Start by arranging your unbaked pastry crust in a pie pan. Press gently into the edges for a snug fit but don’t stretch—it needs wiggle room as it bakes.

In a large bowl, whisk the white sugar, brown sugar, and salt until there are no lumps left. This takes just a minute and helps everything marry together easily later.

Add the corn syrup, melted butter, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture. Whisk until the mix is luxuriously smooth, taking a moment to inhale the rich buttery scent.

Stir in the diced pecans, making sure they’re evenly distributed and coated by the filling. This way, you’ll get nuts in every forkful.

Pour the glossy mixture into your prepared crust, letting the filling settle naturally so you don’t disturb the edges.

Bake until the edges are set and golden, but the middle still has a slight wobble—a bit like soft jelly. The surface should look shiny with the pecans taking on a toasted color.

Let the pie cool until just barely warm. The filling will firm up as it sits, making it easier to get clean, generous slices.