Old Fashioned Pecan Pie is a sweet and delicious dessert that is the perfect addition to any holiday table. It's so easy to throw together and make ahead for a classic treat everyone raves about!
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Why You've Got To Try Pecan Tart Pie
I didn't actually grow up eating pecan pie. At Christmas my Grandma made the most fantastic Pecan Tassies which were basically little pecan pies and they were my absolute favorites, so I'm excited to share this pecan pie recipe!
It's sweet and delicious with a crisp top, plenty of pecans and a soft and gooey center baked in a flaky pie crust. This has holidays all over it and is outrageously easy to make.
Here's why you'll love it:
- Classic dessert nostalgia
- Quick and easy to throw together
- Make ahead
- A crowd-pleasing sweet treat
- Simple ingredients
Ingredient Information and Substitutions
- Pecans- I went with a 10 ounce bag shelled and halved pecans for the perfect bite size nutty crunch.
- Pie Crust- I'm lazy, so I go with refrigerated pie crust, but you can totally make your own from scratch if you prefer.
- Salted Butter- While most people prefer unsalted butter for their baking, I'm the opposite- I like the flavor salted butter bring to baked goods. You'll want to melt the butter before assembling the rest of the ingredients so it has a few minutes to cool.
- Corn Syrup- This is one of the ingredients that's absolutely necessary to get the correct texture for your pie filling. I used dark corn syrup for a deeper flavor, but light corn syrup also works well.
- Eggs- This is the other absolutely necessary ingredient for the right texture for the filling- make sure you use large eggs.
- Maple Syrup- When I initially tested this, I didn't include maple syrup- it was an addition I made later at the recommendation of a friend who LOVES pecan pie and has eaten plenty of it. I used Pure Maple Syrup and it added a great flavor.
- Brown Sugar- Adds a bit more sweetness and depth of flavor. I used light but dark brown sugar works great too.
- Flour- A little bit of all-purpose flour helps ensure the right texture for the filling.
- Flavor Add-ons- Kosher Salt is always necessary to bring out all the flavors of your baked goods. Ground Cinnamon and pure vanilla extract also add a really nice flavor to this pie filling.
How To Make This Recipe For Pecan Pie
Step 1- Melt the butter and mix your filling ingredients
Melt the butter before you start so it has a few minutes to cool a bit. Mix all the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
Step 2- Add pecans to the pie crust and pour filling on top of it
Place all the pecans into the pie crust in an even layer and pour the filling over it so each pecan is covered in filling.
Step 3- Begin baking
Begin baking in a an oven preheated to 350 degrees.
Step 4- Cover the crust
After 30 minutes of baking, use a pie shield or foil to cover the outer crust and keep baking for around another hour until the edges are fully set and the center has only a very slight jiggle. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 3 hours to overnight before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes- you can and you should. This pie needs at least 3 hours to fully set up but overnight is preferable making it the perfect make-ahead dessert.
The first thing to know is this type of pie is meant to have a soft set- so it should be thick and gooey. What you don't want is runny filling. If it is runny, that means it needs to bake more. The center should reach at least 200 degrees due to the high sugar content (but you can totally aim for 210 degrees just to be safe).
That said, I typically don't temp it- I like to give it a little shake when I think it's done. The edges shouldn't move and the center should just barely have the teeniest amount of jiggle. Then you need to let it sit for at least 3 hours to fully cool and set up (but overnight is better if you can). Once cool, putting it into the fridge gives it even more help in setting up.
I've stored it on my counter and in the fridge, but I think best results come from refrigerating. Pull it out 30 minutes prior to slicing.
You can! Wrap it really well once baked and cooled and it will last up to 3 months covered in the freeze. Pull it out to thaw in the fridge the night before serving.
Tips For Making The Easiest Pecan Pie Recipe
- Melt the butter before starting- you want it to have a chance to cool before adding it to the filling.
- Cover the pecans fully in the filling- this prevents them from burning.
- Line a sheet pan and place it under the pie when baking- This way, if you have any leakage, it doesn't get all over your oven. I do this for every pie.
- Use a pie crust shield after 30 minutes- to keep the crust from burning. You can also use foil (just be gentle so you don't break the crust).
- Make it the night before- It'll give the pie plenty of time to set up and allows you to have less to do the day you're planning to serve it.
- Pull it from the fridge 30 minutes prior to serving- to bring it to room temp.
- Storage and Leftovers- This will last up to 4 days covered in the fridge.
What To Serve With Pecan Pie
These recipes will round out a great meal with your pie:
Other Classic Pie Recipes
Try these other super delicious pies:
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Old Fashioned Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust in pan, edges fluted.
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted (half stick)
- ¾ cup dark corn syrup (or light)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large pinch Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Teaspoon all purpose flour
- 1 10 ounce bag shelled and halved pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and set aside.
- Mix corn syrup, maple syrup, eggs, sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract and flour until well combined.
- Whisk in cooled melted butter until well combined.
- Place pecans in an even layer in the raw pie crust.
- Pour filling over pecans so that each pecan is covered.
- Place pie pan onto lined sheet pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Add the pie shield around the crust on the edges and resume baking for another 30-40 minutes until the edges are set and the middle is only ever-so-slightly jiggly.
- Remove from oven and remove the pie crust shield. Cool completely for at least 3 hours to oven night, placing in the fridge once cool. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes prior to serving.
Video
Notes
- Melt the butter before starting- you want it to have a chance to cool before adding it to the filling.
- Cover the pecans fully in the filling- this prevents them from burning.
- Line a sheet pan and place it under the pie when baking- This way, if you have any leakage, it doesn't get all over your oven. I do this for every pie.
- Use a pie crust shield after 30 minutes- to keep the crust from burning. You can also use foil (just be gentle so you don't break the crust).
- Make it the night before- It'll give the pie plenty of time to set up and allows you to have less to do the day you're planning to serve it.
- Pull it from the fridge 30 minutes prior to serving- to bring it to room temp.
- Storage and Leftovers- This will last up to 4 days covered in the fridge.
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