This Easy Pecan Pie without corn syrup is our FAVORITE PIE and a must at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Includes tips for pecan pie problems!
Southern pecan pie has a sweet, gooey filling that is full of chopped pecans with a golden, caramelized top. This pie is a much-loved family tradition.
In This Post
Tonia’s Notes
Pecan pie is my favorite pie, but only the homemade kind because everything else pales by comparison. There are many things that I buy ready-made because they are almost as good. But there is NOTHING like homemade pecan pie, especially this southern pecan pie without corn syrup.
Growing up, my cousin with southern roots always raved about her mom’s old-fashioned pecan pie and tried to get us to try it at Thanksgiving. Once she finally convinced me to try it, I became a lifelong fan and have been making it for over 25 years! This recipe is adapted from the one passed down from my cousin’s grandmother.
Ingredients Needed
- Pie Pastry: Homemade pie crust is fantastic but I’ve also made this recipe with store-bought dough many times.
- Sugar: Use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Flour: Thickens the filling.
- Eggs: Provides structure and flavor.
- Half-n-Half: Adds flavor and thins the filling.
- Vanilla: A little adds a lot of flavor.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor.
- Butter: Combines with the sugar to make a caramel filling.
- Chopped Pecans: Buy them already chopped to save time.
How To Make Easy Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup
Step One: Pie Crust
Press one pie dough (you can use homemade or store-bought) into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim off any excess and crimp or flute the edges.
Step Two: Pecan Pie Filling
The most important thing about the pecan pie filling is that you don’t want to overmix it. The filling is stirred with a fork just until combined. Put all of the ingredients into the bowl, combine with a fork, and pour into the crust. Super easy!
Also, this easy pecan pie recipe is made without corn syrup, unlike most other recipes, and tastes even better. Instead of corn syrup, there is additional sugar. Plus, there is more brown sugar, which adds more flavor!
Step Three: Fill the Pie Crust
The filling is a thick, soupy, sugary filling and it’s hard to imagine it turning out amazing when you see it like this. But just trust the process and pour the filling into your prepared crust.
Step Four: Make a Foil Ring
Make a ring of foil and completely cover the edge of the pie crust. You can also use a pie shield if you have one on hand. Then, bake the pie with the foil ring, but remove it for the last 10-15 minutes.
Step Four: Bake
Bake the pie for 30 minutes, remove the foil ring, and then bake it for an additional 10-15 minutes, for a total of 40-45 minutes.
Remove it from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. The filling will thicken as it cools.
How To Tell If Pecan Pie Is Done
The hardest part of this easy pie recipe is knowing when to take it out of the oven. The top of the pecan pie should be golden, crunchy, and set, but the inside is still jiggly. When you wiggle and shake the pie pan, you can see the pie jiggle a little, but not so much that it looks like it is going to slosh out of the pan.
Pecan Pie Problems
Runny Pecan Pie
If your pecan pie is runny after it cools, either you didn’t bake it long enough, you overmixed it (or used a mixer instead of a fork), your oven temperature is off, or you didn’t add the correct amount of ingredients.
You can’t really fix a runny pecan pie after it is baked and cooled, but you can still eat it. The best option is to scoop out the filling and serve it over ice cream. It still tastes delicious and makes a great ice cream topping!
Burnt Pie
The top of the pecan pie gets burnt when it is baked too long, or your oven is too hot. Check your oven temperature with a thermometer to make sure it is accurate. To prevent the pie crust from getting burnt, cover the edge of the pie crust with foil and only remove it for the last 10-15 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
It doesn’t need it. That is how the recipe was passed down from my cousin’s grandmother. And trust us, it is THE BEST pecan pie no corn syrup needed!
While many recipes call for toasted pecans, I DO NOT recommend using them. I’ve tested this recipe with toasted pecans and it ends up tasting like burnt pecans!
The chopped pecans will rise to the top during baking. If you want a decorative top on the pie, can add pecan halves. After pouring the filling into the crust, top it with pecan halves in a decorative pattern of your choice.
Since it contains eggs, wrap the pecan pie and store it in the refrigerator for up to four days. It can also be stored in the freezer for up to two months.
Similar Recipes
- This Pecan Pie Cheesecake Dessert recipe is to die for!
- Pecan Pie Bars have a shortbread crust with a yummy topping.
- Chocolate Pecan Pie is just like the classic with the addition of chocolate!
- Try Sugar Free Pecan Pie from All Day I Dream About Food for a different version.
Easy Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup
Ingredients
- 9 inch pie pastry
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoon half-n-half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix with a fork until combined. Pour into the pie crust.
- Make a foil ring and cover the edge of the pie crust.
- Bake at 375˚F, rack in the middle position, for 30 minutes, remove the foil ring and continue baking for 10-15 minutes for a total of 40-45 minutes. The top of the pie should be golden, crunchy, and firm while the inside of the pie is still jiggly.
