Last updated: November 12, 2026.
Pecan pie is the Southern Thanksgiving pie: a flaky crust filled with a gooey brown-sugar and corn-syrup custard and a full layer of toasted pecans, baked until just set and served warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. This classic pecan pie recipe is the easy version — a store-bought or homemade crust, one bowl of filling whisked together in twenty minutes, and a layer of pecans on top. The oven does the rest, and the pie needs nothing more than an hour to cool before it slices cleanly.
If you have never made pecan pie at home, this is the version to start with. The whole secret is the filling: corn syrup and brown sugar whisked with eggs and melted butter until smooth, poured over the pecans so it settles between them and bakes into a soft, gooey center. No blind baking, no candy thermometer — just whisk, pour, bake, and let it cool.
Pecan pie belongs in our holiday dessert recipes collection, and it is the pie to make for Thanksgiving alongside pumpkin pie — the sweet, nutty half of the holiday table. If you are still choosing what to bake, our dessert recipes hub has the full list of ideas.
Why You’ll Love This Pecan Pie
- Truly easy. One bowl of filling, twenty minutes of prep, and the oven does the rest — no blind baking, no candy thermometer.
- Gooey, never runny. The filling sets as it cools, so the center is soft and spoonable but holds a clean slice.
- Toasted pecans on top. A quick toast in the oven deepens the pecans’ flavor — the difference between a good pecan pie and a great one.
- Make-ahead by design. Bake it the day before Thanksgiving and it slices even better — one less thing to do on the day.
- Feeds the table. One 9-inch pie serves eight, and the recipe doubles cleanly for a crowd.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 unbaked 9-inch (23 cm) pie crust, store-bought or homemade
Pecan Filling
- 200 g (2 cups) pecan halves
- 200 g (3/4 cup) light corn syrup
- 150 g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs
- 60 g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — where to buy
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
To Serve
- Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving
Equipment
- 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish — where to buy
- Large mixing bowl — where to buy
- Whisk — where to buy
- Rolling pin (if making the crust from scratch) — where to buy
- Baking sheet (to catch any drips and make the pie easy to move) — where to buy
- Wire rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
How to Make Pecan Pie
Step 1 — Preheat and Fit the Crust
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish, trim the overhang to about 1 cm, and crimp the edge. Set the dish on a baking sheet — it catches drips and makes the pie easy to move in and out of the oven.
Step 2 — Toast the Pecans
Spread the pecan halves on the baking sheet in a single layer and toast in the oven for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Let them cool for a few minutes. Toasting is optional but it deepens the pecans’ flavor — the difference between a good pecan pie and a great one.
Step 3 — Mix the Filling
In a large bowl, whisk the corn syrup, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, salt and bourbon (if using) together until completely smooth and one even amber color.
Step 4 — Arrange the Pecans
Spread the toasted pecan halves in an even layer over the bottom of the prepared crust. A full, even layer is what gives every slice its nutty top.
Step 5 — Pour the Filling
Pour the filling slowly over the pecans, letting it settle between them. It should come to just below the rim of the crust.
Step 6 — Bake
Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 50–55 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still wobbles slightly, like jelly, when you nudge the pan — it firms up as it cools. If the crust edge browns too fast, cover just the edge with strips of foil for the last 15 minutes.
Step 7 — Cool Completely
Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Do not slice it warm: a warm pecan pie is still liquid in the middle and will run. Once cool, refrigerate until serving if you are not serving it the same day.
Step 8 — Serve Warm
Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts, and serve each slice warm with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Tips for a Perfect Pecan Pie
- Toast the pecans. Five minutes in the oven while it preheats is all it takes, and it makes the nut flavor noticeably deeper. Raw pecans on top taste flat by comparison.
- Do not overbake. The center should still wobble slightly when the pie comes out — it sets as it cools. A pie baked until the center is firm is already overbaked, and the filling turns dry and grainy.
- Cool it fully. An hour on the counter is the minimum. A warm pecan pie runs when sliced, and the filling needs the cooling time to set into its gooey — not liquid — texture.
- Protect the crust edge. If the crimped edge browns too fast, cover just the edge with strips of foil for the last 15 minutes of the bake.
- Wipe the knife between slices. The filling is sticky — a clean, dry blade is what gives neat slices. Wipe after every cut.
- Bourbon is optional, not required. Two tablespoons add a warm, deep note, and the alcohol bakes off. Leave it out and the pie is just as good — add a pinch more salt instead.
Storage, Make-Ahead and Freezing
- Leftovers: cover the pie loosely and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The crust softens a little by day 3, but the flavor stays good. Serve cold, or warm slices briefly in a 160°C (325°F) oven.
- Make ahead: bake the pie the day before Thanksgiving and refrigerate it overnight — it slices even more cleanly the next day. Warm slices gently before serving.
