This delish pecan pie without corn syrup is made with a buttery flakey crust and is filled with a sweet and gooey filling.
The filling is made with pecans cut in half that are baked in a gooey and delicious filling made with staple ingredients you can find in any store.
By using alternatives like maple syrup, honey, or brown rice syrup, the sweetness and texture of the pie can still be achieved.
I chose to use dark brown sugar, butter, eggs, and flour to achieve the texture of a delicious pecan pie.
If you like pecan desserts, check out my pecan banana bread, pecan upside down cake, turtle brownies, turtle cookie, caramel pecan cheesecake, pecan upside down cake, and our pecan butter chocolate chip cookies.
Why this recipe works
- No corn syrup- This recipe is made without corn syrup, and the results are perfect!
- Flakey pie crust- This pie is made with a delicious, easy, flakey, and buttery pie crust that melts in your mouth.
- Gooey pie filling- This delicious pie is made with a gooey pie filling that is filled with chopped pecans and has a not-too-sweet but delicious flavor.
- Versatile- You can make this pie with store-bought crust if you do not want to do extra work and make it extra easy.
- Ease- This is one of the easiest pies you can make! It can made with a store-bought crust and the filling comes together in just one bowl.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this no corn syrup pecan pie recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the pie dough
Flour- We used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Salt- use kosher salt for this recipe.
Butter- Make sure you are using COLD butter for this recipe. We suggest cutting the butter into cubes and then placing it in the fridge, so it will be very cold when you are ready to use it.
Sugar- We used granulated sugar for this recipe, but caster sugar can work as well.
Ice water- Use ice water for this recipe, we want to keep the butter super cold.
For the pie filling
Pecans- You will need to slice your pecans in half for the batter of the pie and top the pie with whole pecans.
Brown sugar- I used dark brown sugar for the filling since it contains a lot of molasses and makes this filling extra rich and flavorful.
Egg- Use large eggs that are at room temperature for this.
Granulated sugar- you can use granulated sugar or swap it with more light brown sugar.
Vanilla extract- Vanilla extract adds extra flavor. For extra vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean extract or an actual vanilla bean!
Butter- use unsalted butter for the filling. You will need to melt it in the microwave or over a stovetop. Let it cool to room temperature so it won’t cook the eggs.
Flour- Flour is the thickening agent for this pie, you can use cornstarch instead.
Instructions
Start by making the pie dough. In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt, and mix until combined.
Add cold cubed butter and blend until the butter and the flour mixture are combined.
Add ice water and mix for 10 seconds. Press the dough between your fingertips and if the dough comes together, it’s ready. If not, add another tablespoon of water. Do not add too much water.
Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface and gather the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and kosher salt, and mix with a whisk until well combined.
Add the melted and cooled butter, add the flour, and mix until well combined and there are no lumps of flour visible. Set aside while you roll the dough and blind-bake it.
Remove the dough disk from the fridge and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin into an 11-inch circle.
Carefully place the dough into the 9-inch pie dish.
Trim off excess dough fold the ends under and crimp the edges as desired. Poke the bottom with a fork and freeze for 20 minutes.
Remove the unbaked pie crust from the fridge and line the inside of the dough with parchment paper. Fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes at 180c (350f) preheated oven.
Carefully lift the parchment paper and pie weights and set them aside to cool.
With a large and sharp knife, cut most of the pecans into halves. Add the chopped pecans to the middle of the pie and spread it evenly with a spatula. Pour the pie filling over the pecans.
Decorate the top with whole pecans. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 40-42 minutes or until the filling is set. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature and then transfer it to the fridge to set it completely.
Expert Tips
- Use COLD butter for the pie crust, we suggest cutting the butter into cubes and then placing it in the fridge, so when you are ready to use it, it will be very cold.
- Work the dough as little as you can. If you overwork the dough, it encourages gluten development which isn’t optimal for pie dough. It makes the dough dry, and gummy, and not moist and flakey.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with the back of a knife.
- Freeze the unbaked pie for about 20 minutes before baking, this step stops the pie crust from browning too quickly.
- Place the pie in the lower third of the oven to stop the pie from browning too quickly.
- Allow the pie to cool to room temperature before serving. This step is significant. If you slice your pies when it’s hot, you will have a loose filling. For a thick filling let it cool to room temperature, and then let it set in the fridge. This step allows the filling to thicken up.
