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Home » Recipes » Pie & Tart Recipes

Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup

Published: Sep 26, 2019 · Modified: Aug 17, 2024 by Emma Fajcz · As an Amazon Influencer, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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When it's fall, it's time to cook with pecans. Our pecan pie without corn syrup is definitely a sweet-and-sticky family favorite. Enjoy the rich caramel, nutty flavor of this traditional fall dessert!

Making homemade crust? Try our shortcut pastry with lard. If you're looking for some pumpkin pie to go along with this dessert for the holidays, try our easy pumpkin pie bars.

slice of pecan pie without corn syrup on a plate
Jump to:
  • About
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make Pecan Pie without Corn Syrup
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Serve
  • Expert Tips
  • More Pies and Tarts You'll Love
  • Recipe
  • Comments

About

Pecan pie is an American dessert that consists of a gooey custard baked in a pastry shell and topped with pecans. It's a sweet treat typically cut in small slices, as it is very rich, and is very popular at Thanksgiving.

This dessert hails from the southeastern United States. It most likely originated in the 1800s in New Orleans when French immigrants used pecan nuts in a variation of chess pie. 

A pecan pie recipe was printed on Karo corn syrup labels in the 1930s and 1940s, spreading this dessert throughout the United States.  It has been a favorite Thanksgiving dessert ever since.

Ingredients

glass bowls of ingredients for pecan pie

Curious about what ingredients you need to make a pecan pie without corn syrup? Let's talk about the most important ingredients in this simple dessert recipe.

  • Pecans: Use a combination of halves and chopped nuts in this recipe. The chopped ones go in the filling, and the halves go on top for decoration.
  • Eggs: These are the key ingredient in the custard filling to give it richness and stability. Use large eggs.
  • Sugar: Using a combination of white and brown sugar provides a great depth of flavor and sweetness.
  • Pastry: We like to use homemade shortcrust pastry, but you can use store-bought crust if you prefer.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Pecan Pie without Corn Syrup

Gather the ingredients for the filling without corn syrup.

whisked eggs and custard mixture in a glass bowl
  1. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat them with a handheld mixer until they're smooth.  Add the melted butter and beat until combined. (image 1)
  2. Add all the other filling ingredients except the chopped pecans and beat until smooth. (image 2)
pecan pie custard in a bowl and in the pastry
  1. Fold in the chopped pecans with a spatula until evenly combined. (image 3)
  2. Pour the filling into a pre-baked crust. Here's some tips for lining a tart pan with pastry if you want to use a loose-bottomed tin like I did. (image 4)
baked pecan pie with a slice of pie
  1. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, then place the pecan halves in concentric circles on top. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F and bake for another 35 minutes or until the center jiggles slightly when shaken. (image 7)
  2. Let the pecan pie without corn syrup cool completely on a wire rack before slicing, about 2 hours. Slice and enjoy with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. (image 8)

Recipe FAQs

What is pecan pie filling made of?

The filling typically contains eggs, white and brown sugar, melted butter, salt, corn syrup, and vanilla extract.  We don't add the corn syrup; it makes this treat just a teeny bit healthier.  We also like to add a little bit of milk and all-purpose flour.

How can you tell pecan pie is done?

First, give it a little shake.  The filling should jiggle a little in the center, but the edges should be set. Next, you can check the temperature. The filling should have an internal temperature of at least 185 F in the center, and a knife or toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean (no sticky goo on it).
Also, you can look at it. The edges should have puffed slightly, the top should be crisp, and the nuts and pastry should be browned. Still in doubt?  Simply bake for an extra 5-10 minutes as a precaution.

Is pecan pie best served warm or cold?

Pecan pie is best eaten cold or at least cooled to room temperature. The filling sets as it cools, that's why it's best to wait a couple of hours before slicing. If you don't, it will just be a sticky, gooey mess.

Why didn't my pecan pie set?

If your pecan pie came out a bit runny, here are a few reasons why that may have happened, and some ways you can fix it next time. First, it might be underbaked. Check for doneness with the tips above to make sure that it's baked properly. 

Maybe you cooked at the wrong oven temperature. Some ovens run hot or cold so make sure to calibrate your oven with an oven thermometer to make sure that it's at the right temperature.

Make sure you used the right pie plate. Never use a deep dish for this recipe because the extra depth takes too long to cook.  The filling should only be about 1-inch deep.

How do you store pecan pie?

A baked pecan pie without corn syrup will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To freeze an unbaked pecan pie without corn syrup, flash freeze it for 2 hours, then wrap in plastic and foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Bake directly from frozen, increasing the baking time by 30 minutes.

Serve

Most people like to serve pecan pie without corn syrup topped with either vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.  We're definitely in the vanilla ice cream camp!