- Freezing: freeze the baked, cooled pie (without whipped cream), wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge. The texture is slightly softer than fresh, but still good.
- Unbaked filling: the mixed filling keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking — whisk it again before pouring it over the pecans.
Variations
- Chocolate pecan pie. Scatter 115 g (4 oz) of chopped dark chocolate over the pecans before pouring in the filling — it melts into a hidden chocolate layer.
- Bourbon pecan pie. Use 3 tablespoons of bourbon instead of 2, and add a pinch of cinnamon to the filling for a warmer spice note.
- Maple pecan pie. Replace the corn syrup with pure maple syrup and reduce the brown sugar to 100 g — a deeper, less sweet filling.
- Mini pecan pies. Divide the filling among 8 muffin cups lined with rounds of pie crust and bake for 20–25 minutes at 175°C (350°F).
- Salted caramel pecan pie. Drizzle caramel sauce over the cooled pie and sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving.
Nutrition
One serving (1 of 8 slices) has about 540 calories, 61 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 33 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 40 g sugar, 3 g fiber and 150 mg sodium. Nutrition information is an estimate only.
Dietary notes: Contains wheat (gluten), egg, milk and tree nuts (pecans). Not suitable for nut allergies. The crust contains gluten; a gluten-free pie crust can be used.
| Calories | 540 |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | 61 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Fat | 33 g |
| Saturated fat | 7 g |
| Sugar | 40 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sodium | 150 mg |
FAQ
Can I make pecan pie ahead of time?
Yes — pecan pie is one of the best make-ahead Thanksgiving desserts. Bake it the day before, let it cool completely, and refrigerate it overnight. It slices even more cleanly the next day. Warm slices gently in a 160°C (325°F) oven before serving, and add the whipped cream just before serving. The baked pie also freezes well (without whipped cream) for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge.
How do I keep pecan pie from being too sweet?
Pecan pie is a sweet pie by nature, but three things keep it balanced. First, use light corn syrup, not dark — dark corn syrup is more intensely sweet. Second, do not add extra sugar: the recipe’s 150 g of brown sugar plus the corn syrup is already the full sweetness. Third, serve it with unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream — the plain dairy cuts the sweetness on the plate. A pinch of salt in the filling and the optional bourbon also help.
Why is my pecan pie runny in the middle?
A runny center almost always means the pie was underbaked or sliced too soon. The pie is done when the edges are set and the center still wobbles slightly, like jelly — but it should wobble, not slosh. If the center moves like liquid when you nudge the pan, give it another 10 minutes in the oven. And always cool the pie for at least 1 hour before slicing: the filling is still liquid when hot and only sets as it cools.
Can I use a store-bought crust for pecan pie?
Yes. The recipe works with a store-bought unbaked 9-inch pie crust or a homemade one — the filling is the same either way. If you make the crust from scratch, a simple shortcrust or a butter pie crust both work; roll it out, fit it into the dish, and crimp the edge. There is no blind baking in this recipe, so either crust goes straight in with the filling.
Times, servings and nutrition values are standard guidance and may vary.
Classic Pecan Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat and fit the crust. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish, trim the overhang to about 1 cm, and crimp the edge. Set the dish on a baking sheet — it catches drips and makes the pie easy to move in and out of the oven.
- Toast the pecans. Spread the pecan halves on the baking sheet in a single layer and toast in the oven for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Let them cool for a few minutes.
- Mix the filling. In a large bowl, whisk the corn syrup, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, salt and bourbon (if using) together until completely smooth and one even amber color.
- Arrange the pecans. Spread the toasted pecan halves in an even layer over the bottom of the prepared crust. A full, even layer is what gives every slice its nutty top.
- Pour the filling. Pour the filling slowly over the pecans, letting it settle between them. It should come to just below the rim of the crust.
- Bake. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 50–55 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still wobbles slightly, like jelly, when you nudge the pan — it firms up as it cools. If the crust edge browns too fast, cover just the edge with strips of foil for the last 15 minutes.
- Cool completely. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Do not slice it warm: a warm pecan pie is still liquid in the middle and will run. Once cool, refrigerate until serving if you are not serving it the same day.
- Serve warm. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts, and serve each slice warm with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
More Recipes to Try
More from Desert Dishes — try these next:
- Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe — Easy, Spiced & Perfect for Thanksgiving — the other Thanksgiving classic, spiced pumpkin custard in a flaky crust.
- Easy Apple Pie Recipe — Classic Homemade — flaky crust and spiced apple filling, the other Thanksgiving classic.
- Best Sugar Cookies Recipe — Soft & Easy — soft, thick cookies for the Christmas cookie table.
- Classic Cheesecake Recipe — Creamy, No Cracks — New York-style cheesecake with a buttery crust.
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe — Soft, Gooey & Homemade — warm spiced rolls for a holiday morning.
