This pecan pie is made without corn syrup and adds raisins to the filling for an extra layer of rich flavor and sweetness. This pecan raisin pie may be a bit nontraditional, but it’s one of the best pies you’ll ever try!
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Two events happened in our family’s lore to turn my mother into the family’s Pie Queen.
The first occurred when she was in college and learned how to make a perfect pie crust. The second was a number of years later when, while flipping through that year’s Southern Living cookbook, she stumbled across a recipe for Pecan Raisin Pie.
I suppose you could say that the marriage of these two things – my mother’s pie crust with this most unique pie recipe – pretty much altered the way my family would forever celebrate any holiday.
Now, you think I’m exaggerating. But no. I’m not.
I am certainly not exaggerating when I tell you that my mother was not allowed in the house at Thanksgiving or Christmas if she didn’t at least have the ingredients for this pie with her. Who made this declaration? Her little brother.
Yes, my uncle – a grown man – would revert into a pouting 7-year-old if he did not get his pie. But not just any pie; it had to be THIS pie.
It is also the pie that somehow, over the years, became my birthday pie. It’s the pie that Momma made for Alex and I to cut on our wedding day. After Momma passed, it was this handwritten recipe card that my aunt had professionally framed and sent to me to cherish always.
That’s how big of a deal pecan raisin pie is in my family.
What makes pecan raisin pie so special?
So really, what is so spectacular about this pie? Isn’t it just like any other pecan pie recipe?
Well, in short, no.
Firstly, this recipe does not use corn syrup, which is a major ingredient in most pecan pie recipes. The result is that this pie, while still being rich, does not have the heavy stickiness that so often occurs with pecan pie.
Secondly, there is something about the addition of raisins in this filling that creates an element of perfection that you never realized was missing before. The crunchy, toasty pecans pair perfectly with the chewy fruitiness of the raisins.
If you don’t usually like raisins…well, neither do my cousins. Or a bunch of people who have tried this pie. But all of them still love this recipe, because the raisins simply add to the sweet richness of the filling.
Combined with a perfectly flaky crust…well, say goodbye to pecan pie as you once knew it.
You’re going to be ruined after one bite. Just like my whole family.
(More of a chocolate person? Try corn-syrup-free cocoa pecan pie!)
How to make pecan pie without corn syrup
If you haven’t made a pecan pie without corn syrup in it before, it’s super easy. It’s actually a very quick pie to assemble and only needs 30 minutes to bake, so it’s a bit faster to make than sweet potato pie or even my rhubarb pie.
Ingredients you’ll need
To make this pecan raisin pie, you will need:
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Now, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you that there is absolutely NO SHAME in using a pre-made pie crust here. I always make this pie with my homemade pie crust, but you should do what is most accessible for you.
If it means making best friends with the Pillsbury Doughboy, I promise I won’t tell anybody.
You can also feel free to use a gluten-free pie crust.
For the vinegar, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work will in this recipe.
My mom always used red raisins when I was growing up. These days I tend to use golden raisins because I generally prefer them, but either one is delicious here.
Making this recipe
Start by prepping and blind baking your pie crust.
If the pie dough is not already in a pie plate, roll it out and place it into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim and crimp the edges as desired.
Prick the bottom and sides of the pie dough with a fork or line the crust with parchment paper and pie weights. My pie crust recipe and shortening-based pie crusts work well without pie weights, but I suggest using them if you are using an all-butter pie crust.
Bake the crust at 450°F for 6-8 minutes, until set and barely starting to turn golden. Set aside to cool while you make the filling, removing the pie weights if you used them.
Now lower the oven temperature to 350°F and start on the filling.
Add the butter, sugar, and salt to a saucepan over low heat. Whisk constantly until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot and well combined. The sugar may still be grainy, but that’s ok.
Remove the pan from the heat.
In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, vinegar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Slowly whisk about 1/3 cup of the hot butter mixture into the eggs, then add all of the egg mixture into the pot with the butter mixture.
Whisk until smooth, then stir in the pecans and raisins.
Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 30 minutes or until the pie is set.
Let the pie cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Storage
If you are planning to serve your pecan raisin pie the same day that you baked it, you can leave it out at room temperature until after serving.
Because of the eggs in the filling, leftovers should technically be stored in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 days.
My friend Megan will often freeze her maple pecan pie (which is also made without corn syrup) in order to get some of her holiday baking done early. If you want to freeze this pie, I suggest following the freezing recommendations in her post.
Pecan Raisin Pie
Equipment
- Pie weights optional
- Pie shield optional
Ingredients
- Pastry for (1) 9-inch single-crust pie
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 Pinch of salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup raisins red or golden
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Roll pastry on a lightly floured surface and place in 9-inch pie plate, trimming and crimping the edges as desired. Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork or line with parchment paper and pie weights. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until set and barely starting to turn golden. Remove from oven and set aside to cool, removing pie weights if used.
- Lower oven temperature to 350°F.
- Combine butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and mixture is hot and well combined. The mixture may still be grainy. Remove from heat.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, vinegar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Slowly whisk ⅓ cup of the butter and sugar mixture into the egg mixture, then add all of the egg mixture into the pot with the remaining butter mixture. Whisk until smooth, then stir in the pecans and raisins.
- Pour the filling into the prepared pastry shell. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pie is set.
- Let pie cool on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
About Stephie
Stephie is the creator of Stephie Cooks, a food blog that focuses on creating memories around the food we share, with family recipes at the site’s heart. Stephie lives in Central Illinois with her husband, daughter, and a menagerie of cats and dogs. When she’s not in the kitchen or at her computer writing, you can usually find her curled up with a book or working on one of her many grandma-esque hobbies. Learn more >
This was not the pie my husband wanted. Far too little pecans or raisins. A typical pecan pie with just much sweet custard.
Just wondering, can brown sugar be substituted for the white?
I have never tried it! It might make the pie caramelize too much before it is baked, but you could certainly give it a try.
I do suggest you add some more information to your method. The sugar does not ever dissolve. The first time I made it, the sugar came to a golden brown and then separated from the butter and crystallized. Specify in the directions about how long this cooking process takes and change the word from “dissolve” to incorporate.
Secondly, in the interest of saving eggs, you absolutely should temper them..I.e. Put a bit of the warm sugar mixture in with the eggs and stir before adding the whole lot to the sugar mixture.
I wasted sugar and butter. I hate wasting!!! 🙁
As soon as one reader has an issue, you would do well to edit the method.
Having said that, thanks! Haven’t eaten it yet, but looks good.
I must make this pie, I am one that loves raisen pie and also mincemeat pie. I will make this for the hoidays, thank you so much.