Pecan Pie
Yield: 12 servings
Calories: 466kcal
Homemade pecan pie is a must-have dessert for the holidays! Slices of sweet and gooey filling with crunchy nuts in a flaky pie crust.
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 ½ cups (213 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon orange zest
- 14 tablespoons (199 g) unsalted butter cut into ½-inch cubes, chilled
- ½ (120 ml) ice-cold water chilled
Pecan Filling
- 2 tablespoons (18 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons (18 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon (1 g) kosher salt
- 2 cups (473 ml) dark corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) bourbon whiskey optional
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten, divided
- 2 ¼ cups (256 g) pecans halves divided
Special Equipment
Instructions
Pie Crust
- Keep the diced butter and ice water in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Using a stand mixer bowl, add the flour, salt, and orange zest. Mix using the paddle attachment on the lowest speed (stir) for about 10-seconds.
- Add chilled diced butter to the bowl. On the lowest speed, turn the mixer on and off quickly for a few seconds to coat the butter with the flour. This helps to prevent the flour from spilling over. Continue to mix on low speed until the flour and butter resemble wet sand with coarse crumbles and some pea-sized pieces remaining, about 75-seconds. Use fingers to break up any large pieces. Do not overmix. The dough should not bind together before the water is added. Alternatively, use a dough/pastry blender or your fingers to break the butter into the dough.
- Gradually add 1 tablespoon of ice-cold water to the bowl. After each addition, turn the mixer on for 1 to 2-seconds. Only add enough water until the dough looks lumpy and hydrated, but not wet or sticky. Where it just begins to clump together with small crumbles on the bottom of the bowl. All of the water may not be needed, about 5 to 6 tablespoons is typical. When the dough is pinched together, it should compress and hold, not be dry or crumbly. Do not over mix. The dough will be pressed together before resting.
- Press the dough into a 1” thick round disc and wrap in plastic wrap and place in a resealable bag. Store in the refrigerator to rest for at least 4-hours, overnight, or up to 2 days.
- Once removed from the refrigerator, allow the crust to sit at room temperature for about 5 to 10-minutes. This will make it easier to roll. If it’s still too hard, let it sit at room temperature until more pliable.
- Dust the counter and top of the dough with flour. When rolling out, make sure to rotate and dust with flour underneath and on the top. This will prevent the dough from sticking and make it easier to transfer to the pie dish. Roll the dough into about a 13 to 14-inch circle, slightly less than ¼-inch thick.
- Place the rolled out dough into a 9-inch pie dish and gently press against the sides and bottom. With a paring knife, trim the excess dough with a 1/2-inch overhang over the pie dish's edge. Tuck the extra dough underneath the bottom crust edges. Crimp by pinching the dough using the pointer and thumb fingers.
- Using a fork, carefully dock (poke) the crust's bottom and sides about 1-inch apart. Place the crust in the freezer for 20 minutes. While the dough chills, make the filling.
Pecan Filling
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dark corn syrup, melted butter, bourbon, and vanilla extract. Measure out ⅔ cup of beaten eggs and whisk into the syrup mixture. Save the remaining whisked egg to brush the pie crust. Add the flour mixture, whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Coarsely chop 1 ½ cups (172g, 6 ounces) of pecan halves, set aside. Reserve the remaining pecan halves for the topping, about 40 to 50 pieces.
Assembly
- Place the oven rack in the center position. Preheat to 375°F (190°C). Line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place the chilled crust on the sheet pan.
- Place a piece of parchment paper in the pie dish and add the pie weights to cover just the crust's bottom and sides, do not overfill.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper with weights out of the pie dish and set aside. It will not be used again. The bottom may puff up slightly, but it will deflate once it sits during egg washing.
- Lightly brush the egg wash over the bottom and sides of the parbaked shell. If desired, brush the edges for a shiner, more golden crust. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes, and then remove from the oven. It will puff in the center. Use a spoon to tap the crust lightly, it will slowly deflate until flat.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF (177ºC). Evenly place the chopped pecans in the bottom of the par baked pie shell. Slowly pour in the pecan filling mixture. Pour a little at a time to let the filling settle around the chopped pecans. Fill the pie to just under the pinched edges, there may be extra. Garnish the top with the pecan halves in a circular pattern.
- Bake until the crust is golden brown, the center is set, and the filling reaches between 200 to 205ºF (93 to 96ºC) about 60 to 70 minutes.
- Cool the pie completely, at least 3 hours before serving to set the filling. Serve pecan pie slices with whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
- Storing: If making pie the day in advance but not eating until the next day, cool completely and cover with plastic wrap or foil and keep refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving. Wrap and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat a whole pie: Remove pie from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature about 3 to 4 hours before serving. Alternatively, bake at 225ºF (107ºC) on a foil-lined sheet pan and loosely cover with foil, bake until warmed through, about 20 to 25-minutes.
- Reheat a slice: Place on a foil-lined sheet pan and reheat in 250ºF (121ºC) until warm and crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
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