The Best Pecan Pie Recipe
Pecan pie is our favorite and not just for Thanksgiving. I admit, I will have it a few times a year. It’s the sweetness, it’s the pecans and it’s the flaky crust that call to me. When all of those great things are combined together, you get one decadent dessert, if there ever was one. This pie is an absolute bona fide all American classic, Southern baking at its finest, almost too delicious for words, but somehow here I am, writing about it to share with you all. But what makes a pecan pie really that great decadent morsel we’re all so fond of? It all starts with the flaky crust. As I always say, homemade is always better and when it comes to pie crust it certainly is true. You’re looking for a flaky, crumbly and buttery pie crust that will literally melt in your mouth. Of course, you can use store bought, but when you feel brave enough, go ahead and make your own. You’ll thank me! Beyond all the flaky crust, the most important thing when it comes to this classic pie is the filling. Corn syrup is a must, lots of pecans, butter, a bit of vanilla, flour and a bit of brown sugar is what makes this filling so great.
Pie crust – follow my recipe here. We only need 1/2 of the recipe, feel free to make the full recipe and just freeze the other half of the crust. You can also use store bought pie crust.
Filling
Pecans – We want both chopped up and halved pecans. The chopped up ones are going into the filling and our halved pecans are going to be artfully lined up on top. Sugar – Some packed brown sugar is all we need, that molasses flavor is going to add complexity and depth to our filling. Flour – Just a bit of all purpose to help keep our filling from getting too liquidy, it’ll bind the filling and help us achieve a custardy consistency. Eggs – We want whole eggs for richness and to help us bind our filling. Butter – Unsalted is best to control the sodium content of our pie. Vanilla – This is a bit of a secret weapon flavor enhancer. Corn syrup – This ingredient offers both sweetness and texture to our filling. Either light or dark will work. Seasoning – A bit of salt is necessary to all baked goods, it’ll help balance out all the rich and sweet flavors we have going on.
This recipe is really easy! Making homemade pecan pie is not complicated and the results are super delicious. The filling comes together in just minutes and a store-bought crust can be used. Just follow these simple steps and your pecan pie will turn out perfect!
Make The Crust
To begin, you need to make my easy pie crust recipe. You can also use a store-bought crust if you are short on time. Either option works well.
Preheat The Oven
Now, preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) to get it ready to blind-bake your crust. Then grab a 9-inch pie pan and set it aside for a later step.
Let The Dough Rest
The dough needs to soften up a bit so that you can roll it out. So remove it from the fridge and set it on the counter on a lightly floured surface to rest for up to 10 minutes. If you try to skip this step the dough will often tear. However, you only need to do this step if you are making your own crust.
Roll Out The Dough
Now, we can get rolling! Begin rolling the disc of dough out into a circle that is ⅛ of an inch in thickness. If the dough starts to stick to the surface or to the rolling pin just add a bit more flour. Then once the dough is rolled out, transfer it into your pie plate. The easiest way to do this is by rolling it around the rolling pin and then unrolling it over the pie plate. Then use your fingers to crimp the edges and cut off the excess dough.
Blind Bake The Crust
Before we can bake the pecan pie, we have to prebake the crust. This is a necessary step that will ensure that the crust fully bakes and also keeps it from getting soggy. To do this, lay a piece of parchment paper over the formed pie crust and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Then place the crust in the oven to blind bake for 15 minutes. When it’s done baking, remove the parchment paper and pie weights.
Reduce The Temperature
The pecan pie bakes at a different temperature than the crust so you’ll need to turn the oven down to 350°F (177°C). Lowering the temperature now allows time for the heat to go down as you prepare the pecan filling.
Make The Filling
Now for the nutty part! Combine the brown sugar, salt, and flour in a large bowl. Next, add the butter, eggs, vanilla, and corn syrup. Then whisk everything together with a hand whisk or electric hand mixer until the mixture is well incorporated. Finally, stir in ½ cup of the chopped pecans and your filling is complete!
Assemble The Pie
With the filling and crust both made, you can now join the 2 to make your pecan pie. First, pour the pecan pie filling into the prebaked crust and distribute it evenly. Then neatly arrange the rest of the pecans on top of the filling.
Bake The Pie
You’re almost done! We just need to bake. Transfer the pie to the oven and bake it for 50 to 55 minutes or until it puffs up. When it’s done, it should not wiggle when you jiggle it.
Cool And Serve
Finally, the best part! But first, you must allow the pie to cool completely so that the filling can set. If you don’t, it will fall apart. Then slice the pie and enjoy with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!
What Is Blind Baking?
Blind baking basically means baking your pie crust before filling it and baking the entire pie. This is necessary when making a pie with a custardy filling like ours today as it prevents the crust from becoming soggy. Don’t forget to read the post on making the perfect pie crust and all about blind baking!
Can I Skip The Corn Syrup?
You sure can! Although I have to be honest, it won’t be quite the same without it. Just combine maple syrup with 1 tablespoon of flour and you’ve got a perfectly sweet and decadent substitute!
Amp Up The Flavor
To bring out the flavor of the pecans even more, toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350°F (177°C) or until you start to smell them. You can even brown the butter before incorporating it into your filling.
Pie Weights
These little weights prevent the pie crust from forming air bubbles and from puffing up. The crust will stay nestled nicely right against the pie plate and bake uniformly. You can buy ceramic or metal weights or just use plain old dried beans.
Leftovers
Pecan pies are great because they can easily be made a day or two ahead. You can bake it, cool it, then wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge until ready to serve.
Freezer
These can definitely be made ahead of time! Just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and seal in an air tight container before popping in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before warming on the counter before slicing and serving!
More Incredible Pecan Recipes To Try
Pecan Pie Cheesecake Chocolate Pecan Pie Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars Bourbon Pecan Pie Chocolate Pecan Pie Cookies Cinnamon Chocolate Pecan Pie Cookies Banana Nut Muffins Canadian Butter Tarts
