Rich and decadent, with toasted pecans and a buttery crust, this is simply the best Old Fashioned Pecan Pie out there!
After lots of testing and a nearly unanimous vote from my taste testers, this recipe for Old Fashioned Pecan Pie won out for its sticky sweetness, molasses flavor, and flaky crust.
The recipe comes from a 1983 South Carolina cookbook called A Taste of South Carolina. Southerners know their pecan pie! This one is a delight.
The pie is sweetened with both dark brown sugar and Karo syrup (see why below!). Along with the toasted pecans, it creates a decadent treat that was a hit at my Thanksgiving table.
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Why is this the BEST Pecan Pie?
I tried a whole bunch of pecan pies. This one won out for its balanced sweetness. Here’s why I used both Karo syrup and dark brown sugar in the recipe:
- Dark brown sugar has more molasses flavor than light brown sugar. It adds depth and richness to the pie, which complements the pecans nicely.
- Karo syrup (light corn syrup) creates a gooey interior that doesn’t crystallize in the oven.
Ingredients
- Dark brown sugar has a rich molasses flavor, which complements the pie perfectly. You can also use light brown sugar, but it won’t have as much molasses flavor.
- You can use either chopped pecans or pecan halves. I think it’s easier to slice a pie that uses chopped pecans, but use what you have.
- You’ll also need an uncooked pie crust. I used my Crisco Pie Crust recipe, but you can also use an all-butter crust (recipe is in my Peach Pie post) or a store-bought crust.
How to Make Old Fashioned Pecan Pie
- Whisk the eggs with the dark brown sugar and corn syrup.
- Stir in the salt, vanilla, and pecans.
- Pour the mixture into an unbaked pie shell or pie crust. You do not need to par bake the crust.
- Bake the pie at 350°F for 55–60 minutes, or until the center just barely jiggles as you remove it from the oven. It’ll continue to set up as it cools.
The crust: homemade vs. store bought
Want a homemade crust? This Crisco Pie Crust recipe makes a really tender pie crust. The dough is really easy to work with, too (it’s not as finicky as butter). Never Fail Pie Crust is my absolute favorite. It’s really tender, flaky, and works every time.
An all-butter crust, which is in my Peach Pie recipe, is also a great choice.
For store-bought, you have two choices:
- Frozen pie shell
- Refrigerated pie dough
The frozen pie shell is ready to go—just pour in the filling and bake. The refrigerated pie dough needs to defrost on the countertop for 15 minutes, be unrolled, and placed in a pie dish. You’ll also need to flute or crimp the edges. (See the Crisco Pie Crust recipe for more info on making pretty edges.)
Pecan pie variations
Customize your old fashioned pecan pie with one of these ideas:
- Add ½ cup chocolate chips (regular or mini) along with the pecans. Decrease the pecans to 1 cup.
- Use pecan halves instead of chopped pecans.
- Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Add 1 tablespoon bourbon for a bourbon pecan pie!
- Use light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar (the pie will have less molasses flavor).
- Consider a chocolate crust like in these tips for a better pecan pie from King Arthur Flour.
More pies that you’ll love
For the holidays, you can’t go wrong with Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie, Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie, or Old Fashioned Apple Pie.
Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Pie is another one that I make for Thanksgiving. It’s my husband’s favorite.
Other classics include Strawberry Jello Pie and Sour Cream Raisin Pie. And you can’t go wrong with Pecan Tassies (mini pies disguised as cookies!).
📖 Recipe
The Best Old Fashioned Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups chopped pecans
- 1 (9-inch) pie shell, uncooked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place eggs in a large bowl and whisk until light.
- Whisk in the sugar, then the corn syrup.
- Stir in the salt, vanilla, and pecans.
- Pour into an uncooked pie shell. Bake for 55–60 minutes, or until the center jiggles only slightly.
- Let cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Add ½ cup chocolate chips (decrease pecans to 1 cup)
- Add 1 tablespoon bourbon
- Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Use pecan halves instead of chopped pecans
- Use light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar
I baked using light brown sugar and dark karo syrup. Recipe was so easy to follow and tasted amazing.
Sounds delicious! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Tammy!