Pecan Cream Pie Recipe

5 from 1 vote

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When you need a creamy, tasty dessert this brown sugar Pecan Cream Pie comes together in less than 15 minutes! Like, are you kidding me? Invited to a last minute holiday party? This recipe is your savior!! Perfect for your holiday table, or anytime really!

slice of pecan pie on a plate

Why You’ll Love This Pecan Cream Pie Recipe

So, you’re invited to a party and need to bring an easy but show stopping dessert. Enter >> Pecan Cream Pie, baby! If you love pecans, you most likely have the ingredients on hand already. I’m telling you, if you bring this delicious creamy pie to any holiday party you’re winning all the awards that evening.

What is Pecan Cream Pie?

Pecan cream pie is a classic Southern dessert, popular especially during the holidays. It’s a simple pie with an irresistible combination of textures and flavors. This indulgent dessert combines the rich, nutty flavor of pecans with a velvety, creamy filling, all nestled within a flaky pie crust. The star of the show is the generous layer of pecans, either chopped or whole pecans, that crowns the top of the pie.

If you’re a fan of traditional pecan pie, you absolutely need to try my Pecan Pie Recipe next!

creamy pecan pie

Main Ingredients Needed

Making this pie couldn’t be easier! With just 8 ingredients (most you likely have on hand already!) this pie will be put together in 10 minutes! Here is a list of everything you’ll need to gather up.

  • blind baked pie shell-  for this recipe I used a pre-baked frozen pie crust from my local grocery store. But feel free to use any of my pie crust recipes: All Butter Pie Crust or Easy Pie Crust Recipe.
  • heavy whipping cream– gives the brown sugar filling the creaminess it needs
  • powdered sugar- provides the perfect amount of sweetness.
  • cream cheese- for this recipe we want full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature.
  • vanilla extract- for added flavoring.
  • brown sugar- for sweetness and flavor.
  • pure maple syrup- we want the real good quality stuff here for best results.
  • pecans- you’ll be finely chopping enough for 1 cup to add to the filling and roughly chopping enough for 1/2 cup for garnishing the top of the pie.
pecan cream pie ingredients

How to Make Pecan Cream Pie

For full recipe details, including ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is step-by-step directions to guide you through making your no-bake dessert:

Prep Pie Crust

Set aside your pre-made pie crust for later (or bake if you are making your own pie crust from scratch).

Make the Whipped Cream

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer with whisk attachment, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Make Brown Sugar Pie Filling

In a separate bowl, again using a hand mixer with whisk attachments, mix the softened cream cheese with vanilla, brown sugar and maple syrup until smooth.

Fold in cream cheese mixture and finely chopped pecans and pour into baked pie shell, using a rubber spatula or offset spatula to evenly distribute the filling.

Top with remaining pecans (roughly chopped )and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, but ideally 8 hours or more. When ready to serve, cut into pieces and enjoy!

Pro Tip: If you want to go the extra mile and add toasted pecans for the garnish, I highly recommend it! To toast pecans, place them in a small skillet on the stove, on low heat to get them nice and toasty! Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn!

Storing Pecan Cream Pie

Store any leftovers in the fridge. If you have a lot of leftover the pie, I would cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. You could also place the leftover pieces in an airtight container with a good fitting lid. Pecan cream pie should stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Make Ahead- Because this no-bake pie needs a lot of time in the fridge to set, it’s perfect to make ahead the day before!

3/4 of a pecan cream pie

FAQ for Pecan Cream Pie

What is a blind baked pie shell?

Blind baking is simply pre-baking your pie crust before filling it. If you are making a cream-based pie like this pecan cream pie and these others (Chocolate Cream PieGingerbread Cream PieBanana Cream Pie, etc.) You’ll need a pre-baked pie crust because the filling does not get baked, but chilled to set. 
For this recipe I used a store bought 9-inch frozen pie crust, but if you have the time and want to make a homemade crust, it’s pretty easy! I have a few crust recipes, but these two are my go to recipes All Butter Pie Crust or Easy Pie Crust Recipe. You’ll need pie weights or something else to put in the pie while it bakes to help prevent the crust to shrink. If you don’t have pie weights, dried rice, beans or even flour can work!

