Classic Southern Pecan Pie
This Classic Southern Pecan Pie recipe is a vintage family recipe and a mainstay at our Thanksgiving dinner every year, but it’s not just for holidays!
Whip this quick recipe up in no time and serve it on any given day! You’ll love the fresh, Southern pecan halves nested in a flavorful filling, with a light, crispy crust.
This is the perfect dessert after a savory turkey dinner of turkey, cornbread dressing, candied sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, collard greens and sweet tea!
Why this recipe works
I always subscribe to the theory that sometimes “simple is best”, that’s why this vintage Southern pecan pie recipe works!
- Classic – nothing fancy or complicated; just mix up some simple ingredients and pour ’em in a prepared crust
- Delicious – just the right amount of sugar! not too sweet
- Quick prep time – no rolling out dough or using lots of bowls…one bowl and a pie plate…that’s all you need
Since the pecan is the official State Nut of Texas, we have an abundance of pecan trees that produce delicious pecans here! In the South, homemade Pecan Pie is not just for Thanksgiving or special occasions.
Here’s what you need
The ingredients for this delicious classic southern pecan pie are simple: a prepared crust, Karo corn syrup, eggs, vanilla extract, sugar and of course, those delicious buttery pecans!
- Pecans – I use pecan halves instead of whole pecans, but you can use either or use pecan pieces
- Roll-Out Crust -There’s no shame in not making your own crust! I use Pillsbury frozen pie crust for this easy dessert. You can find these in the frozen section at the grocery store.
- The crust comes in sheets, so it’s easy to roll out and place in a pie plate. (There’s two crusts to a box, so use the other one to whip up a quick buttermilk pie!
- Karo Corn Syrup-Some folks scoff at the notion of using corn syrup in recipes because they think it’s high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Corn syrup and HFCS are different, and Karo Corn Syrup does NOT contain HFCS. This is what makes the delicious gooey filling!
- You’ll find this in the baking section at the grocery store. Note: The Karo brand of corn syrup used to available only in “light corn syrup” and “dark corn syrup.”
- They’ve come out with a “lite” corn syrup that has less calories. I haven’t used the “lite” version in this Southern pecan pie recipe, so I’m recommending you use the original light corn syrup.
- Eggs -Use large eggs. Not regular. Not extra large or jumbo. Just large. Why? Most of the time, when a recipe calls for eggs it’s referring to large eggs and often, it doesn’t matter if you substitute with “regular size eggs,” however in this case the size of the egg does matter. The ratio of ingredients matters in this recipe because if you use too many eggs, the filling is runny and if you don’t use enough eggs the filling is too dry.
- Vanilla extract -Use a high-quality extract for best results. Adams Vanilla Extract or Watkin’s are both good brands that offer a light hint of vanilla flavor to this recipe.
- Sugar -Granulated white sugar, not brown sugar or powdered or confectioners sugar.
How to make the filling
- Thaw the crust room temperature
- Gently unroll dough onto a lightly floured surface
- Then place dough over the plate; lightly press into the plate and crimp the edges
- If you want a light, fluffy crust, blind bake it first, otherwise you don’t have to do anything to the crust a large bowl, add lightly beaten eggs, sugar, Karo corn syrup, and vanilla; stir together by hand
- Add pecan halves to the syrup mixture; stir well by hand
- Pour sugar/pecan mixture into the shell (flip pecan halves over if you want)
- Place pie directly on the middle baking rack (you may want to put a baking sheet on the lower oven rack to catch any spills)
- Bake at 350ºF for 50-70 minutes or until the pecans turn a deep golden brown; remove and allow to rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature
Recipe Tips
- Use a 9″ inch pie crust and plate; see recipe notes below in the recipe card if you’re using a smaller size
- Use large eggs; not extra large, regular or jumbo (it’s all about the egg yolks)
- If you don’t have pecan halves, used crushed pecans – just scatter pecans into mixture (you may need to increase the amount of pecans if you used chopped pecans instead of halves)
- Lightly spray the plate with a spray oil/flour mixture (like Pam or Baker’s Joy) – this allows the crust to slice better and allows for an easy clean up
- If you want a crispy crust, blind bake the empty shell. Roll the dough into the plate. Place a round piece of parchment paper on the crust then place a handful or two of dried beans on the crust; bake at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes; remove the beans and parchment, let the crust cool, then add the filling.
