Dabaw's Pecan Pie

Dabaw's Pecan Pie

Prep 15 min Cook 55 min Total 70 min Serves 8 Difficulty Medium 480 Cal Heat Mild 4.9 (63) Jump to recipe

Hey there folks! My name is Taylor Grace and I was named after the Berridge family matriarch, my great-grandmother, Grace "Dabaw" Berridge. Now Dabaw was probably the best cook and baker in the entire town and to this day I dream about her cooking. In her old age we had to constantly beg her to write down her recipes but she preferred to pass them down by teaching you to make them. She did this with Judy "Mamo" Berridge who took over the pecan pie making for the holidays.

Now when I was 17 or 18 Mamo taught me how to make Dabaw's pecan pie. I thought I was just spending time with my grandmother but boy was I wrong. I was being groomed to become the pecan pie maker for future generations. Now for every Thanksgiving and Christmas it's my job to make the 2-3 pecan pies our family will enjoy. We'd love to share that recipe with you all as my great-grandmother was never one to covet family recipes.

Dabaw's homemade pecan pie, a Berridge family holiday recipe

Today is National Pecan Pie Day! What better way to celebrate than with our own family recipe? Great-grandmother Grace "Dabaw" Berridge's famous Pecan Pie is a must at Holidays in our family. Our very own Taylor Grace is carrying on the pie-making tradition. We hope you enjoy this recipe and the story behind it as much as we do.

Judy Berridge, her daughter-in-love shared this about her. "Grace Berridge who was called Dabaw by her grandchildren, was the true farmer's wife. She worked in the fields alongside her husband. She lived for those times when all the family was seated around her dinner table. She always wore a bib-topped apron with pockets while cooking. She'd tell you, "I'm just throwing a little dinner together," and you'd get a ten-course meal. Her pecan pies were unequaled. Even her candy recipes, like fudge, divinity, and caramels, got an extra cup or two of pecans. Just delicious. She had a strong faith and deep love for her family, and she was the best cook ever. That is my bonus mom — Dabaw, Grace Berridge."

This recipe is shared by The Berridge Family.

The recipe

Dabaw's Pecan Pie

4.9 from 63 reviews
  • Prep15 min
  • Cook55 min
  • Total70 min
  • Yield1 (9-inch) pie, 8 slices
  • Calories480
Mediummild heat
Made with Pecan Halves — grown in the Hatch Valley.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Prepare pie crust according to box instructions. You will only need a bottom crust. Press into a pie dish and set aside.
  3. Melt butter and allow to cool slightly.
  4. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, Karo syrup, salt, vanilla, and melted butter until well combined.
  5. Spread pecans evenly across the bottom of the unbaked pie crust.
  6. Pour the wet mixture over the pecans.
  7. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or as Dabaw would say, until done. The filling should be set with a slight jiggle in the very center when you pull it from the oven. Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Pantry

Shop the chile used in this recipe

Hatch New Mexico Green Chile Powder

$9.99

Roasted Hatch Chile (Frozen)

$75.00

Frequently asked questions

How do you know when pecan pie is done?
As Dabaw would say, bake it until done: the filling should be set around the edges with just a slight jiggle in the very center when you pull it from the oven, usually 55 to 65 minutes at 350°F. It firms up further as it cools, so let it cool completely before slicing for clean pieces.
Can I use Karo syrup substitutes in pecan pie?
This family recipe uses white Karo (light corn) syrup for its classic clear, sweet set. You can swap in dark corn syrup for a deeper, more molasses-like flavor, but the texture and sweetness change slightly. For the traditional Berridge family result, stick with white Karo and real butter.
How do you keep pecan pie from being runny?
Beat the eggs thoroughly with the sugar, Karo syrup, salt, vanilla, and melted butter so the filling sets evenly, and bake until only the very center jiggles. Resist slicing while warm: pecan pie continues to set as it cools, so a full cool at room temperature is what gives you clean, firm slices.
Can I make pecan pie ahead for the holidays?
Yes, pecan pie is an ideal make-ahead holiday dessert. Bake it a day or two before, cool completely, and store loosely covered at room temperature for a day or refrigerated for longer. Bring it back to room temperature before serving. It's why the Berridge family bakes two or three each Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Back to blog