Learn how to make the great American classic Pecan Pie, with a quick video tutorial! A flaky all-butter pastry with a perfectly set, soft custardy filling with beautiful pecans, this is arguably the mother of all pies.
Pecan Pie
One might ask what this Japanese born Aussie gal is doing, determined to master this great American classic.
Well, it goes back to the story of this website.
This great big wonderful online world known as the internet. This former corporate gal never expected to be blessed with this wonderful opportunity to share the food she loves with people in the far corners of this big wide world.
From Denmark to Iceland, Mongolia (seriously!) to Argentina, and many from my home country of Australia. And many MANY from America.
I put that down to my taste in food. Southern Fried Chicken – swoon. Fall apart brisket makes me want to cry. I’m a disgrace to my country because I regularly declare that America does the BEST burgers in the world. I believe Buffalo Wings are one of the greatest inventions ever, and that Gumbo was brought onto this earth just for me.
And thus with Thanksgiving fast approaching, it had to be that I’d share a great American holiday classic especially for my American readers.
My friends. Pecan Pie. Be still my beating heart. The glorious nutty pecans, that caramely-custardy filling. That flaky buttery pastry. It’s heaven in the form of a pie.
You’ll find an extensive list of credits in the recipe, all of whom I referenced in a bid to come up with my version of a great Pecan Pie. And it all starts with the pie crust.
Store bought? Sure, go ahead. I don’t even know if we can get store bought pie crusts here in Australia, I’ve never looked.
When I make pie, it’s always entirely from scratch. Not from snobbery, it’s just that we don’t have nearly as much ready made things here in Australia (like bread doughs etc), so I’ve been brought up learning how to make these kind of things from scratch.
I know there are recipes out there that swear by using shortening in pie crusts to make them flaky. And it’s not that I’m adverse to it as such – it is sold here (butter section, for fellow Aussies reading this). But the fact is, it just doesn’t add flavour. And using only butter still yields a fantastically flaky crust. So I opt to stick with butter. And when I was researching around about Pecan Pie, I saw that Deb Perelman from Smitten Kitchen said the same thing, and I felt validated.
So all butter it is.
And my food processor. To make it quick work. Watch the video. (Below recipe)
As for the pecans. Well, it’s hard to go wrong with these nuts. Except one little tip. Gotta toast the nuts that go INTO the filling. It really truly brings out the flavour. I promise you won’t regret the extra 3 minutes it takes to do this before you chop them up.
Keep a handful of them whole to decorate the top. No need to toast these ones. Unless you don’t want to decorate your pie. Just go ahead and toast and chop them all.
The Filling is pretty straight forward. There are many Pecan Pie variations – chocolate, maple, etc etc – but if you’re sticking with the classic, the ingredients are fairly standard. Egg (which sets it like custard), sugar, corn syrup (don’t worry, there are subs if you can’t find corn syrup), butter, pinch of salt and vanilla. Oh – and bourbon, if you want to keep it real. 🙂 Though if not, just leave it out.
And this is how it looks after the most difficult step of all – leaving the Pecan Pie until it cools completely.
And I’m serious here – you need to let it cool COMPLETELY in order for the filling to set. Don’t get impatient. Now is not the time.
The filling should be set so you can slice it without it oozing everywhere, but it’s soft and custardy. It does not look like a smooth set caramel, like in my Salted Caramel Tart, and it’s not meant to.
Pecan Pie.
How I love thee.
I may not be a Star Baker.
My pie crust looks… err… rustic. 🙂 There are more perfect looking ones out there.
But it’s buttery and flaky, crumbly and delicate, just as it should be. That filling is set but it’s soft and custardy. And those pecans are so… well, pecany.
It’s obscene how much of this I can inhale in one sitting.
– Nagi xx
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Pecan Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust (or 9" store bought) (Note 1):
- 1¼ cups plain white flour (all purpose flour)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 115 g / 1 stick unsalted butter , cold, cut into 1cm/ ⅓" cubes
- 2.5 - 3 tbsp ice cold water
Pecans:
- 1 1/4 cups pecans , enough to decorate top
- 1 1/4 cup pecans (for filling)
Filling:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup / 200g brown sugar, packed
- 60 g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- 3/4 cup / 185 ml light corn syrup (Note 2 for subs)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp bourbon (or rum or marsala, or other liquor of choice, or omit)
Instructions
Pie Crust:
- Place flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Pulse twice.
