Bourbon Pecan Pie
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Made with brown butter and a splash of bourbon, this bourbon pecan pie has a richer, more complex flavor than the typical pecan pie.
This is truly an outstanding bourbon pecan pie, and the recipe credit goes to longtime reader Jeff Winett of Sherman Oaks, California. Jeff is an avid cook and baker, so when he emailed me his “never-fails-to-thrill” pecan pie recipe, I knew I had to save it for the holidays. Made with dark brown sugar, golden syrup, brown butter and a shot of bourbon, the pie is richer with a more complex praline flavor—and also less cloyingly sweet—than your typical pecan pie. And the best part? It doesn’t take much more effort. The only extra step is browning the butter, which takes just five minutes but makes a world of difference in flavor. The payoff is totally worth it!
“I have made this pie several times and feel it is hands down the best pecan pie I have ever tried.”
What You’ll Need To Make Bourbon Pecan Pie
- Pie crust – I like to make a homemade crust for my pecan pies—it’s easy once you get the hang of it—but a store-bought crust will work well, too. It’s up to you!
- Unsalted butter – Browned, adds deep, nutty flavor and richness to the filling.
- Dark brown sugar – Brings sweetness and a deep, molasses-like flavor that complements the pecans and bourbon.
- Light corn syrup – Sweetens the filling and helps bind the ingredients, creating that classic gooey texture.
- Golden syrup – A thick, amber-colored sweetener with a slightly toasty, caramel-like edge. You can find it in the baking aisle of most large supermarkets near the corn syrup and molasses. The most well-known brand is Lyle’s, which is widely available in the UK (and sold at Whole Foods in the US) but King Golden Syrup is more common in the US.
- Eggs – Binds the filling together and provides structure as it bakes.
- Bourbon – Adds warmth and depth of flavor, enhancing the richness of the pie.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and rounds out the flavors of the filling.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors of the filling and pecans.
- Pecans – The star of the pie, bringing crunch and nutty flavor to every bite. Reserve a few whole pecans for a decorative touch on top.
- Beaten egg, milk, or cream, for brushing the edges (optional) – Creates a beautifully golden, shiny crust.
- Unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving – The perfect creamy contrast to the rich, sweet pie.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Crust
If using a store-bought refrigerated crust that is already rolled, simply unroll it, and fit it into a 9-inch by 1½-inch deep-dish pie pan. If using a homemade crust, roll it out into a 12 to 13-inch 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 the dough into the pan, ensuring it is smoothly eased into place without stretching. Trim the edges of the dough to extend about ½ inch beyond the pie pan’s lip. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute them with your fingers to create a decorative edge. Refrigerate until ready to fill, up to 1 day ahead of time.
Preheat the Oven: 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.)
Step 2: Make the Filling
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter smells nutty and is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Once you smell that nutty aroma, take the pan off the heat and pour the browned butter into a large heat-proof bowl to cool. (The milk solids will darken and settle on the bottom of the saucepan. When you transfer the brown butter to the bowl, try to leave as much of this sediment in the pan as possible but don’t worry about it too much.)
To the bowl with the brown butter, add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and golden syrup and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, bourbon, vanilla, and salt.
Sprinkle the pecans in the pie crust.
Pour the syrup mixture over 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, if using.
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.
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Bourbon Pecan Pie
Made with brown butter and a splash of bourbon, this bourbon pecan pie has a richer, more complex flavor than the typical pecan pie.
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked homemade pie crust, or store-bought 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, chilled
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup golden syrup (such as Lyle’s or King)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 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
- Unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, (optional, for serving)
Instructions
Prepare the Crust
- If using a store-bought refrigerated crust that is already rolled, simply unroll it, and fit it into a 9-inch by 1½-inch deep-dish pie pan. Press the dough gently into the pan to ensure it fits snugly without stretching. Trim the edges of the dough to extend about ½ inch beyond the pie pan's lip. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute them with your fingers to create a decorative edge. Refrigerate until ready to fill, up to 1 day ahead of time. If using a frozen crust, keep it in the freezer until you are ready to fill it.
