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This is the best pecan pie recipe made with a rich, gooey filling with the crunchy, nutty goodness of toasted pecans. It pairs perfectly with a homemade buttery, flaky pie crust. The filling is a sweet blend of brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla, which creates a silky texture that melts in your mouth. You will love this easy pecan pie recipe!
We take pie making very seriously in our family! Every year we have a “pie table” at my Mom and Dad’s house and it is usually filled with about 25 homemade pies. I usually make at least 5-6 homemade pies every year.
Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie and pecan pie are like Christmas without the tree. It just goes together like pb+ j. Well, at least in our family. My Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe won first place in the bake-off against the top pumpkin pie recipes on the internet and it has two secret ingredients!
Both Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie just shouts from the rooftops, “its the holidays!” An Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie makes the pecans the star of the show and the filling a close second. So what makes a pecan pie filling so special? It starts with cooking the butter, brown sugar, and light corn syrup on a stove for several minutes until it is super smooth.
Once it slightly cools, the eggs and vanilla are added which give it a creamy richness. Then here come the pecans! They add the crunchy goodness to the pie to offset the brown sugar sweetness.
This Southern Pecan Pie Recipe is beyond easy. It literally takes no time at all to put together and is basically foolproof. It pairs perfectly will a homemade all-butter pie crust. Click here for the butter pie crust recipe.
Why is Classic Pecan Pie so popular?
Rich, Caramel Filling: The combination of toasted pecans, brown sugar, and a gooey corn syrup filling creates an irresistible sweet and nutty flavor.
Buttery, Flaky Crust: The homemade buttery, flaky pie crust paired with the crunchy homemade pecan pie filling is perfection.
A Thanksgiving Favorite Tradition: Often served during holidays like Thanksgiving, pecan pie is a dessert with deep roots in Southern comfort food. It is not only popular on Thanksgiving but can be made year-round.
Easy to Make: With a simple ingredient list and straightforward baking process, it’s approachable for both novice and experienced bakers.
Easy Pecan Pie Ingredients:
This pecan pie recipe with corn syrup is so easy to put together and bake.
PECAN PIE FILLING:
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Light Karo Syrup
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
- Pecan Halves
HOMEMADE PIE CRUST RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
- Flour
- Butter
- Salt
- Cold Water or Buttermilk
How to make the Best Pecan Pie:
- Make pie crust according to directions — https://www.modernhoney.com/butter-flaky-pie-crust/
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make the pecan pie filling, melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar and light Karo syrup. Cook for 5 minutes or until silky smooth and glossy.
- Remove from heat and chill for 15 minutes or until it cools to room temperature.
- Add vanilla and eggs and whisk well to combine. Stir in pecan halves.
- Pour into prepared pie shell. Put on baking sheet.
- Bake for 45 – 55 minutes or until filling is cooked and pie crust is lightly golden brown. Check halfway through cooking time and add pie shield or foil to cover pie crust to prevent too much browning. If you are using a deep dish pie pan, you may need to cook it 5 minutes longer.
- Let it come to room temperature to set-up. This can be refrigerated to chill and firm up. Serve with fresh whipped cream.
TOP TIP:
This recipe makes enough filling for a traditional pie pan. If you are using a deep-dish pie pan, I would suggest to 1 1/2 times the recipe to have enough filling to fill the pan.
FAQ’s:
How do I know when my pecan pie is done?
Your pie is done when the filling is set but still jiggles slightly in the center when gently shaken. It will firm up as it cools.
Can I make pecan pie ahead of time?
Absolutely! Pecan pie can be made 1–2 days in advance. Once baked, let it cool, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Do I need to refrigerate pecan pie?
Yes, due to the eggs in the filling, it’s best to store pecan pie in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
How can I prevent my pie crust from burning?
To avoid over-browning, use a pie shield or cover the edges of your crust with aluminum foil after about 25–30 minutes of baking.
Tips for making Homemade Pecan Pie:
Old-fashioned pecan pie with a brown sugar filling in a buttery pie crust with fresh whipped cream
Use room temperature eggs: This will help the filling mix smoothly and bake evenly.
Don’t overbake: Overbaking can cause the filling to crack and the pecans to burn. Watch the pie closely during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Use fresh pecans: For the best flavor, make sure your pecans are fresh and not rancid. You can toast them for a few minutes before adding them to the pie for an extra depth of flavor.
What to serve with traditional Pecan Pie?
