The BEST Pecan Pie Recipe with all the classic traditional flavors of a Pecan Pie but with a smidge of chocolate and an irresistible gooey filling (WITHOUT corn syrup!) It’s a family favorite dessert that’s been around for years. Now that we have pecan trees on our property we can make this pie for many occasions, not just Thanksgiving!
When we have pie crust at home, we make this and Quiche Pie. These two recipes are on our favorites for anything with pie crust! Try our Braided Apple Hand Pies or Individual Chicken Pot Pies for something fun you can mold out of a pie crust!
Pecan Pie
Where do I begin? Pecan Pie is the sugary dessert many families grew up on as the traditional Thanksgiving dessert that grandmothers and moms made the old-fashioned way. Growing up, my family never made or served pecan pie, but I can tell you today, they will devour this dessert when I put it on the table!
This recipe is between a chocolate pecan pie and a traditional pecan pie. The best of the two recipes! It has NO corn syrup (found in most recipes) and has just a smidge of chocolate chips! It comes together with the stir of a whisk or fork and calls for simple ingredients! The best part? The filling holds and sets together just like a classic Pecan Pie!
I like to make my own pie crust which yields 6 pieces in total. It was a recipe, I discovered when a Mennonite lady made her Pumpkin pies with me in bulk. I’ve come to love making the crust like this in bulk to then roll and stack in-between parchment paper until needed. The dough keeps well in the refrigerator and gets used in many different pie recipes, that I’ll have going that week. The store-bought pie crust will work just as good and you only need 1 9-inch crust to bake this pie.
What makes this the Best Pecan Pie Recipe?
It’s been a tried-and-true recipe in our family for years! With a remarkably simple filling, you still get the shiny gooey filling without the corn syrup using real simple pantry staples like butter and sugar.
No pre-baking is required and if using store-bought pie crust you roll it into the pie pan and pour the filling in. It gets the perfect crackly top and gooey inside that is packed with flavor! It’s just an incredible pie, texture, filling, and is my favorite! I simply can’t imagine any pecan pie to be more flavorful!
Q&A
How To Make Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup?
Have you been told a Pecan Pie won’t set or taste like a Pecan pie without corn syrup? Well, I’m here to tell you there is a recipe for a Classic Pecan pie without corn syrup that will set and have a gooey filling held in place!
Corn syrup is a liquid sweetener that many Pecan Pie recipes call for. Substitutes like maple syrup can work if thickened with flour. However, with melted butter, eggs, and a little flour you can skip the corn syrup and still have a gooey center!
- To make Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup: preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Unroll the pie crust over a 9-inch pie pan and flute the edges by crimping the edges and folding the overhanging dough under the edge. Or make it into the desired crust shape.
- For the Filling: whisk 2 eggs together with a fork until light and frothy (2 minutes.)
- Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Then whisk in the sugars and flour.
- Whisk in the melted butter. Add the pecans and chocolate chips and stir until coated well.
What’s In This Pie? The main ingredients are pecan halves from freshly shelled pecans, brown sugar, white granulated sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, flour, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and unsalted butter.
Notes:
- If using a homemade pie crust recipe roll your pie crust to a 12-inch circle.
- Omit the chocolate chips if desired.
Chocolate Pecan Pie vs Pecan Pie?
The difference between Pecan Pie and Chocolate Pecan Pie is that pecan pie is typically without the addition of chocolate, whereas Chocolate Pecan Pie is loaded with chocolate flavor whether it’s Cocoa powder or chocolate. Both pies have pecans and are made in a pie crust.
The addition of chocolate may be added to a traditional Pecan Pie if done lightly. Oftentimes, pies that call for a Chocolate Pecan Pie will be dark or loaded with chocolate. This recipe is between the two pies with the perfect hint of chocolate.
Filling Ingredients:
The ingredients for this pie are simple. Since this recipe calls for no corn syrup you want to use all the butter called for in this recipe. Here is the filling;
- Pecans- we have a Pecan tree so there is plenty of pecans to shell for many pies to come. The recipe needs 1 1/2 cups of shelled and halved pecans.
- Chocolate chips- this is not a chocolate pecan pie that calls for a whopping 1 cup of chocolate chips. We use just a smidgen in this recipe.
- Eggs- two eggs are beaten with a fork until frothy.
- Milk- I use whole milk.
- Vanilla extract- a pinch of vanilla sugar can be used instead of vanilla extract.
- Brown sugar- light brown sugar.
- White sugar- granulated white sugar.
- Flour- add a tablespoon to set the pie.
- Butter- 1/2 cup of unsalted butter.
Step-By-Step Tutorial:
PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F. Unroll a 9-inch pie crust into a pie pan, crimping the edges. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of semi-sweet chocolate chips and set aside.
1. Whisk together the eggs until pale and frothy (2 minutes.)
2. Stir in the milk and vanilla.
3. Then whisk in the sugars and flour.
4. Pour in the melted butter and add in the pecans and chocolate chips; whisk throughly.
5. Pour batter into the pie crust and bake for 40 minutes or until top is browned and crackly.
6. Cool pie then refrigerate overnight.
Serving and Storing?
Homemade Pie is best served cooled. Leave it overnight on the counter top if you baked the pie late evening or place a heat mat in your fridge and cool it down for a few hours before slicing. Cooling down the pie helps it set and hold the filling in place.
Storing: Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze. Avoid letting the pie sit out too long in warm places. We enjoy it best cold from the refrigerator.
How To Freeze?
Pecan pie can be made ahead and frozen for an upcoming dessert without the hassle. Bake the pie and cool completely down. Wrap the pie in its pan tightly with plastic wrap or foil and freeze up to 3 months. Double wrap in a plastic wrap to reduce frost.
To serve thaw overnight in the fridge before slicing and serving.
- Use disposable foil pans if baking for the freezer.
- To freeze slices place a few slices into freezer bags.
- To flash freeze individual slices place on a baking sheet and flash freeze then divide into freezer bags per slice.
Freezing is the perfect idea for upcoming Holiday’s and big events!
Tools Needed:
Making Pie is easy when you have all the right equipment. If you don’t own a pie pan, using an 8 or 9-inch cake pan gets the job done (and the pie slips right out!)
Tips To Make The Pie:
- Make Homemade Pie Crusts in bulk and keep refrigerated until needed for other pie recipes.
- Bake multiple pies and freeze whole.
- Whisk the eggs until they reach a frothy stage.
- Use all the butter called for (4 oz.) This recipe has NO corn syrup so don’t skimp.
More Pie Recipes:
- Braided Apple Hand Pies
- Individual Chicken Pot Pies { From Scratch }
- Quiche Recipe (Easy Egg Pie)
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole with Biscuits
How to Make Pecan Pie:
EASY Pecan Pie Recipe
Equipment
- 9-inch pie pan
Ingredients
BEST pecan pie ingredients:
- 1 pie crust
- 2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 1/2 cup pecans chopped
Instructions
How to make the BEST Pecan Pie:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Unroll the pie crust over a 9-inch pie pan, crimping the edges. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of semi-sweet chocolate chips over the crust and set aside.
Whisk together the eggs until pale and frothy (2min.) Stir in the milk and vanilla. Then whisk in the sugars and flour.
Pour in the melted butter and add in the pecans and chocolate chips; whisk thoroughly.
Pour batter into the pie crust and bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for 30 minutes.
Cool pie then refrigerate overnight.
Notes
- Notes: If using a homemade pie crust recipe roll your pie crust to a 12-inch circle.
- Omit the chocolate chips for Classic Pecan Pie.
