Pecan Pie

This classic, old-fashioned, homey pecan pie is just like the one everyone’s Grandma made. It’s a decadent southern tradition and southern baking at its best!

Growing up, my family always had this on all of our holiday dessert buffets and at every picnic and potluck. It features a sweet, rich custard and plenty of toasted pecans in a flakey golden crust that’ll put them in a yummy flavor coma!

Don’t miss this special recipe!!

Pecan Pie

Let’s face it…Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without this gorgeous pie. I’m sure your holiday dessert table has many delicious treats. But I bet homemade pecan pie is the star of all the desserts!

Do you love all the amazing flavors of this pie as much as we do? Well, after you try this amazing pie, don’t miss our pecan pie cobbler, amazing handheld pecan pie bars, and pecan pie cake! You’ll be in pecan Heaven!! Want to fill out your holiday dessert table, add my old-fashioned apple pie to your buffet!

Let’s bake this easy pecan pie!

The Best Pecan Pie Video Tutorial

On your phone? Check the web story here.

Important Pecan Pie Ingredients, Notes, + Tips + Tricks

• Eggs: Bring eggs to room temperature before adding them to pie filling. Forgot to set them out before you started prepping? No problem! Check out this article from Bon Appetite on how to do it quickly!
• Dark Brown Sugar: I prefer dark brown corn syrup over light.  Many recipes call for light corn syrup, but for my tastes, I find the dark tastes richer in this recipe. Light brown and dark brown sugar both contain molasses. The main difference is that dark brown sugar contains all most twice as much molasses. The extra molasses gives a deeper caramel flavor to the pie.
• Vanilla: Use real/pure vanilla extract and skip the imitation vanilla flavor
• Toast Your Pecans: Don’t skip this step! It’s the key to a fabulous pecan pie recipe!! But only toast the pecans that go into the filling, not the ones you use to decorate the top. Here’s how to do it:
  • Spread pecan halves in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet.
  • Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
  • Stir halfway through baking.
  • Cool completely.
• Pecan Pie Crust: This pie is wonderful when made with a homemade crust. Quite frankly, I love the ease and convenience of a premade crust.
• Don’t Overbake: Because of the high-fat content in the pecans, they can and will burn if you bake the pie too long. Also, because the filling is custard, if overbaked, the protein in the eggs will clench up and curdle.
• Let it Set: After your pecan pie recipe has cooked, you need to let it sit on a wire rack for 2 hours to set the filling before slicing and serving.
• Storing: Because this pie contains eggs it needs to be stored in the refrigerator. To store, cover a completely cooled (not just set) pie with plastic wrap.
• How do you know a pecan pie is done? I use the wiggle versus jiggle test. Take the pie out of the oven and set it on the counter. Using hot pads, place one hand on each side of the pie, and give it a little shake. If the filling moves in a wave to the edges it is not cooked enough. When it’s done it will jiggle in the center, not the edges, kinda like Jell-o. The internal temperature will be 185 degrees when done.

Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup

If you want to make a pecan pie without corn syrup you can experiment with these substitutes for corn syrup. Of course, if you do, remember the taste and consistency will be affected. Corn syrup is thicker than other sweeteners.

Personally, I love the corn syrup and wouldn’t think of using anything else! 

Storing, Freezing Tips, + Make-Ahead Tips

• How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? It can last in the fridge for 3-4 days. 
• Can You Freeze This? It can last up to 1-2 months in the freezer.
• Make-Ahead Tips: You can either make this pecan and pie as directed and refrigerate or freeze. This pie thaws beautifully. If I freeze my pie, I Hotel Wrap (directions above) it and then stick it in a resealable plastic bag. If frozen, allow thawing overnight in the fridge. If you make this ahead, allow the pie to sit on the counter and come to room temperature before you slice and serve.
• How you wrap is important believe it or not. I like to use a technique called “Hotel Wrapping”. Why bother you ask? Because plastic wrap sticks better to itself than it does to metal, glass, or ceramic so you get a much better seal.

