The best pecan pie! This recipe combines a classic pecan pie with a quick and easy graham cracker crust. The homemade pie has a gooey, caramel-y pecan filling made with brown sugar and no corn syrup. Perfect for Thanksgiving or anytime you are craving pie for dessert.
Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Pecan pie is as traditional as pumpkin pie when it comes to dessert for Thanksgiving. It's decadent, sweet and nutty. This variation is tucked in an easy graham cracker crust that's thick and buttery.
White chocolate pecan pie has been my family's favorite for years, but this pecan pie with graham cracker crust is giving it a run for the money!
why you will love this homemade pie
- Quick and easy recipe ~ using a graham cracker crust makes this pecan pie a cinch to prepare!
- Classic dessert ~ pecan pie is a Thanksgiving staple, but perfect for any time too.
- Simple ingredients ~ only eight ingredients required and no corn syrup!
ingredients you need
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
- Brown sugar ~ used in both the graham cracker crust and the pie filling. I use dark brown sugar, but light brown also works.
- Melted butter ~ also used in both the crust and filling.
- Vanilla ~ a pure vanilla extract adds the perfect flavor to this homemade pie.
- Graham cracker crumbs ~ you can't have a graham cracker crust without them! I use Nabisco Honey Graham Crackers and crush them in my food processor.
- Pecans ~ use raw pecan halves. I like to buy mine at Trader Joe's.
- Large eggs ~ help to hold the filling together. The eggs need to be at room temperature. See the recipe card below if you need to bring them to room temperature quickly.
- All-purpose flour ~ just one tablespoon helps to thicken the filling since we are making it without corn syrup.
- Half and half ~ helps add richness and thickness to the pecan filling. You can substitute with heavy cream if you don't have half and half.
how to make the best pecan pie
Start by preparing the homemade crust. Of course, if you really want to save time you could use a pre-made store bought crust, but with only 5 minutes of prep time this from scratch crust really can't be beat. And this one is SO much better than a pre-made crust!
First crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. You can use a food processor or place them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
Add the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar to a bowl and mix to combine. Then stir in the melted butter and vanilla. The mixture will be thick and sand like.
Next pour the mixture into a non-greased 9-inch pie dish {I use my Emile Henry deep dish pan} and with medium pressure press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the dish. You don't want to pack the crumbs firmly or the crust will be too hard.
Now spread the roughly chopped pecans evenly in the bottom of the prepared graham cracker crust and set aside.
In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, half and half, vanilla and a pinch of kosher salt.
Once combined add the melted butter and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the pecans.
Place a pie shield over the crust and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the center only slightly jiggles when moved. {I use folded aluminum foil for my fancy pie shield!} Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool at least one hour before serving.
is pecan pie good with graham cracker crust?
Yes! The graham cracker crust is a perfect compliment to the gooey, brown sugar pecan filling. It is thick, buttery and it's quick and easy to make!
If you prefer a traditional pie crust I'd recommend either the crust from my frozen blueberry pie or my all butter pie crust.
should you bake graham cracker crust before filling it?
No, it is not needed with this pie recipe.
If you are using this graham cracker crust for another pie or cheesecake, be sure to follow that recipe as often times a pre-bake is necessary.
can you use stale graham crackers for the crust?
Yes, you could, but fresh graham crackers will give you the best tasting crust.
how to serve this classic pie
Pecan pie with a graham cracker crust can be served warm or at room temperature.
The pie filling loses some of it's gooey texture when cold, but it is still delicious and decadent served cold.
You can serve pecan pie as is or with a scoop of homemade whipped cream {this vanilla whipped cream is a perfect compliment}. Or go all out and serve it a la mode with your favorite ice cream {we love cinnamon ice cream with it!}
If you want to dress up this classic dessert, you can also drizzle the top with some melted chocolate.
how do you store pecan pie?
Store covered at room temperature for 1-2 days or covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To freeze this graham cracker crust pie; wrap the cooled pie in a couple layers of plastic wrap and then place in a zip-top bag or air tight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make this Pecan Pie {with Graham Cracker Crust}. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more variations of pecan pie to try
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
Pecan Pie {with Graham Cracker Crust}
The best, classic pecan pie with a quick and easy graham cracker crust. It has a gooey, caramel and pecan filling made without corn syrup.
