My Grandma’s Pecan Pie
My grandma was this tiny lady with a very big heart who loved nothing more than having her huge family return to her home in rural central Kansas for the holidays. The “grown-ups” would all squeeze in around the dining table, cousins galore would scatter to card tables across the basement, and the whole house always felt full in the best possible way. And without fail, the dessert everyone looked forward to most was Grandma’s delicious pecan pies.
Her version was as classic as it gets — sweet, buttery, and generously studded with pecans. We’ve always made it in our family with a mix of chopped and whole pecans, which gives every slice that perfect blend of gooey and crunchy. And while my grandma’s version definitely included corn syrup, you’re welcome to try to this maple syrup version instead if you prefer.
I’ve been baking this pie for more years than I can remember. So if you’re looking for a nostalgic, classic recipe to try, it’s a good one!
Pecan Pie Tips
Here are a few quick tips to make sure your pecan pie turns out perfectly each time:
- Blind-bake the crust to prevent sogginess. This step makes a huge difference in keeping the bottom crisp and flaky.
- Brown the butter properly. Let it bubble and foam until the milk solids turn golden and smell nutty — that toasty depth is the secret to a more flavorful filling.
- Temper the butter slowly. Drizzle the hot butter into the egg mixture while whisking constantly so you don’t accidentally scramble the eggs.
- Bake long enough. Pecan pies often need 50–65 minutes, especially with lots of pecans. Don’t be afraid to go longer.
- Check doneness by temperature. The center should register around 200°F — this is the most reliable way to know it’s set.
- Let it cool completely. The filling only fully sets once cooled and chilled, which ensures clean, beautiful slices.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few ways to riff on this recipe and make it your own:
- Add bourbon. A tablespoon or two adds warm, cozy depth without tasting boozy.
- Use dark brown sugar. Swapping half the white sugar for dark brown adds extra caramel notes.
- Try maple syrup. Replace ¼ cup of the corn syrup with pure maple syrup for a slightly more complex sweetness.
- Add chocolate. Stir in ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips for chocolate-pecan-pie heaven.
- Mix in orange zest. A little zest brightens the filling and adds a lovely citrus aroma.
- Swap the nuts. Toasted walnuts or hazelnuts can replace some (or all!) of the pecans.
FAQ
Yes — in fact, it’s better made ahead! Bake it the day before and refrigerate. It slices beautifully once fully chilled.
Corn syrup (which is different than high fructose corn syrup) is what gives classic pecan pie its glossy, custardy texture. Feel free to try my maple pecan pie if you’d prefer a naturally sweetened version.
Blind baking is key. It creates a barrier so the custard doesn’t seep into the crust.
Look for a gentle Jell-O-like jiggle and an internal temp of 200°F. If it still wobbles in waves, keep baking.
More Pie Recipes To Try!
Looking for more fabulous pie recipes to try? Here are a few of our favorites:
Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
- 1 cup granulated (white) sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 eggs, whisked
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 4 cups pecan halves, divided
Instructions
- Heat oven. Heat oven to 400°F.
- Blind bake the crust. Chill the unbaked pie crust for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer. Line the chilled crust with parchment paper or foil, pressing it gently against the sides. Fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and lining. Reduce oven heat to 350°F.
- Prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until it begins to brown, smell nutty, and turn golden. Slowly drizzle the hot brown butter into the sugar mixture while whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking. Chop 2 cups of the pecans and stir them into the filling.
- Assemble. Pour the filling into the blind-baked crust. Arrange the remaining 2 cups of pecan halves decoratively on top.
- Bake. Bake the pie for 50–65 minutes, or until done (see notes below). If the crust or pecans begin browning too quickly, tent the pie loosely with foil after the first 20–25 minutes. The pie is ready when the center registers 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. The filling should have a gentle jiggle, like set Jell-O — not loose or wavy. The top will be puffed when it comes out of the oven but will settle flat as it cools. If the center still looks very wobbly after 50 minutes, continue baking in 5-minute increments until the jiggle is just set.
- Cool. Place the pie on a wire rack and let it cool completely to room temperature. Then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. (This chilling time helps the custard set fully so the slices cut cleanly.)
- Serve. Slice and serve with whipped cream, if you’d like. Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for 1–2 days or refrigerated for 4–5 days.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
I’m not a pie maker, but thanks to this easy and scrumptious recipe, my family thinks I am! Thank you to your grandmother…she was the real deal in the kitchen ?
This pie was a HUGE hit for Christmas!! The directions are spot on. I have recommended the recipe to several of my friends!! Thank you so much for sharing it!
I made it for my dad for Thanksgiving yesterday. It was my very first pie ever. I didn’t have a 9-inch pan, and I didn’t read the part of the recipe (silly me), so I used a 7-inch pan. I remember thinking that it looked pretty full as I slid it into the oven (without a cookie sheet under it). Suffice it to say that stuff boiled over, smoke filled the apartment, and I was dealing with the smoke alarm. I removed a few tbsp. of the filling, put it on a cookie sheet, and finished cooking. It didn’t set like it should’ve because of my pan size error, BUT my dad had 2 pieces, and he liked it. My grandma, his mom, has a recipe that I couldn’t find, so his standards are high. This is a great compliment. My mom asked me to make it for Christmas as well. I am either going to invest in a 9-inch pan OR increase the recipe by 50% and bake 2 pies. THANK YOU for a wonderful first pie experience!!! :)
I Used this recipe to make my first pecan pies. It was absolutely the easiest thing I have ever done!! Both pies turned out perfect!! We were very pleased with the finished product!!
Made the filling, so delicious and not too sweet.
I made this pie with a gluten free homemade crust and it was wonderful!! Thank you for putting this recipe up!
This is one of the best recipes for pecan pie I have made. I decided to make 1-1/2 of the recipe since the first time I had left over filling and added a heaping tablespoon of flour to be sure it set well add it was phenomenal. The combination
of cinnamon and browned butter made this the perfect savory sweet that we enjoy with or without ice cream. It’s delicious!!!!
Absolutely fantastic! My family raved about it.
December 1, 2017…..
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving to the letter. Turned out wonderful.
This time around though, I made a different pie crust recipe and I am putting All the filling in the pie.
This recipe is awesome HOWEVER it uses enough ingredients to fill a 10 inch pie shell. I had left over filling the first time I made this for a 9 inch pie crust & pie pan. I was so sad to discover that it would actually fill a bigger pie crust more easily than it did a 9 inch. I only put 1 cup of chopped pecans in the filling and oh boy am I ever glad that I did, 2 cups of chopped pecans in a 9 inch pie crust for Myself and my husband would have been Wayyyyyy TOO much. I want to taste the soft sugary filling as well as the extra crunch, and 2 cups chopped pecans in my opinion is simply too much.
HOWEVER, I did need to use 2 cups of Halved Pecans to “dress up” the top of the pecan pie.
So I do highly recommend using a 10 inch pie crust for this recipe. And using 1 cup of chopped pecans for the filling and 2 cups of halved pecans to dress the top of the pie.
I am making this pie again today using the slight adjustments I mentioned.
Fantastic Pecan Pie recipe. I used a home-made crust, opted for the brown sugar substitute, and doubled the recipe for two pies, and 4 tarts. My family loved it!