Pecan Pie
Vegetable shortening, cold, pecan halves and light corn syrup come together in this vegetarian — 70 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for oven and whisk. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Egg Tree nuts
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Make the crust by combining the pastry flour, salt and 1 teaspoon sugar, then cutting in the cold butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; mix the vinegar into the very cold water and add it gradually, stirring just until the dough holds together, then flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- Roll the chilled dough out on a floured surface, line a 23 cm pie dish, trim and crimp the edges, then chill the shell while you make the filling and preheat the oven to 175 C.
- Whisk the eggs in a bowl, then whisk in the dark brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla and a small pinch of salt until smooth and fully combined.
- Scatter the pecan halves evenly over the base of the chilled crust, then slowly pour the filling over them so the nuts float to the surface.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the edges are set and the centre jiggles only slightly like soft jelly when nudged.
- If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them with strips of foil partway through baking.
- Cool the pie completely on a rack for at least 2 hours so the filling sets firm before slicing and serving.
You'll use: Oven · Whisk · Baking sheet
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Brown Sugar
- white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
Tips & common questions
How long does Pecan Pie take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 13 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Pecan Pie vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Pecan Pie is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Pecan pie, November 2010.jpg by Joe Hakim, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.