Crazy good Amazing Off the Charts Pecan Pie Recipe

[Hisgirl]

I grew up in the south where pecan pie is a staple. Every Thanksgiving, Christmas, fancy supper...there it was, in all its karo syrup glory. However, one day, I was wondering what folks did prior to the invention of high fructose corn syrup.
I mean, sweet is sweet, whether it's from a tree, cane, vegetables, fruit, it can come in so many forms, but for some reason, pecan pie just settled for that highly processed corn syrup.

Yall.

I landed on the Holy Grail of pecan pies. I mean to tell you, that angels sing when this comes out of the oven. Every single person who closed his/her mouth around a fork will stop talking, widen their eyes and ask "WHO brought this pie, oh my ever lovin sweet glory???!!"

Nothing compares. Nada. The corn syrup pie cannot compete. I would enter this pie into a pecan pie contest and leave to go home and watch SEC football and only go back to collect my prize. Because it would win. The other pies would leave. It's that good.

I dare you to try it. And come back to discuss. Don't write it off when you see the ingredients. Think about it. Karo syrup is highly processed. This is natural and the flavor, while it's a pecan pie 100%, it's the cadillac pecan pie, the drop the mic pecan pie, and be certain, it won't last 24 hours.

The Recipe:

OLD FASHIONED PECAN PIE
1 cup maple syrup

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon molasses

4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 large egg yolks lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or left whole, your choice.

(9-inch) unbaked pie shell (see note), chilled in pie plate for 30 minutes pillsbury rolled up crust or homemade.

MAKE FILLING Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. (you will be reducing the heat later)
Heat brown sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream, and molasses in saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Whisk butter and salt into syrup mixture until combined. Put egg yolks (yolks ONLY, not the whites) into a separate bowl. Add a little of the warm filling to the egg yolks to temper (One spoonful at a time over and over and over until egg mix is brown) and then add all back into the filling. Whisk until incorporated. Add vanilla. Be careful with this part. You don't want to add the eggs too quickly or they will cook and lump.

Scatter pecans in pie shell. Carefully pour filling over. Place pie in hot oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. I always put a ring pie crust cover over the crust edges to protect from over-cooking.

Bake until filling is set and center jiggles slightly when pie is gently shaken, 45 to 60 minutes. Cool pie on rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate until set, about 3 hours and up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

My notes: If you don't want to make your own pie crust, then get the rolled up kind. It's so much better than the frozen pie crust shells. Use fresh ingredients, eggs, pecans, cream, butter. Nothing worse than rancid nuts! Don't overcook. Know your oven, if it undercooks or overcooks. Invest in an oven thermometer to check. The one I cooked this week was probably for 45-53 total cooking time.

 

[moniqueand2]

Sounds good. These are all ingredients that I usually have on hand while I don't keep corn syrup on hand.

 

[Moliphino]

Can I make it without the pecans? I don't like nuts.

 

[Hisgirl]

Can I make it without the pecans? I don't like nuts.

Haha, well...I suppose you could. there's an old fashioned pie recipe called a brown sugar pie and I would bet it would resemble that.

 

[Moliphino]

Haha, well...I suppose you could. there's an old fashioned pie recipe called a brown sugar pie and I would bet it would resemble that.

Or similar to a shoofly pie, which I do enjoy.

 

[NotUrsula]

I've seen this recipe going around, and the almost universal response I've seen from fellow native Southerners is blech!
The reason for that response is the presence of maple syrup, which has a distinctive taste and odor that overwhelms the pecans. (Also, of course, it's not Southern, LOL.)

You can make pecan pie with just brown sugar, or with cane syrup instead of Karo syrup. Either one will get you a pecan pie that tastes like pecans and not maple, though dark cane syrup tends to add a slight smokiness. (The most common brands of cane syrup are the British Lyle's Golden Syrup, which is on the lighter side, and Steen's Pure Cane Syrup, which is very dark and made in Louisiana.) Toasting the pecans also intensifies their flavor and improves the pie, IMO.

