Prepare the crust: If you’re using a homemade pie crust, preheat your oven to 425°F and prepare it according to your recipe. Blind bake the crust — whether homemade or store-bought — until it’s lightly golden brown. This usually takes about 10–15 minutes. A lightly baked crust ensures it won’t get soggy once the filling is added, so don’t skip this step. Once baked, set it aside to cool slightly.

Toast the pecans: While the crust cools, spread your pecans on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes until they’re fragrant and lightly golden. This step brings out the nuts’ natural oils and adds a deep, toasty flavor. Keep an eye on them — nuts can burn very quickly. Once toasted, place them evenly in the baked pie shell.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and fully combined. Think of this step like making caramel: the sugars need to dissolve and combine properly to create a smooth, gooey filling that sets up correctly in the oven.

Assemble the pie: Pour the filling evenly over the toasted pecans in the crust. Make sure the nuts are well-distributed so every slice has that perfect crunch and caramel flavor.

Bake: Reduce your oven to 350°F and bake the pie for 30–40 minutes. The filling should be just slightly jiggly in the center — about 200°F if you’re using a thermometer. Remember, it will continue to firm as it cools, so don’t overbake. Overbaking can make the filling dry and crack on top.

Cool completely: Let the pie cool to room temperature before slicing. This step is essential for clean slices and the proper texture. The filling will thicken and the flavors will meld together beautifully as it sits.