The pecan pie is a beloved dessert in the American South, with Texas, Georgia, and Louisiana arguing over which state makes it best. Family bakeries in these states have spent generations perfecting their recipes and guarding their secrets.

Texas’ Claim to Fame

Texas has made its devotion to pecan pie official, naming it the state pie in 2013. The Millican Pecan Company in San Saba, known as the Pecan Capital of the World, has been growing, shelling, and baking pecans since 1888. Another notable bakery, Berdoll Pecan Candy & Gift Co., draws road-trippers with its giant squirrel statue and pecan pie vending machine.

Georgia’s Take

Georgia takes a different approach to pecan pie, with Ellis Bros. Pecans in Vienna growing their own nuts and baking them into traditional, chocolate, and bourbon pies. The Southern Baked Pie Company in Gainesville has gained a national following for its award-winning caramel pecan pie made with roasted Georgia pecans.

Louisiana’s French Influence

Louisiana’s pecan pie history is influenced by French settlers, who incorporated the local nut into their baking traditions. Haydel’s Bakery in New Orleans has kept this lineage alive since 1959, using thick maple syrup instead of corn syrup to give their pecan pie a unique flavor.

These family bakeries and their recipes are the reason pecan pie remains a beloved dessert, with each state convinced its version is the best. Whether you’re in Texas, Georgia, or Louisiana, there’s no denying the pecan pie’s special place in Southern cuisine.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.