EASY PECAN PIE

Easy Pecan Pie

Classic Pecan Pie – a family favorite for Thanksgiving for generations! My Mom was famous for her pecan pies with homemade crust. If you are a beginner baker, it is impossible to mess up this pecan pie filling! The touch of cinnamon adds a special little bit of flavor that you’ll love as well

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS:

FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: 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.
​
CORN SYRUP: You can substitute light corn syrup for the dark corn syrup. Many traditional pecan pies contain corn syrup, but for a variation without corn syrup, try my Maple Pecan Pie.

Easy Pecan Pie

EASY PECAN PIE

Classic Pecan Pie – a family favorite for Thanksgiving for generations! My Mom was famous for her pecan pies with homemade crust. If you are a beginner baker, it is impossible to mess up this pecan pie filling! The touch of cinnamon adds a special little bit of flavor that you’ll love as well!

Easy Pecan Pie

​INGREDIENTS:
1 pie crust (homemade or refrigerated)
2-1/2 cups (250g) pecan halves
1/2  cup (100g) light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter (melted and cooled to lukewarm)
1 cup light corn syrup
3 large eggs (room temperature)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Additional whole pecans for garnish
 
HOW I MAKE THIS:

1. Toast the pecans on a baking sheet at 350°F for about 8 minutes, turning them halfway thru. After they have cooled, chop half into chunks, leaving the other half whole. I usually toast a few additional pecans to use as garnish for the top of my pie. 
2. PREPARE PIE CRUST: For this pie we’ll be using a single pie crust on the bottom of a 9x2-inch dish glass pie plate. Prepare pie crust per your favorite recipe, or use 1 refrigerated pie crust. 
3. Sprinkle the bottom of pie plate with flour (this will prevent the crust from sticking to the bottom of your pie plate when serving).  Roll out chilled pie dough on a floured work surface until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into pie plate. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth.  Use a small sharp knife to trim excess dough 1-inch off the edges, and flute.  Refrigerate while you are preparing the filling.
4. Preheat oven to 425°F and adjust oven rack to the lowest position possible.
5. BLIND BAKE PIE CRUST: Remove pie plate from refrigerator, line crust with aluminum foil or parchment paper, covering edges to prevent browning, and fill with pie weights, filling the whole way up to the rim of the pie plate. Bake for 15 minutes or until dough looks dry and pale in color.
6. Remove foil/parchment and weights, rotate plate, and bake 5-10 additional minutes until crust is light golden brown. Remove pie plate from oven. 
7. After removing the pie crust from the oven, lay 1 cup of the pecan halves in a decorative pattern on the bottom.  Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of chopped pecans evenly on top of the pecan halves; set aside.
8. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Mix in melted butter, corn syrup, eggs and vanilla extract (there should be no streaks of egg). Pour mixture evenly over pecan layer in crust.
9. As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, decrease the oven temperature to 350°F  and adjust oven rack to middle position.  Pour the pecan mixture over the back of a spoon into the warm pie shell (this will prevent your crust from cracking). Place a pie crust shield on top of crust.
10. Bake on the middle rack until the pie looks set and yet soft, like gelatin, when pressed gently with the back of a spoon, 50-55 minutes.  Rotate pie plate half-way thru backing. If pie is browning too quickly, remove pie crust shield and tent aluminum foil over the whole pie.
11. Transfer the pie to a rack; cool completely until filling has set – at least 3-4 hours.  
12. Like your pie warm? You still need to let it rest, and then once it's set up, you can place it back in the oven (or toaster oven) to briefly warm it back up. It'll only need a few minutes.
13. Perfect served with a scoop of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream, or sweetened whipped cream.
14. This pie is best served within 3 days. To store it, leave it lightly covered at room temperature, for up to one day, or in the refrigerator for up to three. You can rewarm it in a 350ºF oven before serving. DO NOT STORE IN AN AIR-TIGHT CONTAINER OR THE PIE WILL LIQUIFY!

​YIELD:  8 servings

RECIPE NOTES:

FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: 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.
​
CORN SYRUP: You can substitute light corn syrup for the dark corn syrup. Many traditional pecan pies contain corn syrup, but for a variation without corn syrup, try my Maple Pecan Pie.

Original recipe published November 2012; revised and reposted November 2023.
 
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