Here’s a Classic Pecan Pie recipe that will instantly become your family's favorite! And best of all it’s not overly sweet and the crust is crisp and flaky. Plus, the pie dough is made with a food processor, making it pretty fool-proof!
Pie Dough - Food Processor Method
Ugh pie dough. It’s not my friend. And back in the day I never much cared for the crust of the pie anyway. I’ve always been a filling girl. But as I’ve continued to bake over the years, I’ve grown to appreciate a good pie crust.
The method that’s worked the best for me is the food processor method. It takes much of the guess work out and the dough comes together very quickly.
At first glance it may look like the dough isn’t going to come together. But after you add the liquids and give it a gentle knead, it comes together easily.
I used liqueur to help keep the gluten development to a minimum. Less gluten helps to create a tender and flaky crust. You can also use vodka or any other alcohol that fits your recipe.
You can use white vinegar in place of the alcohol if you like. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more if needed.
Classic Pecan Pie Tips
- Toasting the pecans brings out the best flavor in the pecans. Toast pecans in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, tossing halfway through baking. Let pecans cool before chopping.
- Partially baking the crust and adding the hot filling to the warm pie crust helps keep the crust from getting soggy.
- Brushing the partially baked pie crust with egg wash helps reduce the chances of the pie filling leaking out while baking.
- Slowly heating the filling over a double boiler helps keep the filling from curdling during the baking process.
Pecan Pie Filling
Dark brown sugar is used in place granulated sugar for more depth of flavor. And in addition to slowing heating the filling in a double boiler, this pie is also baked on low heat slowly, to prevent curdling.
Cooling Time
It’ll be tough not to cut into this beauty right out of the oven, but be sure to allow adequate cooling time before slicing the pie. About 4 hours should do the trick. Or plan ahead of time and let the pie cool overnight for the best results.
Pie Crust Decorations
To jazz up this Classic Pecan Pie, I used store-bought pie dough and cut out festive shapes and baked them separately.
Brush the cutouts with egg wash and bake them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a 450 degree oven. Bake until cut outs are nicely browned. The timing will depend on the size of your cutouts. Arrange the cutouts on top of the filling or around the edges.
Pecan Pie Storage
Pecan pie can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
Classic Pecan Pie Baking Schedule
- Day 1: Make pie dough.
- Day 2: Bake pecan pie.
- Day 3: Serve pecan pie.
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Adapted from America's Test Kitchen
Classic Pecan Pie
Classic Pecan Pie made with dark brown sugar and toasted pecans, baked on top of a flaky homemade pie crust.
Ingredients
SINGLE CRUST PIE DOUGH (this recipe should be used with a food processor only)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling, about 1/4 cup
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
- 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 2 pieces and chilled
- 2 tablespoons pecan liqueur or vodka, chilled
- 2 tablespoons ice water
EGG WASH
- 1 egg white mixed tin 1 teaspoon water
PECAN FILLING
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup (7 ounces) packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon pecans liqueur or vanilla extract
- 2 cups (8 ounces) pecans, toasted and chopped
Instructions
PIE DOUGH
- Process 3/4 cup of the flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Sprinkle the butter and shortening on top and continue to process until combined and mixture begins to form uneven clumps, and no flour bits remain, about 10 seconds.
- Scrape down the bowl and evenly distribute the dough around the bowl. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup flour over the dough and pulse until the mixture has broken up into pieces and is evenly distributed around the bowl, about 4 to 6 pulses.
- Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle pecan liqueur and ice water over the mixture. Press and stir the dough together using a rubber spatula until the dough sticks together.
- Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten out into a 4-inch disk. Wrap the disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before rolling out the dough, let the dough sit out on the counter for about 10 minutes. (The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, be sure to let the dough though completely on the counter before using.)
- Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle on a floured counter. After rolling the dough out, loosely roll it around your rolling pin and gently unroll it onto your 9 inch pie plate. Gently ease the dough into the lower creases of the pan and press lightly to adhere it to the sides and bottom of the pan. Leave the excess dough hanging over the sides of the pan in place. Wrap the dough-lined pie plate loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough it firm, about 30 minutes.
- Trim the overhang to about 1/2 –inch beyond the edge of the pie plate and tuck the overhang under itself. Crimp the dough around the edge using your fingers. Wrap the dough lined pie plate loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes before using.
- Using the tines of a fork, gently poke a few holes over the bottom and sides of the pie dough lined pie plate. Line the chilled pie plate with a layer of aluminum foil, covering the edges to prevent burning and fill with pie weights or dry beans.
- Bake your pie shell until the pie dough looks dry and is pale in color about 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and foil and continue to bake until the shell is golden brown, about 4 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pie crust to a wire rack and brush the pie shell with egg wash to ensure no leaks form while the pie is baking. Set aside. Immediately start on the pecan filling. Your pie crust must still be warm when the pecan filling is added.
PECAN FILLING
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and reduce the temperature to 275 degrees. Fill a saucepan with about 3 inches of water and bring to a simmer. Set a large heatproof bowl on top, creating a double boiler. Melt the butter in the bowl. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and stir in the sugar and salt until the butter is absorbed. Whisk in the eggs, corn syrup and pecan liqueur or extract until smooth. Return the bowl to the hot water and stir until the mixture registers 130 degrees. Turn off the heat and stir in the pecans.
- Pour the pecan mixture into the warm pie crust and bake until the filling looks set and resembles gelatin when pressed with the back of a spoon, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let the pie cool on a rack until the filling has set, about 2 hours. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Pecan Pie Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To serve the pie warm, bake in a 250 degree oven for 15 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 468Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 321mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 1gSugar: 30gProtein: 5g
*Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary.*
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