- Scatter over butter. Pulse 5 times or until the largest pieces are the size of peas.
- Turn food processor on low and add 2.5 tbsp water, keep blitzing for 7 to 10 seconds until it forms crumbly clumps (see video). Pinch with your fingers - it should come together - if not, add 1/2 tbsp water until it does. Don't blitz longer than 20 seconds.
- Turn out crumbs onto work surface, use hands to bring together into a ball then pat into a 1.5cm / 1/2" thick disc. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Pecans:
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (standard) / 160C / 320F (fan / convection).
- Scatter 1 1/4 cups pecans on baking tray and bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until you smell them.
- Remove from oven and roughly chop. Set aside.
- Remaining 1 1/4 cups don't need toasting - they are for the top.
Pie Crust Rollling Out (video helpful):
- Dust work surface with flour.
- Place dough on work surface, dust top with flour. Roll out into 25cm/12" circle, patching up cracks as required. Remember: the crumblier the dough, the more flaky your pastry which is GOOD!
- Roll the pastry onto your rolling pin, then roll it out onto a 22cm / 9" pie tin. Press in, then trim edges with scissors with a 1cm / 0.3" overhang.
- Turn the edges under and press down neatly. Crimp if desired (see video).
- Place 2 large pieces of baking paper over the pie crust then fill with pie weights or dried beans or rice. Weight is essential to avoid shrinking pastry.
- Bake 20 minutes, then remove pie weights and let the pastry cool for 5 minutes before filling.
Filling:
- Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add remaining Filling ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Stir through chopped pecans.
- Pour into crust - it should fill it about 1 cm / 2/5" from the top (you may have excess if your pastry shrank).
- Top with whole pecans in desired pattern.
Baking:
- Place pie in oven. Bake for 50 minutes, checking at 40 minutes, until it doesn't jiggle much when you shake it but the centre is still soft when you touch it (see video).
- It will be puffed and cracks will look extreme, but it will deflate as it cools. If your pastry / pecans are browning too quickly, cover with foil.
Serving / Storing:
- Cool completely before serving, to allow the custard to set - 2 - 4 hours.
- Slice, and serve with ice cream or cream if desired - I don't need either!
- Store in an airtight container - great for 2 days, but I'm perfectly happy with mine even after 4.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
One of the most painful recipe videos I’ve made. Can’t tell you how many stops-and-starts and hand washing between handling dough / camera was required for this!!!
LIFE OF DOZER
What to do with left over pie crust….
Hi! Just wanted to say that I love your blog – after looking through it for recipes for more than one hour today, I decided to use the last of your ricotta gnocchi which I had in the freezer with a dazzling tomato sauce. But I have a tips for you: Persian cuisine! I’m probably biased as I’m Persian myself, but I recommend that you should try it out! My favourites: kobideh, ab goosht, ghormeh zabsi, gheyme, our amazing rice and of course, tahdig! It’s a bit different from what you usually cook, but it’s delicious! I hope you’ll like it. There are recipes on http://www.mypersiankitchen.com/ and https://persianmama.com/
Can I tell you – I have had a Persian feast sitting in my drafts folder for months and MONTHS!! Thank you for the tips of your favourites, I am totally inspired to do a Persian Feast week! N xx
YESSSSS!!!! Do it, Nagi! Persian food is SO good, and definitely deserves to be more known.
