Georgia Pecan Pie

Georgia pecan pie is one of the great Southern desserts, a holiday-table fixture that does its work with five pantry ingredients and a pie shell. The filling is a hot custard of eggs, sugar, corn syrup, and butter that sets up around toasted pecans as it bakes, with the nuts floating to the top to form the signature crackly crust.

Use dark corn syrup if you can find it. The slight molasses note pulls the filling away from cloying-sweet territory and adds the deep amber color that makes Georgia-style different from the lighter Northern versions. A full tablespoon of vanilla extract is more than most pies call for. Don’t second-guess it.

Whole pecan halves on top look classic, but rough-chopped pecans give every bite a more even mix of crunch and custard. Whichever you choose, toast them first in a dry pan until they smell nutty. Untoasted pecans taste flat and pale in the finished pie.

The pie is done when the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble. Overbaking turns the custard into a dense, candy-like layer that loses its silky bite. Cool completely before slicing.

Pro Tips

• Pre-bake the pie crust blind for 10 minutes before filling. It prevents the dreaded soggy bottom.
• Place the pie on a hot baking sheet in the oven for an extra-crisp lower crust.
• If the edges of the crust brown too fast, shield with strips of foil or a pie shield.
• Cool at least 2 hours at room temperature before slicing. Warm pie filling slumps when cut.

Variations

• Stir in a tablespoon of bourbon or whiskey for a Kentucky-style pecan pie.
• Add a half cup of chocolate chips to the bottom of the shell before pouring the filling for chocolate-pecan pie.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before serving for sweet-salty contrast.