Pecan pie is the perfect dessert for any holiday gathering. It's also one of the most classic recipes that never gets old. It's rich, gooey, and so good you wont want to stop after one slice. This sweet potato pie recipe is easily customizable.
You can try various sweeteners, like light or dark brown sugar or molasses; add a pecan topping or flavored crust; or combine eggs and whole milk, heavy cream, or evaporated milk to achieve the perfect creamy consistency.
How to Make Pecan Pie
Note: The full instructions are provided on the recipe card below.
For the Pie Dough: Dice the unsalted butter and shortening and place it in the freezer while preparing the flour mixture. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse flour, salt, and sugar to combine.
Add the chilled butter and shortening pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces, about 8 to 12 pulses.
In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of ice water and 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract. With the machine running, pour the ice water mixture down the feed tube and pulse the machine until it is evenly moistened and very crumbly.
Don't let the dough form into a ball in the machine. Remove the bowl from the machine, remove the blade, turn the dough onto a work surface, and bring the dough together by hand.
Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into two equal pieces. Shape into flat disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight.
(Note: Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 1 month, tightly wrapped.)
Lightly dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Place one chilled pie disk on the work surface and let the dough sit on the countertop for 5-10 minutes so that it's malleable enough to roll.
Lightly dust it with flour and roll the dough by starting at the center and lightly pressing down with the rolling pin to flatten slightly. (Keep the other disk refrigerated until it's time to make the other pie).
Rotate the pie dough and repeat, pressing down so it's evenly flattened all around, about ⅛-inch thick. Then roll outward to make a circle, rotating the dough a quarter-turn at a time to keep it even.
(If the dough softens too fast, chill in the refrigerator until firm, 2–5 minutes.)
Roll the pie dough until it's about 2–3 inches larger than the pie dish all the way around, overturn it onto the center of the dough circle, and use a pizza wheel to trim away the rough edges. Save the scraps to make crust cookies, if desired!
Remove the pie dish and place it right-side up on your work surface. Use the light indentation created by the rim as a guide for gently positioning dough into the center of the dish.
(If the dough is softening too fast, put it back into the refrigerator until it firms up, 2–5 minutes.)
Fit crust gently into the dish, pressing firmly against the side and bottom, careful not to stretch the dough. Trim away the excess dough, leaving a ½-inch overhang all around.
Fold it under; flute or crimp the edge with your fingers (lightly flour your fingers if the dough is sticking). Alternatively, you can use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges.
Next, prick the bottom of the crust with a fork to prevent bubbles; this keeps it from puffing as it bakes; repeat the process with the remaining pie crust. Place the crusts in the freezer for at least 15 minutes while you heat the oven to 425 F.
Next, place the unbaked pies on a sheet pan and line the crust with parchment paper. Then fill the paper three-quarters full with pie weight or dried beans and bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes until the edges start to brown.
Remove the pie weight and parchment paper (If you're using dried beans, save the beans for another time), and bake for another 5 minutes. Then, remove the pie crusts from the oven and set them aside to cool while preparing the pecan filling.
In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, dark corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, clear vanilla, eggs, pure vanilla extract, evaporated milk, cornstarch, and kosher salt until smooth and well combined.
Place the pecans in the bottom of the pre-baked pie crusts (about 1 heaping cup on each pie). Then, pour the syrup mixture evenly over the top of each pie. Bake the pecan pie in the 350F oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until the center is set.
(When it is done, the pie's internal temperature should be 200° F.) Tap the surface of the pecan pie lightly; it should spring back when done.
If the pie crust is over-browning, cover it with a crust shield. *(Remember, it will continue to cook after baking, so you don't want to overcook it).
Allow cooling for 4 hours or overnight. Serve with a large dollop of Cream Cheese Whipped Cream, if desired. Store leftover pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to Make Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
Place the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla and beat on medium-high until it forms soft peaks.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Pecan Pie
Tools
Ingredients
For the Pecan Pie Crust:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour , spooned, leveled, and sifted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar or granulated sugar
- 12 tablespoons (1-½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch dice
- ⅓ cup very cold vegetable shortening such as Crisco , cut into ½ inch dice
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons ice-cold water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar , or white vinegar
For the Pecan Pie Filling:
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar or brown sugar , level off
- ⅔ cup granulated white sugar , level off
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups dark corn syrup or light
- ¼ cup full-fat evaporated milk , optional
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon clear vanilla
- 6 large whole eggs , lightly beaten
- 5 cups unsalted whole halves pecans toasted, divided
Vanilla Cream Cheese Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- ¼ cup confectioner's sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon full fat cream cheese , room temperature
- 1 tablespoon good pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Pie Dough:
- Dice the unsalted butter and shortening and place it in the freezer while preparing the flour mixture. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse flour, salt, and sugar to combine; add the chilled butter and shortening pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces, about 8 to 12 pulses.