- Cool on a rack. Cover tightly and store in the fridge.
Video
Karen Snavley says
Made your EASY PECAN PIE for Thanksgiving this year. I usually bake 6-8 pies (mostly pumpkin) every year for my large family but this is my first ever attempt to making a pecan pie! The “easy” part is why I chose your recipe and I must say it was a hit!
Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful Easy Pecan Pie recipe.
Tonia says
Awwww…thanks so much! I’m delighted to hear that! I made three of these pecan pies this Thanksgiving. One for my sister and her family (they were with her in-laws this year) and two for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. ~Tonia
Elizabeth says
I will never make another karo pie this is the most delicious pie I have ever eaten! Thank you sooooooo much for sharing this recipe with me. God bless you in all that you do.
Janet Schloss says
Yes! Have a intolerant family member and used a gluten free frozen pie shell .! Itnisnin the oven now! Expecting delight from simple ingredients . Thank you!
Nancy Ryan says
I can’t eat corn and son can”t have gluten, can I use gluten free flour instead?
Tonia says
Hi Nancy,
I don’t have a lot of experience using gluten-free flour but it should work just fine to thicken the filling.
Happy Baking!
~Tonia
Roberta Rogers says
Cup 4 cup is a good substitute, or natural directions is my absolute favorite for flaky delicious crust.
John says
I would use Tapioca flour, my wife is allergic to both corn and gluten and I find that it is a great thickener. I will be trying this recipe with the flour for the holidays.
Delores says
you can make a crust with walnuts that is amazing;just google ‘walnut crust’
Karen says
Hello Tonia, your recipe looks wonderful and delicious. I was curious if I reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe if it would still come out the same as it would with the full amount of sugar, with out the whole sweetness of course. I’m trying to cut back on sugar for me and my family.
Tonia says
Hi Karen,
I’ve never tried making it with less sugar but I have made this recipe substituting the sugar with a sugar alternative called Swere Sweetener Brown Sugar and it turned out.
Happy Baking!
~Tonia
Rhonda Wood says
When you substituted for the swerve brown sugar did you put the same amount but just use only swerve brown or did you usé a substitute for the white sugar ? My daughter can no longer have real sugar but loves pecan pie I would love to make her one and surprise her
Thanks so much
Rhonda
Tonia says
I made myself the sugar fee version last Thanksgiving so it’s been a while and I looked for my notes but can’t find them! I believe I substituted equal amounts of Swerve brown sugar and Swerve granulated sugar for the sugars in the recipe.
Rhonda Wood says
Tonia help I made this but it was horrible I don’t know what I did wrong but it was gritty I maybe didn’t mix it enough? Would like to try again do you have any suggestions. ? I also cooked for 55mins I think this was too long any help would be appreciated
Thanks
Tonia says
Hi Rhonda,
What a disappointment! I know you wanted to surprise your daughter. I’m really sorry that I don’t have a tried and tested a sugar-free pecan pie to give you. I do know that erythritol tends to recrystallize once it cools so that could be why it is gritty. My friend Carolyn has a low carb pecan pie recipe you could try: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/best-low-carb-maple-pecan-pie/
Best,
Tonia
Terra says
So delicious! This was my first time making pecan pie, this recipe nailed it! I used coconut cream instead of heavy dairy cream and a graham cracker crust because that was what I had on hand. It came out perfectly!
Tonia says
Fabulous! Thank you for coming back and sharing your version with us. ~Tonia
Nada says
Hi Tonia,
This WAS (and I emphasise was) the best nutty pie I have ever tasted. I followed your recipe to the letter, and it turned out just great!
I have one question for you – is it possible to make this pie with walnuts, instead of pecans, as in the country I am from, they are hard to find, and if you do, they are very expensive.
Thank you for the great recipe!
Tonia says
Hi Nada,
I’ve never made a walnut pie but looks like there are lots of recipes out there. From what I read, it sounds like walnuts are more bitter than pecans so that can affect the taste of the pie.
Best of luck!
~Tonia
AnnLea says
I make walnut pie every year during the holidays. It turns out great, and walnuts are less expensive than pecans.
AnnLea says
I do use corn syrup in my walnut pie, but I will try it with only sugar next time.
MollysMommy says
Thank you SO MUCH for providing this excellent recipe that omits corn syrup, just an unhealthy GMO product no one needs to be eating, however the 1 1/2 c of total sugar is overwhelmingly, cloyingly sweet. Next time I will only use 1/2 c packed brown sugar and 1/2 c organic cane sugar, or probably even less than that. I substituted 1.organic heavy whipping cream for the half-n-half, 2.used premade Keebler’s graham cracker crust for the unbaked one, 3.organic coconut flour for the regular flour, and 4.used 1 1/2 cups whole pecans instead of 1 c chopped, which I think comes out to be similar in terms of weight.
