This Single Serve Pecan Pie recipe is a mini pie recipe that is baked in a 5-inch pie dish and serves 1-2 people. It's a small batch dessert recipe that is perfect to satisfy your cravings without needing to make a full pie!
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⭐Why I Love It:
- Flaky Pie Crust - We use a small batch all butter pie crust to make this so you still get that classic flaky, buttery crust but in a much smaller size.
- Super Small Batch Pie Recipe - I love that this single serve pie recipe makes just one small batch pie instead of needing to make a large pie. This recipe is baked in a 5-inch pie dish - if you don't have one, this is a great affordable option for a set of two 5-inch pie dishes - then you can also make this Single Serve Apple Pie! Also check out this Single Serve Blueberry Crisp recipe!
- Classic Pecan Pie Flavor - The filling tastes just like your favorite classic Pecan pie with its sweet and nutty filling. If you love pecans like I do, make sure to try this recipe for Stovetop Candied Pecans that are great as a sweet treat, as part of a charcuterie board, or on top of a salad.
🥘Ingredients
For the Small Batch Butter Pie Crust
- Unsalted Butter - You'll want to use the butter cold straight from the fridge. It's best to cut it up in small cubes so it's easier to to cut into the flour.
- All-Purpose Flour - When measuring flour, make sure to use the 'spoon and level' method. This is where you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off the top. Instead of dipping the measuring cup directly into the flour bin which can lead to over measuring.
- White Granulated Sugar - Just a little bit of sugar is needed in the pie crust.
- Kosher Salt - If you use salted butter, you can omit the salt.
- Ice Water - You want the water to be super cold so add some water to a bowl with ice and measure the water from there so it's nice and chilled.
Pecan Pie Filling
- Melted Butter
- Egg Yolk - Using just the egg yolk helps keep the recipe super small and adds the great flavor from the yolk. If you double the recipe, then you can use a whole egg.
- Vanilla Extract - I always recommend using a good vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- White Granulated Sugar
- Light Corn Syrup - Corn syrup is a pretty essential ingredient in pecan pie and there really aren't any good substitutions that still give it that classic flavor and texture. You can also use a dark corn syrup instead of light.
- Pecan Halves - I like to chop up about half of the pecans and leave the rest whole, but this is a personal preference.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🔪Step by Step
This recipe for Single Serve Pecan Pie is an adorable small batch pie recipe and is easy to make!
Photo 1 - Mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter.
Photo 2 - Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter (or a fork or your hands but work quickly so you don't warm the butter) until the mixture resembles course crumbs with some larger pea-sized pieces.
Photo 3 - Gradually add the cold water about ½-1 tablespoon at a time and stir together until the dough comes together and feels moistened, but not sticky.
Photo 4 - Transfer dough to a clean counter and finishing pressing together so the flour is incorporated and form a disc. Place the pie dough in the fridge to chill for 20-30 minutes while the oven preheats.
Photo 5 - Once the pie dough is chilled, roll out into a circle a little larger than the top diameter of the pie dish. Place the pie crust into a 5-inch pie dish, press into place. You can trim off any excess pie crust with scissors. Par bake the crust.
Photo 6 - While the crust is par baking, mix the melted butter and corn syrup in a new mixing bowl. Add the sugar, salt, vanilla, and egg yolk - mix to combine. Mix in the pecans.
Photo 7 - Pour the pecan filling into the par baked pie crust.
Photo 8 - Bake the pie, but after the first 10 minutes, it's best to place a piece of foil on top so the crust doesn't burn. The pie is done when the crust is golden and the filling only slightly 'jiggles' and is primarily set.
💭Recipe Tips
- Keep Pie Dough Cold - They key to a flaky pie crust is keeping it cold, especially the butter! You'll want to use cold butter straight from the fridge and ice cold water to make the dough. After mixing together the dough, place it in the fridge to chill fully before using.
- Allow to Cool Before Cutting - This might be the toughest part of the recipe :), but it's important to let the pie fully cool so the filling can finish setting up.
- Cover with Foil to Avoid Burnt Crust - Pecan pie takes longer to bake than some pies, so to avoid the pie crust burning, I recommend loosely tenting with a piece of foil after about 10 minutes to protect the pie crust.
