The Best Pecan Pie Recipe | Secret Ingredient Revealed!
Updated Apr 02, 2025
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The best pecan pie recipe is made with a secret ingredient that creates an unbelievable flavor — browned butter! Whether you’re celebrating a holiday or just want a delicious treat to snack on this week, this pecan pie is the perfect classic pie recipe.
This Pecan Pie is the best. I’ve made a lot of different pecan pie recipes in my day, and I love this one. You brown the butter a little on your stovetop before adding it to the egg and sugar mixture, and it makes the pie extra-rich and caramel-y. It is delicious and the only pecan pie recipe you’ll need.
After writing a huge post all about pie crust, I wanted to share a few classic, simple, perfect-for-every-holiday pie recipes to go with it. You need something delicious to fill your favorite pie crust and this post is just that – all things pie! This really is the best pecan pie recipe, and I hope you love it. You can find this recipe plus SEVEN other pie recipes in one post if you are still looking around for something that looks perfect for your Thanksgiving table.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Best Pecan Pie Recipe
- Browned Butter for Extra Flavor: The browned butter adds a deep, nutty flavor that makes the pie even richer and more delicious.
- Classic and Comforting: Pecan pie is a timeless classic dessert.
- Perfect Texture: The pie has a slightly crisp top with a gooey, rich filling and crunchy pecans.
Recipe Ingredients
- 9-inch Pie Crust
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Corn Syrup
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Ground Cinnamon
- Eggs
- Salted Butter
- Pecans
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Pecan Pie
Step 1: Place the crust into the pie plate. Store it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Step 2: In a small bowl, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add the eggs and whisk well.
Step 3: In a small saucepan, carefully brown the butter over medium heat. Slowly whisk the browned butter into the sugar mixture. Stir in the nuts then pour into the pie crust.
Step 4: Bake 50-60 minutes until the middle is jiggly but not sloshy. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.
Recipe FAQs
The top of a pecan pie will look golden and a bit caramelized when it’s done. It should shift a bit in the middle, but if it’s really jiggly, it’s probably not done.
I like to let pecan pie cool for at least two hours before cutting and serving it. It finishes cooking and sets as it cools, which allows pie slices to stay together better once they’ve cooled for a while.
You can refrigerate pecan pie for up to 3 to 4 days after baking it. Cover it loosely with foil or plastic wrap before storing it in the fridge.
Yes, you can leave this out overnight for a day or two! Just be sure to cover it. It makes a great Thanksgiving dessert option when you want to work ahead and keep oven and kitchen space open for the day of.
Expert Tips
- The secret to this amazing pecan pie is the browned butter. Have no fear — it’s SO simple. You are really just heating up the butter on the stove until it’s browned. Just keep an eye on it so you don’t scorch it. You’ll be making browned butter for everything you do after this.
- I have great luck buying reasonably priced pecans at Costco. The bag is large (because Costco…), but I can use them in pie, date bites, granola bars, oatmeal energy bites, this lovely fall salad, or simply candied for a snack (that recipe uses maple syrup to candy them so it’s pretty healthy!).
- This recipe can be made a day or two ahead of time and left at room temperature until serving. That makes it a great option to prep ahead of time the week of Thanksgiving, leaving your oven and fridge open!
- It’s best to use a deep pie plate for this recipe. I recommend this one.
- I love pie recipes that only use a single crust. Make a double crust and then make two pies (like a pumpkin pie that also only needs a single crust). Two pies for the effort of one, SIGN ME UP!
More Pie Recipes to Consider
Pies, Crisps & Tarts
Healthy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Pies, Crisps & Tarts
Homemade Coconut Cream Pie
Pies, Crisps & Tarts
Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie
Pies, Crisps & Tarts
Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
The Best Pecan Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup salted butter, 1 stick
- 2 cups pecans, plus extras to line the top, if desired
Instructions
- Prepare your pie crust, place in a pie pan, and crimp the edges as desired. Pop it in the fridge until you are ready. Use a deep 9-inch pie plate so that it doesn't bubble over while cooking.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and ground cinnamon, and whisk to combine well. Add the eggs, and whisk until well combined.
- In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter, and then cook, stirring very often, until the butter starts to darken and smells fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes (the butter will burn if you aren't careful, so keep an eye on it).
- Slowly pour the brown butter into the sugar mixture while whisking until well combined. Add the nuts (you can chop them up or not; I like mine chopped up a bit).
- Pour the pecan pie filling into the prepared crust, and line with additional pecans if desired.
- Bake at 350℉ for 50 to 60 minutes. The middle can jiggle just a bit, but should not be sloshy.
- Remove from the oven. Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Browning the butter on the stovetop makes the filling extra rich – don’t skip that step in this recipe.
- You can put extra on pecans on the top so they don’t sink to the bottom. Pour your filling into the pie crust and then put the additional pecan halves on top.
- Be sure to use a 9-inch piece crust so the filling won’t overflow the pie crust.
- To check if your pecan pie is done, gently shake the pie dish – the center should be a little jiggly and the outer edges more set.
- This recipe was inspired by Ali at Gimme Some Oven.
Trying to find the strawberry shortcake you posted. I lost it
You can find it here, and I sent you an email just in case!
https://www.blessthismessplease.com/strawberry-shortcake/