Southern Pecan Pie

No holiday celebration would be complete without a gorgeous Southern Pecan Pie on the dessert table. Served with a generous dollop of fresh whipped cream, it’s unapologetically rich and decadent to the very last forkful.

Southern Pecan Pie Recipe

Pecan pie is one of the simplest pies you’ll ever make. No, really. The filling consists of pecans, sugar, eggs and corn syrup, and the variations start from there. Some cook’s prefer to use brown sugar in place of granulated sugar, or a mixture of the two. That would be me. At times, maple syrup is used in place of the corn syrup. Other cooks prefer dark corn syrup in place of light corn syrup for the gooey filling. Then, there’s the star of the pie, which pecans are the best to use? My answer is, use quality pecans whether they’re from Georgia or from the great state of Texas. I can tell you first hand, they’re both spectacular. How to make easy Pecan Pie:

• Crust – One deep dish 9 inch pie crust.
• Nuts – Whole pecan halves and large pieces.
• Filling – Large eggs, light corn syrup, light brown sugar OR granulated sugar, vanilla extract, melted butter and salt.
• Topping – Fresh whipped cream or frozen whipped topping, thawed. i.e. Cool Whip or similar

Easy Southern Pecan Pie Recipe

Is Pecan pie a Southern thing? We love our pecans in the South and this Southern style pecan pie is one of our iconic desserts. In keeping with tradition, my pecan pie is made to according to my family’s taste. I actually prefer to use a mixture of brown and granulated sugar for the filling and Karo corn syrup is my go-to. I’ve worked with the great people who make Karo Syrup, and I developed this recipe for Toffee Crunch Pecan Pie for them a couple of years ago. Their classic pecan pie recipe is considered the gold standard, and I couldn’t agree more.

How to Make the Best Homemade Pecan Pie

I use pecan halves in this recipe but you could use chopped pecans, if that’s your preference. Either way, it’s worth the effort to make.

• Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Pecan Pie: One 9 inch deep dish pie crust, pecan halves, melted butter, granulated sugar or light brown sugar, large eggs, vanilla extract and salt.
• Kitchen tools you’ll need: One 9 inch deep dish pie pan or dish, measuring cups and spoons, medium bowl, small microwave safe bowl (for the melted butter) hand mixer and large rubber spatula or spoon.
• This Southern style pecan pie recipe can be made in either a frozen unbaked deep dish pie shell or a homemade pie crust.
• If you use a frozen crust, there’s no need to thaw or par bake prior to filling. To make your own crust, checkout my recipe for Flaky Pie Crust here.
• What’s best dark and light corn syrup for pecan pie? It really depends on the baker’s preference. Dark corn syrup is made dark with the addition of refiner’s sugar, which is a type of molasses. That fact will affect the color and flavor. Using it, will result in a darker pie. It won’t shorten the length of time to bake however, you should watch the pie for over browning while baking.
• Can I use honey in place for corn syrup for pecan pie? I wouldn’t recommend using honey in place of the corn syrup for the filling. While I love honey, it tends to dominate the flavor of the pie more than the pecans and takes the flavor in another direction.
• I use a mix of two kinds of sugar for my pecan pie. I like to use 1/2 cup light brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar for the warm honey color that it gives to the baked pie. Be certain to check the pie halfway through baking. If the pecans are browning too quickly, lay a piece of aluminum foil on top. They are coated in sugar, after all.
• I highly recommend that after pouring the filling into the pie crust, use a spoon to evenly space the pecans in the filling. At this point, you can flip them over so they’re right side up for the prettiest presentation.
• How do you make fresh whipped cream? To make fresh whipped cream, using an electric mixer whip 2 cups heavy cream with 1 tsp of vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar until firm or stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over beat. Taste and adjust the level of sweetness to your liking. Whipped cream should be whipped the day you’re planning to serve it and kept well chilled.  You can also top pecan pie with vanilla ice cream.
• It’s important to allow ample time for the pie to cool and set before cutting. If you cut this pie within 20-30 minutes of baking, the filling won’t be set.
• You can store pecan pie at covered at room temperature or chilled in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze baked pecan pie for up to one month.

More Easy Pie Recipes to Make

I have three favorite kinds of pie. Warm, room temperature and chilled. If you love pie, too checkout these recipes for more pie making inspiration from my kitchen to yours:

• This easy Pineapple Buttermilk Pie is a pineapple twist on a  Southern classic.
• Old Fashioned Oatmeal Pie is a fabulous way to use pantry ingredients turning them into something spectacular.
• Mile High Coconut Cream Pie is a stunner!
• Apple Butter Pie features sugar and spice and everything nice.
• Lemon Lime Atlantic Beach Pie.
• The BEST Sweet Potato Pie recipe topped with a homemade crunch streusel.
• Scratch made Blueberry Pie.
• You might also like this recipe from Southern Living for Rhubarb Custard Pie.

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Helpful Kitchen Items

• Deep Dish Pie Pan
• Mixer
• Measuring Set
• Mixing Bowls