Classic Pecan Pie

Pecan pie has to be the easiest of the holiday deserts to bake. That and the crunchy pecans meeting the soft, sweet filling makes classic pecan pie one of the most bookmarked recipes in cookbooks across America.

I have a lot of pecan trees so pecans are in everything from salads to cakes. It’s a wonder why I don’t make pecan pies other times than the holidays but it does have a star roll on my Thanksgiving and Christmas tables.

All in the Prep

A great crust is a must with pecan pie but it doesn’t matter how great the crust is if the bottom ends up a soggy mess as it often does with custard pies. And yes, pecan pie is considered a custard. That is the the sweet, creamy filling the pecans are on. To prevent this from happening, we need to dock and par-bake (blind bake) our crust.

To do this, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a fork and poke holes in it randomly like the picture above. Then get about a cup and a half of dried beans or rice and cover the bottom of the pie shell.

Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. You can find the recipe for my super flaky pie crust here.

Oh the Sweetness!

In a large bowl, mix together the 3 eggs, a cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and Karo corn syrup until smooth. Mix in 1 1/2 cups pecans. These can be whole or chopped. The whole pecans make a more decorative appearance and give an extra crunch to blend with the custard filling, but if you prefer smaller pieces, it will still be an amazing texture.

Pour mixture into the pie shell and trim the edges of the pie with aluminum foil strips. This keeps the edges from burning. I guaranty that the edges will burn in the hour or so it takes to bake if you don’t trim your crust. Bake for 60-70 minutes until the center slightly bounces. No jigglies here!

Remember to remove the foil strips from the edge of the crust about 10 minutes before it is done. This allows the edges to brown.

Now wasn’t that easy? Simple recipes always taste the best. With just basic ingredients, you can create a desert that’s not only sweet and delicious but eye catching as well. I hope your family has a wonderful holiday season and thank you for being a part of mine. It makes me feel oh my gravy good!

Classic Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is a delicious addition to the holiday table. The crunch of the pecans and the sweet custard are so good together it will make us all want another slice!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Cooling Time 2 hrs

Total Time 3 hrs 20 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup Karo Light or Dark Corn Syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1-1 ½ cups pecans 6 oz.
• 1 9 inch deep-dish pie crust

Instructions

 

Par-baked 9 inch deep-dish pie crust

• Dock the the bottom of the raw pie shell by poking it with a fork randomly.
  
• Pour in about 1 ½ cups dried beans or rice across the bottom as a weight.
• Bake in a 400° pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
• Allow to completely cool and remove the beans/rice.

Classic Pecan Pie

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla.
  
• Stir in pecans and pour filling into pie crust. Trim edges with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
  
• Bake on the center rack for 60-70 minutes. (Remember to remove the foil strips 10 minutes before it is done.)
• Cool for 2 hours on a wire rack to let it set.

Keyword dessert, holiday pie, homemade pie crust, karo syrup, pecan pie, pie

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