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This pecan pie recipe is easy to follow and results in a delicious, classic pecan pie that will have your friends and family begging for more. Loaded with a sweet, gooey filling and lots of pecans, it pairs well with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
What are you waiting for? Let’s get baking! Here’s how you can make your own pie that will impress anyone – whether they’re from the South or not!
Ingredients
To make this classic pecan pie recipe, you need the following ingredients:
eggs
sugar
Karo syrup (light corn syrup)
1 stick of butter, melted
pecan halves or pieces
unbaked pie shell
How To Make a Traditional Pecan Pie
There are two basic steps for making a pecan pie.
First, combine eggs, sugar, and corn syrup in a large mixing bowl. Stir in melted butter and then add pecans and mix thoroughly.
Second, pour the pecan pie filling into an uncooked pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.
Once the pie has cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
Tip
Place the unbaked pie on a rimmed baking sheet or a cookie sheet. It will make it much easier to put in and take out of the oven. A bonus is that it helps to catch any spillage.
FAQ
How do you tell if a pecan pie is done?
The pecan pie is done when the filling is set and only slightly jiggles when you shake the pan. If it makes a wave-like motion, then the pie needs to cook longer.
Do I need to refrigerate pecan pie?
Pecan pie does not need to be refrigerated, but can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you plan on storing it longer, it’s best to keep it in the fridge.
Can I freeze pecan pie?
Yes! Pecan pie can be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap or place in a freezer-safe container. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge.
The History of the Pecan Pie
Nobody knows for sure when or where the pecan pie was first created. It has been surmised that the humble pie first came to be in New Orleans by the French shortly after they settled in The Big Easy. Other thoughts are that they may have originated in the early 1800s in Alabama.
Regardless of where or when they came into being, you can enjoy them today thanks to this easy recipe by Anita Musgrove which is in her book,Tennessee Back Road Restaurant Recipes.
Pecan Pie
Loaded with a sweet, gooey filling and lots of pecans, this pie pairs well with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 40 minutesminutes
Total Time: 45 minutesminutes
Servings: 8slices
Calories: 534kcal
Author: Lynda – Southern Kissed
Ingredients
4eggs
1cupsugar
1cupwhite Karo syrup
½cupmelted butter
1 ½cupspecan pieces
1unbaked pie shell
Instructions
Combine eggs, sugar, and syrup. Stir in melted butter. Add pecans and mix thoroughly.
Pour into an uncooked pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.
Notes
This recipe comes from Renate & Gary’s Restaurant in Big Sandy, Tennessee.It’s excerpted from Tennessee Back Road Restaurant recipes by Anita Musgrove, copyright 2015.Reprinted with permission.
Tennessee Back Road Restaurant Recipes by Anita Musgrovepulls double duty as both a cookbook and restaurant guide. The book is divided into three sections, each representing a region of Tennessee. Here are some of the tasty dishes you will find in the sections:
Western Region: Chocolate Gravy, Cat Head Biscuits, Skillet Peach Cobbler, Quiche Lorraine, Cheese Straw Twists, and BBQ Spaghetti
Central Region: Sydney’s Bluff Chicken, Chow Chow, Grits Cake, Square Market Crab Bisque, Amish Friendship Bread Muffins, and Barrel House Brunswick Stew
Eastern Region: Bourbon Street Pecan Pie, Banana Torte, Jalapeno Clam Bisque, Santa Fe Salsa, The Michael Allman Burger, Tomato Jam, and Plaid Apron’s Winter Stew
The author includes information about the various restaurants that have contributed recipes to the book, including the restaurants’ addresses, websites, and hours. It’s a great resource to have on hand for a road trip in Tennessee.
Look forTennessee Back Road Restaurant Recipesat your local bookstore or at Amazon.com.
If you like good old-fashioned southern recipes, be sure to check out my recipe for Chicken and Dumplings, Peppered Cornbread, and Southern Buttermilk Biscuits.
Pecan pie is a delightful concoction of pecan nuts mixed with a rich, caramelly filling made from eggs, butter, corn syrup, and sugar. The earliest pecan pie can be traced all the way back to the late 1800s, but it really peaked in the early 20th century when Karo™ syrup printed a pecan pie recipe on its bottles.
