Dot’s Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie Recipe

One bite of Dot’s old-fashioned Southern Pecan Pie will have your taste buds swooning with crunchy, sweet, custardy, caramelly goodness.

This timeless recipe is courtesy of my sweet mother-in-law Dot Rigby, who is 97 years old. Dot has made this delicious pecan pie for many years, and it is a favorite of her family and friends.

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 pie that isn’t cloyingly sweet like most of them. Classic and simple, and along with pumpkin pie, it’s a holiday tradition. It’s also one of the easiest pies you will ever make!

Dot’s secrets for the best pecan pie:

Dot has two secrets; she doesn’t include corn syrup in her recipe, and she uses roasted pecans. This make-ahead dessert is chock-full of sweet, crunchy pecans, and the light caramel custard filling is out of this world delicious!

Here’s what you will need:

You will need the following ingredients: shelled roasted pecans, butter, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, milk, and salt. You will also need one unbaked deep-dish frozen 9-inch pie shell or two unbaked regular frozen 9-inch pie shells.

Here’s how to make it:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees 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 syrup mixture evenly over the pecans. They will rise to the top!

Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes or until the filling is set.

Cool completely and serve.

Frequently asked questions:

How to buy and store pecans?

When buying shelled pecans, look for plump nets that are uniform in color and size. If you are not going to use them right away, it’s best to store them in an airtight container in the freezer to prevent them from becoming rancid.

How to make it ahead?

You can make this pie ahead and cover it and store it at room temperature for one to two days. 

To freeze, follow the directions as written and bake the pie. Allow it to cool completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before slicing.

What about leftovers?

Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for one to two days or in the refrigerator for four to five days.

Sharon’s tips:

To roast the pecans, spread them out on a rimmed cookie sheet and roast them in a 350-degree oven for ten minutes. 

This recipe makes two regular size pies. I only had one deep-dish pie shell, which I used, and I put all of the pecans in it. If you use a deep dish pie shell, you will have a small amount of custard left over.

If you use two regular pie shells, divide the pecans evenly between the pies and divide the custard evenly between them.

Related recipes:

If you like Southern-style desserts, you might also be interested in my Apple Dapple Cake with Caramel Glaze, Southern Pecan Praline Cake, Southern Peach Cobbler, Georgia Cornbread Cake, Southern Pecan Praline Cheesecake, Pecan Praline Ice Cream, 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 dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!

Print Pin

4.67 from 9 votes

Dot's Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie Recipe

Dot's easy, make-ahead Southern Pecan Pie is chock-full of sweet crunchy pecans, and the light caramel custard filling is out of this world delicious!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 424kcal

Author Sharon Rigsby

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 degrees 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 syrup mixture evenly over the pecans. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes or until the filling is set.
• Cool completely and serve.

Notes

To roast the pecans, spread them out on a rimmed cookie sheet and roast them in a 350-degree oven for ten minutes. 

This recipe makes two regular size pies. I only had one deep-dish pie shell, which I used, and I put all of the pecans in it. If you use a deep-dish pie shell, you will have a small amount of custard left over.

If you use two regular pie shells, divide the pecans evenly between the pies and divide the custard evenly between the two as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 3.6mg

Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment below and/or give this recipe a rating. On Instagram? Take a picture and tag @gritsandpinecones or #gritsandpinecones!

Don't miss any recipes!Subscribe to Grits and Pinecones.