If you love pecan pie, you'll also enjoy butter tarts. This Canadian dessert is very similar to a pecan pie.

slice of pecan pie with a fork.

Expert Tips

  • Use homemade pastry for the best taste and texture.  Use our favorite recipe for perfectly flaky pastry. Check out shortcrust pastry with lard.
  • Use a mixture of chopped and whole pecans for an appealing crunch (filling) and beautiful presentation (top).
  • Pre-bake the crust before pouring the filling into the pastry.  This ensures a crisp base.
  • Bake it on a dark metal cookie sheet to make the pastry even crispier.  It also makes it easier to take it out of the oven.
  • Let it cool completely before slicing it.  Otherwise, it will be runny and gooey.

More Pies and Tarts You'll Love

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    How to Line a Tart Pan
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    Pastelitos de Guayaba - Cuban Guava Pastries
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    Buttermilk Pie Recipe
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    Shortcrust Pastry with Lard

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Recipe

slice of pecan pie without corn syrup on a white plate

Pecan Pie without Corn Syrup

Pecan pie is a classic Southern dessert that’s always a hit with family and friends at Thanksgiving.  This version with no corn syrup is a little bit healthier, but just as tasty!  You’ll savor every sweet bite of the gooey filling and buttery crust.
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Pies
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 523kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

  • 15 ounces flaky shortcrust pastry
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
  • 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup chopped pecans, for the filling
  • 1 cup pecan halves, for the topping

Equipment

  • electric mixer
  • 9-inch tart pan
  • cake lifter
  • cooling rack
Keep your screen on while you work!

Instructions

Blind Baking the Pastry

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and put in a dark, heavy cookie sheet to preheat.
  • Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ inch thick and use it to line a 9-inch tart pan or pie plate.  Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork, then chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  • Line the pastry with a piece of parchment paper, then fill with dried beans.  Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and bake for another 5-8 minutes, until the pastry is a light golden brown and shrinking away from the sides of the pan.

Making the Filling

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Beat the eggs with a handheld electric mixer until smooth, then beat in the melted butter.  Add the brown sugar, white sugar, salt, flour, milk, and vanilla extract and beat thoroughly.
  • Fold in the chopped pecans, then spread it evenly in the pre-baked pastry shell.

Baking the Pie

  • Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and use the pecan halves to form a decorative pattern of concentric circles on top.  Start with the outer edge and work your way in.
  • Lower the oven temperature to 300°F, and bake for 35 minutes, until the middle has only a slight wobble when shaken.  The filling should be puffed up, the edges should be set, and the nuts should be a darker brown.
  • Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours to allow the filling to fully set.  If you're using a loose-bottomed tart pan, remove the pie from the pan after it has cooled for 10 minutes.

Video

Notes

  • Make your own pastry for the best taste.  It's easy and worth the time.
  • Use both chopped and whole pecans for a good combination.
  • Pre-bake the crust before assembling to prevent a soggy bottom.
  • Bake it on top of a cookie sheet to make the pastry even crispier.  It also makes it easier to remove it from the oven.
  • Let it cool completely before slicing, or it will be too gooey.

Nutrition

Calories: 523kcal (26%)Carbohydrates: 51g (17%)Protein: 6g (12%)Fat: 34g (52%)Saturated Fat: 11g (69%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 62mg (21%)Sodium: 255mg (11%)Potassium: 165mg (5%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 27g (30%)Vitamin A: 351IU (7%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 49mg (5%)Iron: 2mg (11%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Julianne

    November 26, 2023 at 2:44 pm

    5 stars
    I made a very similar recipe and added 2 tsp of bourbon. it was amazing!

    Reply
    • Emma Fajcz

      November 27, 2023 at 8:00 am

      Glad to hear it, Julianne!

      Reply
  2. Beth

    September 20, 2019 at 10:08 am

    5 stars
    The large pecans are rather hard to put your fork through, but they taste amazing! 😋 The gooey bottom part of the pecan pie filling is great with the chopped pecans in it. 🥧 The pastry is blind baked, which assures a soft but not soggy pastry.

    Reply
    • Emma

      September 20, 2019 at 10:17 am

      The crisp pastry and gooey filling...definitely the best parts of a pecan pie!

      Reply
  3. Alex

    September 20, 2019 at 10:07 am

    5 stars
    The pecans add a delicious crunch. I like the gooey custard, and the blind baked pastry is so good that I almost drooled. Yummy, yummy!

    Reply
    • Emma

      September 20, 2019 at 10:16 am

      Thank you, Alex! The crunchy pecans and gooey filling definitely make pecan pie a wonderful dessert!

      Reply

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