For every one cup of corn syrup that the recipe calls for, use one cup of maple syrup instead. The great thing about maple syrup is it has some nutritional benefits. Maple syrup contains antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, such as Vitamin B6, calcium, niacin, potassium, and riboflavin.
Chances are, you overcooked it. If you follow the baking time on this recipe, you won't run into hard pie. If your oven tends to cook quickly, you may want to check on it midway. If the crust looks too dark, you can use a pie shield or cover the edges with aluminum foil.
Pecan pie filling is extremely liquidy when it first goes into the oven, as it's primarily just sugar, corn syrup, and eggs (though you can use maple syrup as an ingredient swap if you're not keen on corn syrup). As such, you have to cook the pecan pie long enough for this liquid to develop a custard-like consistency.
The best corn syrup substitutes for baking are brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave, tapioca syrup, honey, golden syrup, and black treacle. Whether you're avoiding using corn syrup, are allergic to corn, or don't have it on hand, there are a ton of substitutes for corn syrup to try instead.
Pumpkin Pie: This one is our winner! When in doubt, choose pumpkin pie. In competition with those mentioned above, it offers the fewest calories, and least fat and added sugar. It's also loaded with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, phosphorous, calcium, and iron.
Light and dark corn syrup can be used interchangeably in almost every instance, with slight flavor variances. In a pecan pie, for example, light corn syrup will contribute sweetness and a hint of vanilla, but that's about it. Dark corn syrup, in addition to sweetness, will add color and a more robust, toasty flavor.
A pecan pie is essentially a custard pie, and a liquid center is almost always the result of underbaking. The Karo Classic Pecan Pie recipe calls for baking the pie for 60 to 70 minutes at 350 degrees. In some ovens, however, the pie can take 75 minutes or more.
Share on Pinterest Karo is a type of corn syrup that has a laxative effect. People mainly use Karo syrup in recipes to keep food moist and prevent sugar crystallization. Karo syrup is a commercial corn syrup derived from the starch of maize. Corn syrup is an old home remedy for constipation.
Pecan pie has a somewhat similar set of issues—the filling can crack, the bottom can be under-baked, the filling can seep under the crust, and the nuts can be soggy. Like the pumpkin pie, the filling will crack if the pie is over-baked or cools too quickly.
If the filling is flowing in a wavy movement from the center to the edge, your pie isn't set quite yet. Wait for the moment when the center of your pecan pie gives you just a little jiggle, like the stable but slightly wiggly movement of Jell-O when you give it a gentle shake.
Over beating the filling will cause it to become foamy and will make the filling look cloudy. Keep an eye on the crust as it bakes. Typically it will need to be covered within about 20 minutes of baking. You can make pecan pie ahead of time and freeze them easily.
How Long Can Pecan Pie Be Left at Room Temperature? Pecan pies can stay on the counter for up to two hours before they need to be refrigerated, according to the FDA. After two hours at room temperature, your food is at risk for harmful bacteria growth.
Cook pecan pie too much and it'll crack and be dry. Underbake it and it will be watery and runny. You want to cook pecan pie to an internal temperature of 200°F. Use a digital thermometer to make this easy.
Pie Filling Enhancer thickens fruit pie fillings the same way Instant ClearJel does. Its advantage is added ascorbic acid (which adds a bright, tart note), and superfine sugar, which prevents it from clumping. Pie Filling Enhancer is about half sugar, so you'll want to reduce the sugar in your recipe accordingly.
It can only be heated once without breaking down. It needs to be mixed with sugar to help it distribute evenly. Pie filling enhancer is is instant Clear Jel mixed with ascorbic acid and superfine sugar. It is about 50 percent sugar so you have to cut back on the amount of sugar called for in your recipe.
Pecan pie is considered a high-calorie and high-fat food. A single slice of pecan pie typically contains around 400-500 calories and 20-30 grams of fat. The majority of the calories come from the crust and the filling. The crust is made of butter and flour, which are high in calories and fat.
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.
Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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