This easy pecan pie recipe is a classic with a flaky pie crust, sweet, creamy filling and pecans. This traditional homemade dessert recipe is a family favorite!
This pie is often served as a Thanksgiving recipe, but it’s so good I make it all season long in rotation with chocolate pecan pie and pecan pie bars!
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Best Pecan Pie Recipe
A classic dessert for Thanksgiving and Christmas is almost always pie! We love everything from pumpkin pie and Dutch apple pie to apple cranberry pie and sweet potato pie. And you can certainly never go wrong with an easy pecan pie recipe like this one!
This rich and flavorful pie is prepared in just 15 minutes and into the oven it goes. Every bite has the perfect sweet, creamy, and crunchy balance and although it’s usually reserved for special occasions, you’ll start to wonder why you don’t make it all the time!
Why I Love This Recipe
- A homemade holiday favorite: A slice of traditional pecan pie is a Thanksgiving favorite and always wows guests with it’s impressive look and taste.
- Easy to make. We’re all about shortcuts with simple ingredients during the busy holiday season! Use a store-bought pie crust and this pie can be prepped in minutes.
- Classic flavor and texture. We’re not shy with our use of corn syrup. The best pecan pie recipe uses Karo corn syrup. It makes the sweet filling silky and smooth.
Pecan Pie Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Pie crust: You’ll need just 1 unbaked pie crust since there’s no top crust. Store-bought pie crust works or make my homemade easy pie crust recipe.
- Pecans: Most of your pecans will be chopped and placed in the filling so they become buttery and tender but don’t forget to keep about 8-10 pecans whole to be placed on the top for a crunchy decoration.
- Large eggs: These help to bind the ingredients in the sweet filling.
- Light corn syrup: Corn syrup is sweet but it also serves a purpose. It prevents crystallization which keeps the pecan pie filling nice and smooth and not gritty.
- Sugar: Brown sugar adds a delicious caramelized sweetness and a golden brown color to the pie and granulated sugar will dissolve easily into the sweet filling.
- Unsalted butter, melted: Butter always does a good job of enriching a pie filling with a buttery flavor.
- Baking staples: Vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon add additional flavor.
How to Make Pecan Pie
Lay the pie dough down into a 9-inch pie dish and press it down so that it sits flush against the plate. Refrigerate while making the filling.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Then, whisk in the corn syrup, brown sugar, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Add chopped pecans to the bottom of the crust, and pour the filling overtop.
Place the whole pecans in a circular design on the top, making sure to gently press the pecans into the filling. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the edges are golden and the center is set (slightly jiggly is fine). Halfway through the baking time, place aluminum foil over the pie to prevent the crust from burning.
Take pie out of the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. If you try and slice it too early it will be runny and won’t have time to set properly. When you’re ready to serve, enjoy it with ice cream or whipped topping for an extra special treat.
Pecan Pie Tips
- When it’s ready. A slight jiggle to the center of the pie is okay because it will continue to set as it cools. If it’s too jiggly, it’ll need to bake a little more.
- Avoid overbaking it. As mentioned earlier, a slight jiggle is sometimes better than no jiggle. If you notice there’s no jiggle, take it out immediately.
- Chop your own pecans or buy them already chopped to skip a step. You can also buy pecan halves if you prefer to use them instead.
- Serving: You can serve this homemade pecan pie on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
More homemade pie recipes you’ll love include razzleberry pie, no-bake eggnog pie, and peach pie.
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Pecan Pie Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 pie crust , unbaked
- 2 cups chopped pecans , reserve 8-10 whole pecans
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup light brown sugar , packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For serving: Ice cream or Whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Prep. Prepare your pie crust and press into a 9-inch pie dish. Place in the refrigerator until ready to bake. When ready to bake, place 2 cups chopped pecans (reserve 8-10 whole pecans) in the bottom of the crust.
- Combine. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 eggs. Whisk in 1 cup corn syrup, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 4 Tablespoons melted butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon until combined. Pour over the pecans. Place whole pecans in a circle design on top, being sure to press the pecans into the filling.
- Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until edges are golden and the center is set (it's ok if it's a little jiggly). Halfway through baking, place a pie crust shield or tent foil over the top of the pie to prevent the crust from burning.
- Cool. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
It’s okay to stay out for a couple of hours while serving, but it will need to be put back in the fridge after that because it does contain eggs.
Yes! Once completely cooled, wrap it with plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn. Then, transfer it to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Keep it frozen for up to 1 month. You could probably stretch it to 3 months but you may notice some texture changes.
Thaw overnight in the fridge and enjoy it within a couple of days.
Once it is baked, you always want to cool it entirely down to room temperature. You can enjoy it as is, or cold straight out of the fridge. If you want to warm it a bit, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.
If it’s given a chance to set in the first place, you can enjoy it however you like.
This is a personal preference. I prefer light corn syrup because I think the brown sugar gives enough of the caramel molasses flavor, and I prefer the lighter, more vanilla flavor profile.
Categorized as: American, Christmas, Desserts, Pies + Tarts, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
My favorite pie! So easy to make and came out PERFECT! Can’t wait to make it again!
This is a favorite every Thanksgiving! It’s smooth & creamy & I love the crunch from the pecans! It’s usually the first pie gone!
The flaky crust, sweet filling, and crunchy pecans—perfection! Cant wait to make it again during the holidays.