Grandma’s Pecan Pie

My grandma was known for many of her dishes but, her pecan pie was definitely top of the list. My most treasured memories with her took place in the kitchen. We would make candy at Christmas time, fried chicken in the summer, her famous noodles for every holiday and pecan pie at thanksgiving. Growing up her parents owned a cafe in Glencoe, Oklahoma. Everyday my grandmother and her sister would make pies for the cafe before going to school. She was great at making all kinds of pies but, my favorite was her pecan pie.

When she passed I was given her recipe box, which was a mix of her hand written recipes, her friends recipes, some that were cut out of newspapers and magazines. I also received her recipe book she received as a wedding present in the 1940’s and one of her rolling pins. Her pie crust recipe, which I use, was from her friend Patsy. It yields several pie crusts so I imagine they would bake many pies at a time. The pecan pie was her recipe and I’ll share both the crust and pie recipe with you below along with the instructions.

Patsy’s Pie Crust Recipe: (yields 2 large pie crusts)

• 3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 cups Crisco (vegetable shortening)
• 2 1/2 Tbs white syrup (light corn syrup)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. I use my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook attachment. Sift flour and salt together then attach bowl to your KitchenAid mixer.
2. Turn on mixer and add in the Crisco and white syrup
3. Start by adding 1/4 of a cup of the water. Add the rest of the water slowly until you get a consistency that sticks together but not to the bowl.
4. Divide the dough into 2 even balls. If you are not using both immediately you can freeze in a Ziplock bag until ready to use. When ready to use pull out of freezer and let thaw in the refrigerator over night.
5. Sprinkle flour on the countertop and place a ball of dough on the flour. Sprinkle the ball with flour and begin to roll out.
6. You will roll out to 1/8 of an inch and place in a pie pan.
7. Pinch around the edges then trim your crust.

It’s nice to have extra dough to trim so you can make it even all the way around

Grandma German’s Pecan Pie: (enough for 1 pie)

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 heaping cup of shelled pecans
• 3 whole eggs
• A dash of vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients except pecans well with a hand mixer
3. Add in pecans and stir to combine
4. Pour into pie shell
5. Put a pie shell shield over the crust and bake for 40-50 minutes
6. Check on pie about 20 minutes in. You may need to remove the shell shield if the crust is not browning
7. Remove from oven and let cool

I hope this recipe finds its way into your kitchen this year. I wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

– C