My classic homemade pecan pie is traditional in the best possible way. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty—after one taste, you’ll know why it’s a favorite dessert recipe!
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips.
One reader, Jenna, commented: “I’ve made this recipe more than a few times now and it’s so incredible. It has turned me, someone who does not like nuts, into someone who LOVES pecan pie. It’s honestly so amazing and it’s an easy to follow recipe. Thank you so much! ★★★★★“
Pecan pie is the classic sugary dessert without which no Thanksgiving is complete. It’s as traditional as pumpkin pie and as wonderfully rich as apple pie. Growing up, my family’s Thanksgiving dessert table always included (and will always include) my late grandmother’s homemade recipe. It’s a true honor to share her recipe in memory of her, and I know her recipe will live on for many years to come.
What Makes This My Best Pecan Pie Recipe
This is my favorite pecan pie recipe and here’s why:
- Simple: There are only 8 ingredients in this remarkably simple filling.
- Flaky pie crust: We’re talking mega flaky, mega buttery, and mega delicious. This is the one and only pie crust recipe I use. It’s been passed down through generations and stands the test of time. Here’s my recipe for all-butter pie crust if you’d like to try that instead. Both pie crust recipes yield enough dough for two 9-inch pies. You can freeze the second half of the dough, or make another one-crust pie such as this chocolate chess pie, turkey pot pie, or pumpkin pie.
- No pre-baking needed: The buttery pie crust has a wonderfully flaky texture, but still stays perfectly intact as the pie bakes and cools. Some recipes require you to pre-bake the pie crust before pouring in the filling, but I don’t find that necessary in this recipe.
- Incredible texture: The pecans on top get all toasty while the nuts underneath have a melt-in-your-mouth chewy texture. The pecans’ flavor and texture, paired with the flaky pie crust, the filling’s vanilla, butter, and cinnamon… it all just makes this my favorite pecan pie recipe. If you love this, try my pecan pie cheesecake next. Talk about a texture lover’s dream!
- It’s make-ahead friendly! This pie freezes and thaws well, so you can make it up to 3 months before you serve it.
Grab These Ingredients
- Pecans: Can’t make pecan pie without them!
- Eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients and hold the filling together.
- Corn Syrup: Sweetens, holds the filling together, and helps prevent crystallization while the pie bakes. I prefer dark corn syrup here for intensified flavor. See below if you’re interested in pie without corn syrup.
- Brown Sugar: You can use light or dark brown sugar; dark has a little deeper flavor, with its higher molasses content.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: One of the key flavors.
- Butter: Melted butter makes for the best buttery flavor.
- Salt: A little salt balances the sweet, and is especially welcome in a pie made with nuts.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds an extra layer of flavor! I don’t see many pecan pies with cinnamon; so thank you, Grandma, for giving me the opportunity to present a slightly unique pecan pie on our Thanksgiving tables.
Since it’s made with few ingredients, it’s imperative to use high quality. I genuinely love Diamond of California pecans and if you have homemade vanilla extract, go ahead and use it here.
Here’s How to Make This Pecan Pie
As far as Thanksgiving pies go, this is one of the easiest. There’s no pre-baking the crust or pre-cooking the filling. Grandma truly knows what’s best! Here’s an overview of the process:
- Make the pie crust. As always, use my favorite homemade pie crust. This is the same crust you can use when making mini pecan pies too! It needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out, so I always make it the night before.
- Roll out the pie crust. You’re aiming for a pie dough circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish.
- Spread the pecans inside the pie crust.
- Whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over pecans.
- Bake. I like to place a pie crust shield on top of the pie edges to prevent them from browning too quickly. If you find the whole pie is browning too quickly, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the whole pie.
- Slice and serve. The pie is delicious warm or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.
How to Make Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup
FAQ: Can I make pecan pie without corn syrup? My answer was always: yes, but the filling won’t really set, and it won’t taste like pecan pie. So… no, you can’t. Until I tried maple pecan pie!
Corn syrup is the glue that holds this filling together. Thicker than other liquid sweeteners, corn syrup works with the eggs to help ensure your pecan pie filling will set. However, many bakers are looking for an unrefined substitution for the corn syrup. When creating my recipe for pecan pie without corn syrup, my goal was to find a solution to not only find a corn syrup substitute, but to guarantee the filling will still set and taste delicious.
Taking a note from my brown butter pecan pie bars, I reached for pure maple syrup. This is a thinner liquid than corn syrup, but has the most remarkable flavor, as you know. The bars recipe calls for tempering the eggs, but I wanted a no-fuss filling that skipped the extra steps. Enter the magical ingredient: 1 tiny Tablespoon of flour. Simple, delicious, and pure flavors give us a maple-infused, buttery, sweet, deliciously thick slice of pie. So, I know you’ll love my maple pecan pie variation too.
