Bourbon Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup)
Equipment
- pastry cutter optional or use hands
- kitchen scale for best accuracy
- sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled) 150g
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar 12g
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup cold salted butter, cubed 115g
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp ice water (plus more if needed) 30g
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup 150g packed dark brown sugar 150g
- ⅓ cup salted butter, melted and slightly cooled 75g
- 1-3 tbsp bourbon (see notes) 15g
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extracct
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¾ cups pecan halves 175g
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- In a bowl with a pastry cutter or your hands, combine flour sugar, and salt. Add cold, cubed butter and cut in until pea-sized crumbs form.1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), 1 tbsp granulated sugar, ½ tsp salt, ½ cup cold salted butter, cubed
- Mix white wine vinegar with ice water. Add this mixture 1 tbsp at a time, mixing until dough holds together. Add more ice water if needed for a softer non-crumbly dough.1 tsp white wine vinegar, 2 tbsp ice water (plus more if needed)
- Form into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll out to a 12-inch circle on a floured surface or pastry cloth. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish, trim excess, and crimp edges. Chill while preparing filling.
Prepare the Filling:
- Soak pecans in warm water for 10 minutes and pat dry before adding, if desired, to soften them.1 ¾ cups pecan halves
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, bourbon, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.3 large eggs, ¾ cup 150g packed dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup salted butter, melted and slightly cooled, 1-3 tbsp bourbon (see notes), 1 ½ tsp vanilla extracct, ½ tsp salt
Assemble and Bake:
- Pour filling into chilled crust. Place pie dish on a baking sheet.
- Bake on the lower oven rack for 35–40 minutes. Check internal temperature with a thermometer; remove when it reaches 170°F–175°F (77°C–79°C) and the center jiggles slightly. Cover crust edges with foil if browning too quickly.
- Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours) before slicing.
Serve:
- Serve at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
-
Bourbon amounts: 1 tbsp (15g) for subtle warmth, 2 tbsp (30g) for balanced flavor, 3 tbsp (45g) for bold bourbon shine.Soften pecans: Soak pecan halves in warm water for 10 minutes and pat dry before folding into the filling for easier slicing.
- Internal temp: Pull the pie from the oven when the center hits 170–175°F (77–79°C) and jiggles slightly; it will firm up as it cools.
- Cutting tip: Chill the cooled pie for 1 hour, then use a warmed serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion.
- Make-ahead: Crust dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 3 months.
- Storage: Room temperature 1 day (covered); refrigerate up to 4 days; freeze whole pie up to 2 months.
- No bourbon? Replace with extra vanilla or 1–2 tsp rum extract.
Servings: 8 slices
