This Butter Pecan Pie is gooey, delicious, salty and sweet and the perfect pie to make for Thanksgiving. Toasted pecans with vanilla and butter give this pie its signature flavor profile.

Last year was the first year that I hosted a Thanksgiving in its entirety. Since I write this blog, I wasn’t stressed at all but the day quickly humbled me because things got a bit overwhelming quickly! But luckily I had prepped the day before and it helped the process a whole lot. So if you’re looking for a pie that you can make ahead, this is it! If you’re hosting your first Thanksgiving, you might want to consider creating traditions. And maybe…hopefully it’ll include this pecan pie! I made my pecan pie the day before and it made a lot of things easier the day of.

Karo Syrup Is Perfect for Pecan Pie
For this post, I teamed up with Karo® Corn Syrup which is my go-to ingredient for the silkiest, smoothest, most gooey pecan pie. It’s an essential ingredient in classic pecan pie because it prevents the crystallization of sugar. This is crucial when cooking all of these ingredients together.
I’ve always loved the flavor of butter pecan. It’s one of my go-to ice cream flavors so I figured, why not put that in a classic pecan pie? It was DE-LI-CIOUS.


How to Make Butter Pecan Pie
- For this recipe, you can use store-bought pie crust or homemade pie crust. I made my own. If you want more of an in-depth post, definitely make your own pie crust.
- Fit the pie crust into your pie dish and transfer it to the freezer. In this time, we’re going to make the filling.
- In a large skillet, set over medium heat, add the butter and add in the vanilla bean seeds and the pod, along with the pecans. This is when we’re making that Butter Pecan flavor.
- Meanwhile, separately, in a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, Karo® Corn Syrup, eggs and salt.
- Cook the pecans for about 5 to 7 minutes, tossing them every so often. We’re essentially toasting them.
- Pour the pecans into a bowl and allow them to cool for 10 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the pecans, leaving any excess butter in the bowl. And add the pecans to the nearly frozen pie crust.
- Any excess butter leftover, pour that into the bowl with the corn syrup mixture and whisk it in until smooth.
- Pour the corn syrup mixture over the pecans.
- Brush the edges of the pie crust with egg wash and then transfer to the oven.
- Bake for about 55 minutes until puffy and the edges of the pie crust are golden brown.
- Here’s a step you must follow: let it cool to room temperature, about 2 hours! If you don’t let it cool completely it won’t set properly and will be super runny!


Tips and Tricks
I know that at this time of year everything should be made ahead because we have a lot going on. Here are some ideas to make it ahead:
- You can make the pie crust and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and roll it out and proceed with the recipe.
- Another option is to make the entire pie, cover lightly with a clean kitchen towel and keep on the kitchen counter for up to 2 days.

If you make this recipe, let me know on Instagram!

(This post is sponsored by Karo® Corn Syrup. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep A Cozy Kitchen cozy. )
Looking for more pie recipes? Here are some favorites:
- Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie
- French Silk Pie
- Homemade Apple Pie
- Cheddar Rye Apple Hand Pies
- Bruleed Classic Pumpkin Pie
- 10 Pies to Make for Thanksgiving

Butter Pecan Pie
Ingredients
Crust:
- Homemade or store-bought
Filling:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 3 cups pecans (wholes and halves)
- 1 vanilla bean scraped
- 3/4 cups Karo® Corn Syrup
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg beaten, for egg wash
Instructions
To Assemble the Pie Crust:
- Roll out your pie crust, crimp the edges and transfer to the freezer to chill.
To Make the Filling:
- In a large skillet, set over medium heat, add the butter and melt. When the butter has melted, add the vanilla bean seeds and pods, along with the pecans; toss until combined. And then toast until fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes, tossing them every minute or so to ensure even browning and toasting.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk together the Karo Light Corn Syrup, eggs, brown sugar and salt.
- Allow the pecans to cool for about 10 minutes. We’re doing this so they won’t be hot when we add them to the pie crust. When the pecans have cooled, remove them, using a slotted spoon and place them in the chilled pie crust shell. There will be some leftover melted butter. Pour that leftover melted butter into the bowl with the egg mixture and whisk it until smooth and combined.
- Pour the egg mixture over the pecans. Brush the edges of the pie crust with egg wash and place on a baking sheet. This pie has a tendency to overflow with a bit of butter so I always place it on a lined baking sheet to avoid a mess in my oven.
To Bake the Pie:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer to the oven to bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the edges of the pie crust are golden brown and the center is mostly set. It will jiggle and that is ok!
- Allow to cool to room temperature and set for about 3 to 4 hours. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream for full butter becan vibes.
Notes
- You can make the pie crust and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and roll it out and proceed with the recipe.
- Another option is to make the entire pie, cover lightly with a clean kitchen towel and keep on the kitchen counter for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Has anyone made this not using corn syrup but replacing it with maple syrup?
This is great. I don’t have a vanilla pod so I will replace with liquid vanilla. This is going to be a great Christmas pie for my family .
Thank you so much !!!!
amazing–hope you love it!
I know this a bit surprising but, this was my first time making a pie for our family Thanksgiving. This recipe was awesome, it was nice and easy to follow and tasted AMAZING. My family loved it. Thank you!
oh what amazing news! this makes me so happy! 🙂
Everything is great..BUT…NO FLAVORING ! Not even vanilla ????? So, use it OR for a Real treat …Use 1-2 Tbsp. Of a Good Whiskey !!! It makes a Pecan Pie AWESOME !!! I guarantee !!! I’ve used Jack Daniels now for years & it’s expected in my pies at Christmas & Thanksgiving !!! The flavor is tooo YUMMMMMMY !!!!!
hi joanie, there is an entire vanilla bean. not sure if you missed it…
soooo excited to try this! Pecan Pie is my absolute fave- i even request it for my birthday! lol Can’t wait to try your recipe 😀
Is this a standard size pie, it looks smaller in the picture.
Its a standard size 9″ pie pan! 🙂
“The corn syrup isn’t overly sweet but I really love the dark chocolate because it balances the sweetness in the pie and gives a really complementary bitterness.”
Maybe I missed it but where exactly are you using dark chocolate in this recipe? It’s not listed in the ingredients or directions. Is the sweetness in this pie unbalanced without dark chocolate? If the corn syrup isn’t overly sweet why does it need balance?
Sorry about that, it must’ve been taken from this other recipe that is a Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie. Here’s the recipe with the chocolate:
https://www.acozykitchen.com/dark-chocolate-pecan-pie#wprm-recipe-container-41314
Did you know the original pecan pie did not use karo in its ingredients?
Didn’t know that. All the pecan pies I’ve had and made have had it 🙂
I am looking forward to trying thid recipe however. It does sound divine.
Thank you!
There is no temperature for the oven, I’m assuming it is 350. Also, you mention dark chocolate in the paragraph talking about the Karo syrup, but there is no chocolate mentioned in the recipe.
Hi Deborah, sorry about that, yes, it’s 350F. Just changed that. And yes that was a mistake about the chocolate as well. Here’s my recipe for chocolate pecan pie:
https://www.acozykitchen.com/dark-chocolate-pecan-pie#wprm-recipe-container-41314