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Southern-Style Cinnamon Maple Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup!)

byCaylie Crossland Updated:
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Celebrate the season with a delicious new twist on a Fall classic! Southern-Style Cinnamon Maple Pecan Pie. The crust is buttery, flaky, and made with only 3 simple ingredients. Inside, the filling is loaded with crunchy pecans with notes of sweet maple, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Each bite is gooey and nutty, and the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. It’s the perfect holiday pie to bake, eat and enjoy, share with loved ones, gift to neighbors, and adore this holiday season. Truly the most delicious pie!

pecan pie with flaked salt on top on a white cheesecloth with pecans and metal plates around on marble surface.

One of the most common questions we receive every Thanksgiving is…Can pecan pie be made without corn syrup? And, our answer has always been the same. Yes, but also no. Too many things could go wrong. Plus, without the addition of corn syrup, it wouldn’t set right.

That is, until today! Introducing our NO corn syrup Maple Pecan Pie.

This recipe is the perfect blend of sweet, maple-y, nutty goodness with a hint of cinnamon. And, while the classic pie divides a crowd, this version might have all the naysayers changing their minds! It’s THAT good.

Why This Cinnamon Maple Pecan Pie Will Have You Falling In Love This Fall

  • It’s actually SUPER simple to make. Only 8 ingredients total needed to make this recipe.
  • Full of flavor! With the combination of cinnamon, maple, and pecans, every bite will leave you wanting more.
  • This is a recipe you can trust. With 30+ years of making of pecan pie under our belts, we know how to make a delicious pecan pie with minimal effort!
  • Uses maple syrup instead of corn syrup to not only add more flavor, but to also make this pie a dessert that everyone can enjoy.
  • Truly the perfect make ahead dessert for Thanksgiving.
angled close up of cut maple pecan pie in metal pie pan.

Ingredients To Make The Most Delicious Cinnamon Maple Pecan Pie

Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For The Crust:

  • All-Purpose Flour – Using plain all purpose flour is the way to go here. The protein content gives the pie dough the structure it needs.
  • Granulated Sugar – Just a touch of sugar helps promote browning and adds the slightest bit of sweetness, as well as helping to keep the crust tender.
  • Salt – Just a little salt enhances the flavor.
  • Unsalted Butter – Responsible for the flaky layers, the butter also adds richness and flavor while allowing us to control the level of salt.
  • Ice Cold Water – The water has to be ice cold to keep the butter firm and to help slow down the formation of gluten.
flour, butter, water, sugar, and salt on marble surface.

For The Filling:

  • Pecan Halves – These are essential for pecan pie…for obvious reasons! Pecans have a distinct nutty and creamy flavor, as well as the perfect texture for this pie.
  • Brown Sugar – While brown sugar sweetens and adds flavor, it also helps provide the structure needed to have the most delicious gooey pecan pie.
  • Maple Syrup – The replacement for the corn syrup in traditional pecan pie, maple syrup adds the sweet, distinctive flavor of maple to each bite.
  • Ground Cinnamon – Easily the most popular spice in baking, cinnamon adds a delicious warmth to every bite that will leave you wanting more.
  • Salt – Just a bit of salt enhances the flavor.
  • Unsalted Butter – Making the filling silky and luscious, unsalted butter adds a delicious buttery flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract – The unsung hero in so many baked goods, vanilla adds the perfect undertone to enhance the maple pecan flavor.
  • Large Eggs – The binder that holds the filling together, they also help to thicken it.
pecans, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, melted butter, and eggs on marble surface.

How To Make Cinnamon Maple Pecan Pie (Step-by-Step!)

Step 1: Prepare pie crust

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade. Pulse to mix.

flour, sugar, and salt in food processor.
blended flour mixture in food processor.

Add butter, a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. Continue to pulse until butter is in small pieces.

three pats of butter added to flour mixture.
butter blended into flour mixture.

Add water. Pulse until it comes together as a dough.

water added to butter and flour mixture.
pie dough in food processor.

Form into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Roll out into a circle that is ⅛ inch thick.

pie dough on silicon mat.
rolled out pie dough on silicon mat.

Gently fit pie into 9 inch pie pan, making sure there are no air bubbles.

pie dough placed over pie pan on marble surface.
pie dough fitted to pie pan with excess hanging off edges.

Fold excess pie dough underneath edge of pie. Scallop edges. Place in fridge until ready to fill.

pie dough in pan.
two fingers pinching edge of pie dough to create a scallop effect.
scalloped pie dough in metal pan.

Step 2: Make filling

In a large mixing bowl, mix together sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt.

brown sugar and maple syrup in glass bowl.
brown sugar and maple syrup mixed in large glass bowl.

Add butter and vanilla, mixing well.

melted butter and vanilla added to maple syrup mixture.
melted butter mixed into maple syrup mixture.

Mix in eggs, being careful not to beat air into the mixture.

eggs aded to maple syrup mixture.
eggs mixed into maple syrup mixture.

Place pecans in bottom of crust. Pour filling evenly over pecans.

pecans in unbaked pie shell.
maple pecan pie filling in unbaked pie shell.

