American
Classic Pecan Pie
A single crust pie with a glossy pecan filling that bakes until the center is set, not runny. Corn syrup, brown sugar, and butter are the classic base.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
Why you’ll love it
- A little flour in the filling helps the eggs set so the center is not a liquid puddle.
- The pie is done around 200°F in the center, when it jiggles as one piece instead of sloshing.
- Pecans on top stay prettier than pecans stirred all the way under.
- It has to cool completely. The filling finishes firming as it loses heat.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 350°F. Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edge. Set it on a rimmed sheet pan.
- 2
Whisk the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and flour until smooth. Do not eat the raw filling.
- 3
Pour the filling into the crust. Arrange the pecan halves over the top.
- 4
Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Shield the crust edge with foil if it gets dark.
- 5
The pie is done when the center jiggles slightly as a whole and does not ripple like liquid.
- 6
An instant-read thermometer in the center should read about 200°F, well above the point where the eggs are cooked.
- 7
If the center is still soupy, bake 5 more minutes and check again.
- 8
Cool completely on a rack, at least 3 hours, before slicing. The filling firms as it cools.
Pro tips
- A store-bought refrigerated crust is fine. Thaw it just enough to unroll without cracking.
- The filling goes into the crust uncooked and sets in the oven. Do not simmer it on the stove first.
- A hot pie will not slice. The cool-down is part of the method.
Easy substitutions
- light corn syrup
- dark corn syrup for a deeper flavor
- pecan halves
- chopped pecans
- brown sugar
- all brown sugar and skip the granulated sugar, using 3/4 cup packed brown sugar total
Storage and reheating
Storage
Cover and keep at room temperature up to 1 day, or refrigerate up to 4 days.
Reheating
Serve at room temperature, or warm a slice in a 300°F oven for 8 minutes. The refrigerator chill makes the filling firmer.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 462
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Moderate · Oven
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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