- In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of ice water and 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract; with the machine running, pour the ice water mixture down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the mixture is evenly moistened and very crumbly; don't let the dough form into a ball in the machine.
- Remove the bowl from the machine, remove the blade, turn the dough onto a work surface, and bring the dough together by hand. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into two equal pieces. Shape into flat disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. (Note: Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 1 month, tightly wrapped.)
- Lightly dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Place one chilled pie disk on the work surface and let the dough sit on the countertop for 5-10 minutes so that it's malleable enough to roll; lightly dust it with flour and roll the dough by starting at the center and lightly pressing down with the rolling pin to flatten slightly. (Keep the other disk refrigerated until it's time to make the other pie).
- Rotate the pie dough and repeat, pressing down, so it's evenly flattened all around, about ⅛-inch thick. Then roll outward to make a circle, rotating the dough a quarter-turn at a time to keep it even. (If the dough is softening too fast, chill in the refrigerator until firm, 2–5 minutes.)
- Roll the pie dough until it's about 2–3 inches larger than the pie dish all the way around, overturn the pie dish onto the center of the dough circle, and use a pizza wheel to trim away the rough edges. Save the scraps to make crust cookies, if desired!
- Remove the pie dish and place it right-side up on your work surface. Use the light indentation created by the rim as a guide for gently positioning dough into the center of the dish. (If the dough is softening too fast, put it back into the refrigerator until it firms up, 2–5 minutes.)
- Fit crust gently into the dish, pressing firmly against the side and bottom, careful not to stretch the dough. Trim away the excess dough, leaving a ½-inch overhang all around. Fold it under; flute or crimp the edge with your fingers (lightly flour your fingers if the dough is sticking).
- Alternatively, you can use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges. Next, prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork to prevent bubbles; this keeps it from puffing as it bakes; repeat the process with the remaining pie crust. Place the crusts in the freezer for at least 15 minutes while you heat the oven to 425 F.
- Next, place the unbaked pies on a sheet pan and line the crust with parchment paper. Then fill the paper three-quarters full with pie weight or dried beans and bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes until the edges start to brown.
- Remove the pie weight and parchment paper (If you're using dried beans, save the beans for another time), and bake for another 5 minutes. Then, remove the pie crusts from the oven and set them aside to cool while preparing the pecan filling.
For the Pecan Pie filling:
- In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, dark corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, clear vanilla, eggs, pure vanilla extract, evaporated milk, cornstarch, and kosher salt until smooth and well combined.
- Place the pecans in the bottom of the pre-baked pie crusts (about 1 heaping cup on each pie). Then, pour the syrup mixture evenly over the top of each pie. Bake the pecan pie in the 350F preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until the center is just set. (The internal temperature of the pie should be 200° F when it is done).
- Tap the surface of the pecan pie lightly; it should spring back when done. If the pie crust is over-browning, cover it with a crust shield. *(Remember, it will continue to cook after baking, so you don't want to overcook it). Allow cooling for 4 hours or overnight. Serve with a large dollop of Cream Cheese Whipped Cream, if desired. Store leftover pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to Make Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
- Place the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla and beat on medium-high until it forms soft peaks.
Notes
- To store: Covered the pie with plastic wrap or foil, at room temperature for up to 1 day or up to three days in the refrigerator.
- To reheat: Pecan Pie is best served at room temperature; however, if you want it warm, reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds until it is heated or the desired temperature.
- For Bourbon Pecan Pie: Omit the vanilla extract and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of good quality bourbon, such as Maker's Mark.
- Do not overwork the dough or warm it up too much; smooth the edges as well as you can so it's easier to roll.
- Use the scraps to patch in any thin areas; in case a tear happens.
- Be sure you roll out the dough large enough to fit in the dish with a bit of overhang.
- The pecan pie can be frozen after baking for up to 1 month after it is entirely cooled; double-wrap it securely with plastic freezer wrap. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- If you're omitting the vanilla extract, vinegar, or both in the pie crust recipe, substitute the same amount the recipe calls for with ice-cold water.
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
