The Best Pecan Pie – From the Queen of Soul Food Cooking
Last Updated on November 16, 2025 by Barbara
It’s holiday time again and it’s never too early to begin preparation for this wonderful season. Now is the time to plan out your meals and making sure you have the right desserts on your dessert table is important. Pecan Pie is a decadent dessert that is a tradition in many homes during Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a sweet treat made with a caramel like filling and topped with delicious fresh pecans. Just like most pies, a scoop of vanilla ice cream at it side makes for a satisfying dessert. Whether you chose to serve it along side other classic desserts such as sweet potato pie , peach cobbler and apple pie, or as a stand alone, you and your guests won’t be disappointed.
Ingredients
- Chopped Pecans: Provide the classic nutty crunch and rich, buttery flavor that defines a traditional pecan pie.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a deep caramel flavor that helps create the pie’s gooey filling.
- Cornstarch: Acts as a thickener to stabilize the filling and ensure it sets properly.
- Light and Dark Corn Syrup: Adds sweetness and keeps the filling smooth, soft, and perfectly gooey.
- Eggs: Bind the filling together as they bake, helping it firm up while staying custardy.
- Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and a silky texture to the filling.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor and adds warm sweetness to the filling.
- Pie Crust : The base that holds the filling; adds flaky, buttery contrast to the sweet pecan mixture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors in the pie.
Watch the Video Tutorial
Instructions
Step 1: Making the Filling for the Pecan Pie
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To make the pie filling, in a large bowl, whisk together the 3 eggs.
To the same bowl add the brown sugar, butter, cornstarch, dark and light corn syrup and vanilla extract and mix until well incorporated.
Lastly, fold in the chopped pecans until well combined.
Step 2: Assemble the Pecan Pie
Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust.Top with extra pecans, if desired.
Step 3: Bake the Pie
Now garnish the top of your pie with some additional pecans. I chose to garnish using the classic pecan pie pattern.
Tips for the Best Southern Pecan Pie
- For a richer flavor, use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar.
- To prevent the crust from overbrowning, tent it with foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
- If the center of the pie is still jiggly after 60 minutes of baking, continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Let the pie cool completely before serving. This will help the filling to set and prevent it from running.
Frequently Asked Questions
The pie is ready when the center is set but still slightly jiggles—similar to Jell-O. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out mostly clean. The filling thickens as it cools.
A runny pie usually means it wasn’t baked long enough. Pecan pie needs a full 55–70 minutes depending on your oven. Also make sure you’re using the right amount of eggs and cornstarch to help it set.
Yes! You can replace corn syrup with maple syrup, honey, or a brown sugar syrup, but the texture may be slightly softer.
Pecan Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup ark corn syrup
- 3 eggs
- 3 Tbsps melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pie crust
- 1/4 tsp salt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs.
- Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, cornstarch, and butter. Add the light and dark corn syrup and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Stir in the chopped pecans until well combined.
- Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust.
- Top with extra pecans, if desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the filling is set.