- To Double the Recipe - If you decide to double the recipe to make two 5-inch pies, then you can use 1 whole egg instead of 2 egg yolks. I also recommend dividing the doubled pie dough into two discs before chilling in the fridge as one larger disc would take longer to chill down.
- Leftovers and Storage - Leftover pecan pie can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Use 'Spoon and Level' Method When Measuring Flour - When measuring flour, make sure to use the 'spoon and level' method. This is where you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off the top. Instead of dipping the measuring cup directly into the flour bin which can lead to over measuring.
👩🍳Recipe FAQs
Using only the egg yolk helps keep the single serve pie recipe super small. A great way to use the leftover egg white is in a single serve cupcake recipe or single serve pancake recipe!
The spoon and level method is best for measuring flour because it reduces the risk of over measuring. Start by fluffing up the flour int the container then use a spoon to spoon it into the measuring cup and use a knife to level off the top. This is much more accurate than scooping the flour directly from the container with the measuring cup.
Pecan pie is done baking when the pie crust is golden and the center of the filling only has a very slight 'jiggle'. It's important to let it fully cool so the filling can finish setting up.
🍫Related Single Serve Recipes...
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PrintRecipe
Single Serve Pecan Pie (5-Inch Pie Dish)
This Single Serve Pecan Pie recipe is a mini pie recipe that is baked in a 5-inch pie dish and serves 1-2 people. It's a small batch recipe that is perfect to satisfy your cravings without needing to make a full pie!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Dessert, Single Serve, Pie
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon white granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, halve if using salted butter
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and small diced
- 1.5-3 tablespoons cold ice water
Pecan Pie Filling
- 1 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, dark corn syrup works too
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
- ⅓ cup pecan halves, I chop about half of them
Instructions
- Mix up Pie Dough - Mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and cut into the flour using a pastry cutter (or a fork or your hands but work quickly so you don't warm the butter) until the mixture resembles course crumbs with some larger pea-sized pieces. Gradually add the cold water about ½-1 tablespoon at a time and stir together until the dough comes together and feels moistened, but not sticky. Transfer dough to a clean counter and finishing pressing together so the flour is incorporated and form a disc.
- Chill Pie Dough -Place the pie dough in the fridge to chill for 20-30 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Preheat - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lower the oven rack to the lower third (this helps keep the pie crust from burning).
- Roll out Crust - Once the pie dough is chilled, roll out into a circle a little larger than the top diameter of the pie dish. Place the pie crust into a 5-inch pie dish, press into place. You can trim off any excess pie crust with scissors before clamping the edges with your fingers to form a scalloped pattern. Pierce the bottom of the crust a few times with a fork (if you're using a deeper dish pie pan, then you can also add some pie weights to reduce shrinkage on the sides).
- Par Bake Crust - Bake the pie crust for 7 minutes. It will not be fully baked at this time.
- Mix Pecan Pie Filling -While the crust is par baking, mix the melted butter and corn syrup in a new mixing bowl. Add the sugar, salt, vanilla, and egg yolk - mix to combine. Mix in the pecans.
- Bake Pie - Pour the pecan filling into the par baked pie crust. Bake for 30-40 minutes, but after the first 10 minutes, it's best to place a piece of foil on top so the crust doesn't burn. The pie is done when the crust is golden and the filling only slightly 'jiggles' and is primarily set.
- Cool and Enjoy - Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature so the filling can fully set up.
Notes
5 Inch Pie Dish - This recipe is baked in a small, 5 inch pie dish. Here is a link for a set of two 5-inch pie dishes.
Pecan Halves - I like to chop up about half of the pecans so it's a mix of full halves and chopped pieces. This is personal preference - you can also leave them all whole or chop more.
Leftovers - Leftover pie can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 servings
- Calories: 573
- Sugar: 30.9 g
- Sodium: 796.7 mg
- Fat: 37.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 56.5 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 6.3 g
- Cholesterol: 153.3 mg
Kathleen Hansen says
This tasted just like the classic Pecan Pie served at Thanksgiving, but I love the smaller size!