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This easy pecan pie recipe is truly one of the quickest and easiest pies you will ever make. The old-fashioned dessert is a Southern classic that’s especially perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas — and it only requires 10 minutes of prep!
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If you love easy homemade pie recipes as much as we do, be sure to try Mom’s easy apple pie, this rich chocolate pudding pie, and a classic chocolate chess pie, too!
Along with coconut cake, an easy pecan pie recipe has been at the top of my favorite desserts list for as long as I can remember. It’s the perfect combination of sweet-and-salty flavors, paired with smooth, creamy, and crunchy textures. Serve the pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for an over-the-top indulgence, but a slice of this homemade pie is absolutely wonderful on its own, too!
What does Pecan Pie taste like?
If you’ve never tasted this old-fashioned dessert, you’re in for a real treat! It’s unclear exactly when or where the pecan pie originated, but pecans are native to the Southern United States, and the pie has been closely associated with the culture of the South since the 1940s and 50s.
Pecan pie filling is made with eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, and pecans, so the pie is sweet and gooey, studded with nuts, and has a rich, caramel flavor. The filling is baked in a traditional pastry pie crust, which provides a nice contrast to the sweet insides.
Why this is the Best Recipe for Pecan Pie
This is the perfect dessert for novice bakers, because it’s so darn easy and practically impossible to mess up.
- Store-Bought Pie Crust: Let me share a little secret with you: when you purchase a refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust, nobody will ever know that you didn’t make it from scratch! Of course, you can whip up your favorite pie crust recipe at home if that’s your preference, but I’ve found over the years that this particular store-bought crust is almost indistinguishable from the homemade version. Take some help where you can get it!
- Simple Ingredients: This pie takes advantage of just a handful of pantry staples, so don’t worry about sourcing fancy ingredients or purchasing a cart-full of supplies.
- Quick Prep: In 10 minutes or less, your pie will be ready for the oven. You don’t have to pre-bake the pie shell or spend time peeling or chopping fruit. This pie is so darn fast!
- Make Ahead: Especially around the busy holidays, life is easier when you rely on no-fail desserts that can be prepared in advance. This pie is a great solution to eliminate the last-minute stress of a big holiday meal. Make it at least 1 day ahead and it will be ready and waiting when you need it!
- No Special Equipment: You don’t need a stand mixer or any other fancy baking equipment. Just a big bowl and a whisk or wooden spoon will do the job!
Ingredients for the Best Pecan Pie Recipe
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for an easy homemade pecan pie. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Unbaked Pie Crust: a Pillsbury refrigerated store-bought pie crust is the best pie crust when you need an easy shortcut; however, you can use your favorite homemade pie dough recipe if you prefer.
- Eggs: give the pie structure and help the filling set.
- Light corn syrup and light brown sugar: the sweeteners that create the pie’s classic gooey, caramel filling.
- All-purpose flour: just a little bit of flour helps to thicken the filling.
- Salted butter: we like salted butter because that extra salt is a nice balance to the sweet filling. If using unsalted butter, you’ll need to increase the salt by an extra ¼ teaspoon.
- Vanilla extract: adds warm flavor. For a really special treat, use our 2-ingredient homemade bourbon vanilla extract.
- Salt: to balance the sweetness and enhance the other ingredients.
- Pecans: coarsely chopped nuts add a nice buttery, crunchy texture to the filling. Arrange extra pecans in a nice pattern on top, if you like!
Before You Get Started
If you’re using a Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust instead of a homemade pie crust, follow the instructions on the box before trying to unroll the crust. You will need to let the crust come to room temperature before unrolling (or else the crust will tear). Leave the crust in its wrapper on the counter for 15 minutes, or microwave on defrost for 10-20 seconds.
How to Make Pecan Pie
This easy pecan pie recipe comes together in minutes! I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Unroll the pie crust, place it in a 9-inch pie plate, and crimp the edges.
- Chill the crust for a few minutes while you make the filling.
- Stir together the filling.
- Pour the filling mixture into the pie shell.
- Arrange pecan halves in concentric circles on the top of the pie.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes.
- Cool, slice, and serve!
How to Tell When Pecan Pie is Done
The pie might jiggle a little bit in the center when you remove it from the oven, but it should have structure and should not wiggle too much. A slight jiggle is normal!
