Pecan Pie Recipe
Classic Pecan Pie: tender nuts, flaky crust, and a gooey brown sugar filling. The best way to end your holiday meal! Made with no corn syrup.
I can’t believe it’s almost November already! How did this year fly by so fast??
Well, now that we are here, it’s officially time to start holiday baking. And we’re kicking it all off with this fabulous pecan pie recipe.
I plan on having a heavy pie focus this month! I’ve got a few good ideas in the works, but in the meantime, be sure to check out my favorite pumpkin pie, chocolate cream pie, and lemon meringue pie.
Any of those options would be fantastic for your holiday feast, but in our house, there’s really only one way to go. Pecan pie! It’s my husband’s favorite, and over the years, it’s become mine too.
WHAT IS PECAN PIE?
Pecan pie is a traditional southern dessert. It’s so delicious it’s become loved all over the country, and even the world!
It consists of a flaky, buttery pie crust, a gooey, sweet filling, and tons of crunchy nuts. It’s great at any time of year, but we especially love it around the fall and winter holidays.
Most pecan pie recipes call for a fair amount of corn syrup, but I prefer this version. There’s no corn syrup at all. Instead, it’s made with a combination of brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup, so it has a really nice rich flavor.
Besides those three different kinds of sweetener, pecan pie also has eggs, butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. You could even add a dash of bourbon if you like! And of course there are plenty of nuts.
WHAT DOES PECAN PIE TASTE LIKE?
The first time I tasted pecan pie, it reminded me of a candy bar. The filling is sweet and gooey, with an almost caramel-like flavor. The nuts are a great contrast to all the sweet, and so is the buttery pie crust.
Because this recipe contains no corn syrup, there is a much deeper and more complex flavor.
The brown sugar brings a warm sweetness, while the honey adds a floral note and the maple has a faint woodsiness that really compliments the nuts beautifully.
HOW TO MAKE PECAN PIE
I love making pecan pie because it’s so easy. You just stir a handful of ingredients together, pop it into a pie shell, and bake!
For this pecan pie recipe, you’ll start by whisking eggs, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla, and salt together. Then, stir in the pecan pieces.
Pecan pieces work really well for this recipe, because they cost a lot less than whole pecan halves. Save those more expensive pecan halves for the garnish, where they’ll really make an impact!
Pour the filling into a chilled pie crust, add your pretty garnish, and bake!
If you’re looking for a really fabulous pie crust recipe, look no further than right here: Perfect Homemade Pie Crust from Scratch. I have a special technique that makes this the flakiest pie crust you’ve ever tasted! You’ve gotta check it out!
And be sure to have a peek at my Pecan Pie Recipe video for a step-by-step how-to. It’s in the recipe card below.
HOW TO KNOW WHEN PECAN PIE IS DONE BAKING
It can be really disappointing to cut into a homemade pie only to find the filling is a runny mess! So you really want to make sure it’s been baked fully and cooled enough.
No two ovens bake exactly the same way, but you’ll know your pecan pie is done baking when the edges of the crust are golden brown, and the filling is set. If it seems wobbly or jiggly in the center, it could probably use a little more time in the oven.
Pecan pie will become even more firm as it cools, so I would recommend waiting at least an hour to slice into it!
WHAT TO SERVE PECAN PIE WITH
Pecan pie is wonderful with a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s also great with a drizzle of chocolate syrup!
But honestly it doesn’t need anything extra. It’s perfectly delicious just as is!
HOW TO STORE PECAN PIE
This pecan pie can be kept at room temperature for a day or so, but any longer than that and it should probably go into the fridge.
You can also make your pie ahead and freeze it. Just wrap it tightly, and thaw in the fridge. It can be gently reheated in the oven on the lowest temperature, for about 15 or 20 minutes.
Bake up this fabulous pecan pie recipe for your next get together! At the end of the meal, with a hot cup of coffee, there’s nothing better!
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Pecan Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 (3) eggs, (large)
- 1/2 cup (110 g) dark brown sugar,, loosely packed
- 1/3 cup (113 g) honey
- 1/3 cup (107.33 g) pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter,, melted
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) bourbon whiskey, (optional)
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups (163.5 g) pecan pieces
- 1/2 batch (0.5 batch) Perfect Pie Crust from Scratch,, prepared and chilled
- 1/3 cup (33 g) pecan halves, (approximately)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the eggs, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, melted butter, bourbon (if using), vanilla, and salt in a medium mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the pecan pieces, and pour the filling into the prepared pie shell.
- Garnish with pecan halves, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set.
- Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
In this recipe, is the pie crust baked blind?
I don’t find that to be necessary for this particular pie recipe.
Can you still use corn syrup for the recipe instead of the maple? And does it change the cook time?
Hey Laura! Yes you can replace the honey AND maple with an equal amount of corn syrup (I prefer dark corn syrup but light will work as well), and that shouldn’t really have a significant impact on the bake time. Good luck and I hope you enjoy!
Really,. Not Enough for 12 inch pie dish, please specify what size pie dishes to use
I specified the exact dish I used just above the recipe card. There’s an Amazon link to it. It’s a Pyrex dish that is 9-inches by 1.2-inches. This is a standard sized pie dish. I have never seen a 12-inch pie dish- sounds like a specialty item.
Should the pie shell be cold only or should it be frozen ??
Hi Leah! It should definitely be quite cold, and frozen would be ok too. Hope that’s helpful!
Do I need to pre bake the crust first?
No.
THIS IS PERFECT!!!!!! Next time I make pecan pie I’m so making this recipe!
I notice you use less than half of the brown sugar called for in other recipes. How does it compare in taste to those used to the traditional taste of a Southern Pecan Pie?
It’s still very sweet in my opinion. Remember it also has honey and maple syrup, so the final result is quite comparable to what you are probably used to.
Thank you! I am going to give it a try this year-it actually sounds delicious to me-was worried about my die hard pecan pie fans!
I hope they’ll be pleased! Happy Thanksgiving Mari!
I love pecan pie, but I’ve never loved the idea of using corn syrup. I do however like your use of bourbon! Great recipe!
That’s a perfect slice of pie!!
Perfect pecan pie! And no corn syrup makes it even better!