- You may want to put ring of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust so it won’t get too brown
- Pecans will harden as they bake; if you want a semi-hard pecan topping, place a loose piece of foil over the top for the last 15-20 minutes of baking
- Let cool at least 2 hours before serving
- For best results, use a serrated knife to slice into those crunchy pecans!
- If you’re making more than one pie, you may need to bake them a bit longer than indicated in the recipe card
Make ahead and storage
You can make this recipe up to 3 days in advance. Just cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, allow to come to room temperature, then slice and serve!
To freeze, wrap it in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and place it flat in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow to thaw in the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature.
Classic Southern Pecan Pie is easy to make and not just for the holidays! Simple ingredients, delicious texture and flavor, your family will enjoy this vintage recipe for years to come!
More desserts and Southern recipes
- Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Mixed Green Cornbread Casserole
- Classic Buttermilk Pie
- Orange Olive Oil Cake
- Pecan Pralines
- Microwave Peanut Brittle
- Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Homemade Cream Style Corn
- Creamy Mac & Cheese
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Orange Spiced Cranberry Sauce
- Parsnip Gratin
- Collard Greens
- Green Bean Casserole – No Canned Soup
- Mashed Rutabaga
- Fried Potato Cakes
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a rating and comment! I love to hear from you! Thank you!
Equipment
- 9 inch pie plate See recipe notes for 8"inch pie plate
- Thawed prepared pie crust
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 whole eggs , lightly beaten
- 1 cup Karo corn syrup , light not dark or "lite"
- 1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups pecan halves
- 1 prepared pie crust (see recipe notes) (pre-formed or "roll out" dough)
- baking spray oil ( for pie plate )(optional)
Instructions
Prep the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Allow dough to come to room temperature1 prepared pie crust (see recipe notes)
- Roll dough into 9" inch pie plate; lightly spray plate with oil/flour (optional); Read the Recipe Notes Belowbaking spray oil ( for pie plate )(optional)
Make the Pie Filling
- In a large bowl, add eggs; beat lightly3 whole eggs
- Add sugar, karo syrup, vanilla; stir by hand1 cup sugar, 1 cup Karo corn syrup, 1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add pecan halves to sugar mixture; stir by hand1½ cups pecan halves
- Pour pecan/egg mixture into crust
- Place pie plate directly on middle rack; bake for 50 – 70 minutes @350ºF; allow to cool for 2 hours (you may want to place a baking sheet on the lower oven rack to catch any spills)
- Test middle with a knife for doneness; knife or fork may have a little filling on it, but not much; if not done, cook another 10 minutes, then re-check center for doneness. Internal temperature should be 200ºF.
- For best results, allow to cool for two hours before slicing
Notes
Read the Recipe Tips in the post first
8″ or 9″ Pie Dish:
The measurements for this pecan pie recipe are for a 9″ pie dish. If you use an 8″ pie crust, use 1/3 cup less of sugar, 1/3 cup less of Karo syrup; only 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3 eggs and 1 cup of pecans.
Be careful when you pour the mixture into the pie shell; you may have a little left over, but try not to get the pie too full or it will spill over and mess up your oven
I place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any spills
If you use a deep dish pie plate, use the same amount of ingredients for a 9″inch pie pan.
Eggs:
Use large eggs. If you use extra large eggs, use only 2 not 3.
Pecan Halves
If you want a “pretty” pie, you’ll want to flip the pecan halves over so the top is showing; (I use a fork to do this); it doesn’t take long and your pie comes out beautiful!
Crust
Traditional pecan pie crusts are not light and fluffy. If you want a firm, fluffy crust, I recommend you blind bake the empty shell at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes.
For easy clean up, you can spray the pie plate lightly with a spray oil that contains flour. This is optional, but it does make clean up easier.
You might want to place a ring of foil around the edges of the pie shell so the crust won’t get too brown.
How to blind bake the crust
Roll pie dough into prepared dish (sprayed with baking oil), then place a round piece of parchment paper on the crust; add about 1 ½ cups of dried beans (pinto, navy, doesn’t matter), then place the crust in the 350ºF oven on the middle rack; bake 20-25 minutes; remove and allow to cool before adding the filling.
Nutrition Estimate
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 3gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 123mgPotassium: 97mgFiber: 2gSugar: 69gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
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Pecan pie is my hubby’s favorite dessert. Do you ship by the carton? 🙂
No, I’m sorry Debi. I cannot ship Pecan Pies because I eat them after they’re done…all by myself:)