Make the best Pay de Nuez (Pecan Pie) with this easy recipe! Using a premade crust makes it a breeze to whip up this rich, buttery dessert with a caramelized pecan filling, perfect for any gathering!
The holidays are a time to gather with loved ones and indulge in all kinds of desserts, each culture bringing its own special treats to the table. In Dominican culture, it’s habichuelas con dulce (sweet beans); in Puerto Rican culture, you’ll find favorites like flan de coco (coconut flan), flancocho (vanilla flan cake), empanadillas de guayaba (guava empanadas), budin de pan (bread pudding), tembleque de coco (coconut pudding), and arroz con dulce (rice pudding); and in Mexican culture, desserts like buñuelos (fried dough fritter) and rosca de reyes (Christmas bread) takes center stage.
Even though pecan pie, or Pay de Nuez, isn’t Latin, it’s a dessert I have always loved and one that always finds a spot at my holiday table. Its buttery crust and sweet, nutty filling, is just to hard to resist!
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Premade Crust
For this recipe, I’m keeping things simple by using a premade crust, it saves so much time and still tastes amazing! If you like to coarsely chop your pecans (like I do), I recommend looking for a deep-dish crust. It gives the filling more room to balance out the nuts, so the pie doesn’t feel overly indulgent. If you can only find a shallow crust, no worries! Just use fewer nuts, and it’ll still come out delicious. This way, you can tweak it to your liking without any fuss!
Why We Love this Recipe
- Holiday Classic – It’s the perfect holiday treat that feels like a delicious warm hug! Rich, nutty, and so satifying.
- Perfect for Sharing – Even though it’s not a traditional Latin dessert, it fits right in with our holidays and pairs beautifully with all our other classics.
- Pairing – Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top for an extra yummy treat!
- Easy to Make – Easy to make with simple ingredients, plus you can prep it ahead of time. We’re also using a premade pie crust, so you can save even more time without sacrificing any of the deliciousness.
Ingredients
- Premade Pie Crust – Using a premade pie crust makes this recipe a breeze! Perfect for those last minute holiday desserts.
- Dark Corn Syrup – Use dark or light corn syrup, either works for this recipe.
- Sugar – Regular white granulated sugar works best.
- Brown Sugar – I prefer to use light brown sugar.
- Pecan Nuts – Use pecan halves and chop to your liking.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Corn Syrup – You can swap corn syrup for maple syrup for a slightly different taste.
- Homemade Crust – If you have time and prefer a homemade crust, go for it! Here is an easy pie crust recipe by Natashas Kitchen. But a premade crust works just as fine!
- Nuts – If you don’t like pecans, try using walnuts or a mix of your favorite nuts instead.
- Dairy – Free – If you need this recipe dairy free, use dairy free butter to create a version everyone can enjoy.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F.
Reserve a few “whole pecans” for decorating the pie.
Coarsely chop the rest of the pecans or chop to your liking.
Roast them for approximately 10 minutes, shaking the pan in between cooking time. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 425°F.
Add the sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, corn syrup and salt to a bowl and whisk well.
Step 3: Add the eggs and vanilla extract.
Step 4: Whisk well until the eggs are completely incorporated with the mix.
Step 5: Add the chopped pecans to the pie.
Step 6: Pour the batter and top of the pecans.
Step 7: Arrange the whole pecans on top of the pie to decorate.
Step 8: Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Then lower the heat to 350°F and cook for 50 minutes.
Check the pie halfway through baking making sure the crust is not browning too much. Foil the crust if needed and continue baking.
You will know your pecan pie is done when you shake it gently and it’s not overly jiggly. If it jiggles a lot, continue cooking for a few extra minutes, 5-10 more minutes.
Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Note: Make sure to allow the pie to cool completely before slicing and serving. This allows the filling to full set, otherwise it will ooze out when you cut into it.
Expert Tips
- Decorating Your Pie: I love adding extra pecans on top to give the pie that perfect finishing touch, whether whole or chopped. If you use whole pecans, try to arrange them evenlt across the top, this not only makes the pie look beautiful but also ensures a nice balance of texture in every bite.
- Cover Crust: If you notice the pie browning too much before the pie is fully cooked, cover the crust with foil and continue baking.
- Check for Doneness: The pie is done when the center is set but still slightly wobbly. It’ll firm up as it cools, so don’t overbake it.
- Cool Completely: Let the pie cool fully before slicing. This ensures the filling stays perfectly set and doesn’t spill out when you cut into it.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Pay de Nuez stores really well. You can make it a day or two ahead and store it in the fridge. Just make sure to let it cool completely before covering it and placing in the fridge.
Yes you can! The light corn syrup gives the pie a slightly milder flavor and the pie filling is lighter. The dark corn syrup is richer and more caramel like taste and has a darker filling. Both are absolutely delicious!
You can freeze pay de nuez both before and after baking.
For Uncooked Pie: Double wrap the uncooked pecan pie securely with plastic wrap, then foil and freeze for up to 6 months.
Cooking: When ready to cook, unwrap and cook in a preheated 400° F oven for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350° F and cook for an additional 60-70 minutes. Note: The cooking time will usually be about 20 minutes longer than a pie that hasn’t been frozen.
For Cooked Pie: Wait for the pie to fully cool and then double wrap securely with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 4 months.
Thawing: Thaw the cooked pie overnight in the refrigerator and then let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.
You Can Also Reheat: Preheat the oven to 325° F. Reheat the pie for 20-25 minutes and then let it stand for an hour. You can then chill it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving if you like.
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📖 Recipe
Pay de Nuez
Ingredients
- 1 premade crust deep dish pie crust
- 1½ cup pecan halves
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dark corn syrup or light corn syrup
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- 3 eggs
Instructions
Roast Pecans
- Preheat oven to 350°F.Reserve a few "whole pecans" for decorating the pie. Coarsely chop the rest of the pecans or chop to your liking. Roast pecans in a shallow oven proof dish for approximately 10 minutes. Shake the pan in between cooking time. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Batter
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Add the sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, corn syrup and salt to a bowl and whisk well.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk well until the eggs are completely incorporated with the batter.
Assembly
- Add the chopped pecans to the pie crust. Pour the batter and top of the pecans.
- Arrange the "whole" pecans on top of the pie to decorate.
Baking
- Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Then lower the heat to 350°F and cook for 50 minutes.
- Check the pie halfway through baking making sure the crust is not browning too much. Foil the crust if needed and continue baking.You'll know your pecan pie is done when it's slightly jiggly in the center but not overly so. If it jiggles too much, bake for 5-10 more minutes.
Cooling
- Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing and serving.Note: Make sure to allow the pie to cool completely before slicing and serving. This allows the filling to full set, otherwise it will ooze out when you cut into it.
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