I don’t know if you have a lot of readers from Denmark – but I am one of them! Maybe THE one – or maybe your most regular reader 🙂
I think I found your blog when searching for at recipe of potato skins and kept ‘Cheese and bacon potato skins’ in Evernote back in April 2016 and then also kept a subscription to your blog. When seeing a new post I literally scroll down to the bottom to see the Dozer news first – and then I go through the description of the dish afterwards 🙂
Thank you for making your blog so beautiful and the Dozer photos so amazingly cute – and I would love to see more photos from your Australian neighbourhood 🙂
Hiiii Louise! I LOVE that you’re from Denmark – te he he!! I randomly thought of a country off the top of my head – and well, well, well, what do you know, a coupe of you have piped up saying YAY!!! 😂 So happy to hear you are enjoying the Dozer photos and I would be delighted to show more of Australia! I will start adding some! N xx
The nostalgia I felt when reading “Denmark” as the first country you mention 😀 I feel like a lot of people don’t know, there’s a country named Denmark…
❤️ N x
This looks sooooo good. I’m going to have to try it. AS for Dozer — i’m quite impressed that you got that shot of him eyeing his treat… i’m sure my fur-babies would have been jumping on the table to get it. i can’t leave anything out on my kitchen counters or they will abscond with it, the little thieves… oh well, gotta love ’em.
You should have seen him 2 seconds after I snapped the photo, he literally dived straight onto it!! 😂
Nagi,
I’ve never been a big fan of Pecan Pie, but I think I might make this for Thanksgiving – looks amazing!
I hope this changes your mind!!! N xx
This is my favorite pie, lots of memories of a good friend that use to make it. Enjoy your videos and recipes, thank you.
I love hearing that Bernadette! N xx
Nagi your recipes are delicious and so FUN to read
As a ‘Southerner'(home of pecans and thus pecan pies) ,we use dark corn syrup -or maple ,whatever we can find in whatever country we live in!
Love your site. Agree/go to first site!
Celeste
I love hearing that Celeste!!! I was interested to see variations of light and dark, maple, golden syrup and even honey is sometimes used!! Thank you for the lovely compliment 🙂 Hope you’re having a great weekend! N xx
Pecan is hubby’s fave pie. I have a wonderful recipe I’ve been making for almost 30 years, but will try yours this year. Thank you for all your recipes.
I’m so honoured that you would try this over a recipe you’ve been using for 30 years!!! Does this differ very much? 🙂 N xx
My favorite Pecan Pie
I got this recipe from the Washington Post many years ago. It is from Chef Mark Giuricich, who was with the National Gallery of Art and served this in the Garden Café. My son Jim and I have made all kinds of variations on this, including adding different liquors and chocolate. Makes a 9-inch pie
3 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1/8-teaspoon salt
1-cup dark corn syrup
1-teaspoon vanilla
2 cups pecans, broken in pieces
9-inch unbaked pie shell
Combine the eggs, sugar, salt, corn syrup and vanilla in a bowl and mix well.
Put pecans in pie shell and spread evenly. Pour liquid mixture over pecans, but do not fill all the way to the top (there may be a bit extra left over).
In a preheated 425-degree oven, bake pie for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350 degrees and bake 25 minutes longer until the center is set, cool on rack and serve.
Per serving: 490 calories, 6 gm protein, 62 gm carbohydrates, 26 gm fat, 4 gm saturated fat, 103 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium.
Quite similar, main difference being the dark corn syrup which would give it a stronger molassy flavour. Love seeing that different recipes! I use more pecans because I decorate the top. 🙂 Thanks for sharing that Nancy!! N xx
Hello Nagi, D for dough, D for Dozer. What is his treat? As for Delicious pie count your blessings I wasn’t your neighbour, would claim over the fence to steal…..and blame Dear Dozer….who is diner, NOT ME, NO…have good w/end! May you get FAT, FAT NOTHING TO FIT YOU….
Ba ha ha, didn’t even THINK of D for dough!!!
I just want to mention, I am totally put off by recipies that say HEALTHY there is always a price to pay in the taste somewhere, but when you say healthy then it does not distract from the taste. Thanks a million. Not that I am a health freak quiet the opposite, but love your blog. Thnx
You literally summarised what I’m all about in one paragraph!!! I like to say – “accidentally healthy”… 😂
Hi Nagi! Pecans are my favorite nut for baking. I always make two pies for Thanksgiving. Of course, pumpkin is mandatory, but I also make a chocolate pecan pie (using cocoa powder). This pie looks delicious and WOW…that crust!!
I’m making a apie this weekend and I will be making your crust!
Oooh I bet you make a killer pecan pie Dorothy!!! Can’t wait to hear all about your Thanksgiving! N x
Great recipe, easy to make and amazingly delicious!!!
