Thanksgiving is coming up and I decided this is a great time to make a couple of pies. I asked my son what he wanted and to my surprise he suggested a pecan pie. This pie is made from pecan nuts, of course, and has a sticky delicious filling made with corn syrup, sugar, and eggs. Pecan pie has a very distinct flavor that I love. It’s something that we don’t eat frequently. I do make pies for holidays, but my tendency is to make a pumpkin or apple pie. We have bought pecan pie from the grocery store on occasion, but it usually seems too sweet for my taste.

I set out to do some research on the pie by looking online and in cookbooks. Many recipes for pecan pie are similar; there might be just one or two changes like maple instead of vanilla flavoring. Some people use bourbon liquor or cinnamon in their pie.

I ended up with a recipe based mostly on those in the Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens, but I have 3 important changes. First, I use less sugar. My version is still sweet — but no one would call it sickeningly sweet. Second, I use cornstarch. I find it that cornstarch thickens the pie a bit more as it sits. The ratio of the filling to pie crust is perfect in my opinion as well.

Third, instead of using whole pecans, I used chopped pecans. I somehow like the texture with chopped pecans more than with the larger nuts. Finally, while I don’t like store-bought pies so much, I do like to save time by using a good-quality pie crust from the grocery store. My favorite brand is Marie Callender’s. Feel free to use whatever brand you like, or make your own.

The hard part of making a homemade pie is having to wait for it to bake — and then cool — while smelling the appetizing aroma. I would say that if you’re making pecan pie for a special occasion, make the pie one or two days in advance. This allows it to set better. We couldn’t wait that long for our pie, so the filling was a bit runny. No matter, it was delicious!

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch single crust pie shell store bought or home made, unbaked (if using frozen pie crust, thawed)
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 large and 1 jumbo egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cup chopped pecan

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with foil and set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add beaten eggs, sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, cornstarch, and salt. Beat with a wire whisk or rotary beater until combined, then stir in chopped pecan.

Place the pie crust on a foil-lined cookie sheet, as seen below. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Cover the edge of the pie crust with foil. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan in between for even baking.

Remove the foil, bake for another 15-20 minutes more or until the top is lightly browned. You can also place a piece of aluminum foil over the whole pie if it browns quickly. Remove cooked pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. The pie filling will settle as it cools.

Your leftover pie can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

I like to eat my pie just by itself, no toppings needed, however, if you prefer a topping, you can used freshly made whipped cream or ice-cream!

Serves 6-8

Did you make this dish? I’d love to know how it turns out! Feel free to like this post and comment or use the hashtag #globaldinein on Instagram