Virginia Peanut Pie Recipe

Introduction

Virginia Peanut Pie is a delightful Southern dessert that combines a rich, buttery filling with the satisfying crunch of roasted peanuts. This pie offers a perfect balance of sweetness and texture, making it a crowd-pleaser for any occasion.

The image shows a close-up of a round pie with a crust and a nut topping. The crust is light brown, flaky, and has straight edges pressed down with a fork pattern around the pie. The topping is a dark caramel color made up of a large number of shiny roasted peanuts layered closely together, covering one full layer on top of the pie. A single slice has been cut and slightly lifted, showing the smooth, sticky nut filling underneath the nuts. The pie sits on a white plate placed on a white marbled surface with a soft towel nearby. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

  • 1 9-inch pie crust
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups roasted salted peanuts

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pie crust and crimp the edges as desired. Chill the crust while preparing the filling.
  2. Step 2: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the light corn syrup, packed brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
  3. Step 3: Using a rolling pin, lightly crush about half of the roasted salted peanuts. Crush them roughly to maintain large pieces for texture.
  4. Step 4: Add both the crushed and whole peanuts to the filling mixture and stir gently to combine everything evenly.
  5. Step 5: Pour the peanut filling into the prepared pie crust and spread it out evenly.
  6. Step 6: Bake the pie in the preheated oven until the filling has set, about 1 hour. The center should be firm but slightly jiggly.
  7. Step 7: Remove the pie from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for at least 3 hours to fully set before slicing and serving.

Tips & Variations

  • For extra flavor, toast the peanuts lightly before adding them to the filling.
  • Swap half the peanuts for chopped pecans or walnuts to add variety and depth.
  • Use a homemade pie crust for a more buttery and flaky base.
  • If you prefer a less sweet pie, reduce the brown sugar to 1/2 cup.

Storage

Store leftover peanut pie covered loosely with foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate the pie for up to 4 days. Reheat slices gently in a warm oven or enjoy chilled.

How to Serve

A slice of nut pie is shown on a white plate with a slightly crimped light golden brown crust wrapping around the edge. The pie slice has three clear layers: the bottom crust is firm and pale golden, the middle layer is sticky and caramel-colored with a gooey texture, and the top layer is packed with chopped nuts, mainly light brown and tan, that are slightly glossy with a sugary coating. In the background, the full pie in a clear glass dish is slightly out of focus on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use salted vs. unsalted peanuts?

Using roasted salted peanuts adds a nice balance of salty and sweet. If you prefer less salt, you can use unsalted peanuts and adjust other ingredients to taste.

Can I make this pie ahead of time?

Yes, Virginia Peanut Pie benefits from chilling at least 3 hours after baking, so preparing it a day ahead is ideal for the best texture and flavor.

Print

Virginia Peanut Pie Recipe

Virginia Peanut Pie is a delightful Southern dessert featuring a buttery pie crust filled with a rich, sweet mixture of light corn syrup, brown sugar, and eggs, combined with crunchy roasted salted peanuts for texture and flavor. This classic pie is baked to a perfect golden brown and set, then cooled to room temperature before serving, making it an irresistible treat with a balance of sweetness and nutty goodness.

  • Author: Ruby
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Southern American

Ingredients

Scale

Pie Crust

  • 1 9-inch pie crust

Filling

  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups roasted salted peanuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the pie.
  2. Prepare Pie Crust: Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pie crust, crimping the edge as desired for a decorative finish. Chill the crust while you prepare the filling to maintain its firmness during baking.
  3. Make Filling Mixture: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the light corn syrup, packed light brown sugar, room-temperature eggs, melted unsalted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
  4. Prepare Peanuts: Using a rolling pin, lightly crush about half of the roasted salted peanuts into large pieces, keeping some whole peanuts for texture.
  5. Combine Peanuts and Filling: Add both the roughly crushed and whole peanuts into the filling mixture. Stir thoroughly to evenly distribute the peanuts throughout the liquid filling.
  6. Fill the Pie Crust: Pour the peanut and syrup mixture into the chilled pie crust, spreading evenly.
  7. Bake the Pie: Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown. The filling should not jiggle significantly when gently shaken.
  8. Cool and Set: Remove the pie from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for at least 3 hours to fully set before slicing and serving. This resting time ensures the filling firms up for clean slices.

Notes

  • For an extra crunch, you may toast the peanuts lightly before using.
  • If you prefer a less sweet pie, reduce the brown sugar slightly.
  • Ensure eggs are at room temperature to help the filling mix evenly.
  • Cover the edges of the pie crust with foil during baking if it browns too quickly.
  • Store leftover pie refrigerated and consume within 3 days for best freshness.

Keywords: Virginia Peanut Pie, Southern dessert, peanut pie, sweet pie, roasted peanuts, homemade pie

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