Southern Buttery Pecan Chess Pie

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-04 · Updated 2026-07-04

A rich, buttery Southern classic with a golden flaky crust and a sweet, custardy filling studded with crunchy toasted pecans. This Southern American-inspired recipe, ready in about 90 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, ice water into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup, chilled and cubed unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp ice water
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup, melted unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup, chopped and toasted pecans

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. To make the crust, pulse 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup chilled cubed unsalted butter in a food processor until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Gradually add 3 tbsp ice water and pulse until dough just comes together. Form dough into a disk and chill for 20 minutes.
2. Step 2: Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, trim edges, and crimp as desired.
3. Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, 3 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp white vinegar, and 1/4 tsp salt until smooth and shiny.
4. Step 4: Stir 1 cup chopped toasted pecans into the filling mixture. Pour filling into prepared pie crust.
5. Step 5: Bake pie for 50-60 minutes or until filling is set and golden brown around the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing to serve.