Duff Goldman's Secret To Perfect Pecan Pie Is This Sweet Syrup

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In an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, "Ace of Cakes" star Duff Goldman let slip that he knows a hack to level up pecan pies. What's more is that he discovered this little trick by happy accident. Asked if he was getting ready to make any pies for his next Thanksgiving get-together, Goldman couldn't help but spill: "I'll let you in on a secret, and I just discovered this last year, but I found that the real trick to a delicious pecan pie is don't use corn syrup. Use golden syrup. The texture, the flavor — I ran out of corn syrup, but I had a lot of golden syrup from a demo I did, and I was like, 'I can probably use that.'"

For traditionalists who celebrate simple Southern cooking, this might come as somewhat of a shock, but Goldman insists that it's the right option. Many pecan pies call for corn syrup, and even in previous versions of his own recipe, that was what Goldman used, too. Not anymore! Recalling his realization of the syrup's importance, he said, "As soon as I took a bite, I was instantly transported to when I was a kid, and I remember that is what pecan pie is supposed to taste like. It's not gloopy. It's not cloyingly sweet. Corn syrup has almost a petroleum consistency to it. Corn syrup is great for some stuff, but I find that if you're going to make a pecan pie, golden syrup is the way to go."

While some Americans may have never heard of it, golden syrup is wildly popular in the U.K. and Australia. The most well-known brand is Lyle's Golden Syrup, with over 85% of Brits recognizing it on sight. This brand, dubbed England's oldest, has been around since 1885 and can be found all over Europe, as well as in some U.S. grocery stores. Its classic label, which went almost entirely unmodified until 2024, features a gold lion with a green background, so it's easy to spot if you're looking for it on your next shopping trip. Nowadays, you can get it in a squeeze bottle, jug, or the ever-classic Lyle's Golden Syrup tin on Amazon.

The origin of this syrup likely goes back even farther than Lyle's, with a record of it popping up in the South Australian Register in 1840. The method of production has changed just a little since then, but it still starts with cane sugar. Originally a byproduct of sugar refinement, the process now involves splitting sugar molecules into fructose and glucose, then blending them with sucrose to create a partially inverted syrup with a deep, golden color. The syrup won't crystallize like honey, but has a rich, sweet taste, making it a valuable baking ingredient for pecan pies — no matter how you pronounce the word "pecan."

When making a pecan pie, you have to be very mindful of measurements and cook times, as Duff Goldman himself attests. However, the golden syrup swap is shockingly simple. At the step where you would normally heat the butter, sugar, and corn syrup on the stove, instead, simply use golden syrup in place of the corn syrup in an equal amount. Then, continue on with your favored pecan pie recipe, as usual. You can also use golden syrup to make other tasty treats, including homemade Werther's Originals in the microwave.

If you can't find golden syrup on shelves in your area, there are some online recipes out there to help you make it yourself. On the other hand, Goldman offers an alternative to pie-makers who might be out of luck on the syrup front, telling Tasting Table: "If you can't find it, you can also take out a third or maybe even a fifth of your corn syrup and add a little maple syrup, but too much is too much. If it's all maple syrup, it's too much, but if you replace a small percentage of your corn syrup, that'll thin it out a little bit and also give it a more interesting flavor." We have our favorite maple syrup brands on lock, but the forecast is looking particularly sweet and golden for our next pecan pie. 

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