Piccadilly Cafeteria Pecan Delight Pie

Pecan Delight Pie is a favorite dessert at the Piccadilly Cafeteria restaurant. It’s a light, fluffy, creamy pie with a toasted pecan and Ritz cracker meringue crust.

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Piccadilly pecan delight dessert

For nearly 80 years, Piccadilly Cafeteria has been serving up classic American food in a casual atmosphere. Over the years, the popularity of certain items on the menu has waned, but Pecan Delight, one of the original pies served at the cafe, continues to maintain a loyal following and be a Southern favorite.

This pie may look simple, but the complex flavors and textures make it an absolute standout. But what makes this pie unlike anything you have ever tasted is the airy menagerie crust studded with toasted Ritz crackers and pieces of pecans; truly unlike anything you have ever eaten. This Pecan Delight recipe isn’t too difficult to make, and it’s sure to impress, no matter where you serve it.

What makes the Piccadilly Pecan Delight Pie a new way to enjoy pecan pie?

This scrumptious pie has similar components to a classic pecan pie, except with a twist. It doesn’t have a standard pie crust but something much more special. With a unique pecan-packed meringue shell and light, fluffy whipped filling, you’ll be in heaven every time that you bite into this.

Since you toast the pecans and Ritz crackers, they take on a golden-brown hue and deeper flavor. The meringue shell perfectly bakes into a crispy, sweet masterpiece. When combined with creamy filling, this dessert is truly magnificent.  

Why you’ll love this recipe

With only a handful of ingredients required, this is a simple recipe that anyone can make. But aside from its easy baking methods, your loved ones will be blown away by how delicious it is. It is simply light and fluffy pie perfection!

This recipe will take them right back to the first time they tried it at Piccadilly Cafeteria. It’s a timeless classic with rich flavors and contrasting textures. Serve this at your next work party, potluck, or family gathering, and it will soon become everyone’s favorite because of how unique it is!

What is meringue and how can I make it?

When most people hear the word ‘meringue,’ they immediately think of what’s on top of a lemon meringue pie. But meringue is much more versatile than that. Pastry cooks use meringue to make everything from tart shells to cookies. While the ingredient list for meringue is short, it does require a fair bit of technique to get right.

The easiest way to make meringue is using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer with a whisk attachment. If you don’t have either, you can still make meringue using a balloon whisk, but get ready for a workout.

There are two different kinds of meringue, soft and hard. Soft meringue is what bakers use to top a lemon meringue pie or to combine with other ingredients. It is not the kind you want for this recipe. Ritz cracker pecan pies and tarts require hard meringue that can form a solid shell.

To make a hard meringue, first, you have to separate the eggs. The simplest way to do this is to crack each egg into a small bowl and use your fingers to scoop out the yolk. If you prefer, you can always use an egg separator to keep your hands from getting messy. Be sure to check that there are no bits of yolk with the egg whites before adding the whites to the mixing bowl. Repeat for each egg.

Add the vanilla and cream of tartar to the egg whites, and mix on low until foam starts to appear. At this point, start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time. After adding all the sugar, you can increase the speed of the mixer slightly. Continue to beat the egg white mixture until it gets glossy. Check for stiff peaks by lifting the whisk or attachment straight up and turning upside down. The meringue is ready when the peaks don’t lose their shape.

Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need to make pecan meringue pie:

• Eggs
• Cream of Tartar
• Vanilla extract
• Sugar
• Pecans
• Ritz crackers
• Whipped Topping (Cool Whip)

If you don’t want to use Cool Whip, you can always make your own whipped cream. Since you already have the mixer out, why not make homemade whipped cream? You can’t beat the flavor.

How to make pecan delight pie

1. Place chopped pecans and crushed Ritz crackers on a baking sheet.
2. Bake at 350°F for 5 minutes. They should be light golden brown.
3. Remove pecans and crackers from the oven and place them on a paper towel to cool.
4. Lower oven temperature to 275°F.
5. Separate yolks from egg whites. Place egg whites in a mixing bowl.
6. Add vanilla and cream of tartar to the egg whites and beat until stiff.
7. Slowly add sugar and continue to beat egg whites until very stiff peaks form and the sugar is dissolved.

8. Add pecans and crackers to the beaten egg whites.
9. Fold in pecans and Ritz crackers.
10. Spray a 10-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.
11. Spread the meringue in the bottom and up the sides of the pan, about 1-inch thick. You may have extra meringue (see tip below).
12. Hollow out a little hole in the middle of the bottom of the meringue the size of half a dime to help with an even baking of the shell.
13. Bake at 275°F for 1 hour.
14. Turn the oven off and let the meringue crust dry in the oven for another hour.
15. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
16. When the crust is cool, spread the whipped topping in it.

17. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
18. Place the pie in the refrigerator to completely chill before serving.

Tip: For a buttery touch, toast the pecans coated in melted butter.

Tips for whipping up egg whites

• Use clean equipment. Using a wet bowl or tools that aren’t entirely clean and have grease on them can inhibit the egg whites from fluffing up, which can be quite frustrating!
• Start with a slow to medium speed, and once the egg whites become somewhat fluffy, you can increase the speed.
• Don’t under or overwhip the egg whites. Loose meringue won’t bake correctly, and overwhipped meringue turns grainy or curdled! Be cautious when the stiff peak stage is approaching.
• Use room-temperature eggs. They will foam up and blend into each other much easier.
• Don’t use fresh eggs to make meringue. Older eggs are better, don’t use spoiled ones. You can check by placing an egg in a glass of water. If it floats, throw it away, but you can use it if it stands up on the bottom of the glass.

Bonus recipe – meringue nests

If you have any extra meringue, you can make nests and bake them the same way as the crust.

Just drop mounds of the meringue mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the back of a spoon to form a well in the center.

Then you can fill the baked nests with jam, pudding, fruit, or berries. Strawberries and raspberries make a nice dessert for Valentine’s Day.

What to serve this with

Enjoy this divine dessert with a chocolate drizzle, caramel sauce, fresh fruit, or even a scoop of ice cream. You can also sprinkle extra pecans on top for garnish.

How to store it

Cover this pie with a dome lid or move the extra pieces to an airtight container that won’t ruin the surface layer of whipped topping. Keep it in the refrigerator.

How long will it last?

Between the Cool Whip and the baked meringue shell, this pie is definitely best enjoyed when it has just been freshly chilled.

However, this yummy pie lasts approximately 3-4 days when stored correctly. After that, the Cool Whip might start to break down, and the meringue turns softer.

Love homemade pies? Try these recipes!

• Eggnog Pie
• Toll House Pie
• Easy Chocolate Pie
• Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
• Ritz Mock Apple Pie
• Millionaire Pie
• Kool Aid Pie

Favorite pecan desserts and treats

• Texas Pecan Pie
• Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Pecan Pie Bars
• Sugar Spice Pecans
• Pecan Pralines

Be sure to check out my easy pie recipes and the best Thanksgiving dessert recipes on CopyKat!