This classic pecan pie recipe is simple to make and a pleasure to eat. It’s full of deep caramel flavor, loaded with nutty pecans, and it’s all inside a buttery, flaky homemade crust.
I love pecan pie any way I can get it. Mini pecan pies, chewy pecan pie bars, Irish cream pecan pie, deep-dish pecan pie—it’s all good. But when Thanksgiving rolls around, this is the pecan pie recipe that I make. It’s tradition. I always make pecan pie.
Why This Recipe Works
- Soft and flaky. A perfectly soft and gooey pecan filling sits atop a buttery golden crust that will make your mouth water. Add some ice cream or whipped cream for one of the dreamiest desserts you’ll ever taste.
- Simple. This pie-making guide is a breeze to follow. And, there’s no need to pre-bake the pie crust, which cuts down on extra steps. Bakers of all abilities will love this recipe!
- Classic comfort food. This pecan pie recipe is a Thanksgiving staple, but you can also make it for parties, family dinners, etc. It’s a crowd-pleaser for the holidays and beyond.
- Freezer-friendly. If you have leftovers, or if you want to make your pie ahead of time, you can easily store extra slices in the freezer. See the storage section below for more details!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
For the Crust:
- All-purpose flour – Learn more by reading up on how to measure flour.
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Cold unsalted butter – Cut this into 1/2-inch cubes and make sure it’s quite cold. Cutting the butter into cubes allows it to distribute more evenly throughout the flour, creating small pockets of steam that give the crust its flaky texture. It’s the secret for getting a flaky crust!
- Very cold water – Ice-cold water helps keep the butter solid as you work, preventing the dough from becoming greasy and ensuring a flakier result.
For the Filling:
- Eggs – Lightly beat the eggs before adding to the other ingredients to ensure they’re fully incorporated without over-mixing.
- Light corn syrup – Dark corn syrup could potentially be used instead, but I prefer the vanilla notes that light corn syrup offers. Some bakers use maple syrup or honey as an alternative for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter – Melt this in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Pecan halves – You can use cheaper pecan pieces, but for that classic pecan pie look, you’ll need the pricier pecan halves. For a beautiful presentation, reserve a few pecan halves to arrange on top before baking, giving your pie a polished, bakery-worthy look.
Is Light Corn Syrup the Same as Corn Syrup?
Light corn syrup is a type of corn syrup that has been filtered to remove some of the color and impurities. It has a nice, subtle vanilla flavor that makes it a great choice for pecan pie.
How to Make Pecan Pie
To Make the Crust:
- Combine the butter and dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the chilled cubes of butter and mix them in with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (You can also do this in a food processor.)
- Add water. Add 1 tablespoon of water to the crumb mixture and continue mixing. Incorporate more water a tablespoon at a time until a dough forms.
- Chill. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, wrap it tightly, then refrigerate it for a couple of hours.
- Roll out the dough. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle about 1/8-inch thick.
- Finish the crust. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp the edges, then place the plate and crust in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
To Make the Pecan Pie Filling:
- Combine the ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Then, beat the eggs in a large bowl, and whisk in the corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the pecans.
- Bake. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 45 minutes, or until the center is set. Cool completely before serving with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Is Pecan Pie Supposed to Jiggle?
The hardest thing about making this pecan pie recipe is knowing when it’s done. The middle should have a little bit of jiggle to it, but it should not move like a liquid when you shake the pan. Think: jiggling like Jello, not moving like molten lava or sloshing back-and-forth.
Tips for Success
- About the crust. I use my favorite pie crust recipe, but feel free to substitute your own go-to. And yes, a store-bought crust can be used if you’re in a time crunch or simply don’t want to fuss with making your own.
- Rolling tips. If your fridge is especially cold, or if you’ve left the dough in there for more than 2 hours, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or so to soften up a bit so you can roll it out. To keep the dough even, roll from the center and turn it a quarter turn every few rolls. If you find it sticking to the rolling pin, lightly sprinkle the top of the dough with flour.
- Err on the side of over-baking. There’s no undoing an under-baked pecan pie; you’ll slice into it and the filling will ooze out all over the pie pan. To check for doneness, look for the center to be set with a slight jiggle, similar to how you’d check a custard pie. If the edges of the crust are browning too quickly, cover them with foil or a pie shield in the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
- Beautiful slices. For clean slices, allow the pie to cool fully at room temperature. This gives the filling time to set and makes it easier to slice.
Proper Storage
- Room temperature: Pecan pie can safely sit at room temperature for up to two days. Just keep it covered with foil or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
- Refrigerator. Wrap the pecan pie with plastic wrap or foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let it come to room temperature or warm it in a low oven (about 300°F for 10-15 minutes) before serving if you prefer it slightly warm.
- Freezer. You can freeze wrapped pecan pie for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat if desired.
More Pecan Pie Recipes
Get the Recipe:
Classic Pecan Pie
Yield
8-10
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
This classic pecan pie recipe is simple to make and a pleasure to eat! A perfectly gooey pecan filling is baked in a buttery crust for an iconic Thanksgiving dessert that everyone will love.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 & 1/4 cups (150g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 to 4 tablespoons very cold water
For the filling:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (312g) light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 & 1/2 cups pecan halves
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the butter is the size of small peas. (You can also do this in a food processor.)
- Add 1 tablespoon of water and continue mixing. Add more water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough forms.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. If necessary, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly softened but still cold.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough into a circle about 1/8-inch thick.
- Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp the edges as desired. Place the pie plate in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
To make the filling:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the eggs in a large bowl, and beat lightly. Add the corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.
- Stir in the pecans. Pour into the pie crust.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the center is set. Cool completely before serving.
Notes
This is my go-to pie crust recipe, but feel free to use your favorite recipe for a 9-inch crust.
To refrigerate. Wrap the pecan pie with plastic wrap or foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze. You can freeze wrapped pecan pie for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
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10 Comments on “Classic Pecan Pie”
Oh, this was my Thanksgiving treat from you this year! Thank you for making it for me. It does taste just like Aunt Faye’s! Never be ashamed using a store-bought crust. It is the stuff you put inside it that counts! Now you are making another for Christmas, right????
Wow, that looks so good!
That is what I love about pecan pie….very simple. Looks good.
That is one of the most beautiful pecan pies that I have ever seen!
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I love pecan pie! Any time of the day or night, warm, cold, or room temp. Now, having said all that…let me offer you a slightly different version. Make it exactly the same way as this recipe, but instead of 1 C syrup, try it with a cup of mile instead. This turns that ooey-gooey into a custardy delight…so delicious!
Give it a try…you won’y be disappointed!
Thanks, Cindy!