Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 1 homemade pie crust dough, chilled (or store-bought 9-inch deep-dish pie crust; see note)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional but recommended)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups pecan halves (coarsely chopped, save 8 to 10 whole pecan halves to create a decorative pattern on the surface of the pie, if you like)
- Beaten egg, milk, or cream, for brushing the edges
Instructions
- If using a store-bought pie dough: If using a refrigerated dough, unroll it and fit it into a 9-inch by 1½-inch (23-cm by 3.75-cm) deep-dish pie pan. Press the dough gently into the pan so it fits snugly without stretching. Trim the edges to extend about ½ inch (1.25 cm) beyond the pan’s lip. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute them with your fingers for a decorative finish. Refrigerate until ready to fill, up to 1 day ahead. If using a frozen crust in an aluminum pan, keep frozen until you’re ready to fill it.If using a homemade pie crust dough: Roll the dough into a 12 to 13-inch (30 to 33-cm) circle on a lightly floured surface. Carefully lift the dough by draping it over your rolling pin, then transfer it to the pie pan. Gently press it into the pan, ensuring it fits snugly without stretching. Trim the edges to extend about ½ inch (1.25 cm) beyond the pan’s lip. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute them with your fingers for a decorative finish. Refrigerate until ready to fill, up to 1 day ahead.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the lower third position. Place a baking sheet on this rack to preheat as well. (This acts like a pizza stone, providing a hot surface to help the bottom crust of the pie crisp up effectively.)
- In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, corn syrup, eggs, bourbon (if using), vanilla, and salt. Whisk until completely smooth.
- Sprinkle the coarsely chopped pecans in the chilled pie crust, then pour the egg mixture evenly over the top. If you've set aside a few whole pecan halves, arrange them on top in a decorative pattern, pressing them slightly into the filling before letting them rise back up to ensure they're coated. Brush the edges of the pie crust with the beaten egg, milk, or cream. Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet in the oven. Bake until set and golden, 50 to 55 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack, about 4 hours. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- If using a store-bought crust, you can use either a rolled refrigerated crust or a frozen crust in an aluminum pie pan.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The pie can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored, covered loosely with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, at room temperature. Alternatively, the unbaked pie can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply place the unbaked pie in the freezer, uncovered, and allow it to freeze until firm. Once the pie is frozen, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. When ready to bake, there is no need to thaw the pie. Simply remove it from the freezer, unwrap it, and brush the edges with beaten egg, milk, or cream, and bake as directed. Note that you'll need to add about 10 minutes to the original baking time if baking from frozen. Cover the edges with foil towards the end if they start to get too brown.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.