A no-fail recipe for pecan pie with a smooth, caramelly filling studded with southern pecans perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner!
JUMP TO RECIPEThis is the pecan pie that almost never was. I tried so hard to screw this pie up. And it came out perfect anyway.
This pie has tenacity, y’all.
First of all, let me explain what I think was (is still) wrong with me. I’m on steroids. And I’m functioning like a bull in a china shop. I’m clumsy and rough and awkward. I broke the lid off the shampoo bottle because evidently I’m The Hulk now.
I've never taken steroids before but it’s like my brain and body aren't in sync. One of them thinks I’m capable of performing faster (and better and stronger and GARGH! Why do I look sunburned?! Brutus, I need you to crush that ball today... CRRRUSH IT!! It’s normal to want this much ice water, right??).
I’m not paying attention to the little things. I’m hammering through everything like it’s a race and I. MUST. WIN.
The first thing I did was drop my frozen pie shell in a sink full of dirty dish water. The oven was heated, the eggs at room temperature, everything was ready to go and then BOOM no pie shell. So I had to make one homemade which was NOT what I wanted to be doing at the last minute because I’M IN A HURRY FOR NO APPARENT REASON!!!
About halfway through the cooking time I always cut out a ring of tin foil to lay over my crust so it doesn't brown too much before the pie gets done. I popped open the oven, laid the foil over the crust and went about my business.
And then I smelled something burning. Like, ON FIRE, burning. I whip all over the house looking for the source of the smell, run outside to check there and can’t find the fire! I run back through the kitchen and that’s when I see the flames in the oven. I fling open the oven door to discover I’d dropped a pot holder in there and it had caught on fire.
The oven and kitchen are filled with smoke, the fire alarm is going off, the babies are running around screaming and I’m standing there at the sink on the verge of tears running water over the scorched remains of the pot holder in the sink.
And all I could think about was that damn pie. That stupid, pain in the butt pie sitting in the oven probably looking like a chunk of charcoal when I need it to look magazine-perfect so I could take photos of it for y’all.
I think the universe may have actually bent in response to the sheer force of will that was coming out of me for the pie to make it. I’d almost burnt my house down but all I could think about was wanting the pie to be perfect.
And guess what? She made it. And she turned out pretty after all.
I wish I could have gotten a good picture of the inside of the pie for you but this one was coming with us to some friends house and I didn’t want to butcher it.
I can tell you what it looks like though, if that helps! The filling is smooth and almost like caramel or dulce leche once it has set up completely. The nuts float up through the filling so the top of the pie is a layer of almost caramelized, toasty pecans. It is heaven!
NOTES ABOUT MAKING CLASSIC PECAN PIE
- Having the eggs at room temperature makes the filling smoother. Ice cold eggs will cause the melted butter to coagulate a bit which can make the pie appear slightly curdled. TIP: to quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of hot tap water for about 5 minutes!
- You can use light or dark brown sugar and light or dark corn syrup. I prefer the lighter color from the light corn syrup so I use dark brown sugar for a little more flavor.
- Don’t skip the salt. There’s A LOT of sweetness happening here so we need the salt to balance it a bit.
- You can use pecan halves if you prefer!
Recipe for Classic Pecan Pie
Classic Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup real butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 9-in deep dish pie pastry
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 4-5 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using pre-made frozen pie shell, set out to thaw.
- Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl until beaten well. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, salt, vanilla and butter then stir until completely smooth, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar if necessary.
- Using a fork, gently pierce the bottom and sides of the pie pastry to perforate (about a dozen total pokes should be good).
- Spread the pecans evenly over the bottom of the crust then gently pour filling over pecans.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes at 350 degrees or until pie is mostly set (a slight jiggle in the center is OK), placing a piece of aluminum foil over the pie after about 35 minutes to prevent the crust from browning too much.
- Cool completely before serving.
- Combine flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse once to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea-sized pieces of butter.
- Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together.
- Turn dough out onto a clean surface and shape into a small disk (about 5 inches in diameter). Sprinkle dough with a little flour and wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for one hour (up to 24 hours).
- When ready to prepare the pie pastry, roll dough into a 12-inch circle (about 1/8 of an inch thick) with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Carefully place pastry into a 9-inch pie plate then trim edges to within 1/2 inch of the edge of the pie dish (using kitchen shears or a sharp knife). Shape edges as desired either by crimping with your fingers or pressing down with a fork.
- Perforate the bottom of the pastry by piercing with a fork 4-5 times (to ventilate and keep the crust from bubbling up on the bottom) then fill and cook as directed by pie recipe.
Notes
- Having the eggs at room temperature makes the filling smoother. Ice cold eggs will cause the melted butter to coagulate a bit which can make the pie appear slightly curdled.
- To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of hot tap water for about 5 minutes!
- You can use light brown sugar or dark corn syrup. I just like the lighter color from the light corn syrup so I use dark brown sugar for a little more flavor.
