No-Fail Pecan Pie and Her No-Nutsense Cousin

I don’t eat pecans. I’m not even going to pretend that it has anything to do with an allergy because it’s completely a preference. I can taste pecans in every single thing that people swear, “You can’t taste the pecans.” Because of this, I didn’t try pecan pie until I was about 25 years old. You can imagine my surprise when a friend tipped me off that pecan pie doesn’t have pecans all the way through it. Surprise! If you scrape the pecans off, the wonderful sugary, gooey filling below is awesome. I had no idea what I was missing, ladies.

Today I’m sharing with you my Grannie’s no-fail pecan pie and giving you a substitute if you’re looking for a great alternative to the nut-topped pie. I made this for the first time last year at Thanksgiving and loved it! My family even liked it, and they are pecan pie people. Grannie tells me she thinks she wrote this down from a Karo syrup bottle a long time ago. It’s simple and quick, and as Grannie says: NO FAIL. She says that one time her father ate it at her house and loved it so much that in his old age he was still in his kitchen scratching up this pie.

I know so many families struggle with a nut allergy, or hey, maybe you’re just a no-pecan person like me. After the regular recipe, I’m listing my pretzel substitution. Just swap it out for pecans for a nut-free option. This is an awesome twist on a traditional favorite for your holiday dessert buffet (because our dessert is seriously a buffet; bet yours is too.) Enjoy!

No-Fail Pecan Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup dark Karo syrup
3 eggs
2 Tablespoons melted butter (Grannie says do not sub margarine!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecans*
1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir the first 5 ingredients thoroughly with a spoon. Pour in pecans (or substitute pretzel mixture). Pour entire mixture into pie crust. Bake in center rack for 60-70 minutes. If the crust is over-browning, cover with foil. To test for doneness, tap lightly in the center of the pie. It will spring back if finished baking. Cool for 2 hours and store in the refrigerator.

*Pretzel Substitute
Combine:
1.5 cups of pretzels, crushed
3 Tablespoons melted butter
2 Tablespoons sugar

What’s your FAVORITE family recipe? Thanksgiving dessert?