The 1929 congressional club cookbook has a recipe for the pie which used only eggs, milk, sugar and pecans.

[6] The makers of Karo syrup significantly contributed to popularizing the dish[1] and many of the recipes for variants (caramel, cinnamon, Irish cream, peanut butter, etc.)

The company has claimed that the dish was a 1930s "discovery" of a "new use for corn syrup" by a corporate sales executive's wife.

Archaeological evidence found in Texas indicates that Native Americans used pecans more than 8,000 years ago.

[15] Claims have also been made of pecan pie existing in the early 1800s in Alabama, but this does not appear to be supported by recipes or literature.

This pie is named after Alice Colombo, who was a food editor for the Louisville Courier-Journal in Kentucky.

The special ingredients suggested in the recipe include cornstarch, to soften the top, bourbon, chocolate chips and whipped cream.

"[21] Sawdust Pie consists of an egg-batter filling with coconut, graham cracker crumbs and pecans, topped with whipped cream and sliced bananas.

[9]: 327 In the United States, pecan pies are sold at bakeries, cafes, farmers markets, and grocery stores.