Pecan Pie Recipe
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I simply love making this classic pecan pie with homemade pie crust, vanilla, eggs, and baking staples. It is the perfect after dinner dessert or an early morning sweet treat with coffee. My recipe is easy to prepare any time of the year, but I especially enjoy baking it during the holiday season.
If you ask either my daughter or my wife which nut is their favorite, they will say pecans without even thinking about it, and I could not agree more. We are completely obsessed with anything pecan and that is exactly why I made my candied pecans in the first place. And of course, a classic pecan pie could not be missing from my blog, so here I am with a recipe that I can’t wait to share with you.
Pecan Pie
To give you a little bit of context before we dig into the recipe, you should know that pecan pie was created in the United States, where pecans and the pecan tree are native. Pecans have been enjoyed for centuries and were shared and spread by Native Americans, which helped this nut become a beloved part of American cooking.
To my surprise, the pie was said to have been created by a Texas woman who submitted her recipe to a charity cookbook for a church in St. Louis in the late 19th century. However, the pie did not reach wider popularity until the mass production of Karo syrup came to life in the 1920s.
Well, I am pretty grateful that we get to enjoy fresh pecans here in the United States, and I get mine from my local market to make this decadent pecan pie recipe. The rich filling, the crunchy pecans, and the golden crust make this pie incredibly delicious. I love serving it for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but I also make it on regular Sundays when my sweet tooth family wants something indulgent at home.
Ingredients and Substitutions
When I make this pecan pie recipe, I usually use my homemade crust that I prepare in advance, then I only need the six ingredients I listed below.
- Pecans – Pecan halves is what I use for this pie
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the salt content.
- Eggs – I recommend picking large size eggs, chilled or at room temperature.
- Karo Syrup – You can use either light, dark, or a combination of corn syrups.
- Sugar – I like using light brown sugar in my pecan pie. However, you can use dark brown sugar or regular granulated sugar.
- Vanilla – Any good vanilla extract will work.
- Pie Crust – You can use a store bought crust, or you can make my pie crust recipe from scratch.
How to Make Easy Pecan Pie
Make the crust: I enjoy making my 10-minute flaky pie crust recipe, then shape it in my pie dish or tin, and place it in the freezer while I prepare the filling.
Whisk the eggs: I add the eggs to a large bowl and whisk until they are completely scrambled.
Mix the filling: I whisk in the Karo syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla until everything is fully blended. Note: This is also the stage where sometimes I add extras like orange zest, molasses, bourbon, or rum if I want to deepen the flavor. You can check my notes section below for the precise amount.
Add the pecans: I finish by mixing in 3/4 of the pecans with a whisk or a rubber spatula.
Fill the crust: I pour the filling into the cold pie crust and make sure it spreads evenly.
Decorate the top: I use the remaining one cup of pecans and place them gently on top of the filling in a decorative pattern. Note: You can watch my video to see exactly how I arrange them step by step.
Bake: I bake the pie for 60-70 minutes at 350° or until the center has set and is firm. It can have a very slight jiggle, which is completely normal.
Cool the pie: I remove the pie from the oven, place it on a rack, and let it cool completely to room temperature, which can take several hours.
Chef Tip + Notes
I always check the internal temperature of the pie during the last few minutes of baking. When the center reaches about 200 degrees, the eggs have set fully, the syrup thickens properly, and the filling firms up without turning grainy. This temperature point also keeps the pecans on top from getting too dark. It is the simplest way to make sure the texture stays smooth, rich, and sliceable every single time. That is exactly what I aim for when I make this pecan pie!
- Convection baking: I lower the temperature to 325 degrees when I use convection. This helps the filling cook evenly without overbrowning the top.
- Decorating with pecans: I sometimes need a little more than one cup of pecans to decorate the top. I add extra if I want a fuller look.
- Preventing overbrowning: If the crust or the pecans start to darken too quickly, I gently place a piece of foil over the top. This protects the pie while it finishes baking.
- Slicing the pie: I always use a serrated knife when cutting this pie. It gives me neat slices without breaking the pecans.
- Oven rack placement: I bake this pie on the middle rack. This position keeps the heat steady so the filling cooks consistently.
- Flavor variations: I sometimes add any of these ingredients to change the flavor. I use 1 tablespoon of bourbon like I did in this recipe, 1 to 2 tablespoons of rum, 1 tablespoon of orange zest, 2 tablespoons of molasses, or 1 2 cup chocolate chips.
Serving suggestions
To be honest, we eat pecan pie all year long because that is how much we enjoy pecans, just as I mentioned before. It goes so well after a comforting warm bowl of pot roast, or during the holidays as a classic Thanksgiving dessert after a spatchcock turkey.
The way I always serve this pie is with my vanilla ice cream, which is my wife’s favorite, and a little homemade caramel and homemade whipped cream for my daughter and me. I set all three toppings out when I host holiday parties so everyone can choose what they enjoy most.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make my recipe up to 2 days ahead. After it’s cooled, cover it and keep it in the refrigerator. Pull it out and let it sit at room temperature the day you are ready to serve it.
How to Store: I cover and keep in the refrigerator for 7 days. Cover and keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day or until softened before serving.
More Dessert Recipes
- Pumpkin Bars
- Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
- Old Fashioned Apple Crisp Recipe
- Layered Rum Pumpkin Cake
- Banana Pudding
Video
Pecan Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups light Karo corn syrup
- 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 4 cups pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Form the pie crust to a pie tin or shell and place in the freezer until ready to use.
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs until they are scrambled and smooth.
- Next, add in the syrup, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and bourbon and whisk until completely mixed in and very smooth. There should be no lumps at all.
- Add in ¾ of the pecans and fold in using a rubber spatula or you can gently whisk them in.
- Remove the pie shell in the tin from the freezer and pour the pecan pie filling into the pie shell. Scrape all if using a rubber spatula.
- Using the remaining 1 cup of pecans, or more, decorate the top of the pie in your desired fashion.
- Bake in the oven on the middle rack at 350° for 75-90 minutes or until the pie shell is lightly browned and the center is firm and it reads 200° internally.
- Remove from the oven and add it to a rack and cool it completely until it reaches room temperature.
I have NEVER, EVER heard of using bacon fat in my pie crust. I’m so excited to give this a try! Pecan pie is my husband’s favorite & I plan to make it for him for Christmas. I’m so stoked to give this a whirl. Thanks for helping me expand my culinary knowledge and skills.
Thank you for giving it a shot!
If I don’t use rendered bacon fat, should I use Crisco shortening or just more butter?
more butter or lard if you have it
It would so helpful if you could also use gram measurements
Grams are available—just click “US Customary” in the recipe card and switch to “Metric.”
I’ve replaced both the syrup and sugar in my pecan pies with Brown Rice Syrup for years and really prefer it. The only thing I see that I might try adding that you use is the bourbon!