Classic Southern Pecan Pie (Printable Version)

Buttery crust meets rich pecan filling in this timeless Southern dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Pie Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
05 - 3-4 tablespoons ice water

→ Filling

06 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
07 - 1 cup light corn syrup
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 3 large eggs
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 2 cups pecan halves

# How to Make It:

01 - Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, stirring just until dough comes together. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
03 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch pie dish, trim excess dough, and crimp edges as desired.
04 - Whisk together brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth.
05 - Stir pecan halves into the filling mixture, then pour into the prepared crust.
06 - Bake for 50-55 minutes until center is set but still slightly wobbly. Cover crust edges with foil if browning too quickly.
07 - Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That moment when you slide a knife through the center and the filling is perfectly set, not soupy or rubbery, is worth every minute of careful temperature watching.
  • The combination of brown sugar and butter creates this caramel-like depth that makes people genuinely pause after their first bite.
02 -
  • Underbaked pecan pie has a soupy center, while overbaked becomes rubbery. The sweet spot is that slight wobble in the center, like gelatin, when you remove it from the oven.
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together seamlessly, whereas cold eggs can make the filling look curdled or separated.
03 -
  • Place the pie dish on a baking sheet before filling it to catch any potential overflow and save your oven floor.
  • If the edges are browning too quickly, gently tent them with foil rather than wrapping tightly, which can disturb the crust.
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