Bourbon Pecan Pie

This Bourbon Pecan Pie starts with perfectly toasted pecans, combined with a creamed butter, maple syrup, and bourbon filling, then baked inside a buttery flaky crust. This pecan pie comes together without the use of corn syrup and is a unique twist on a true classic.

Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is one of those recipes you either really love, or really dislike. I'm assuming that if you are reading this recipe, then you are one of those people (aka the really awesome type) that really love pecan pie.

And while I too love pecan pie, I don't necessarily love the usual amount of sugar and ingredients called for in a traditional recipe. Most recipes use corn syrup and a lot of it, in addition to one cup of brown sugar. While I don't necessarily have a problem with corn syrup, when I first started developing this recipe I felt that the pies that used it lacked any depth of flavor. The pie was ok, but it just had one note to it: sweetness. So I turned to maple syrup instead of corn syrup, to add an extra level of depth to this pie. I really liked that version, but still felt like it needed just a bit more of something else. Cue the bourbon, which hits all the right notes. It cuts through the sweetness of the pie (with the help of a generous ½ teaspoon of kosher salt) and adds depth that makes this pecan pie truly sing.

The recipe is a bit different than traditional recipes because it calls for a unique method of preparation by creaming the butter and the sugar together. This special method is inspired by the Chef who mentored me when I first made my way into the restaurant cooking scene, Charlie Redd. He served his Oma's Pecan Pie recipe at his first restaurant, Redd's in Rozzie (which he since closed down). Creaming the butter and sugar creates a lovely texture for the pecans to hang out in.

So, let's get to making it, shall we? The text below offers tons of tips and helpful notes, or you can scroll to the bottom to grab the recipe and get started!

Ingredients Needed

Here is an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe is listed below in greater detail.

• prepared pie crust (see note below on options)
• pecans
• maple syrup
• bourbon (this is optional, and ok to leave out)
• butter
• dark brown sugar
• vanilla extract
• salt
• all-purpose flour
• eggs

Does this Pie Taste Like Alcohol?

If you add the alcohol to it, it sure will! The recipe calls for 1-2 tablespoons of bourbon. If you really want the bourbon to shine, use two tablespoons. If you prefer the flavor to be more in the background, use one tablespoon.

Is it Safe for Kids / Pregnant Women to Eat?

The boiling point of alcohol is 173ºF. What that means is that when the filling reaches that temperature in the oven the alcohol will start to burn off. But that doesn't mean that by the time the pie is done baking that all the alcohol will have all been evaporated away.

To be on the safe side, I'd avoid serving this pie to anybody that cannot or does not want to consume any alcohol.

Maple Syrup in a Pecan Pie vs. Corn Syrup

Corn syrup is a thick sweet syrup made from corn starch. In pecan pie, it serves a few purposes including sweetening the pie as well as thickening and stabilizing the filling. It works together with the eggs to create that thick, sweet filling that surrounds the pecans.

However, it does very little to add overall flavor, other than sweetness, especially the light corn syrup. Swapping the corn syrup in the recipe with maple syrup not only uses a less refined sugar (though to be clear, doing this doesn't necessarily make this any healthier, as sugar is sugar), but it adds a great depth of flavor to the pie.

Also, maple syrup is much thinner than corn syrup and doesn't have anything in it to help stabilize the mixture. To successfully swap these two sweeteners the recipe needs the addition of a thickener. That is why this recipe calls for two tablespoons of flour. The flour absorbs some of the liquid in the pie, helping to create a perfectly thickened maple-flavored filling.

Because the flour doesn't start doing its job until it's heated, you'll notice that when you are creaming together the butter/sugar/maple mixture, it will look broken or curdled. Don't fear, you've done nothing wrong. This is how it's supposed to look and it will bake up just fine!

Tools Used

Here is a list of some of the primary tools I use in this recipe. You won't necessarily choose to use them all, but they are exactly what I used. Any links may contain affiliate links.

• food processor (to make the pie dough)
• electric mixer
• pie plate
• dried rice and beans / pie weights (for blind baking)
• rolling pin
• knife
• kitchen essentials: baking scale, bowls, measuring cups and measuring spoons

Bourbon Pecan Pie Crust Options

This pie tastes best with a homemade buttery pie crust. This All Butter Pie Crust or Cream Cheese Pie Crust is perfect here.

A Spelt Pie Crust or a Whole Wheat Pie Crust would also be lovely here.

You'll only need one pie crust for this Pecan Pie, and most of the above recipes yield two. You can either halve the recipe or put the other pie crust in the freezer for a future pie.

If you are making a homemade pie crust, I always suggest making it ahead of time, by a day.

How to Make a Bourbon Pecan Pie

Here is the overview of the steps needed to make this pecan pie:

• make pie crust
• roll out and blind bake pie crust
• toast pecans
• cream together filling
• bake

The instructions call for blind baking the pie crust. While this is a bit untraditional in a pecan pie recipe, the filling is cooked at a lower temperature and the pie crust will not be able to cook properly without blind baking it.

Toasting the pecans is one of those fussy steps that are worth the effort. Toasting the nuts first before adding them to the filling essentially wakes up the flavor of the nuts by bringing the oil to the surface. It also crisps up the nut too, which improves the texture.

And, be sure to use room-temperature ingredients for this recipe. It helps ensure the filling comes together!

The pie is going to puff up during baking, so if you put any decorative design with pecans on top it might not be worth the effort. Instead, the instructions advise to sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the filling before baking.

How to Serve It

There is no doubt this pie needs to rest before you slice into it. When first baked, the pie will be too loose to slice. Let it rest for at least 2 hours.

Want to eat it warm? You still need to let it rest, and then once it's set up, you can place it back in the oven (or place an individual slice in a toaster oven) to briefly warm it back up. It'll only need a few minutes.

Serve as is, or with maple whipped cream or a big scoop of vanilla ice cream for a pretty fabulous dessert.

How to Store Pecan Pie

This pie is best served within 3 days. To store it, leave it lightly covered at room temperature, for up to one day, or in the refrigerator for up to three. You can rewarm it in a 350ºF oven before serving.

More Pie Recipes with Nuts:

• Honey Walnut Pie
• Brownie Pecan Pie
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
• Fluffernutter Pie

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