• • It’s easy to do, simply lay a sheet of plastic, large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the pie plate flat on the counter. Pull the sides up toward the center. Then cove the top with a piece long enough to overlap the sides.
  • Depending on the size of your pie and the size of the pie plate, you may need to apply a second piece of wrap to the top laying perpendicular to the first piece (like a cross) to get everything completely covered and sealed.
  • Now the one drawback is you likely won’t be able to reuse the plastic wrap (I know! I hate waste, too!). To remove the plastic, I find it easiest to cut it off with a pair of scissors.

Step By Step How To Make Pecan Pie

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs together well.
2. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, melted butter, and vanilla to the bowl. Whisk until the mixture is well combined.
3. Sprinkle chopped pecans into the pie crust,
4. Add the egg mixture.
5. Arrange the pecan halves in a decorative pattern on top of the filling.
6. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake 25-30 minutes or until the filling is firm in the center.

More Dessert Pie Recipes

• Blackberry Pie
• Strawberry Pie
• Sour Cream Apple Pie
• Pumpkin Pie
• Peanut Butter Pie
• Sweet Potato Pie

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Pecan Pie

This Southern classic pecan pie features sweet rich custard & plenty of toasted pecans in a flakey golden crust that’ll put them in a yummy flavor coma.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups pecans chopped
• 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
• 3/4 cup pecan halves

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Line a 9-inch pie pan with prepared pie crust. Bake in preheated oven just until crust is set, about 8 minutes. Let cool 2 to 3 minutes on a wire rack. Cool 30 minutes. Brush lightly with beaten egg. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs (4) well. Add brown sugar (1 cup), corn syrup (3/4 cup), salt (1/2 teaspoon), melted butter (1/4 cup), and vanilla (1 teaspoon) to the bowl. Whisk until the mixture is well combined.
• Sprinkle chopped pecans (2 cups) into the pie crust, then add the egg mixture. Arrange the pecan halves (3/4 cup) in a decorative pattern on top of the filling.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake 25-30 minutes or until the filling is firm in the center. (shake the pie gently and, it should give a little jiggle in the center but it should have some stability. If the filling shows horizontal movement on shaking, then it is not done yet.) If edges of crust begin to brown too quickly, cover with foil.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Butter Pecan Cookies
• 
  Easy Bourbon Pecan Pound Cake With Caramel Glaze
• 
  Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie
• 
  Peaches and Cream Pie

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Notes

1. Eggs: Bring eggs to room temperature before adding them to pie filling. Forgot to set them out before you started prepping? No problem! Check out this article from Bon Appetite on how to do it quickly!
2. Dark Brown Sugar: I prefer dark brown corn syrup over light.  Many recipes call for light corn syrup, but for my tastes, I find the dark tastes richer in this recipe. Light brown and dark brown sugar both contain molasses. The main difference is, is that dark brown sugar contains all most twice as much molasses. The extra molasses gives a deeper caramel flavor to the pie.
3. Vanilla: Use real/pure vanilla extract and skip the imitation vanilla flavor.
4. Toast Your Pecans: Don’t skip this step! It’s the key to a fabulous pecan pie recipe!! But only toast the pecans that go into the filling, not the ones you use to decorate the top. Here’s how to do it:
   1. Spread pecan halves in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet.
   2. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
   3. Stir halfway through baking.
   4. Cool completely.
5. Pecan Pie Crust: This pie is wonderful when made with a homemade crust. Quite frankly, I love the ease and convenience of a premade crust.
6. Don’t Overbake: Because of the high-fat content in the pecans, they can and will burn if you bake the pie too long. Also, because the filling is custard, if overbaked, the protein in the eggs will clench up and curdle.
7. Let it Set: After your pecan pie recipe has cooked, you need to let it sit on a wire rack for 2 hours to set the filling before slicing and serving.
8. Storing: Because this pie contains eggs it needs to be stored in the refrigerator. To store, cover a completely cooled (not just set) pie with plastic wrap.
9. How do you know a pecan pie is done? I use the wiggle versus jiggle test. Take the pie out of the oven and set it on the counter. Using hot pads, place one hand on each side of the pie, and give it a little shake. If the filling moves in a wave to the edges it is not cooked enough. When it’s done it will jiggle in the center, not the edges, kinda like Jell-o. The internal temperature will be 185 degrees when done.

© Gonna Want Seconds. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media/website/blog is strictly prohibited.

Source: The Silver Palate Cookbook

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