I always enjoy watching your short videos which are very helpful in delivering the recipe. Not to mention that your recipes always come out wonderful.
Great job!
Sophia Louka
i don’t do a lot of baking, although I always check your recipes first when I do as my baking
mantra is ‘ Nagi’s recipe always work’ so I think that qualifies you to be a Star Baker, lol.
If Dozer is awake with a pastry D under his nose that makes him a Star Dog !!
Beautiful looking pie!
I am always a bit self conscious about disclosing my flops, partly because, well, food wastage (in extreme circumstances). 🙂 I’m not an expert baker by any means but I guess one good thing is that in order for me to share a recipe like Pecan Pie which isn’t part of my day to day repertoire, I’ve made it over and over again before I figure out all the things that don’t / do work. I was very unhappy with the first few – the fillings didn’t set, didn’t taste right. Blind baking the pastry to make it extra after removing pie weights = crust too brown once Filling was set, and covering edges with foil was so fiddly, I wanted to avoid that. Egg vs all butter pastry. Corn syrup vs glucose vs maple. Oh BOY there has been a lot of pie in this kitchen lately! 🙂 So while I may not be an expert baker, at least you can know with confidence that I’ve done a lot of testing to arrive at one that tastes and looks as it should!!! N xx
Nagi,
I love all of your recipes, I will be making your totally homemade Pecan Pie for Thanksgiving. Thank you so much for testing and testing your recipes to make them perfect for us to try. You are awesome, thank you most of all for sharing them with us. You are awesome!!!!
Betty, message like this are the reason I do what I do! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to think about my recipes being used all around the world at wonderful gatherings! N xx
Well I very much appreciate all your hard work, knowing you can rely on a recipe it brilliant.
All the extra info you supply on alternative ingredients and measurements is so helpful, and
as for the pics of Dozer that’s just the icing on the cake lol.
Many Thanks
You’re most welcome Tricia! So pleased you enjoy my recipes! N xx
Cold right out of the fridge leftover pecan pie, YUM. We can’t get good pecans here. Walnuts, no problem, pecans I rarely see. Last year I used walnuts and it was good, but just not a pecan pie.
Cold?? NEVER thought of that. OK Ron, I have one slice left, I’m refrigerating it…. PS Try macadamia, I think they are the closest in terms of flavour 🙂
Pecan pie is my favorite, and this one is gorgeous! I agree with you about the all butter crust.
I’m so glad to hear you say that Barb!! Wasn’t sure if that would be a contentious point! 😂
This is one of the most beautiful pecan pies I have ever seen
They you Angela!! Worked hard on this recipe, so I’m so pleased you think it’s pretty! N xx
Nagi, this looks perfect! My son, 11, is proud to be making his first ever pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving this year but I might have to make your pecan too. My mouth is watering over here in Houston, Texas!! 😀
WHAT?!!! He’s 11 and making pumpkin pie? What a legend!!
Your pie looks beautiful! I rarely comment on blogs I follow, but I have to tell you, your site is my go-to site for so many recipes: buffalo wings (I’m from Rochester NY, close to Buffalo NY and your wings are awesome!), chicken tenders, and I’ve book-marked too many others to mention. I’m so happy I found your blog!
Lynn! That’s such a lovely message to receive, thank you so much for the compliment!! PS Best Buffalo Wings I’ve ever had were in NY!
Lynn: Nagi has perhaps the best recipes I have ever tried from the Internet! I discovered her blog when looking for a new Swedish meatball recipe. If you love (or even remotely like) Swedish meatballs, I suggest you give her recipe a try. My grandparents, mother, and most of my aunts were born in Sweden. Meatballs were a part of our lives, and trust me, I have scores of authentic Swedish meatball recipes. That being said, none of my relatives recipes could hold a candle to Nagi’s Swedish meatball recipe! (I hope the departed relatives are not spinning in their graves)… I followed her recipe EXACTLY and was frankly blown away! Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have expected to find a classic Swedish recipe, written by an Australian of Oriental heritage, better than any I have ever tried. You will NOT be disappointed!
Ba ha ha! I LOVE THIS MESSAGE!! 😂