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Classic Southern Pecan Pie

Classic Southern pecan pie bakes a buttery homemade crust around a rich filling of pecans, light corn syrup, and brown sugar. The center should jiggle slightly when the pie comes out of the oven, then set as it cools.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
chilling and cooling 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 510
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the crust
  • 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter cold, cut into small cubes
  • 3 tbsp ice water to 4
For the filling
  • 3 eggs large
  • 1 cup corn syrup light
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar light, packed
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cups pecans halves

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch pie plate
  • 1 rimmed baking sheet

Method
 

Make the crust
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
  2. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces.
  3. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of ice water and stir until the dough starts to clump, adding the remaining water a teaspoon at a time only if needed.
  4. Gather the dough into a disk and wrap it.
  5. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle.
  7. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges.
Fill and bake the pie
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Set the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
  4. Stir in the pecans.
  5. Pour the filling into the unbaked crust.
  6. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, covering the crust edge loosely with foil after 20 minutes; the edges should be set, the center should still jiggle slightly, and the filling should reach at least 160°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted away from the pecans.
  7. Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before slicing.

Notes

For clean slices, let the pie cool completely before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days; the pie can be frozen. For a gluten-free variation, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend in the crust.