Success Tip: How to Freeze Pecan Pie
Pecan pie is a wonderful dessert to make ahead of time. Simply bake the pie as directed, allow it to cool completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before slicing and serving with a big dollop of whipped cream.
I made about 3 or 4 of these pies the past couple of weeks to freeze for the upcoming holidays—they freeze and thaw beautifully! No one ever realizes they aren’t freshly baked.
More Thanksgiving Pie Recipes
- Caramel Pear Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Apple Pie with Chai Spices
- Sweet Potato Pie (like the dessert version of Sweet Potato Casserole!)
- Apple Pie
- Butterscotch Pie
And make sure to check out my list of the 10 best tools for baking pies!
This recipe is part of Sally’s Pie Week, an annual tradition where I share a handful of new recipes that fit into the pie/crisp/tart category. Join the community below!
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My Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours
- Yield: serves 8-10
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
My classic homemade pecan pie is traditional in the best possible way. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty—after one taste, you’ll know why it’s a favorite! No need to pre-bake the crust.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 unbaked Flaky Pie Crust (what I used) or All Butter Pie Crust*
- egg wash for pie crust: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk or heavy cream
Filling
- 2 and 1/2 cups (250g) shelled pecans (pecan halves)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) dark corn syrup*
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- The crust: Prepare my pie crust through step 5.
- After the pie dough chills, adjust oven rack to the lower third position and preheat to 350°F (177°C).
- Roll out the chilled pie crust onto a lightly floured surface. Remember, when rolling out the pie dough, always use gentle force with your rolling pin. Start from the center and work your way out in all directions, rotating the dough with your hands as you go. Roll it out into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough in a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it’s smooth. For a beautiful edge, as shown in the video tutorial, fold the overhanging dough back over the edge and use your hands to mold the edge into a nice thick rim around the pie. Crimp the edges with a fork or use your fingers to flute the edges. Again, you can see me do this in the video above or in my separate how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial. Brush the edges with egg wash. (To help guarantee a beautiful edge, I always chill the shaped dough in the pie dish for 10 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer before filling.)
- The filling: Very roughly chop the pecans—some whole, some coarsely chopped is fine. Spread pecans evenly inside pie crust. Whisk the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl until combined. Pour over pecans.
- Bake the pie for 50–55 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly. You can also tent a piece of aluminum foil over the whole pie if it is browning too quickly. Remove finished pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. The pie filling will settle as it cools.
- Slice and serve pie warm or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.
- Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for 1–2 days or in the refrigerator for 4–5 days.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: Pecan pie is a wonderful dessert to make ahead of time. You can get started by combining all the filling ingredients (except the pecans) one day ahead of time. Keep it covered tightly in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the pie. You can also make the pie dough 1–5 days in advance since it needs to chill. If you want to bake the pie 1 full day in advance, bake it as directed, allow it to completely cool, then cover tightly and keep at room temperature until ready to serve the next day.
- Freezing Instructions: Bake the pie as directed, allow it to cool completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before slicing and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Pastry Brush | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Pie Crust Shield | Cooling Rack
- Pie Crust: Both linked pie crust recipes make 2 crusts. You only need 1 crust for this pie, so freeze the 2nd half for another use or another one-crust pie like pumpkin pie.
- Corn Syrup: You can use light corn syrup instead. I have no substitution suggestions yielding the same texture, moisture, and flavor. Corn syrup is a must in traditional pecan pie. For a variation without corn syrup, try my maple pecan pie.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Salted or unsalted pecans?
Hi Ashley, we prefer to use unsalted pecans in this recipe.
Awesome pecan pie – I’ve made it twice (used your dough recipe to make two). Both times it turned out fantastic, albeit I did adjust down the pecans by half the second time. Turned out great! Thank you.
Can i use light corn syrup instead
Hi Maria, yes, you can use light corn syrup in a pinch. See recipe Notes for details.
HI sally , I have a little less than a cup of dark corn syrup . Can I add something else with going to the store and buy a whole new one ?I have about a 3/4 of cup maybe even a little more then .
Hi Tammy, do you happen to have any pure maple syrup on hand? If so, you could try this maple pecan pie instead.
Can I make this with a store bought crust?
Absolutely.
Too many nuts and didn’t like the cinnamon!
I’ve made this pie for thanksgiving twice and it was a huge hit both times. I even made it for my German host family who claimed they didn’t like pie (they tend to stick to more traditional German desserts) and they loved it! I had to substitute the corn syrup for agave syrup since I couldn’t find any corn syrup in the German grocery stores and it still turned out fine. The only thing I always do differently from the recipe is I toast the pecans first since it adds so much flavor.
