One bite of my Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie made without corn syrup, and your taste buds will be swooning with its crunchy nuts and sweet, caramel custard goodness.
Classic and simple, like my Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Pie, it’s a holiday tradition and one of the easiest homemade pecan custard pies you will ever make!
In the South, there are as many recipes for pecan pie as there are pecan trees. Every family has a favorite, and this is ours. This is a wonderfully rich, old-fashioned pecan custard pie that is full of buttery pecans and isn’t cloyingly sweet.
This timeless recipe is courtesy of my sweet mother-in-law, Dot Rigsby. Dot made this delicious pecan pie for many years, and it is a long-time favorite of our family and friends.
Dot had two secrets: she didn’t include light or dark corn syrup in her recipe, and she used roasted pecans.
As a result, this make-ahead, classic, no corn syrup pecan pie is chock-full of crunchy, buttery pecan nuts, and the decadent caramel custard filling is out-of-this-world delicious!
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Ingredient notes:
- Pecans – are “love at first bite,” with their sweet, buttery flavor. These beloved southern nuts are a common ingredient in both sweet and savory recipes. Roasted Pecans, with a bit of butter and a sprinkle of salt, are also known as the “little black dress of appetizers.”
- Butter – makes the pecan pie custard ultra-rich and flavorful. You can use salted or unsalted.
- All-purpose flour – helps to thicken the custard.
- Brown sugar – provides a uniquely sweet, irresistible caramel flavor to the custard.
- Eggs – not only add richness to the custard, but they also help bind everything together.
- Vanilla extract – enhances all of the other flavors in the custard and gives it a mild vanilla flavor. You can also substitute vanilla paste.
- Salt – enhances all of the flavors of the other ingredients. If salted butter is used, you can omit it.
- Milk – combines with the other ingredients to make a rich, creamy custard.
- Pie crust – will also need one unbaked deep-dish frozen nine-inch shell or two unbaked regular frozen nine-inch shells.
Here’s how to make it:
- Preheat the oven to 300 °F.
- Combine the melted butter, flour, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and milk in a large bowl.
- Use a whisk and combine.
- Pour the pecans into the shell and spread them out evenly.
- Pour the filling evenly over the pecans. The pecans will rise to the top!
- Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes or until the pecan filling is set.
- Cool completely before serving. Optional: top with whipped cream, whipped topping, or vanilla or butter-pecan ice cream before serving.
Frequently asked questions:
When buying shelled pecans, look for plump nuts that are uniform in color and size. The best time to purchase pecans is in the fall when they have just been harvested.
I usually buy about ten pounds of freshly harvested Georgia pecans and keep them in the freezer for use throughout the year. They can be used immediately and do not need to thaw first.
Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for one to two days or in the refrigerator for four to five days.
You can make this southern-style dessert up to 48 hours ahead and store it at room temperature.
Why yes, you can! Many southern cooks use bourbon instead of vanilla extract in their desserts.
Yes, to freeze pecan pie, follow the directions as written and bake. Allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then foil. Place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
A whole pecan pie, including a frozen deep dish crust made using this recipe, comes in at a total of 5,683 calories. One-eight of the dish or a slice of pecan pie is 710 calories.
Keep in mind that this is a deep dish pie, and it contains more filling than a regular pie.
Sharon’s tips:
- To roast pecan halves, spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet and roast them in a 350 °F oven for eight to ten minutes. If you roast pecan pieces, it will not take as much time, so watch them carefully. Also, freshly harvested pecans will take a little longer to roast because they have a higher moisture content.
- As written, this recipe makes one deep dish pie or two regular pies. If you use a deep-dish shell, you will have a small amount of custard left over. If you use two regular shells, divide the pecans evenly between the crusts and divide the custard evenly.
- The number of servings and nutrition information shown is for one pie made in a deep-dish crust.
- Always bake your pies on a rimmed baking sheet. It will make them much easier to remove from the oven, especially if you use purchased crusts in aluminum pans. It also keeps your oven clean in case your filling bubbles up and overflows.
- A friend of mine who is a professional cook told me she always uses Publix’s frozen deep-dish crust for a frozen pie crust. However, for a rolled crust, she likes Trader Joe’s brand. I have followed both of her recommendations, and I agree.
- To make a gluten-free pecan pie, substitute one-for-one gluten-free flour for the all-purpose flour in the filling, and purchase a frozen gluten-free crust instead of a regular crust.
More Southern desserts with pecans:
If you like old-fashioned Southern-style desserts, you might also be interested in my Apple Dapple Cake with Caramel Glaze, Sweet Potato Pie, Old Fashioned Strawberry Pie, or Southern Peaches and Cream Pie.
Here is a link to all of my dessert recipes if you need more recipes or menu ideas.
★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
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Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped pecans, roasted
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 ⅓ cups brown sugar, packed
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 frozen unbaked deep-dish 9-inch pie shell, thawed, or 2 frozen regular unbaked 9-inch pie shells
- Optional: Whipped cream, whipped topping or vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 °F.
- Combine the melted butter, flour, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and milk in a large bowl and mix well.
- Pour the pecans into the pie shell and spread out evenly.
- Pour the custard mixture evenly over the pecans. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes or until the filling is set.
- Cool completely and serve.
