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My Mom’s Classic Pecan Pie Recipe is one of our favorite traditional pies. I think whoever coined the phrase “easy as pie” was talking about THIS Pie: just a few simple ingredients and about 10 minutes prep time. It’s one of my favorite pie recipes ever!
Why this is the BEST Pecan Pie Recipe
This recipe is my mom’s famous recipe. My mom is pretty famous on this blog, don’t you know? She’s the one who introduced me to the best banana bread in the world, russian teacakes and she makes a mean pumpkin pie.
Traditional pecan pie is such a classic recipe. I don’t know about you, but it’s never Thanksgiving without this pie! This easy pecan pie recipe is decadent with a sweet filling and it will be the best pecan pie recipe you ever make!
Ingredients
- Melted Butter: I use unsalted butter – omit the salt if you’re using salted butter.
- Dark or light corn syrup: I consider this an old fashioned pecan pie because it’s made with Karo. If you don’t like using corn syrup, try my other favorite pecan pie: Elmer’s Brown Sugar Pecan Pie. That one is to die for also!
- Eggs: The eggs help set the pie filling. There is no substitution for the eggs.
- Pecans: I always use pecan halves but you can also use chopped pecans.
- Cornstarch: My secret ingredient for a creamy pecan pie filling that’s not like gelatin.
- My mom’s recipe doesn’t add vanilla, but you could add a teaspoon vanilla extract as well.
How to make Pecan Pie
- Add all ingredients to a medium bowl.
- Whisk all ingredients until smooth and combined.
- Prepare your pie crust according to package or recipe directions and place in a 9-inch pie pan. Place pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.
- Pour mixture over pecans – they’ll float to the top. You want to be sure they’re in a single layer and coated with the filling so the nuts don’t burn during baking.
Expert Tips
- It’s important to put the pecans in the bottom of the pie before filling so they don’t burn. They’ll float to the top and be coated in the gooey mixture, which will help them not burn.
- I always bake my pies on a rimmed baking sheet in case they spill over.
- If you notice the pie browning too much on the top, tent it with foil. I like to use a pie crust shield or strips of foil around the edges too so it doesn’t brown too much.
- You know pecan pie is done baking when it jiggles only slightly when tapped. The center will be a bit puffed and slightly cracked around the edges.
- This works without the cornstarch too, if you don’t want to add it.
Storing & Make Ahead
- How to store: Store leftover pie in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (covered tightly with plastic wrap).
- How to freeze pie: Wrap the full pie tightly with plastic, or place slices in sandwich bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Why does pecan pie need corn syrup?
The corn syrup, working with the eggs, holds the pie together. Think of it as one of the building blocks of the custard-like filling.
Can pecan pie be made the day before?
Yes – just store it covered in the refrigerator once it cools to room temperature.
Pecan Pie Recipe
This Classic Pecan Pie is as easy as they come. A handful of ingredients makes the perfect pie!
Recipe Video
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 all butter pie crust homemade or from a pack of two
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (237ml) dark corn syrup (light may be substituted)
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cups (120g) pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line your pie plate with your pie crust, crimp edges as desired, and chill until ready to fill. Note: make sure to use a 8-9” pie plate for this pie; using anything bigger than 9” will result in a not full pie!
- Whisk eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, salt, and cornstarch in a large bowl.
- Place the pecans in a single layer in the bottom of your pie crust. Pour the filling over the top. The pecans will rise to the top of the pie.
- Place the pie on a cookie sheet. Tear off 4” long strips of aluminum foil (about 1 1/2” wide) and wrap the edges of the pie crust so it doesn’t brown too quickly. (Or you can use a pie crust shield.)
- Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F. Then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for 20 minutes. At that time, carefully remove the foil strips or pie crust shield, then bake for another 12-16 minutes until the pie is puffed and browned. Remove from oven and cool completely before serving. (I chill mine overnight and then bring it to room temperature before serving.) Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze (whole or slices) for up to one month.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1.3mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Other Thanksgiving Favorites
- Apple Pecan Pie is another of our favorite pie recipes!
- Fudge combines fudge and pecan pie flavor!
- Chocolate Pecan Pie is pecan pie made even better.
- My mom’s Thanksgiving turkey in a bag is also one of our go-to recipes.
- My Buttermilk Pie Recipe is another classic favorite.
First time I have ever made a pecan pie. This recipe was easy and pie was great. I think the cornstarch made all the difference based in other recipes I’ve read. Excellent pie, Dorothy. My husband and I just moved to Texas and a neighbor gave us a bag of pecans and was mentioning pecan pie, so I thought why not! Thanks to you it turned out great!
I also didn’t appreciate pecan pie until a couple years ago and I don’t know what I was thinking!!!
Dorothy,
I have a pecan pie question. My pecan pie is wonderful the day I make it, but the next day it has corn syrup weeping all out in the pie dish. It makes the bottom crust soggy, too. Does yours do that? Is it because I need to bake it longer? I don’t know. I love your trick of putting the cornstarch in the filling. I do that now, and it helps a little, but it still leaks corn syrup the second day. Maybe I need to refrigerate it. Would that help? ?? Thanks, Tina
Can we all say YUMMMM. I have loved pecan pie since I was young. I look forward to making this for Thanksgiving. I wanted something special and this is it. My son is having Thanksgiving in his brand new home and I’m cooking. Thanks for the recipe.
When I was going up – THIS was my FAVORITE PIE! We called it Karo Nut Pie – I thought they were calling it Carol Nut Pie – kids, how they interpret things they hear. I always thought it was strange the would call a Pie Carol – LOL. Still one of my favorites, but can’t use the sugar. Like the idea of freezing slices!! And my dad LOVED Pecans – he would buy a hundred pound bag and shell them to give out at Christmas. We would keep several small bags of the Pecans in the freezer to have during the year. I’ll have to try this and Freeze part of it in slices!
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