A beloved Southern dessert. Every Thanksgiving my family enjoys this treat along with a pumpkin pie.

• Pie Dough
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 2-3 tablespoons chilled water

• Filling
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 ½ cups light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups (8 ounces) pecans

1. To make the dough: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 dinner knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until the dough just forms a ball. Pat into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. (To make in a food process, see Cook’s Tips.)

2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. Fit the pastry into a 10-inch pie pan; trim and crimp the edges.

3. To make the filling: In a medium bowl, stir the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and eggs together until thoroughly combined. Pour the nuts into the crust, then pour in the filling. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filing is firm. Let cool completely before cutting into wedges.

Makes one 10-inch pie.

Cook’s Tips:
To make the dough in a food processor: Combine the flour, butter, sugar, and salt and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 15 seconds. With the machine running, add water until the dough just begins to form a ball. If you are short on time, purchase a ready-made pie crust.