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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I always get compliments each time I make one of your desserts but I had to leave a review for this one in particular because they just won’t stop coming! I’m not a fan of pecan pie but the pecan pie lovers said this was delicious! I also enjoyed making it and it was so easy too (probably because I used store-bought crust :D).
Thanks, Jenn for sharing your amazing recipes with us and making us look like professional chefs/bakers out here!
P.S: I copped a copy of your book and can’t wait to try out the recipes!
💕
I’ve made this pie several times using both store bought and homemade crust. Always delicious and my son’s favourite. The bourbon takes the flavour to a whole new level of deliciousness. Thanks for for great recipe
My first attempt at making pecan pie (using your recipe )was a huge hit with my family. I did have an issue with the second pie I made. It was delicious but never quite set. The filling remained runny even into next day. I follow all your recipes as closely as I can because I have such success with them. Any thoughts as to what happened? Only change I made was I used a pretty stone wear type 9” deep dish pie plate rather than the 9 1/2” glass Pyrex used in first pie. Thank you Looking forward to making many more of your recipes.
Hi Jennie, I think the issue was probably your ceramic pie pan — the really heavy ones heat up evenly but slowly, which can slow the baking process significantly. When using that pan, you may need to increase the cooking time to 65-70 min. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn! I use Emile Henry pie plates, and am so grateful your answer to Jennie Martin is posted(above), which will help circumvent the problem she had, hopefully(my pie’s in the oven as I am writing this). I’m sorry she had had the problem, but her posing the question and your response is a blessing to those of us who use ceramic. My thanks to both you and Jennie Martin!!!
This recipe is more like a novel. Too much text. Too easy to make a mistake.
Then you will be much happier just buying a pie. If you’re not going to try a recipe, why bother being a hater.
I served this pie at Thanksgiving and everyone raved about it. I will make it again soon. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
I’ve made this twice and both times, at 55 min and with over browned crust and top, it was a liquid mess…
I made this on Thanksgiving this year (2018) for my very first pecan pie ever. I had a couple mistakes in the batter (more in how I put things in) but it still turned out beautifully. In fact, everyone who tried it on Thanksgiving said it was the best pecan pie they had ever had. I did it exactly as the recipe stated and it was a huge hit.
I made this last year for thanksgiving and it was amazing. I made it again this year (by popular request from my family after last year!) and the pie was a liquidy mess! I followed the recipe-but there were 3 changes from last year: I used a store bought crust this year (blind baked it), made it in southern Florida instead of nyc (too much humidity?), and I baked 2 pies at the same time this year-I let the pie set overnight, as directed-any idea what could have gone wrong?? Thanks!
Hi Racquel, sorry to hear you had a problem with the pies this year! It sounds like they were a bit underbaked. Usually when you double a recipe (so in this case the two pies in the same oven) the baking time will need to be increased a little. Hope that helps!
I made this for Thanksgiving! I’d never made pecan pie before, and was nervous it would be so sickly sweet from all the syrup and sugar in it, but it turned out amazing. My dad said it was the best pecan pie he’d ever had and is begging for me to make it for Christmas in a month! The brown butter and bourbon adds a really nice depth of flavor. I may add an extra tablespoon of bourbon when I make it again. Overall, it’s a pretty easy, straight-forward recipe with indulgent results. A little slice with some cream is heaven.
Hey! I made this for Thanksgiving too! I had to use maple syrup instead of golden syrup, so it was a bit runny, but everyone said they loved it. I think I’ll add more bourbon next time too! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi! I know the alcohol cooks off, but am concerned my family will not like any kind of bourbon flavor. Does the flavor come through? If I opt to leave it out, do I need to replace the 2Tbs with another liquid or ingredient? Thank you!
Hi Katie, You don’t need to replace it but you might consider using at least 1 tablespoon, as it really does add nice flavor. It’s not really recognizable, just yummy. 🙂
Thank you for the quick reply! If I don’t have Bourbon, would either Whiskey or Scotch work?
Sure, whiskey will work.