Bourbon Pecan Pie
Ready for a sweet holiday? This sophisticated pie recipe from Twin Cities food blogger greens & chocolate is destined to become a new family favorite.
For the holidays, I love celebrating with elevated traditional dishes. While I’m not going to try a unique stuffing recipe, I might throw some Italian sausage and apples into my classic recipe; or add orange zest to the sweet potato casserole, and butternut squash and Brussels sprouts to a gratin. While I’m at it, I’m going to add a (big!) splash of bourbon to the pecan pie.
Bourbon and pecan pie go together like ham and potatoes, and I can assure you, bourbon really takes pecan pie up a level! It adds flavor to the pie that people might not be able to put their finger on, but can tell it’s there.
Best yet, this Bourbon Pecan Pie is just as easy to whip up as a regular pecan pie. Truly, just adding a splash of bourbon is all it takes! I went the extra step by making my favorite homemade pie crust, but feel free to use a store-bought pie crust. The filling is so delicious no one will be able to tell!
My favorite way to eat this Bourbon Pecan Pie is with a big dollop of whipped cream and a cup of decaf coffee.. That sounds like the perfect ending to a holiday meal.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
To make the pie crust:
2 ½ cups (325 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
5 tablespoons ice water
To make the pie filling:
1 cup light corn syrup
3 large eggs
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups pecan halves
Directions:
- To make the pie crust: In a large food processor, add 1 ½ cups of the flour, sugar and salt, and pulse five times.
- Add the cubes of butter and pulse until it resembles fine crumbs. Add the remaining 1 cup of flour and pulse to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the ice water. Using a rubber spatula, fold the ingredients together until the water is incorporated. Using your hands, press the dough together until cohesive and smooth. Add an additional tablespoon of ice water if the dough is not sticking together.
- Divide the dough into two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to two days in advance. Note: Bourbon Pecan Pie uses one disc of dough. The remaining disc can be frozen for up to three months.
- Heat oven to 375 F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the pie dish and press it down around the bottom and side of the pie dish. Trim the edges as necessary.
- To make the pie filling: In a large bowl, combine the corn syrup, eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, bourbon, vanilla, salt and cornstarch. Stir in the pecans.
- Pour into the prepared pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 F and bake an additional 45 to 50 minutes. The center should have a slight jiggle but be mostly set.
- Let cool completely. Cut into slices. Enjoy!
