Easy Condensed Milk Caramel Pecan Pie

This condensed milk caramel pecan pie is full of rich flavor, creamy texture, and a little bit of crunch. Perfect for family gatherings!

Growing up, my entire family would get together to celebrate every birthday and holiday. All the aunts, uncles and cousins on my dad’s side, plus my Nana. With that many people and birthdays, we were together at least once a month celebrating. I have so many cherished memories with my family full of lots of food, desserts, and best of all, laughter.

My family, one of them being my dad, requested this caramel pecan pie with condensed milk often, especially for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. It satisfies all of the cravings for something sweet, rich and creamy, but still has some crunch. I also love how simple it is to make. It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients or cook time, which is always a plus during the holidays when you have to cook a lot of different things. Plus, you can make it a day or two ahead of time, so you have time to focus on other dishes on the actual day.

Even though the recipe calls for pecans, it tastes great with just the caramel too! You can always make one with and one without the pecans if there is anyone with a nut allergy.

To start, set up a double boiler. It is so easy to put one together by just using a small saucepan and a glass bowl. Grab your saucepan and fill it about a third of the way up with water. Put it on the stove top and turn it on high to bring the water to a boil.

Now, gather all of the ingredients together to make it that much easier to make, and let’s get started.

How to Make Condensed Milk Caramel Pecan Pie

Combine the can of sweetened condensed milk and the brown sugar in the glass bowl. Then place the glass bowl in the saucepan. It should fit snugly while still allowing steam to escape as the water boils. Now you have created your double boiler. Make sure to wear an oven mitt if you plan to touch the glass bowl because it does get really hot. Also, be aware that the steam coming out will be hot also. I like to tip the bowl a little bit towards myself so that most of the steam escapes out on the back.

You will want to stay pretty close to this mixture and stir often so that it doesn’t burn, as well as make sure that all of the brown sugar mixes in well and is not clumping in the condensed milk. Watch it closely and you will notice it thin out and get really creamy, and then begin to thicken back up just a little.

Remove the glass bowl from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the chopped pecans. Cool the pie filling on the counter for about 30 minutes. Once it is done cooling, pour the mixture into the Graham cracker pie crust. Top the pie with the other half of the chopped pecans.

Cover the pie and keep it stored in the fridge until you plan to serve it. Right before serving, scoop the cool whip out with a spoon and spread it generously over the whole pie. Personally, I wait until the very last minute to add the cool whip to the top of the pie. This allows the caramel to fully set in the pie crust and not get runny and mix with the cool whip.

Condensed Milk Caramel Pecan Pie Ingredients:

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, divided
• Graham cracker pie crust
• Cool whip

Condensed Milk Caramel Pecan Pie Instructions:

1. Grab a saucepan and fill it about a third of the way up with water. Put it on the stove top and turn it on high to bring the water to a boil.
2. Find a glass bowl that fits snugly into your saucepan. Combine the can of sweetened condensed milk and the brown sugar in it. Now place the glass bowl in the saucepan and you have your double boiler.
3. Stay close to the mixture and stir it often so that it doesn’t burn. Continue to stir until the ingredients are well-blended and thickened.
4. Remove the glass bowl from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the chopped pecans. Cool the pie filling on the counter for about 30 minutes.
5. Once it is done cooling, pour the mixture into the Graham cracker pie crust. Top the pie with the other half of the chopped pecans.
6. Cover the pie and place it in the fridge to chill until you plan to serve it. Right before serving, scoop the cool whip out with a spoon and spread it generously over the whole pie.

Recipe Variations:

• I like to keep baking as simple as possible and just grab a premade pie crust. But if you love baking and want to make your own pie crust from scratch, go for it!
• Feel free to adjust the quantity of pecans to your liking. You can leave them out of mixing them with the caramel, and just sprinkle them on top before or after adding the cool whip. My family always had a running joke when serving this pie. “Do you want male or female?” Which meant, do you want pie with nuts or no nuts, lol.
• If you don’t have as much time to let the pie chill and set in the fridge, putting it in the freezer will help it solidify more quickly.
• Note: I would highly suggest using the cool whip that comes in a tub rather than the spray can. Because the kind that comes in a spray can is aerated, it doesn’t hold up well and quickly melts down making the pie less appealing.

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Shop this Post:

• Graham cracker pie crust
• Condensed milk
• Pecans

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