Notes
- To roast pecan halves, spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet and roast them in a 350 °F oven for eight to ten minutes. If you roast pecan pieces, it will not take as much time, so watch them carefully. Also, freshly harvested pecans will take a little longer to roast because they have a higher moisture content.
- As written, this recipe makes one deep dish pie or two regular pies. If you use a deep-dish shell, you will have a small amount of custard left over. If you use two regular shells, divide the pecans evenly between the crusts and divide the custard evenly.
- The number of servings and nutrition information shown is for one pie made in a deep-dish crust.
- Always bake your pies on a rimmed baking sheet. It will make them much easier to remove from the oven, especially if you use purchased crusts in aluminum pans. It also keeps your oven clean in case your filling bubbles up and overflows.
- A friend of mine who is a professional cook told me she always uses Publix’s frozen deep-dish crust for a frozen pie crust. However, for a rolled crust, she likes Trader Joe’s brand. I have followed both of her recommendations, and I agree.
- To make a gluten-free pecan pie, substitute one-for-one gluten-free flour for the all-purpose flour in the filling, and purchase a frozen gluten-free crust instead of a regular crust.
Karen
Is 300° correct for oven temp?
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Karen, yes, it’s 300°F, and the pie bakes for 60 minutes. I hope you enjoy it!
Julia
I made this pie yesterday and it turned out beautifully. My husband loved it! He was thrilled that he could eat pecan pie again, as he can no longer eat corn syrup.
Once again, thanks for posting the recipe.
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Julia, I’m so glad your husband enjoyed it and now he can eat his beloved pecan pie again!
All the best,
Sharon
Suzanne Pope
I made this pecan pie recipe, making two regular size pies. It was a hit!! Do you know the origin of this recipe? Just curious how old it is, and thankful you shared this with all of us!
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Suzanne, I’m so happy you liked this pie. The recipe was given to me by my now-deceased mother-in-law, who would have been 100 tomorrow, and unfortunately, I don’t know where she originally got it. My husband says he remembers her making the same recipe when he was a boy, so I would say it’s at least 60-70 years old, maybe older.
All the best,
Sharon
Jule Perrin
A delicious pie! Everyone’s favorite! SimplY deVine!!!J
Julia
Thank you for sharing this pecan pie recipe. My husband loves pecan pie, but can no longer eat corn syrup. I am looking forward to trying to make this pie for him.
Renee
I loved the flavor of this pie, but I had issues with it setting up. Could you offer any suggestions for next time?
Thanks
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Renee,
I haven’t ever had problems with the filling setting up. With the four eggs, the only thing I can think of is maybe it needed to bake a few minutes longer. Also, you might want to be sure to let it cool completely before slicing and serving it. Other than that, I’m stumped.
All the best,
Sharon
JimmyB
I am not sure that this will apply since this recipe doesn’t use corn syrup but years ago I had trouble with my pecan pies not setting up. So I called Karo Syrup company and told them my story and they asked if I was using frozen pie crusts to which I replied that yes I was. They said they had quite a few complaints from people who had used frozen pie crusts so they recommended a refrigerated crust if I did not want to make one from scratch. I switched over and have never had that problem since.
Audra
mine also did not set…tastes great but is soup.
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Audra, I am so sorry you had an issue with your pie not setting up. I have probably made this pie over 25 times with no problems, and my mother-in-law was famous for this pecan pie. With four eggs, firming up should never be a problem. The only thing I can think of is your oven temperature may be off. Have you ever tried testing it with an oven thermometer? I always keep one in mine, and even though it’s relatively new, it consistently is 25° under the temperature I have set it to, so I have to compensate by raising the heat or cooking things a bit longer. I also saw a comment that someone shared about using frozen pie crusts, but I can’t see how that could cause a problem. The only other thing I can think of is that it has to cool before cutting it to set it correctly. I hope you will try it again and maybe let it bake 10-15 minutes longer if it doesn’t look set. Please keep in touch and let me know if you make it again.
All the best,
Sharon
Audra
I did let the crust thaw before baking and cool all the way. I did not let it bake long enough. The bottom crust was not baked thouroughly. My tester came out clean but no little curds. I baked for another 20 minutes or so that night, and it is set now! Had to learn how to test for doneness.
Sharon Rigsby
Awesome! I am so happy it worked out for you. I hate to hear it when one of my recipes doesn’t work out! And, thank you too for letting me know.
All the best,
Sharon
Shannon Hall
Love that this recipe has zero corn-syrup!!! This is my first year making pecan pies for Thanksgiving dinner! I read through many recipes and this one just spoke to me with its ingredients. Thanks for the tip to roast the pecans and including the easy steps to do it. I know making this pie from home will be all the more healthier and I can’t wait to see the smile it will put on my families faces! Wish me luck!
Sharon Rigsby
I hope you enjoy it! I just finished making it for my family for Thanksgiving too!
All the best,
Sharon
Julia
Hello maybe u can help. I accidentally added flour in a different pie mix. Can I still use to make my pie
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Julia, I’m sorry, I am happy to help but don’t understand your question? Can you give me more details?
Sharon
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
Pecan pie is one of my husband’s favorites! This looks SO good – total fall comfort food!
Gritsandpinecones
Thanks Ashley! It’s my husband’s favorite too!