Can I use a different nut?

Yes- walnuts are most closely similar to pecans. Feel free to substitute if needed.

Can I use Cool Whip instead?

Yes. Cool whip topping works great as a homemade whipped cream substitute!

How long can I leave this pie out for serving?

I would suggest not leaving this pie out on the counter for more than 2 hours. The warmer it gets the harder it is to serve.

Can I use a graham cracker pie crust?

Absolutely! If you want a different pie crust, a graham cracker or ready-made pecan crust would be really tasty with pecan cream filling!

pecan cream pie on a tablescape

More Delightful Pie Recipes to Try!

I hope you love this creamy pecan pie as much as my family did! We served it one night with some ice cream and it was the perfect. The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends!

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

whole pecan cream pie
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5 from 1 vote

Pecan Cream Pie

When you need a creamy, tasty dessert, and are craving the goodness of pecan pie, this Pecan Cream Pie comes together in less than 15 minutes.
servings 8 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 9 inch blind baked pie shell
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 16 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup real maple syrup
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whip cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
    electric mixer whipping heavy cream
  • Mix cream cheese with vanilla, brown sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Fold in whipped cream and finely chopped pecans and pour into baked pie shell. Top with roughly chopped pecans and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    pecan cream pie on tablescape

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 644kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 300mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1206IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pecan Cream Pie
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




27 Responses
  1. Cheryl

    5 stars
    I have made this pie every Thanksgiving for the past 3-4 years, when I first found the recipe. My family and I absolutely LOVE it. And now a holiday dinner is not complete without this pie. A new food tradition. So easy and perfect. I’ve also used a graham cracker crust.

  2. Shelby N

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious. Made it to take to the in-law’s Thanksgiving today. It was super easy to m as ke and was a hit! Personally, I could just eat it out of a bowl with a spoon without the crust lol. I think it would be delicious in a graham cracker crust as well. Definitely a keeper of a recipe.

  3. Katie

    This pie is so luscious! You really can’t go wrong with the cream cheese/whipped cream base. It’s my go-to quick desert – I always have these (or some type of easy substitute) on hand! Thanks so much for the recipe!

  4. Christi Zelaya

    This looks a LOT like a pie I used to get at a buffet I used to work for when I was a teenager. I can’t remember the name of the pie (or company) for the life of me, but when I saw this picture, I got excited! The only thing different that I remembered was that the one from the buffet was baked, and the filling was firm. I’m thinking something like maybe a meringue or something? Anyone have any ideas on where I might find that recipe or even if you know the name of the pie? I’ve been seaching for years!

    Thanks! Can’t wait to try this one too since I LOVE pecans and maple syrup.

  5. Phyllis

    Hi Lauren, I am newly arrived to your site; got a question. What is a “blind” baked pie shell??? This Whipped Brown Sugar Pecan Pie sounds marvelously delicious!

  6. Karen

    Love your house and your kitchen. Sure you can stay a couple of years in it for now. Meanwhile, this pie…. I want to make it right away…..heavenly! Thank you!

  7. Crystal

    Looks super delicious especially since I love pecans. We recently moved this past summer to a new house which is twice as big as our old one even though we became empty nesters this fall. We kind of did it backwards, but are loving it. I remember reorganizing all the time in old house. In fact, my family has been shocked that I haven’t reorganized everything in the new house 🙂 Have fun organizing and thanks for the yummy recipe.

  8. Vicky Marshall

    I’m with Jackie – what would be a substitute for the maple syrup. I DETEST the flavor of maple but otherwise would like to try this as it sounds divine!

    1. Judy

      I was thinking the same thing. Other possibilities might be Karo Syrup, since there’s 3 different choices or perhaps Honey. Perhaps the Maple flavor might not be too strong with the other creamy ingredients. Or try 1/2 Maple Syrup and 1/2 other Syrup choice. I 💘 Love the Creamy flavor. **

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