Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Pâte Brisée (Crust)
- 170 g all-purpose flour, chilled
- 115 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 10 g sugar
- 3 g salt
- 60 ml ice water
Bourbon Filling
- 200 g pecan halves, raw
- 3 large eggs
- 300 g dark corn syrup
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 30 ml bourbon whiskey
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 3 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 606 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 63 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 44 g
- Sodium
- 382 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 16 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 117 mg
- Potassium
- 191 mg
- Calcium
- 54 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 42 mg
- Phosphorus
- 140 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 180 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 21 mcg
- Water
- 38 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold cubed butter and pulse briefly until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized butter bits remaining.
Drizzle in ice water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the dough just begins to hold together when pinched. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Roll dough out on a floured surface to a 30cm (12-inch) circle. Transfer to pie dish, trim overhang, and crimp edges. Freeze for 10 minutes to set the shape.
Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Par-bake (blind bake) for 15 minutes. Remove weights and paper, then bake for another 5 minutes until the bottom looks dry. Lower oven temperature to 175°C (350°F).
While the crust cools slightly, spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, dark corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, bourbon, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth and emulsified.
Arrange the toasted pecans in the bottom of the par-baked crust. Pour the filling mixture evenly over the pecans. The nuts will rise to the surface.
Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 40-50 minutes. The pie is done when the edges are set and puffed, but the center still has a slight wobble (like gelatin) when gently shaken. It should not be liquid.
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing. This rest period is mandatory for the filling to set.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the pecans before adding them to the filling releases their natural oils and ensures they stay crisp in the liquid custard.
- Dark corn syrup is preferred over light for its molasses content, which complements the bourbon notes.
- Do not skip the cooling step. Pecan pie filling is essentially a sugar-egg custard; cutting it hot will result in a landslide on the plate.
- For clean slices, run your knife under hot water and wipe dry between cuts.
- If using salted butter, reduce the added salt in the filling to 1g.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cover loosely with foil or plastic wrap once fully cooled.
Freezer: 2 months — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw in refrigerator overnight.
Reheating: Serve at room temperature or warm gently in a 150°C oven for 10 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Filling is runny after cooling
Cause: Underbaked pie
Fix: Refrigerate; cold pecan pie sets firmer than room temperature pie.
Prevention: Ensure the internal temperature reaches 93°C (200°F) or the center jiggle is firm, not wave-like.
Crust is soggy
Cause: Skipped blind baking or filling sat in raw crust too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Always par-bake the crust for custard pies.
Crust edges are burning before filling sets
Cause: High sugar content in dough or oven hot spots
Fix: Cover edges with foil immediately.
Prevention: Use a pie shield or foil ring around the edges after 20 minutes of baking.
Cultural Context
Pecan pie is a quintessential dish of the American South, popularized in the mid-20th century by Karo syrup recipes, though its roots lie in the abundance of native pecan groves in states like Texas and Georgia. The addition of bourbon is a modern nod to Kentucky's distilling heritage, adding a mature complexity to the sugar-forward dessert.
