Last Updated on February 7, 2024
We were a little surprised National Pecan Pie Day was in July vs. some time in the Fall or Winter, but who cares! Pecan Pie is delicious any time of the year.
To get into the National Pecan Pie Day spirit, we’re bringing back our favorite Florida Pecan Pie recipe created by Mary Jeffery.
Mary and her husband, George, owned a Florida Pecan farm in Paisley, Florida (Lake County).
Later the recipe was passed on to their son Ivan and his wife Nina, to carry on the tradition of serving Mary’s Florida Pecan Pie.
The family has been kind enough to share this delicious recipe with our Authentic Florida readers. National Pecan Pie Day is the perfect time to bake this pie. Enjoy!!!
Mary's Florida Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 9 inch pie pan
Pie Ingredients
- 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrust OR follow the recipe for Homemade Pie Crust below
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
- 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Florida pecans, coarsely chopped
Pie Crust Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons very cold unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 Tablespoon sugar
- 3 Tablespoons very cold vegetable shortening
- 3-4 Tablespoons (about 1/4 cup) ice water
Instructions
- Unfold 1 piecrust, and roll to press out fold lines. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp. Bake as directed. For making your own Homemade Pie Crust, follow the recipe and directions by scrolling down the page.
- In a bowl, whisk together 4 eggs.
- In a saucepan, pour the egg mixture, add ¾ cup of sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, ½ cup of melted butter (or margarine), ¼ cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon of salt in a saucepan over low heat until well blended about 10 minutes.
- Pour into piecrust. Add the pecans, and allow to settle into the mixture (press a bit with a spoon so mixture covers the pecans). Bake at 350° on lower rack 30 minutes or until pie is set (should be firm to touch).
- (Optional) Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
- Pie Crust Directions: Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.
- Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix.
- Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8-12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Lay the dough on a well-floured board. Take a rolling pin and begin rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn’t stick to the board.
- Place in a pie pan and tuck the dough into the pan without stretching the dough. Crimp the edge.
- Preheat oven at 4oo degrees.
- Take a sheet of aluminum foil, gently spread over the entire crust. Pour 2 cups of uncooked dry beans or rice into the foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. This pre-bakes the crust.
- Next, remove the beans and foil and place a second time at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
- Let cool, then add the pie filling. Continue baking according to directions above.
History of National Pecan Pie Day
National Pecan Pie Day is celebrated each year on July 12th and honors the classic American dessert.
The dish is believed to have originated in the U.S. during the 1800s, with recipes appearing as early as 1886 in an edition of Delineator magazine. It was likely a combination of European and African influences, as the ingredients were staples of both cultures. Today, there are countless variations of Grits all across the South – from creamy to cheesy, topped with butter and sugar or shrimp and bacon. Whether you prefer plain grits or spiced up with seasonings, it’s all delicious! Authentic Florida provides plenty of
Settlers likely created the pie using native pecans because they were abundant in the south. The nuts were a favorite of Native Americans and used in recipes for centuries.
“Pecan” comes from an Algonquian word meaning “nut that requires a stone to crack.”
Looking for more Authentic Florida Recipe Favorites? Check out more Florida Recipes section!