- For a homemade crust, roll it out into a 12 to 13-inch 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 the dough into the pan, ensuring it is smoothly eased into place without stretching. Trim the edges of the dough to extend about ½ inch beyond the pie pan's lip. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute them with your fingers to create a decorative edge. Refrigerate until ready to fill, up to 1 day ahead of time.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F 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.)
Make the Filling
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter smells nutty and is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Once you smell that nutty aroma, take the pan off the heat and pour the browned butter into a large heat-proof bowl to cool. (The milk solids will darken and settle on the bottom of the saucepan. When you transfer the brown butter to the bowl, try to leave as much of this sediment in the pan as possible but don't worry about it too much.)
- To the bowl with the brown butter, add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and golden syrup and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, bourbon, vanilla, and salt.
- Sprinkle the pecans in the pie crust and then pour the syrup mixture over 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, plain or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
- Make Ahead: The pie can be made one day ahead of time and stored, loosely covered, at room temperature.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: To freeze the pie, after it has cooled, wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before you plan to serve it.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 731
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 79 g
- Sugar: 41 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Sodium: 363 mg
- Cholesterol: 112 mg
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.
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Another keeper recipe from Once Upon a Chef! I did cheat and use a refrigerated pie crust, but this pie was a HUGE hit on Thanksgiving. Otherwise I did not, nor will I, change a thing. It is going to be my go-to when I am bringing a dessert to an occasion this winter!! Thank you!
I made this for family at Thanksgiving and I was lucky to get a slice before it was all gone! Everyone agreed that it was less cloyingly sweet than other pecan pie recipes, which meant we could enjoy the other, more subtle flavors more. I used a store-bought butter-based pie crust, and made homemade Golden Syrup, because I couldn’t find any at the local stores (I just did a YouTube search and found an easy recipe). Browning the butter was a fabulous idea to develop depth of flavor!
I brought this dish to Thanksgiving and even after a huge meal people made room for this dessert. I followed the recipe exactly, ordering the king syrup online, since I can’t find it locally, and used the bourbon. Loved it! Pecan Pie has always been a favorite for me, this pie adds ever more wonderful flavor.
I made this Bourbon Brown Butter Pecan pie for Thanksgiving because I love to shake things up a bit. I was worried that everyone would miss the traditional pecan pie but this pie was an overwhelming hit! The richness of the bourbon and brown butter was not overpowering. I will definitely add this recipe to long list of “Once Upon a Chef” make again recipes.
I made this pie for Thanksgiving. This is, by far, the BEST pecan pie I have ever had! Most pecan pies are so sweet they are not enjoyable to eat-this pie was perfect. I instantly could taste the browned butter and loved what this added-definitely a DO NOT SKIP step. I used Basil Hayden bourbon and what a good choice! The only “slight negative” and again, slight to the point that it would not begin to keep me from making the pie again, was that the pie got a bit hard on top in the fridge. I will not refrigerate this pie the next time. I have told many close to me that if they need a good pecan pie, this one is exceptional!
I made this recipe for my Thanksgiving guests. There was not one crumb left over. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Jenn,
I found the dough recipe lacked a little bit of water and was too crumbly with 4 tbsp, added 1 more and it was perfect! Many, many compliments.
The taste of bourbon was masterful!
Looking forward to your cookbook.
I made one pie exactly like the recipe and I made one pie using a store bought pie crust and added semisweet chocolate chips. The original recipe was delicious-even though my pie crust was not as pretty as yours. I love the bourbon in it. My son and husband had to have chocolate and really enjoyed the 2 nd pie. Both pies did not last long and I would call that a success. I will make this again!
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! I purchased Lyle’s golden syrup on Amazon, and followed the recipe as directed. I found the crust to be crumbly and a little difficult to work with, but it was fine in the end, though a little dry and not as flaky as I would like. Next time I might consider toasting the pecans first, but overall was a great dessert and will definitely make again
Made for Thanksgiving, big hit. Found King golden syrup on Amazon Prime. Thanks!