The Best Southern Pecan Pie

This old-fashioned pecan pie is a classic southern dessert.  Made with 8 simple ingredients - light corn syrup (Karo), butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and fresh chopped pecans for an ooey-gooey center and crispy pecan topping.  Uses a pre-made crust for a time-saving shortcut.

I'm proud to share with you my grandmother's heirloom pecan pie recipe.  The pie filling is thick and creamy and the pecan topping is sweet and crispy.  I cherish family recipes and all the wonderful memories that I'm reminded of.  My grandmother, Mimi, was a kind, hard-working woman and a great cook. 

Why We Love This Pie

If I had to pick a favorite dessert for my husband, it would be this one (even though he is a devout chocolate lover).  He says it's the best pecan pie recipe!

Most of the time, pecan pie is served for a special occasion such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it's not unusual to have pecan pie for any special gathering here in the South. 

If you need another pie recipe, I suggest these Mini Pumpkin Pies. They go great with this pecan pie, and they're just the right size to pop in your mouth 🙂

Ingredients for Southern Pecan Pie

Let's take a peek at the ingredients.  Please scroll down to the recipe card for detailed ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and recipe notes.

Pecans - always use baking pecans (which are unsalted) and not the salted pecans.

Light Corn Syrup (Karo) - light corn syrup is a key ingredient in pecan pie! It provides sweetness and flavor. It's a must ingredient in creating the classic pecan pie consistency (jiggly center) that so many people love.

Sugar - we add a little more sweet flavor by adding granulated sugar.

Butter - for that classic rich buttery flavor.

Eggs - for binding the ingredients; the eggs don't have to be room temperature but it certainly seems to help blend more smoothly.

Vanilla extract - use the pure stuff. Vanilla bean paste works very well, too.

Deep dish pie crust - no need to thaw the crust! Pour the filling directly into the frozen pie crust and bake.

Best Pecans for Pecan Pie

The best pecans to use for pecan pie are typically fresh, high-quality pecans with a good flavor and texture. I almost always purchase the bagged pecans at the grocery store because they're already high quality and fresh (just be sure to check the date on the package).

You can buy whole pecans and chop them yourself or use the pre-chopped pecans. Sometimes with the pre-chopped pecans, I still have to chop some of them to get them all consistent with size.

Ingredient Substitutions

If you can't use or find pecans, you can replace them with other nuts like walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts. But of course swapping out the nuts will give the pie a slightly different flavor and texture.

Instead of corn syrup, you can use maple syrup, honey, or golden syrup. Keep in mind that these may also alter the flavor of your pie slightly.

If you don't have vanilla extract, you can use other flavorings like almond extract or maple extract.

Instead of a traditional pie crust, you can use a graham cracker crust.

How to Make Southern Pecan Pie

Just three steps! But be sure to follow the recipe card when making this pie.

Step 1 - blend the ingredients.

Step 2 - pour into a pre-made frozen pie crust

Step 3 - bake for about 45 minutes. 

Tip: To keep the crust from browning too quickly, I suggest laying a piece of foil over the pie during the last 5 minutes of baking. Please scroll down to the recipe card for details.  You can print the recipe card (or PDF it) if you like, for future reference.

Recipe Tips

• Chopped pecans make for a neater slice of pie, and they can save you some prep time.  Whole pecans make for a pretty pie if you arrange them in a nice pattern on top of the filling.  In the end, the pie will taste fantastic whether you choose chopped or whole nuts.  In fact, this pie won't last long enough for people to even wonder whether you took the time to chop the pecans or not!
• Don't overbake it! If the crust starts to brown before the filling is set, place a piece of tin foil on top of the pie to prevent the crust from burning.  Alternatively, you can use a pie crust protector shield to keep those edges from getting burnt.
• Place the pie on a sheet pan to bake it. It helps to catch drips and also makes it easier to get the pie in and out of the oven!
• So now that you’ve made this delicious pie, what is the best way to transport it?  I recently discovered a plastic carrier that’s perfect for transporting pies, muffins, and cupcakes.  It’s the Southern Homewares 3-in-1 Plastic Holder Container.  It offers easy-grip handles, a snap-tight lid, and it’s made out of durable plastic.  Available now on Amazon!
• We almost always top our slice of pecan pie with whipped cream or ice cream, or both!  Ahh, it's the best!