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Perfect Pecan Pie featured image

Perfect Pecan Pie

Making the perfect pecan pie is easier than many people think. This is the same easy recipe that I've used for decades. Make sure you are using a large enough pie plate as well or the filling will be too thick, a shallower pie is better for setting. I bake it in a 10 inch pie plate or even an 11 inch tart pan.
Course Dessert
Cuisine North American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 452 kcal
Author Barry C. Parsons

Ingredients

For the butter pastry

  • 1 cup butter very cold & cut in small cubes
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup ice water + 2 tbsp white vinegar added Only enough liquid to make a dough form.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the filling

  • 4 large or extra large eggs or 5 medium, or 6 small
  • 1 ½ cups lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups dark corn syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Instructions

For the butter pastry

  1. Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into flour, brown sugar and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter should still be visible.
  2. Pour vanilla into cold water then pour over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible.
  3. Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes.You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out. (This pastry recipe makes sufficient for two pie crusts, so wrap one of the pastry rounds tightly in aluminum foil and freeze it for later.)
  4. Roll the dough into a 12 - 14 inch round and place in the bottom of a 10 inch pie plate.
  5. Push the dough into the corners and ensure that it is not stretched at all or it will shrink from the edge.
  6. Trim dough to a half inch past the edge of plate.
  7. Fold the ends under and finch with fingers or fork to shape the edges into whatever design you like best.
  8. Place in freezer while you prepare the filling.

To make the filling

  1. Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and melted butter together until the brown sugar is dissolved.
  2. Stir in the pecans.
  3. Bake for 50-60 minutes at 375 degrees F (350 F for glass bake-ware) or until the center is set and jiggles like jelly. Cool completely before serving.

Recipe Notes

The amount of eggs is important in this recipe. I generally use extra large eggs in this recipe. If not using the largest size eggs available, it shouldn't hurt to add an additional egg.
In reading some comments from readers I suspect all corn syrup is not the same in all places. Here it is very thick. Thicker than molasses at room temperature. If your corn syrup isn't that thick be sure to add that extra egg as insurance that the pie will set.
Make sure you are using a large enough pie plate as well or the filling will be too thick, a shallower pie is better for setting. I bake it in a 10 inch pie plate or even an 11 inch tart pan.
As long as the crust doesn't burn, an extra few minutes in the oven should not be a problem if needed as well.

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.