Classic Southern Pecan Pie
With its sweet, honey-gold filling and roasted nuts, pecan pie is a long-standing favorite of Sunday dinners and church suppers. Although the pie began appearing in Southern cookbooks in the 1800s, no one can say precisely where it originated. Some lobby for Louisiana, and others for Missouri to receive the honors. However, the Lone Star State claims the dessert as the Official Pie of the State of Texas.
The name pecan comes from the Native American word pacane, which is of Algonquin origin. Pecane was used to describe “all nuts requiring a stone to crack.”
There’s a long-standing debate about whether to chop pecans or leave the halves intact when adding them to this pie. The correct answer is generally how your grandma did it. I prefer to chop mine simply because it makes the cool pie easier to slice.
Pecans are ideal additions to desserts, breakfast cereals—including oatmeal—salads, and vegetable sides. The tree’s wood is coveted for cooking barbecue and smoking meat. In addition to tasting delicious, the sweet, nutty pie is popular because it’s simple and a perfect dessert to make with children. Pre-made pie crusts have gotten so much better than they used to be, making a recipe like this one as easy as, well, pie!
I love this recipe. It replaced the pecan pie recipe I used for 40 years! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
4 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
1 unbaked 9-inch pie pastry
1 ¼ cups pecans
Directions
Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Cool slightly*.
Add the egg, vanilla, and salt to the mixture and mix well.
Pour the filling into an unbaked pastry shell and top with pecans. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
*It is important to allow the syrup mixture to cool slightly, or the egg will cook.