Step 3: Bake

Bake for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce heat. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until set.

baked pecan pie on sheet pan.

FAQ’S and Troubleshooting

How far in advance can I make this pie?

For the best flavor and texture, it’s best to serve this pie within 1-2 days of baking.

Do I need to par-bake the crust?

For this type of pie, you do not need to par-bake or blind bake this crust! It will have plenty of time to bake.

Why is my pie crust tough?

If your pie crust came out tough, this is due to over-working. It can happen in the food processor or if it’s been handled too much/re-rolled too much.

How can I tell when my pie is done?

The best indication of whether a pie is baked or not is the jiggle test! After baking, gently shake the pie pan. The pie should be puffed and jiggle very slightly. Another way to see if the pie is done is inserting a knife in the middle of pie. If it comes out clean, your pie is baked!

3 Tips For The Perfect Pie Crust

  1. Remember, the fridge is a pie dough’s best friend! You really need to keep it cold to ensure the best experience.
  2. Preheat the oven! I know this sounds simple, but when you put the cold dough into the hot oven, it creates steam. Therefore, flakier crust!
  3. Keep the butter chunks bigger and, when you’re rolling, if you see a chunk of butter on the edge, cut it off and place it back in the middle. Butter is your dough’s best friend!
cut pecan pie in metal pi pan with cake knife placed at an angle with tip of cake knife underneath pie, metal plates, pecans, and cinnamon sticks around.

What To Serve with This Cinnamon Maple Pecan Pie

Looking for something a little sweeter to go with your slice of pie? Here are a few of our favorite things to scoop or drizzle over the top of each slice!

Looking for more recipes like this? Here are a few you may like:

pecan pie with flaked salt on top on a white cheesecloth with pecans and metal plates around on marble surface.
5 from 2 votes

Southern-Style Cinnamon Maple Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup!)

Author: Traci Crossland
A delicious twist on a southern classic! This Cinnamon Maple Pecan Pie is the pie you'll want to bake every Thanksgiving. Sweet, creamy, nutty, with hints of maple and cinnamon in every bite. SO GOOD!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Refrigeration Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients
 

Pie Crust

  • 1½ cups all purpose flour*
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup unsalted butter, cold, sliced
  • 4½ Tablespoons ice water

Filling

  • 2 cups pecan halves
  • ⅞ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1¼ cups pure maple syrup, grade A
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
US Customary – Metric

Instructions
 

Crust

  • Combine flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade.
  • Pulse to mix.
  • Add butter, a little at a time, pulsing after each addition.
  • Continue to pulse until butter is in small pieces.
  • Add water.
  • Pulse until it comes together as a dough.
  • Form into a ball and flatten slightly.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap.
  • Refrigerate 10 minutes.
  • Roll out into a circle that is ⅛ inch thick.
  • Gently fit pie into 9 inch pie pan, making sure there are no air bubbles.
  • Fold excess dough under edges of pie dough.
  • Crimp.
  • Place in fridge until ready to fill.

Filling

  • Heat oven to 375℉.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix together sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt.
  • Add butter and vanilla, mixing well.
  • Mix in eggs, being careful not to beat air into the mixture.
  • Place pecans in bottom of crust.
  • Pour mixture evenly over pecans.
  • Bake for 15 minutes.
  • Without opening the oven, reduce heat to 325℉.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes, until set.

Notes + Tips!

*This recipe was written using an average of the dip and sweep method for measuring flour and the spoon and level method. If you are using a scale, you will need to add 3/4 oz or 22 g  to the measurement for each cup of flour.
How To Store:
You can keep this pie covered in the refrigerator, for 3-5 days. You can also slice this pie and freeze the individual slices in a freezer safe container or zip-top bag and keep in the freezer for 1-2 months.
Our Best Tips For Making This Maple Pecan Pie:
  • You can make the crust by hand instead of using a food processor. Just use a pastry blender or fork to cut the butter in to the flour mixture.
  • If you’ve had trouble in the past with your pie crust not quite getting done, you can bake this pie on the bottom rack of your oven.
  • Make sure you only add water 1 Tablespoon at a time to the pie dough! Depending on many different factors, you may need more or less water.
  • If you want a flakier crust, leave a few chunks of butter when you are processing. But, if you want a more tender crust, process it until the mixture is crumbly.
  • You may need to cover the pie with tinfoil the last 20-25 minutes of baking to keep the crust from over-browning.
  • The pie will puff and jiggle slightly when done.
  • Remember to let the pie cool completely before serving!

Tools You May Need (affiliate links)

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 713kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 269mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

When you make this recipe, remember to tag @bakerstble or hashtag it #BakersTable!

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Turned out perfectly! I chopped up 1 cup of the pecans and put it on the bottom of the pie crust, poured the mixture over top, and then made a nice pretty pattern on top with the remaining 1 cup of pecan halves. No leftovers…that is always a good sign that it was good. 🙂 Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

    1. Hi Noreen! No leftovers is always the biggest compliment. We absolutely love this pie and are so happy to hear you did too! 🥰 I hope you find more recipes you’ll love on our site. Happy holidays! x, Caylie

      Reply