Easy Pecan Pie Recipe

Let's be honest, the best recipes are the ones that look like they were hard to make but were, in fact, easy as pie. (Sorry, we had to.) And as food writer (and food lover) Laura Sampson of Little House Big Alaska says, this pecan pie might look fancy and even store-bought, but "It's actually so easy to make! It looks like it isn't, but if you use a store-bought crust, you'll find out you can put this pie together in under 15 minutes, plus baking time."

To make sure you got that, we're going to need to say it again. Prepping this pie takes all of 15 minutes. Or maybe 16 or 17 if you want to add your own little flourishes, which are most welcome here. Sampson says you can "add in a cup of chocolate chips with the pecans for a chocolate pecan pie." You can also toss in raisins, crushed graham crackers, and even a spoonful or two of bourbon to kick things up a notch. The "secret" is to use a store-bought pie crust to save yourself time and effort and to avoid what's traditionally the most frustrating part of pie prep.

Don't forget, you can keep pie crust in the freezer for up to six months and thaw it in about 20 minutes on the counter or much faster in the microwave, so you really can whip up an easy pecan pie any time the occasion calls for something sweet.

Pecan pie preppers, take note! "I think the biggest mistake people will make on this pie," says Laura Sampson, "is not liberally dusting the store-bought crust with enough flour. It really does make a huge difference to how the pie actually bakes up. So don't skip this step!" 

Flour a clean, dry cutting board or section of counter, then unroll the pie dough on the floured surface and liberally dust each side with more flour. Now gently measure the crust against your pie pan by laying the pan atop it. If you need to roll it out a bit to make it fit, you can do that with a rolling pin, just flour it again if you roll it. If it stretches wider than the pan, trim the excess.

Finally, sprinkle any remaining flour in your pie pan. (See? Lots of flouring!)

Now it's time for a bit of mixing. As in mixing absolutely every remaining ingredient together.

Melt the butter in a microwave or pan, then use a whisk to gently mix the melted butter with the sugar, corn syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Make sure to blend but not whip or beat the pie ingredients, just use the whisk to mix everything together and break up any lumps of sugar and ensure the eggs are well stirred-in.

Then, add the pecan halves and stir them into rest of the pecan pie filling ingredients.

Pop the pecan pie in the preheated oven and plan to bake it for 60 or 70 minutes. It needs to cook until the top is slightly springy and the crust nicely browned. You can (and should) put a baking sheet on the rack below the pan to catch any drips and check now and then to see if the crust is browning too quickly. If so, tear some foil into strips and cover the darkening edges of the pie crust.

"Don't serve this pie hot," says Laura Sampson. "It will need hours to fully set," and it's best served at room temperature or even lightly chilled. And, of course, it's best with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.