During the entire twelve years that we lived in Virginia, I never made a pecan pie. Not a single one. Which is odd because the South is known for its pecans.
But this year I wanted to go a bit more traditional for Thanksgiving and decided it was time for a pecan pie to grace our holiday table.
I started with the basic pecan pie recipe that's printed right on the bottle of Karo syrup. I mean, considering the amount of Karo in the pie, they should have the recipe down pat I would guess, right?
Ina Garten has a Maple Pecan Pie recipe that I had originally planned on making. Until I realized I didn't have all the ingredients. So I ended up going with the Karo recipe and tweaking it. The resulting recipe I came up with is sort of a mash up of the Karo and Ina recipes.
To jazz the traditional recipe up a bit and also add a bit of a "Maine flair", I decided to add some maple syrup to the filling ala Ina. I also added a splash of bourbon to the crust...just because... and then added more to the pie filling!
The bourbon is entirely optional in both the crust and filling. If you don't want to use it, just leave it out. The pie will still be delicious, but the alcohol in the crust evaporates as the pie bakes and makes a really flaky crust....just sayin'.
I also increased the amount of pecans called for by Karo and added a bit of orange zest for a little citrusy brightness.
Well, the resulting pie was absolutely delicious. I can't believe it has taken me all this time to add a pecan pie to our Thanksgiving menu, but now this recipe will become an annual tradition.
And it just might show up on our Christmas dessert table too!
Scroll down for the printable recipe.
Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 stick cold butter, cut into cubes
1 Tablespoon bourbon, optional
1/4 cup ice water
Pulse the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor until mixed. Add the butter and pulse until combined.
Pour in the bourbon and just enough of the water to make a dough that holds together when you press it between your fingers, pulsing as you add the liquids. You most likely won't need all the water.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a disc. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill while you make the filling, then roll out on a floured work surface into a 12" circle.
For the Filling
1 cup dark Karo syrup
3 eggs, lightly whisked
1 cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 Tablespoons of butter, melted
1 Tablespoon bourbon, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 cups pecans
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9" pie plate with the crust, crimp or flute the edges, then set on a rimmed baking sheet. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the first eight ingredients until well combined, then stir in the pecans.
Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the pie has puffed up and the center is just set, covering the edges of the crust with foil if they are browning too fast partway through.
Let the pie cool on a wire rack for 2-3 hours before cutting into slices. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers.
