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Whole homemade pecan pie with a golden crust and glossy pecan top on a wooden table

The Best Pecan Pie Recipe You Will Ever Make

A classic pecan pie with a crisp crust, a set caramel filling, and a toasted pecan top. It needs 20 minutes of hands-on work and slices cleanly after cooling.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 1 slice (1/8 of the pie)
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 537
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 deep-dish 9-inch unbaked pie crust frozen or refrigerated (check the label and pick one made with butter or vegetable shortening)
  • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves about 5 ounces
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup light corn syrup such as Karo
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled for 5 minutes
  • 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Equipment

  • 9-inch deep-dish pie plate
  • Rimmed baking sheet
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Medium mixing bowl and whisk
  • Wire cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Move the oven rack to the lower third and heat the oven to 350°F. Set the eggs out 30 minutes ahead, and place the crust in the 9-inch deep-dish pan (thaw a frozen crust for 10 minutes).
  2. Spread the pecans on the rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 7 minutes at 350°F, until they smell nutty and the color deepens a shade.
  3. Tip the pecans into a bowl and slide the empty baking sheet back onto the rack. Leave it there for the 10 minutes it takes to mix the filling, until a flicked drop of water sizzles on it.
  4. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl for 30 seconds, until fully blended. Add the corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Whisk gently for about 1 minute, until no sugar granules are visible and the mixture looks glossy and smooth.
  5. Scatter the toasted pecans over the bottom of the crust. Pull the oven rack out partway, set the pie on the hot sheet, and pour the filling over the nuts until it sits 1/4 inch below the crimped edge.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes, until the crust edge turns light golden. Cover the rim with a foil ring or a pie shield.
  7. Bake 30 to 40 more minutes, until the edges are puffed and set and the center jiggles slightly in a circle about 2 inches wide. An instant-read thermometer in the center should read 200°F.
  8. Move the pie to a wire rack and cool for at least 3 hours, until the center feels firm and a knife slices it without any filling running.

Notes

Choose a pie crust made with butter or vegetable shortening, and read the label before buying.
Whisk by hand. A mixer adds air, and the top puffs and cracks.
Storage: refrigerate covered for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.