You can test to see if the pie is baked all of the way through by inserting a knife into the center between two pecans. If the knife comes out clean, the pie is done. It will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
How to Serve
This classic pecan pie recipe is best served at room temperature or even chilled, straight from the fridge. If the pie is too warm, the filling will just come oozing out rather than setting up nicely. It’s delicious on its own, but it also feels decadent when served with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Once the pie is completely cool, it can be covered and left out at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Storage: The pie does not need to be refrigerated. If you’d like the pie to keep for more than 1-2 days, however, it’s best to store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- How to Freeze: This is one of those great pies that freezes beautifully. Just allow the baked pie to cool completely, wrap tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Tips for the Best Southern Pecan Pie Recipe
- The Crust: I prefer Pillsbury’s refrigerated pie crust, which is sold in a box of two. You only need one crust for this recipe, so stash the extra in your freezer for another day. Substitute with a frozen, thawed unbaked pie shell, or make your own crust from scratch. You do not need to “blind bake” or “pre-bake” the crust (another reason this pie is so easy)!
- The Corn Syrup: This recipe calls for light corn syrup. You can substitute with dark corn syrup if you prefer an even stronger, more robust toasty flavor. I recommend Karo brand corn syrup, which has a nice touch of vanilla.
- The Brown Sugar: I use light brown sugar in this pie filling, but you can substitute with dark brown sugar for a stronger molasses flavor.
- Bake the pie on the middle rack (or in the lower third of the oven) — not on the top rack. This allows the crust to become crisp and flaky (not soft and soggy), so that you can avoid the extra step of pre-baking the crust.
- Don’t omit the corn syrup. I know that some modern bakers are looking for unrefined substitutes for corn syrup; however, the corn syrup is the glue that holds the pecan pie filling together. It’s thicker than other sweeteners like maple syrup, and it offers the old-fashioned flavor that you expect in a Southern pecan pie recipe. Are there other options out there? Of course…but they won’t taste quite the same!
More Pecan Recipes to Try
Mom’s Easy Candied Pecans
30 minutes mins
Salted Butterscotch Cookies with Pecans
30 minutes mins
Oatmeal Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting
45 minutes mins
Easy Pecan Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 prepared unbaked 9-inch pie crust (I use Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust)
- 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, plus extra pecan halves to garnish top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp the edges with a fork or use your fingers to flute the edges. Chill the pie shell in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl, combine eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, flour, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Add the coarsely chopped pecans and stir to combine. Pour into the chilled pie shell.
- Arrange pecan halves on top.
- On the middle rack (or in the lower third of the oven), bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes. Keep an eye on the crust as it’s baking. You may want to place a pie crust shield (or strips of aluminum foil) around the edges of the crust after the first 20 or 30 minutes to prevent the edges from browning too much. If the top of the pie is getting too dark before it’s fully set, you can loosely tent the whole pie with a piece of aluminum foil.
- Place the pie on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Before You Get Started: If you’re using a Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust, follow the instructions on the box before trying to unroll the crust. You will need to let the crust come to room temperature before unrolling (or else the crust will tear). Leave the crust in its wrapper on the counter for 15 minutes, or microwave on defrost for 10-20 seconds.
- The Crust: I prefer Pillsbury’s refrigerated pie crust, which is sold in a box of two. You only need one crust for this recipe, so stash the extra in your freezer for another day. Substitute with a frozen, thawed unbaked pie shell, or make your own crust from scratch. You do not need to “blind bake” or “pre-bake” the crust (another reason this pie is so easy)!
- The Corn Syrup: This recipe calls for light corn syrup. You can substitute with dark corn syrup if you prefer an even stronger, more robust toasty flavor. I recommend Karo brand corn syrup, which has a nice touch of vanilla.
- The Brown Sugar: I use light brown sugar in this pie filling, but you can substitute with dark brown sugar for a stronger molasses flavor.
- Bake the pie on the middle rack (or in the lower third of the oven) — not on the top rack. This allows the crust to become crisp and flaky (not soft and soggy), so that you can avoid the extra step of pre-baking the crust.
- Don’t omit the corn syrup. I know that some modern bakers are looking for unrefined substitutes for corn syrup; however, the corn syrup is the glue that holds the pecan pie filling together. It’s thicker than other sweeteners like maple syrup, and it offers the old-fashioned flavor that you expect in a Southern pecan pie recipe. Are there other options out there? Of course…but they won’t taste quite the same!