I made Pecan pie for the first time ever using this recipe. It came out wonderfully and everyone loved it! I didn’t change anything with the filling or the time – but I did cheat and buy a pre-made pie crust because it definitely would of been a fail if I was to make my own lol but anyway thank you so much for sharing your recipes. This is my go to site <3
I agree with some other reviews – this recipe had issues and required some adjustment. For one, I added 1/3 more filling because it was extremely low in my particular pie plate (perhaps the one she uses here is more shallow than mine but mine is only 1.5″ deep and in general I would not consider it a deep dish pie dish). Additionally, I think I ended up baking it for approximately 30 minutes longer than the prescribed time.
Things I liked:
It is not overly sweet (pecan pie isn’t my favorite but it is one of my husband’s and he requested it for Thanksgiving so I’m glad I was at least able to enjoy it this time).
Blind baking was not necessary! Yay!
Things I did not like:
Pecan pieces were a bit too large and I’ll just chop them smaller next time, despite the recipe’s recommendation
The filling was insufficient to fill the dish until I added 1/3 more.
The bake time seemed very, very off but all ovens are different so I’ll just chalk this one up to a neutral. At least I knew what to look for when it was officially “done” and pulled it accordingly.
Would I make it again? Maybe. With the adjustments above and I’ll add bourbon and more spices.
I love this recipe! i use sally for all my recipes and they are all out of this world!
Hi Sally!Can we use 1/2 cup light corn syrup and 1/2 cup dark corn syrup. Thks!
Absolutely. Shouldn’t be a problem.
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving and although it tasted yummy, the filling seeped through the crust causing the crust to stick to the bottom of my pie dish in some spots. . I followed all instructions for both your pie dough and the Pecan Pie. Any tips for next time?
Hi Kathleen, Is the filling leaking through where a piece of fat melted in the crust? Try blending your pie crust fats a bit more so there aren’t large pieces that could melt and allow the filling to leak through. Also rolling out your crust a little thicker next time will help. Hope these tips help!
Made the recipe exactly as stated. While it tasted good, it was sooo watery. Tried baking it longer, and it seemed to help a bit but it’s still way more liquid than it is solid. Disappointed.
Hi Monica! So strange that the filling would be watery. Did you make any changes to the filling? Did you use dark corn syrup? Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
I love this recipe! I used it last year and this year went to type ‘pecan pie recipe’ back into my search bar and it popped up–thank goodness. It is specifically more pecan-y goodness and less gooey filling alone. I’m not one for those mostly-filling-topped-with-a-layer-of-pecans type of pecan pies.
If I don’t prebake my crust, it always seeps through, so I have learned to bake my crust beforehand with pie weights (I use whatever dry beans or rice I have on hand) on top of foil pressed ever so lightly into the crust. I let it cool as much as it can before I make the pie itself, then bake as instructed in the recipe. This leaves a fantastically crispy, tender crust.
We do one other variation that we all love–add a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the recipe! Oh man, spiced pecan pie is such a favorite. Thank you for having such a wonderful, pecan-heavy variation of the classic pecan pie on your site!
Loved this recipe! First time making this pie for thanksgiving and it was a hit. I couldn’t find Dark Brown Corn Syrup, so I added 1 tsp or so of blackstrap molasses to the mix and 3 drops of maple extract.
Perfect! I followed the recipe to the letter and made two pies as the ingredients and instructions just looked “right” to me. Because they looked so wonderful coming out of the oven, I sent one off as a gift to people dining earlier in the day. I’ve already received compliments and a request for two pies for Christmas. Well done, Sally. I’m usually a cook rather than a baker on Thanksgiving. Thank you so very much for this easy, lovely recipe.
I only made pecan pie for Thanksgiving this year. I followed the recipe and used the exact measurements. I cooked it for longer because it looked runny in the center. It wasn’t firming up. When we cut into it, it was more like pecan soup. Last time I’m allowed to bring a dessert for Thanksgiving. I’m humiliated. Please explain. It was a waste of money and time.
Hi Jess, So strange that the filling would be watery. Did you make any changes to the filling? Did you use dark corn syrup and allow it to fully cool before cutting? Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
My family wants to add bourbon to the pie filling. Would it change the consistency of the filling? How much do you think I should use? Thanks!
You absolutely can add bourbon to this pecan pie recipe. We recommend reducing the corn syrup by 2 Tablespoons (so 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons) then add 2 Tablespoons your favorite bourbon. Whisk it with the other filling ingredients.
