When it comes to figuring out how to tell if a pecan pie is done, that beautiful nut layer on top—though delicious and arguably the best part—makes it a challenge. With other popular Thanksgiving pies, like apple and cherry, you know it's ready when its thick fruity juices bubble up through the cut-outs in its golden crust. No such luck with pecan and pumpkin pie, which require a little extra detective work.
To help you cook your pecan pie thoroughly (but not too much), we're sharing a few clues plus expert advice to help you detect when it's done. We also divulge how to cool it, how to store it once it's cooled, and a unique way to warm up slices for serving.
Caroline Kolle is the pastry chef at Commander's Palace, a New Orleans landmark since 1893. This James Beard Award-winning restaurant boasts "the most authentic pecan pie" available online.
How to Tell if Pecan Pie Is Done
"I usually go by feel and the way it pushes back a little bit in the middle," says Kolle, a professional pastry chef who's cranked out thousands of pecan pies. She looks to strike just the right balance between a filling that's too watery and too firm. But if you don't have the perspective of thousands of pies to determine doneness, try these other ways.
Jiggle vs. Wobble
There's an art to telling if a pecan pie is done, and it involves discerning between a little jiggle and a full-on wobble. To check your pie for doneness, gently and carefully hold it by one edge, and then give it a little shake back and forth. If the filling is flowing in a wavy movement from the center to the edge, your pie isn't set quite yet.
Wait for the moment when the center of your pecan pie gives you just a little jiggle, like the stable but slightly wiggly movement of Jell-O when you give it a gentle shake. You're looking for the filling's outside edges to be stable and set.
Puffiness and Color
Another clue that your pecan pie is done is a little puffiness around the edges of the pie near the crust. At this point, the pie's nuts-and-custard combination takes on a rich, medium-dark brown hue, and the crust is a gorgeous deep golden color.
Cracked Filling
"Cracking on top is a sign your pie is done," says Chef Kolle, "so pull it out right away." A cracked top can also mean you've cooled your pie too quickly, so make sure to allow enough time for your pie to sit out before refrigerating it.
"If a pie is too overbaked to serve, I'll find a way to repurpose it," says Chef Kolle. "One way we do that is to scoop out the filling to use in ice cream."
Temperature
Use of an instant-read thermometer is the most objective way to check for doneness, and the target pull temperature for pecan pie is 200 degrees F. Why so high?
The USDA instructs us to cook anything with eggs in it to at least 160 degrees F and recommends adding a 15-degree margin of safety. While a 175-degree internal temperature works for pumpkin pie, pecan pie filling requires a higher temperature because of its high sugar content.
How to Cool a Pecan Pie Once It's Done
Once you hit the sweet spot where it looks done, take your slightly jiggly pecan pie out of the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. The filling continues to cook and will fully set as the pie cools, so giving a pie plenty of time at room temperature before serving is important. "We usually let our pecan pies sit out for about an hour," says Chef Kolle, "until the filling's cool enough to touch."
How Long Pecan Pie Lasts
You can safely leave some commercial-brand pies on the kitchen counter for days, but you can't do the same for your homemade pecan pie. While store-bought pies often contain stabilizers and preservatives, homemade pecan pie filling often contains eggs, making your pie more perishable.
According to the USDA, you can safely store a pecan pie at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Before that time limit expires, cover your fully cooled pie with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or plastic wrap alternative, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To prevent bacteria growth, avoid keeping a pecan pie (or any perishable food) in the USDA's Danger Zone—between 40and 140degrees F—for longer than 2 hours.
How to Freeze and Thaw a Pecan Pie
Freezing is an option for extending your pecan pie's shelf life. Whether you're trying to get a jump on holiday baking or you didn't finish the whole pie, you can just pop your baked pecan pie in an airtight freezer container or bag, and then safely freeze it for up to 2 months.
To thaw and warm a frozen pecan pie, place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, and then gently warm the pie in a low-heat oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
How to Warm Up and Serve a Refrigerated Pecan Pie
Chef Kolle shared her unique way to warm up and serve a refrigerated pecan pie. After slipping it out of its pie tin, "Turn the whole pie upside-down and slice it," she suggests.
"Separate the slices—so air can circulate around them—and set them on a baking sheet right-side-up," she continued. "Warm them up in a 350-degree oven for about 5 minutes, and serve the slices warm, with ice cream, of course."