The pie turned out lovely though, nice and crunchy on top, slightly gooey in the middle. Just a wonderful recipe! Thank you again for sharing, Tonia!
Tonia says
I’m delighted to hear that you enjoyed it!
Lisa says
Can you tell me the internal temperature of the pie when it is done? I live at altitude and it would greatly help me get it cooked properly.
Roseanne T. Sullivan says
I read in a reply to another pecan pie recipe that the internal temp should be 185 degrees.
Kirsty says
Hi Tonia,
I’d never made a pecan pie before (or even tasted one!) But my mum’s partner requested one for his birthday so I gave it a go. It worked out great and tasted delicious.
Thanks for your great instructions and pics, which made it really easy. I will make it again! 🙂
Tonia says
Fabulous! How kind of you to make one for him! ~Tonia
Pam says
Best pecan pie recipe ever!! Made our family Christmas dinner an evening to remember. Daughter, 2 granddaughters, and I prepared this together for fun. I’ll cherish the memory forever. It turned out great!!
Ann says
Excellent recipe. We loved it. One of my kids also has issues with corn, so I have been searching for a good pecan pie recipe that does not use corn syrup. I guess what I needed most was the advice not to overmix! It came out perfectly! I did substitute sucanat for the brown sugar and MonkSweet for the sugar (1:2 ratio). I was a little concerned about it not having enough dry substance, but it was fine. I think the MonkSweet gives the tiniest bit of aftertaste, but I would still use it again to reduce sugar for my family. I also embellished one of the pies (I doubled this recipe) with halved pecans on the outside edge. It came out gorgeous and was worth the extra couple minutes. As for this pie not being like others–I agree–this is what pecan pie is supposed to be. The cheapie store ones probably have 1/4-1/2 cup of pecans at most. I love the meaty nuttiness of this pie (good protein!), and it was plenty sweet for my crew, though of course the teen boys couldn’t get enough. Thank you for this recipe!
Laurie says
Please clarify whether the brown sugar is “packed”. Usually, brown sugar in recipes is packed into the cup. Thanks
Tonia says
Hi Laurie,
Yes, I always pack my brown sugar in the cup when baking. Enjoy!
~Tonia
FERN GOODMAN says
Can i add chocolate chips to this recipe without messing it up? I suck at baking.
Tonia says
Hi Fern,
I’ve never tried adding chocolate chips but I have seen several recipes for pecan pie with chocolate chips so it should work.
Best of luck!
~Tonia
Eileen M says
Super easy and tastes fantastic!!! Will definitely make again!!!
Denise says
This recipe was so easy and delicius! My kids had fun mixing it up and it was the star of our thanksgiving feast. Thank you!
Tonia says
Thanks Denise! Everyone loved it at ours as well!
Laurie says
I’m excited to find this recipe because I cannot have corn. It never occurred to me that I could make pecan pie without corn syrup. I used to make it until I realized corn was creating healthy issues for me. In general I have a limited diet, also gluten free and dairy free. Do you have a suggestion for flour substitute, rice or buckwheat? Any thoughts. Also, would you sub out coconut oil or ghee for the butter? I will try almond milk for the half and half. Any and all thoughts are appreciated, thanks!
Tonia says
Hi Laurie,
I would suggest using a 1-to-1 gluten free flour substitute. From what I’ve read online, melted coconut oil or melted ghee should work, but I’ve never tried it. And yes, you should be able to use almond milk instead of half-n-half.
Happy Thanksgiving!
~Tonia
Martha Morgan says
Sorry this is not a good pecan pie , I will go back to my recipe with white corn syrup . You can taste the brown sugar no one liked it . MOM what did you do to the pecan pie ? Will not do that again
Tonia says
Hello Martha,
It sounds as though the pecan pie turned out like it was supposed to but that your family preferred the recipe you’ve always used. That’s pretty normal. We all have our family traditions and heirloom recipes. They may not all be the same but that’s okay because a world full of variety is the best kind of world. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones.
~Tonia
Rose Thompson says
Never made a pecan pie before I have 2 questions first is the flour all purpose and next if I don’t have half and what can i use ?
Tonia says
Hi Rose,
The flour is for thickening and you can use milk instead of half and half.
Happy Thanksgiving!
~Tonia
David says
Thanks for this!
How’s the sweetness level? Overt sweetness is a characteristic of pecan pie, and some pecan pie recipes are still overly sweet.
Mame says
Can I use more Brown sugar than white
I love the Carmel flavor that you get from Brown
Tonia says
Hi Mame,
The recipe calls for 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar. Are you wanting to use all brown sugar? I’ve never tried using all brown sugar but it would probably work. The only issue would be that brown sugar makes baked good more moist due to the molasses but I’m not sure that it would affect this recipe too much. If you do try it come back to tell us how it turned out!
Happy Baking,
Tonia