Homemade whipped cream pairs perfectly with the richness of pecan pie. I love to make it from scratch using just three ingredients — heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
Another option is to serve this Thanksgiving pecan pie with vanilla bean ice cream. It is a heavenly combination!
More Pie Recipes:
Caramel Apple Pie
White Chocolate Macadamia Chocolate Ganache Pie
Double Chocolate Marble Pie
The BEST Pumpkin Pie
Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie
Sweet Cherry Pie
Traditional Perfect Pumpkin Pie
Caramel Banana Cream Pie
Thanksgiving Pie Recipes:
Check out this video to see how to make Homemade Pecan Pie:
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Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie
Ingredients
Pecan Pie Filling:
- 6 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup Light Karo Syrup
- 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla
- 3 Eggs
- 2 cups Pecan Halves
For a Deep Dish Pie Plate:
- 9 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
- 1 1/4 cups Light Karo Syrup
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
- 4 large Eggs
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 3 cups Pecan Halves
- All-Butter Pie Crust —
- https://www.modernhoney.com/butter-flaky-pie-crust/
Homemade Whipped Cream:
- 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla optional
- Notes: This recipe makes enough filling for a traditional pie pan. If you are using a deep-dish pie pan I suggest to 1 1/2 times the recipe.
Instructions
- Make pie crust according to directions — https://www.modernhoney.com/butter-flaky-pie-crust/
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar and light Karo syrup. Cook for 5 minutes or until silky smooth and glossy.
- Remove from heat and chill for 15 minutes or until it cools to room temperature.
- Add vanilla and eggs and whisk well to combine.
- Stir in pecan halves.
- Pour into prepared pie shell. Put on baking sheet.
- Bake for 45 – 55 minutes or until filling is cooked and pie crust is lightly golden brown. Check halfway through cooking time and add pie shield or foil to cover pie crust to prevent too much browning. If you are using a deep dish pie pan, you may need to cook it 5 minutes longer.
- Let it come to room temperature to set-up. This can be refrigerated to chill and firm up. Serve with fresh whipped cream.
Whipped Cream:
- In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
PIN later for PINTEREST. Find all of Modern Honey’s Thanksgiving Recipes in one place — www.modernhoney.com/thanksgiving. Check back as new recipes are added daily!
I hope you love this Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie! Happy Baking, my friends! xo Find more Thanksgiving recipes here at Modern Honey’s Thanksgiving. More recipes added every single day!
LOVED this recipe! I was doing a trial run for Thanksgiving and this pie turned out fantastic!
I am so glad it turned out well, Laney! Thank you for following along.
I love this Pecan Pie recipe; however, I made mini pecan pies in my mini muffin pan! Melissa, I need your help! I am having a problem with my pies sticking to the pie plate. I use a top quality deep dish ceramic 10” pie plate or a 9 – 1/2” that are both nonstick, but I also spray it with the Baker’s Joy spray with flour to ensure it won’t stick. One is Farberware Ceramic Deep Dish 9-1/2” and the other pie dish is Pioneer Woman Ceramic Deep Dish 10”. I ALWAYS use your recipe for the buttery pie crust as it’s my favorite, especially for my chicken pot pie! My Thanksgiving pies all stuck to both dishes. I tried to see if it would help by not spraying one and I did spray the other one. Both crust stuck and I was embarrassed and in tears with disappointment as we had a lot of family and friends over for Thanksgiving. I blind baked one crust for my Hershey Cocoa Chocolate pie and the crust was gorgeous. Both pie dough are also wrapped in cellophane and put into the refrigerator for at least an hour prior to rolling out into the pie crust. Melissa, can you help me and tell me what I am doing wrong? Thank you in advance!
Can you make this ahead
Yes, you can! It refrigerates really well and can be made days ahead. Just cover it well and it will stay fresh.
Can I double this recipe as it is for 2 pies?
Thank you. I love your website and enjoy your email bulletins
When making the pecan pie do you prebake the crust?
Hi Roberta! You don’t need to pre-bake the crust for this recipe. I hope you love it!
I made this pie w/ dk corn syrup and 2 tsp of vanilla for a richer flavor and cut the brown sugar to 3/4 c. and it was perfect, w/ your all butter crust. This will be my go-to recipe for pecan pie. My family loves pecan pie, but we don’t like it super sweet. This recipe is perfect for us!!
I tried this recipe today and wish it had been a tad bit sweeter. Would you recommend more brown sugar or adding white sugar to sweeten it up a bit more?