The Best Caramel Pecan Pie Recipe

The best Caramel Pecan Pie recipe is quick and easy with the help of store-bought pie crust and caramels. A rich, gooey, seasonal pie with an unbelievable texture is best served warm, straight from the oven. With a few tips and variations along the way, it will bring sweet joy to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert table!

Surprisingly, I have never really cared for pie…I regret that I didn’t learn to appreciate it until after my Grandma Wilson passed away. She lived by the philosophy that you should have at least 5 from scratch pies in your freezer at any given time. You never know when you’ll have a last-minute dinner invitation or guests stopping by. This caramel pecan pie actually opened my mind to pies and I can’t resist them now! Fortunately, my Grandma shared her recipes so that I can recreate her confections.

I have been looking forward to Caramel Pecan Pie for the last couple of weeks.  Thanksgiving is almost here and it’s finally time to enjoy!  Let’s just hope I can resist it for the next 24 hours or I’ll be baking another one! I began baking this pie in 2006 after my friend Kathryn, who is an incredible cook/baker, introduced me to it. It’s been a staple at our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners ever since!  I’m always looking for an excuse to make it and have even served it in bite-sized form, too. One bite and you’ll know why!

Caramel Pecan Pie Ingredients

• Pie Crust – A store-bought pie crust makes this recipe quick and easy – and takes the hassle of having to make the crust from scratch. Purchase a package from the freezer section of your grocery store. All you have to do is fill it!
• Baking Caramels – Oh, another shortcut that makes this caramel pecan pie super simple. This takes the hassle out of making the caramel from scratch or having to use sweetened condensed milk. You will need 30 caramels in total, which you should get from 1 package.
• Butter – It is a pie recipe, after all. One-half stick of unsalted, sweet cream butter is equal to 1/4 cup.
• Milk – Whole milk works best for the ooegy, gooey texture. Low-fat milk simply won’t give you the same results.
• Brown Sugar – I prefer light brown sugar for this pecan pie recipe. But feel free to use dark brown sugar if that is all you have on hand.
• Eggs – Three large eggs is enough to bind the pecan caramel filling so that it sets properly. We will discuss how to tell if your pecan pie is cooked properly in a bit!
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract adds that extra special essence you just can’t get from sugar.
• Salt – Fine sea salt works best since it dissolves easier.
• Pecans – The main ingredient, after all. You can purchase pre-chopped pecans or whole pecans and chop them at home. Just make sure they are raw and unsalted.

How To Make Caramel Pecan Pie Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add milk and caramels. Cook, stirring frequently, until smooth. Cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add the caramel mixture, being careful not to scramble the eggs.
4. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie crust.
5. Bake 30 minutes. Tent crust with foil and bake an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm – it’s unbelievable!

How To Tell When The Caramel Pecan Pie Is Done

The best way to judge is with the jiggle test. Give it a gentle shake. When the homemade pecan pie is firm around the edges, but still slightly jiggly in the center, you know it’s done!

How To Prevent Pie Crust From Shrinking

Variations

Although the caramel filling in this pecan pie is absolutely to die for, there are a few variations to mix up your holiday dessert table.

• Chocolate Caramel Pecan Pie – Add 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to the filling when you add the pecans.
• Salted Caramel Pecan Pie – Use freshly cracked sea salt (which gives you larger granules) and increase it to 1/2 teaspoon. Salty and sweet at its finest!
• Praline Pecan Pie – Add 1/4 cup praline spread when you add the milk and caramels.
• Cinnamon Pecan Pie – Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon when you add the milk and caramels.
• Pecan Walnut Pie – Replace 1/2 cup of the chopped pecans with chopped walnuts.
• Vanilla Pecan Pie – Serve the easy pecan pie recipe with a dollop of homemade vanilla whipped cream.

How To Serve and Store the Pecan Pie

This caramel pecan pie recipe is best served warm – trust me.

But if you are looking to make this for Thanksgiving or Christmas, the pie will keep in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 3-4 days. Simply remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving, cover with foil, and re-warm in 325 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Your friends and family will thank you!

Want to take it over the top? Add a dollop of Eggnog Whipped Cream or Eggnog Ice Cream!

If you try this Caramel Pecan Pie recipe, please come back to share using my 5-star rating in the comments below! Not only do I appreciate it, but I know readers do, too! For more easy recipes and simple living ideas, subscribe to my newsletter!

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More Pie Recipes You’ll Love:

• Banana Cream Pie
• French Silk Pie
• Chocolate Pie
• Lemon Pie
• Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie

5 from 1 vote

Caramel Pecan Pie

Author: Julie Blanner

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

The best Caramel Pecan Pie recipe is quick and easy with the help of store-bought caramels. A rich, gooey, seasonal pie with an unbelievable texture.

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Yield 10

Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ cup butter
• ▢ ¼ cup milk
• ▢ 30 unwrapped caramels or 1 package baking caramels
• ▢ ¾ cup brown sugar packed
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1⅓ cup chopped pecans
• ▢ 1 pie crust

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add milk and caramels. Cook, stirring frequently until smooth.
• In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Gradually add the caramel mixture. Stir in pecans and pour into pie crust.
• Bake 30 minutes, tent crust with foil and bake an additional 5. Unbelievable when served warm (can warm in the oven later).

Tips

Tenting the crust with foil helps to prevent it from over-browning.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 420kcal (21%), Carbohydrates: 50g (17%), Protein: 6g (12%), Fat: 23g (35%), Saturated Fat: 6g (30%), Cholesterol: 64mg (21%), Sodium: 268mg (11%), Potassium: 188mg (5%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 37g (41%), Vitamin A: 244IU (5%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 84mg (8%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

© Author: Julie Blanner

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