust with egg wash before baking! Brushing the crust with an egg was (just a beaten whole egg) before baking, gives a beautiful, glossy, golden brown appearance! For savory pies I like to sprinkle with flaky sea salt and for dessert pies I like to sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
Par bake for extra crispy crust! For pies with more runny fillings (like a berry pie or custard based pie), par baking the crust before filling helps ensure a super crispy bottom! It also helps prevent overcooking the filling. Place a piece of parchment paper or heavy duty aluminum foil inside the pie crust and fill with pie weights. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment paper and pie weights then return the pie crust to the oven to bake for another 5 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is just beginning to brown. [Note: unfortunately this won't work with double crust pies]
Let it rest! Letting the pie rest for a bit after removing from the oven helps the filling thicken up and prevents a runny pie. For pies that you want to eat immediately while they're still hot, it's still best to let it rest for 20-30 minutes before cutting so that the filling can thicken up slightly. But for fruit pies or custard pies, letting the pie rest for at least 4-6 hours is ideal!
My Favorite Pie Making Tools!
Recipe FAQ's
Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to remove it from the fridge for an hour before serving. You can also reheat it at 350°F for 10-15 minutes to serve warm.
This pecan pie can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in the fridge! It's perfect to make ahead for Thanksgiving dessert!
Yes! This pie freezes great! You can freeze it whole or in slices. Let the pie cool completely. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the oven at 300°F for 10-20 minutes.
This recipe is designed to be made with corn syrup so I don't recommend any substitutes. However, I have a different pecan pie recipe with no corn syrup that uses dates to help thicken the filling instead!
Pecan pie filling should be a bit gooey, but never runny. If your pie is runny it's either because the pie didn't bake long enough or it still needs more time to cool completely to fully set up. You can chill the pie in the fridge for a few hours to help the filling set more quickly.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
More Recipes You Might Like!
If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers.
Also be sure to add us as a trusted site on Google so that our recipes show up more in your searches!
For more delicious, scratch-made recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on social media!
Recipe Card
Classic Pecan Pie
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ Perfect Pie Crust, or your favorite store-bought pie crust
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon, optional
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 cup whole pecan halves
- flaky sea salt, for topping
Instructions
Par Baked Pie Crust
- I use my perfect pie crust for this recipe, so you can also check out that blog post for all my pie making tips and tricks!
- Lightly flour your counter-top and roll out the pie dough to ¼ inch thick and about 2 inches wider than your pie pan. Roll the pie crust into the pie pan and cut away any excess crust. Curl or crimp the edges however you desire.
- Chill the pie crust in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking (if you skip this step, the pie crust will shrink). While the crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Place a piece of parchment paper or heavy duty aluminum foil inside the pie crust and fill with pie weights (uncooked rice or dry beans also work great).
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment paper and pie weights then return the pie crust to the oven to bake for another 5 minutes until the bottom of the crust is just starting to brown.
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly while you prepare the filling!
Pecan Pie Filling
- Reduce the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the corn syrup, eggs, melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until combined and smooth.
- Add the chopped toasted pecans to the slightly cooled pie crust.
- Pour the filling evenly over the pecans. If desired, add the whole pecan halves on top and arrange into a pattern.
- Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes or until the filling is set. It should jiggle just slightly when jostled. If the top or edges of the pie are getting too dark during baking, you can add a pie shield or loosely tent the pie with aluminum foil.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely to room temperature (at least 4 hours) before slicing. Top with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Serve either warm or room temperature with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Comments
No Comments