Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Pie & Tarts Recipes Pecan Pie 3.7 (444) 23 Reviews It's a classic for good reason—and a must-have for the Thanksgiving table. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 12, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 25 mins Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Servings: 8 Rich, buttery pecan pie has earned its place as a Thanksgiving mainstay. It's a wonderful choice to make ahead of time since it will need several hours to cool before serving. And as pecans are native to North America, it is fitting they appear on the Thanksgiving table along with our other native foodstuffs like turkey, pumpkin, and cranberries—and many adopted ones like apples and wheat. Pecan pie did not become popular for the Thanksgiving table until the 1930s when it was marketed by Karo to promote their syrup. Today, we use light corn syrup in the filling for our pecan pie, along with brown and granulated sugars. And we serve the pie with unsweetened or barely sweetened whipped cream to balance the intense flavor of the pie. Con Poulos 42 Thanksgiving Pies and Tarts Sure to Satisfy Every Sweet Tooth Make Ahead Pecan pie is a make-ahead dessert, like most pies. This recipe needs five to six hours to cool completely, so we recommend you make it the day before you need it, cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate. Remove it from the refrigerator and allow the pie to come to room temperature before serving—if the pie is too cold, its flavor will be muted. Ingredients ½ recipe Basic Pie Dough, rolled out and fitted into a 9-inch pie plate 4 large eggs 1 cup light corn syrup ⅓ cup packed light-brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar such as Sugar In The Raw 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt 3 cups pecan halves Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional) Directions Preheat oven and fit pie dough into pie plate: Preheat oven to 375°F, with rack set in lowest position. Using kitchen shears or a paring knife, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. With floured fingers, fold overhang under itself to form a rim; pinch between thumb and forefinger to form a uniform edge around rim of pie plate. Crimp with fingertips. Transfer dough-lined pie plate to refrigerator. Make filling: Make filling: In a large bowl, whisk eggs, corn syrup, sugars, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth; mix in pecans. Add filling to crust and bake: Pour mixture into chilled pie crust; place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until filling jiggles slightly in the center when gently shaken, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool completely before serving: Cool pie completely in pie plate, 5 to 6 hours. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Con Poulos Storing Pecan pie is an egg-rich pie and, like pumpkin, lemon meringue, and custard pies, must be refrigerated after baking and cooling to room temperature. Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap and it will last up to five days in the refrigerator. Frequently Asked Questions What is the difference between light and dark corn syrup in pecan pie? Corn syrup sweetens and thickens the filling for pecan pie. Our recipe calls for light corn syrup, which has a more neutral flavor. You could use dark corn syrup, which has the same viscosity as light corn syrup, but it has a more pronounced caramel flavor, which you will notice in the pie. Some recipes call for dark corn syrup for pecan pie, but our recipe already has brown sugar for caramel flavor. How do you keep pecans from sinking in a pie? To prevent the pecans from sinking into the filling for pecan pie, when you add them, do so gently. Some recipes call for adding some chopped nuts to the filling and reserving the remaining nuts to place on top. Other recipes only call for placing the nuts on top of the filling. When you place the pecans on the filling, do so in concentric circles, taking care not to press too hard—pressing will cause the nuts to sink into the filling. Why is my pecan pie always runny? A runny pecan pie indicates the filling did not bake long enough and is undercooked. The filling should be gooey, not liquidy, and should jiggle slightly when you move the pie. Keep in mind that the filling will set more as it cools. Other Pecan Pie Recipes to Try: Brown-Butter Bourbon Pecan Pie Brandied Pecan Pie Chocolate Pecan Pie Date Pecan Pie Maple Pecan Pie Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tart Originally appeared: Everyday Food, November 2006 Rate It PRINT Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.