Hi, I wrote earlier about my leaking pie crust I just made the pie and it is still leaking I lightly buttered the pie plate, applied light coating of egg white to bottom of crust, and put it in freezer for 10 minutes It looks great but half the bottom underneath has the seeped out part. Do you have any recommendations as to how to fix this chronic problem I am having? Should I pre bake the crust?
Hi Donna! Is the filling leaking through where a piece of fat melted in the crust? Try blending your pie crust fats a bit more so there aren’t large pieces that could melt and allow the filling to leak through. We don’t recommend greasing the pie dish. Hope these tips help!
After trying this three times I noticed a similar issue others had.
It needs significantly more time in the oven at that temp setting in order for the whole thing to become firm, and not just the top. First two times, I was over-cautious and let it sit in the oven for closer to two hours and it came out as good as the pics shown on this recipe, but I wanted it a tiny bit gooey next time, so the third version I stuck to the instructions on timing. It came out as a very soppy/sticky mess, with the top cooking fairly well, but the core remaining in almost all liquid form.
So anyone else trying this, I’d recommend checking it *at minimum from the 50mins*, and don’t be afraid to extend the baking time by 10-20 mins at a time.
Hello Sally, can I use your usual graham crust instead of the pie crust on this recipe?
Absolutely! The pie slices may be a little messy though.
Came out just fine. I forget to buy pecans so I substituted walnuts.
Do you think this could be made with Agave Syrup, or a combination of agave and maple?
Hi Lisa, We haven’t tested a version with agave, but if you would like a to use maple syrup we have a recipe for maple pecan pie that is made without corn syrup.
This is the second time making it! Absolutely loved this. My husband said it was close to heaven. Thank you. I made it exactly according to the directions.
Really disappointed with the recipe.. it was uncooked in the centre even after baking for 1hr and 10mins..Had to throw away as it was inedible.. It was my worst disaster with any recipe used till date. I think this recipe really needs to be removed from your website or reworked on.
I noticed you spelled center as centre .. could you have used centigrade for temp instead of fahrenheit ?
Loved the recipe.
I do have a question can I do pecan tartlets instead?
If so what size do the baking pans should I get?
Hi Andi! Absolutely. Here’s our recipe for mini pecan pies using a mini muffin pan as well if that’s helpful.
Just made this pie again. I made two, one for work and one for home. Served with a little apple cider for fall festiveness. My coworker told me it was the best pie she ever tasted!
This is the same as the pecan pie I’ve made forever, except I use 1 cup dk brown sugar. It is rare to see someone use dk corn syrup and dk br sugar, necessities, I think, for THE BEST tasting! This is the easiest thing to bake in all the world, which is why I volunteer (or am required) to make it for holidays. I started taking 2 pies, just so people could take leftovers home.
Hello!
I’d really like to try this recipe out, because I’ve never baked a pie before. I did read ALL of your recipe notes throughly, but I’d still like to ask a question before I try it out.
I am very nervous about under/over baking this! I read many reviews about it being runny, and was suggested by your team that it was perhaps underbaked. I read in your notes that the pie is done when the top is lightly browned, will the filling itself be lightly browned? (Silly question I know, but will a toothpick inserted in the center give any indication?) I just want to be 100% beforehand and not waste ingredients! Thank you!
Hi Susan! Yes, the filling itself will lightly brown – you can see what this looks like in the photos above and the video will be helpful as well for a visual. Let us know how it goes!
I made this recipe but i changed a few things. Rather than using corn syrup, i made a simple syrup using sugar and water. I also used 1 egg and 1 cup of brown sugar. a little salt to taste and Anise extract instead of Vanilla extract. A good rule to remember is that 1 egg can set a cup of liquid. As i did not have a pie pan I used a cupcake pan and simply spread the dough into it. Instead of having one big pie, I had 12 little ones. My girlfriend’s nephews and nieces like them. They are Cambodian and pecans are a foreign food to them. People here tend to like eating nuts so I figured a nut pie would be a nice change for them.
I really loved the pie, but it came out watery. The corn syrup didn’t really get gooey. Any thoughts?
Hi Mark! Glad you enjoyed it. Did you make any substitutes? With three eggs and corn syrup, this should be a thick filling. Perhaps it needed to bake for longer to set up.
I made this recipe as written (including the pie crust ) and it was fabulous! My husband even ate the plain crust edge at the top and he usually doesn’t. The taste of the filling was great but the texture was a bit odd, sort of a slightly separated or curdled appearance. Not sure why that happened, any ideas on why?
Hi Kim, It sounds like the filling was over-baked. It should be gooey and sweet, but not curdled like scrambled eggs.