Ingredients
graham cracker crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (240g/about 16 full sheets)
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed (50g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (113g)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
pecan pie filling
- 2 cups raw pecan halves, roughly chopped (8oz/227g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature*
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed (200g)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons half and half** (30mL)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch of kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (113g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- For the graham cracker crust: start by crushing the graham crackers (240g/about 16 full sheets) into fine crumbs. You can use a food processor or place them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Add the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar (¼ cup/50g) to a bowl and mix to combine. Then stir in the melted butter (½ cup/113g) and vanilla (2 teaspoons). The mixture will be thick and sand like. If you have any large chunks of crackers, break those up.
- Pour the mixture into a non-greased 9-inch pie dish (I use a deep dish pan) and with medium pressure press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the dish. You don't want to pack the crumbs firmly or the crust will be too hard.
- For the pecan pie filling: spread the roughly chopped pecans evenly in the bottom of the prepared graham cracker crust and set aside.
- In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs (2 large), brown sugar (1 cup/200g), all-purpose flour (1 tablespoon), half and half (2 tablespoons/30mL), vanilla (2 teaspoons) and a pinch of kosher salt. Once combined add the melted butter (½ cup/113g) and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the pecans.
- Place a pie shield over the crust and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the center only slightly jiggles when moved. Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool at least one hour before serving.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Eat it plain, topped with whipped cream or a la mode with your favorite ice cream.
Notes
I use Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers, but the cinnamon flavor would be delicious here too. Different brands of graham crackers will vary slightly in size and texture.
*The eggs need to be room temperature or they will solidify the melted butter when you add it. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm tap water for 5-10 minutes.
**Heavy cream can be substituted in place of the half and half.
Cover and store any leftover pie at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the baked pie for 1-2 months; wrap the cooled pie in a couple layers of plastic wrap and then place in a zip-top bag or air tight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 491Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 110mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 3gSugar: 28gProtein: 5g
The nutrition information is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate.
Kathleen
I love that this pie does not use corn syrup, huge win for me and made with a graham cracker crust, yes please! Cannot wait to make this for Thanksgiving this year!
Tasia
Thank you Kathleen! The graham cracker crust is such a nice compliment to the pecan pie, I know you'll love it!
Ashley
Made this a couple weeks ago and it was FANTASTIC! Tasted even better than the one I usually make with corn syrup. Thanks for the great recipe!
Tasia
Hi Ashley, I'm so happy to hear you love this recipe! Thank you for making it and coming back to share.
Michelle
Love the idea of using graham crackers for the crust! Adds so much flavour and works so well with pecans! Yum!
Tasia
Thanks Michelle! The buttery graham crackers do pair so nice with the gooey pecan filling! I hope you get to try this recipe.
Michelle
Question about mixture - I'd like to use less of the filling and make more of a tart - any issue with mixing the mixture with pecans prior to adding to the crust to control the ratio?
Tasia
Hi Michelle, I think mixing the pecans into the filling would work just fine. You could also check out my coconut pecan tart to give you an idea on the amounts I use for that recipe.
Lyssa
If using ready-made pie crust, how long would you bake the pie?
Thank you!
Tasia
Hi Lyssa, the pecan filling still needs to bake so it would be the same length, about 40-50 minutes. I would definitely use pie shields to cover the edges of the crust; just use folded aluminum foil if you don't have any. Happy baking!
Deborah Brown
I have an 8inch crust. Can you suggest how much to reduce? Wanting to make this Christmas.
Tasia
Hi Deborah, is your 8-inch pan a deeper dish? If so, I think you could keep it the same, but the pie may take a few more minutes to bake. I haven't baked it in a smaller pie plate, so I don't have recommendation for how to reduce the filling. If it were me, I would make the full recipe and if any was leftover, I would bake mini pies in a cupcake pan; I would expect they will take 20 - 30 minutes to bake in a muffin pan.
Kay Ellen Hamill
I made this today in a chocolate nut pie crust (no bake). OMG, it is so delicious! lt has the pecan pie goodness with a little creamier texture, decadently delicious, and the chocolate crust I used really complements it. This will be a favorite, so much better and easier than a pasty crust
Tasia
Hi Kay, I am so happy to hear you loved this pecan pie recipe!