This best pecan pie recipe is filled with nuts and has a caramel-like sweet and gooey filling. It is all baked in a flaky, buttery pie crust.
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🥧What is pecan pie?
Pecan pie is a classic dessert that is just as traditional as apple pie or pumpkin pie. This best pecan pie recipe is made up of pecans and a filling of eggs, butter and sugar. There are many variations of pecan pie, and this one uses corn syrup and a bit of molasses.
You can use store bought crust for this recipe, or try a homemade crust. The recipe is listed with the pecan pie filling down below. It is a super flaky pie crust and the only one I use!
Like pecan desserts? Try pecan pie kolaches, pecan pie brownies, or triple chocolate pecan loaf!
🥘Ingredients
- flour - I use all purpose flour for the pie dough.
- sugar - I like to sweeten the pie dough just a bit when making a sweet pie.
- salt - salt is used both in the pie dough and the filling.
- shortening/lard - I like using a lard for my pie doughs. Shortening works well too though.
- milk/water - I use a combination of milk and water to give moisture to the pie dough.
- pecans - make sure to buy whole pecans and roughly chop them yourself.
- eggs - This recipe uses 3 large eggs.
- corn syrup - There are other ingredients you can use in it's place, like maple syrup, but corn syrup is arguably the best ingredient as it makes for a more stable filling.
- brown sugar - You can use either regular brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
- unsulfured molasses - A little bit of molasses helps amp the filling flavour.
- unsalted butter - You will melt the butter so no need to set it out for softening.
- vanilla extract - Use real vanilla extract for best flavour.
🔪Instructions
Start the pie by making the pie crust first. My flaky pie crust recipe makes enough for a double crust pie, but you can freeze half of it for later use.
Once your pie crust is in the pie dish, set it in the freezer while you make the filling. This will help keep the pie crust from shrinking a lot during baking.
Set the pecans aside and whisk together the rest of the filling ingredients. When you are ready, take the pie crust out of the freezer. Place the pecans in the bottom of the pie dish and pour the filling overtop of them. You can place some pecans on top of the filling to make a decoration if you like. Push them into the filling a bit so they are secure.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden.
✔️Expert tips
- Make sure the pie cools completely after baking, about 2 hours! The filling will be too runny when it comes out of the oven and it needs this time to firm up.
- The pie crust makes enough for a double crust pie. You only need 1 crust for this pie so freeze the other for another use. You can also use a store bought pie crust.
- Use a pie shield partly through baking if you crust is getting too browned. Make your own by cutting a 9-inch circle with aluminum foil and then cutting a large hole out if it's center.
- You can use light or dark corn syrup. Corn syrup is the glue that holds the pecan pie together and is most traditional in a pecan pie. You could also use maple syrup, although the filling won't hold together as well as corn syrup.
- If you want to add whisky to the pecan pie, reduce the corn syrup by 2 tablespoons and add in 2 tablespoons of your favourite whisky. Whisk it into the filling ingredients.
- To make a different nut pie, just replace the 2.5 cups of chopped pecans with 2.5 cups of another nut.
💭FAQs
Pecan pie needs to cool completely after being baked so that the filling sets, about 2 hours. Pecan pie is best served at room temperature. It can be warmed up, but the filling will be runny. Serve your pecan pie with a side of ice cream!
Pecan pie is a great pie to freeze. Bake the pie as directed, allow it to cool completely and then wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Place it in a freezer zip top bag or an air tight container, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Any pies that have an egg based filling, like pecan pie, need to be refrigerated.
📋 Recipe
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Best Pecan Pie Recipe
Equipment
- one 9 inch pie pan
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulate sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup shortening or lard chilled and cubed
- 5 tablespoons milk cold
- 5 tablespoons water cold
Pecan Pie Filling
- 2.5 cups pecans coarsely chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons unsulfured molasses
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk flour, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Add the shortening/lard to the bowl.
- Using a pastry cutter, or two forks, cut the shortening into the mixture until the flour coated fats are pea sized.
- Add the milk and water to a measuring cup and stir. Drizzle this in, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix with a spoon or your hands. Do not add too much of the milk/water. Stop adding this when the dough comes together easily. You may need to use less in the summer and more in the winter. Form the dough into a ball.
- Cut the dough into 2 balls of dough. You only need 1 ball of dough for this recipe, so freeze the other ball of dough for another use.
- Flatten the ball of dough into 1-inch thick discs and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch pie pan and set aside. After the dough has chilled, roll it out on a floured surface. Turn the dough a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle that is about 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place it into the prepared pie dish, using your fingers to smooth it out. Trim off any extra overhang with a knife. Flute the edges with your fingers.
- Pour the chipped pecans into the bottom of the pie dish.
- Make the filling by combining the eggs, corn syrup, molasses, butter, salt and vanilla. Whisk it together until there are no lumps.
- Pour the filling overt the pecans and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Let the pie cool at room temperature. The filling will set as it cools.
- Serve the pie warm or at room temperature with a scoop of whipped cream or ice cream.
- Cover and store the pie at room temperature for 2 days.
Notes
- Make sure the pie cools completely after baking, about 2 hours! The filling will be too runny when it comes out of the oven and it needs this time to firm up.
- The pie crust makes enough for a double crust pie. You only need 1 crust for this pie so freeze the other for another use. You can also use a store bought pie crust.
- Use a pie shield partly through baking if you crust is getting too browned. Make your own by cutting a 9-inch circle with aluminum foil and then cutting a large hole out if it's center.
- You can use light or dark corn syrup. Corn syrup is the glue that holds the pecan pie together and is most traditional in a pecan pie. I have no other substitutions for this.
- If you want to add whisky to the pecan pie, reduce the corn syrup by 2 tablespoons and add in 2 tablespoons of your favourite whisky. Whisk it into the filling ingredients.
- To make a different nut pie, just replace the 2.5 cups of chopped pecans with 2.5 cups of another nut.
JOHN ROST
I use maple syrup instead of HFCS...same glue ability as the light or dark stuff. just made one last week. Perfect.
Nina
That's great! Maple syrup is a great supplement idea!