 

[katie01]

I may have to try this! Although we have recently discovered a cafe that sells bourbon pecan pie, and wow is that good. I will probably just keep on ordering a slice of that every now and then, because no one else in my family eats pecan pie, and I’d eat way too much of it if I made a whole pie. Just thought I’d mention the bourbon to you though—you could try adding it to your recipe!

 

[Hisgirl]

I've seen this recipe going around, and the almost universal response I've seen from fellow native Southerners is blech!
The reason for that response is the presence of maple syrup, which has a distinctive taste and odor that overwhelms the pecans. (Also, of course, it's not Southern, LOL.)

You can make pecan pie with just brown sugar, or with cane syrup instead of Karo syrup. Either one will get you a pecan pie that tastes like pecans and not maple, though dark cane syrup tends to add a slight smokiness. (The most common brands of cane syrup are the British Lyle's Golden Syrup, which is on the lighter side, and Steen's Pure Cane Syrup, which is very dark and made in Louisiana.) Toasting the pecans also intensifies their flavor and improves the pie, IMO.

Yep, I've seen those comments too and I can assure you that it doesn't taste like maple. My husband hates maple with a passion, but devours this pie. The 6 egg yolks and heavy cream turn it into pure rich flavor. No maple flavor at all. And, when you think of it, Karo syrup is highly processed corn sweet. I would think anything natural would be better than that!

But seriously, try it. Nothing compares. Everyone I know who tasted it and bakes (all native southerners), have never made a karo pie again.

 

[Hisgirl]

I may have to try this! Although we have recently discovered a cafe that sells bourbon pecan pie, and wow is that good. I will probably just keep on ordering a slice of that every now and then, because no one else in my family eats pecan pie, and I’d eat way too much of it if I made a whole pie. Just thought I’d mention the bourbon to you though—you could try adding it to your recipe!

Hey Katie! Yep, I love adding bourbon to a pecan pie! Once, I made a bourbon WALNUT pie! It was also delicious! My family loves it for sure, but prefers this pecan pie in its pure state. I might have to bake one with bourbon just for treats and keep it in the freezer!

 

[amcnj]

Thanks for sharing. My daughter is a pecan pie/dessert lover.

Just wondering what type of maple syrup you are using. “Real”, or something like Log Cabin?

 

[neverlandsky]

It's so true. Years ago I ran out of karo syrup for pecan pie and sub real maple syrup instead. Brought the pie and just about everyone said Oh don't really like pecan pie. I went to save DH a slice since he was working and it was gone. Everyone was raving it was the best ever. DH wasn't happy.

 

[Hisgirl]

Thanks for sharing. My daughter is a pecan pie/dessert lover.

Just wondering what type of maple syrup you are using. “Real”, or something like Log Cabin?

Oh definitely 100% ONLY real maple. You can find it for a good price at Aldi, or Tuesday Morning or Homegoods. Log cabin is just sugar with fake flavor. The whole point of this recipe is to get back to a more natural pecan pie recipe, removing the fake highly processed high fructose corn syrup. Ask you daughter to make it once. Make sure to not over-bake it. She'll most likely think it's the best one she has ever had.

 

[NotUrsula]

Yep, I've seen those comments too and I can assure you that it doesn't taste like maple. My husband hates maple with a passion, but devours this pie. The 6 egg yolks and heavy cream turn it into pure rich flavor. No maple flavor at all. And, when you think of it, Karo syrup is highly processed corn sweet. I would think anything natural would be better than that!

But seriously, try it. Nothing compares. Everyone I know who tasted it and bakes (all native southerners), have never made a karo pie again.

What makes you think I make Karo pies now? ;-)

FWIW, I don't have issues with the "natural" state of corn syrup; I just don't think it tastes very good. I grew up on, and continue to use, stronger flavored syrups when I use them. (Which, admittedly, is seldom.) I happen to like maple syrup on pancakes, but when you mix it with pecans, the pecans alway lose, so it becomes a waste of pecans, IMO.