Pecan pie without corn syrup is the classic Thanksgiving pie made the old way, with brown sugar, butter and eggs holding the pecans together in place of syrup. The filling bakes up rich and caramel-like, soft in the middle and crunchy with toasted nuts on top.
How to make pecan pie without corn syrup: Beat eggs until foamy, then mix in brown sugar, granulated sugar and melted butter. Whisk in flour, cinnamon, salt, heavy cream and vanilla, and stir in pecans. Pour into an unbaked pie crust and bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes. The center will still jiggle. Cool before slicing so the filling can set.
Why You’ll Love It
- No corn syrup. Two sugars and butter make the filling.
- One bowl. Whisk, stir and pour.
- Fifteen minutes of prep. Use a pre-made crust and it is even quicker.
- Plenty of pecans. A cup and a half, with lots left whole for the top.
Ingredient Notes
Pie crust. One, pre-made or homemade. It goes into the pie plate unbaked.
Eggs. Three large eggs, beaten until foamy.
Brown sugar and granulated sugar. One cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of white.
Butter. A 1/2 cup, melted.
Flour. One tablespoon helps the filling set.
Salt and cinnamon. A 1/2 teaspoon of each.
Heavy cream. Two tablespoons.
Vanilla extract. Two teaspoons.
Pecans. One and a half cups, lightly chopped, with plenty left whole.
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust, pre-made or homemade
- 3 eggs, large, beaten
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups pecans, lightly chopped, with plenty left whole
How to Make Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the crust, place it in a pie plate and crimp the edges.
2. Start the filling. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until foamy. Mix in both sugars and the melted butter until the sugars are dissolved.
3. Finish the filling. Whisk in the flour, cinnamon, salt, heavy cream and vanilla until the flour is completely incorporated. Stir in the pecans to coat them.
4. Fill and bake. Pour the filling into the crust. Bake for 35–40 minutes, covering the crust if it gets too dark. The center will still be jiggly and will continue to set as it cools. Because the filling contains eggs, check that it reaches 160°F with a food thermometer.
5. Cool and serve. Let the pie cool before slicing so the filling can finish setting.
How to Tell When the Pie Is Done
This is the part that worries people, because a pecan pie that is ready to come out of the oven does not look finished. The center still jiggles. That is correct. The filling keeps setting as the pie cools, and it firms up on the counter, not in the oven.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Time | 35–40 minutes at 350°F |
| The center | Still jiggly when you nudge the pie plate |
| The crust | Golden. Cover the edge if it is getting too dark. |
| Temperature | 160°F in the filling on a food thermometer, because it contains eggs |
| After baking | Cool before slicing so the filling can finish setting |
Do not wait for the middle to go firm in the oven. And do not cut the pie hot. A slice taken too soon runs across the plate. The recipe gives no cooling time, so I will not put a number on it. Let it cool until the filling holds when you tilt the plate.
Tips for Success
What are common pecan pie mistakes?
Baking until the center is solid, and slicing before the pie has cooled. Take it out while the middle still jiggles and let it set as it cools.
What if the crust browns too fast?
Cover the crust edge with foil or a pie shield and keep baking.
Why beat the eggs until foamy?
That is the first step of the recipe. The sugars and melted butter are then mixed in until the sugars dissolve.
Should I chop the pecans?
Lightly. Chop some and leave plenty whole.
Do I bake the crust first?
No. The filling is poured into the unbaked crust and they bake together.
Is There a Substitute for Corn Syrup in Pecan Pie?
In this pie, the corn syrup is replaced by brown sugar, granulated sugar and melted butter, with a tablespoon of flour and the eggs to set it. There are other pecan pies made with maple syrup. Those are separate recipes, and there is no simple one-for-one swap of maple syrup that I can give you for this filling.
Is Pecan Pie Better Warm or Cold?
That is a matter of taste. Served at room temperature the filling is soft. Chilled, it is firmer and the slices come out cleaner.
How Long Does It Take?
About 60 minutes in all: 15 minutes to mix the filling and up to 45 minutes of cooking. The pie then has to cool before you slice it.
Storage & Reheating
This is an egg-based pie, so do not leave it on the counter for days. USDA FSIS says to refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours. Keep the cooled pie covered in the refrigerator.
What to Serve With It
If your family loves pecan pie, there is more of that flavor in the pecan pie cobbler, the pecan pie dump cake, lazy pecan pie bars and pecan pie bark. For other pecan desserts, bake the pecan upside down cake or pecan cheesecake bars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need corn syrup to make pecan pie?
No. This recipe uses brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter in its place.
What are common pecan pie mistakes?
Overbaking and cutting it too soon. The center should jiggle when it comes out, and the pie needs to cool before slicing.
Is pecan pie better warm or cold?
Either. Room temperature gives a softer filling and chilled gives firmer, cleaner slices.
How many slices does it make?
Eight.
Final Notes
I take this pie out while the middle still wobbles and leave it alone until it has cooled, because that is when the filling sets. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup
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Ingredients
- 1 pie crust pre-made or homemade
- 3 eggs large; beaten
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups pecans lightly chopped, with plenty left whole
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the crust, place it in a pie plate and crimp the edges.
- Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until foamy. Mix in both sugars and the melted butter until the sugars are dissolved.
- Whisk in the flour, cinnamon, salt, heavy cream and vanilla until the flour is completely incorporated. Stir in the pecans to coat them.
- Pour the filling into the crust. Bake for 35–40 minutes, covering the crust if it gets too dark. The center will still be jiggly and will continue to set as it cools. Because the filling contains eggs, check that it reaches 160°F with a food thermometer.
- Let the pie cool before slicing so the filling can finish setting.