- Don’t skip the salt. There’s A LOT of sweetness happening here so we need the salt to balance it a bit.
- You can use pecan halves if you prefer!
Love you...love your blog!!! Had shingles, on my shoulder, would choose giving birth vaginally to a 25lb baby than shingles!!! Hope your on the mend!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's rough!
DeleteAsk your Dr about high-dose L-lysine to treat shingles. (-:
ReplyDeleteIt's a dang good thing we are this many states apart. You with the steroids, and me with these new allergy meds... We could probably burn the house down making a jello salad.
ReplyDeleteHAHA!!! You might be right!
DeleteI know that post was over a year ago but, I feel for you! My middle son had shingles when he was 21 after a sever car accident, they say it is caused by nerves alot{ don't know why I haven't had them} lol I know they are very painful! Bless your heart! I am new to your site and loving every minute of it, been looking at it all afternoon! It makes me anger when people make rude remarks. They are so smart they need to make their own site! Bless you for all your work and entertaining intros to alot of your recipes!
DeleteOOOh you poor thang!! I hope you get better soon. Did you get the shingles vaccine? I know the docs are pushing it but my hubbie and I have been balking at it. I will try your Peeecan pie. Marisa
ReplyDeleteGirl, we must be sisters! Sounds EXACTLY like something that would happen to me. You are not alone! haha Can't wait to try this recipe. (My granny's is awesome, but not sweet enough for us!)
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better! =)
ReplyDeleteIm pinning this to my dessert board, this sounds so good!
Pecan Pie is one of my all time favorites!
Suffered with Shingles after my husband was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in 2003. Our kids were 3 and 5 at the time. I feel for you... Hope you're feeling better? It's a pain that hurts like hell and never seems to go away! I can still feel it on my left side sometimes (shoulder, back and breast) . Burning is horrible...wouldn't wish it on anyone!
ReplyDeleteJust want to be certain...you after you've made the mixture you pour in the pecans also?? I'm assuming that when the pie bakes the pecans rise to the top to form the top layer if you do it this way? I've never made a pecan pie but it's my fav pie and would love to use your recipe but I just want to make sure i'm doing this correctly..thanks a bunch! Love your website!
ReplyDeleteopps..X the first you after my dots...lol
DeleteLOL :) Yes, the pecans will rise to the top during baking.
DeleteI made this pie tonight and it is WONDERFUL!!! I did, however, add a good healthy splash of rum into the batter... <{:-) I do have to watch it closely so the crust edge and the pecans don't get overdone, but it's still WONDERFUL!!! Thank you, Mandy, for this recipe so a northern-born girl can cook for a southern-born husband!!
ReplyDeleteHi!! So I tried the recipe and thanks for it!! Seems that ever thing went good. .The crust was perfect, the top was a carmalized goodness!! However the inside... Ummmm it didn't really have the consistency as your picture above.. It's somewhat "liquidity"! The taste is delicious but you get what I'm saying lol but what do you think I should do to make it thicker? And I Def followed the recipe to the T and cooked for about 55 min on 350. There was no jiggle and I let it set for about 30 min before I cut it. Thanks much!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have pictures if there is a place the post them to?
It will probably be great tomorrow! The pie needs to set for several hours before it's completely set. I didn't write that into the recipe because you can serve it either way.
DeleteI'm sure you did, but I always make sure folks used real butter too. That makes a difference in almost everything.
DeleteTo the poster that said her pie was runny.... add a tbsp. of flour to the batter. Works for me.
DeleteI use basically the same recipe, but don't like dark corn syrup. I use light brown sugar and white Karo syrup. Have never attempted making crust. Not sure I ever will, but thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteWould you know how many mini pies this recipe will make? I will be using the standard muffin pan.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
I was plagued with singles for about 25 yearrs, every time I got sick or run down I broke out with them. I got the singles vaccination and now I rarely have a problem and if I do it's not nearly as bad as full blown case. The pharmacist told me the vaccine makes them less but is not a cure, I might have 1 out break a year if that,
ReplyDeleteI am on a pecan fest at the moment, outstanding and awesome.
ReplyDeleteI visited you via WEEKEND POTLUCK #607
I linked up this week with = Boston Bread and Delicious Roasted Butternut Salad Vegan Pearl Couscous
Hope you will join us M-S SeniorSalonPitStop and W-S #WordlessWednesday. You will find both under BLOGGING.
Did you use a regular oven or a convection oven?
ReplyDeleteregular
DeleteWell I decided to try this for Christmas , I gathered all my things and was doing pretty good, I have to crush my pecans more because I have no teeth left but I still LOVE pecan pie, then after processing the pecans I just dumped them in the filling mix.
ReplyDeleteI knew I messed up as soon as I did it, but I figured they rise to the top so maybe it will turn out.
We shall see !