Pecan Pie Recipe

Richly flavored Pecan Pie Recipe features a dark brown sugar and maple custard base, plenty of pecans, and a foolproof pie crust! This easy pie recipe does NOT include shortening or dark corn syrup!

Other holiday favorite desserts to try next: this apple crumble, apple fritter bread, pumpkin cheesecake bars, or this simple pumpkin cake.

The Best Pecan Pie Recipe

My dad’s all-time favorite dessert is pecan pie (and this Crème Brûlée), a recipe I’ve always wanted to perfect for him. Thanks to Gemma’s cookbook, Bigger Bolder Baking (affiliate link) I’m now equipped to make the best pecan pie for him. Gemma, a renowned YouTube baker and blogger, offers over 100 easy, flavorful recipes in her book.

I’ve slightly tweaked her pecan pie recipe, and it’s become a must-have for our Thanksgiving table. What I love most? It uses maple syrup instead of dark corn syrup, creating a perfect blend with the pecans and the rich, molasses-like dark brown sugar.

Ingredients

Pie Crust:

1. Flour: The base of the crust, providing structure to your pecan pie recipe.
2. Salt & Powdered Sugar: Flavor enhancers; salt balances the sweetness, and sugar adds a subtle sweetness.
3. Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and creates flakiness in the crust.
4. Egg Yolk: Binds the dough and contributes to a richer crust.
5. Cold Water: Moistens the dough, helping it come together without being too sticky.

Filling:

1. Egg Yolks: Thicken the filling and give it a smooth, creamy texture. (Use egg whites in these Meringue Cookies)
2. Pure Maple Syrup & Dark Brown Sugar: Sweeteners that provide depth of flavor.
3. Heavy Whipping Cream: Adds creaminess and richness to the filling.
4. Butter: Contributes to the filling’s richness and smooth texture.
5. Pecan Halves: The star ingredient, providing texture and nutty flavor.
6. Salt: Enhances overall flavor.
7. Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds sweetness and a delicious smell to your pecan pie recipe.

How To Make Pecan Pie

1. Prepare the Crust: Combine flour, salt, and powdered sugar. Cut in chilled butter. Mix in egg yolk and water to form dough. Chill the dough.
2. Toast Pecans: Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant.
3. Make the Filling: Whisk room temperature egg yolks with maple syrup, brown sugar, and cream. Add melted butter and chopped pecans.
4. Assemble the Pie: Roll out the chilled dough and place it into a pie pan. Pour the filling into the crust and top with whole pecan halves.
5. Bake the Pie: Bake this pecan pie recipe until the filling is set.
6. Cool and Serve: Let the pie cool completely before slicing and serving.

More Amazing Desserts:

• Candied Pecans Recipe
• Oatmeal Pecan Cookies
• Coconut Cream Pie
• Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie
• Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie

SaveSaved Pin Print

5 from 2 votes

Pecan Pie Recipe

By Chelsea Lords

This Pecan Pie is a game-changer! Made with maple syrup, dark brown sugar, and loads of pecans in a buttery, no-fail crust—no shortening or corn syrup needed!

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Equipment

• Pastry cutter or 2 table knives
• Sheet pan
• Pie pan 9-inch, preferably glass or ceramic

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

Pie Crust

• ▢ 1-1/3 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• ▢ 7 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed and chilled
• ▢ 1 large egg yolk
• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Filling

• ▢ 6 large egg yolks at room temperature
• ▢ 1/2 cup maple syrup
• ▢ 2/3 cup dark brown sugar packed
• ▢ 1/4 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature
• ▢ 2 cups pecans halves divided
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

• Crust: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and powdered sugar. Stir. Add butter, and using a pastry cutter, cut it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 egg yolk and water until smooth. Pour egg yolk mixture into the center of the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until combined as much as possible. Gently knead with your hands to form a crust (add extra tablespoon of water if needed). Handle the dough as little as possible and once it’s formed into dough, wrap in plastic wrap and gently flatten into a small disc. Refrigerate for (at least) 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax before rolling. You can make the crust ahead of time and refrigerate for 1–5 days.
• Toast Pecans: (Melt butter now so it has time to cool to room temperature.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread pecan halves on a sheet pan and toast them for 8–10 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove and let cool. Divide the toasted pecans, reserving 3/4 cup for the top of the pie. Chop the remaining 1 and 1/4 cups to add to the filling mixture.
• Filling: Combine room temperature egg yolks, syrup, brown sugar, and cream in a large bowl (it’s very important all ingredients are same temperature for this filling). Whisk until smooth. Once melted butter is completely to room temperature, drizzle it in while whisking constantly. Fold in the chopped pecans. Reserve the bowl from the egg yolk; if there are any bits of mixture remaining, they can be brushed over the crust before baking.
• Form Crust: Roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface. Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a 12-inch circle of dough. Use the rolling pin to lift up the dough and gently place place into a 9-inch pie pan (preferably glass or ceramic; avoid metal). Gently tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth, then crimp the edges of the crust. Chill 15 minutes in the fridge or freezer (don’t skip this step!). See note 1 for pie crust tips.
• Assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour the prepared filling into the chilled crust (you don’t need to blind bake the crust). Press the remaining 3/4 cup pecan halves on top. Place the pie on a lined sheet pan. Use a pastry brush to brush any tiny remains of the egg yolk and water mixture (from the reserved bowl; you didn’t need to leave some, but there should be a bit leftover) onto the crust. Place in the preheated oven.
• Bake: Bake for 40–55 minutes or until the filling is set—when it’s very slightly jiggly in the center. It should not slosh around at all. If it is sloshing, return to the oven another 10–20 minutes (baking times can greatly vary with pecan pies). If the edges of the crust begin to brown, cover with a pie shield. Once the filling is set, remove and let cool completely on a cooling rack, 3–4 hours, before slicing. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Crust tips:

• The less the crust is handled, the better it will work.
• Keep it chilled to prevent the butter from softening.
• If desired, you can crimp the crust following the instructions in the blog post.
• You can also brush the edges of the crust with egg yolk to encourage a golden brown appearance after baking.
• Unbaked crust freezes well.
• Some crusts need to be blind baked (pre-bake without any filling) but Pecan Pie doesn't need that step.
• When baking, a pie shield can protect against the crust over browning. The blog post has tips on making your own pie shield.

Storage: Store Pecan Pie for 2 days at room temperature or in the fridge for a few days longer. You can also freeze the baked pie, covered tightly, for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 38.9g | Protein: 5.7g | Fat: 34.7g | Cholesterol: 175.7mg | Sodium: 21.9mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 26g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!