Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

This Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie brings full-bodied flavors and luxurious textures that elevate beyond a classic Pecan Pie. Toasted pecans, woodsy bourbon, rich maple syrup & a slight burst of flaky salt effortlessly add modern dimension to a traditional, beloved pie.

To be frank, Pecan Pie can be, well, cloyingly intense. Even with the nutty pecans, all of that corn syrup can fully eclipse what makes Pecan Pie great in the first place. Beautiful pecans with their natural nutty warmth and a rich, custard-like filling that seems to suspend the pecans in place perfectly. These are highlights that deserve to shine.

At a certain point, most of us grow out of that straight sweet tooth and crave foods with layers of personality. Perhaps we look for the same in people too. Sweetness is nice and all. But I personally like a sprinkle of saltiness and rich depth in character in my pies, and my people.

Swap the corn syrup for maple syrup in this Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

This Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie challenges the idea of a classic corn syrup infused filling by swapping in maple syrup. Instead of thick syrupy sweetness, the maple syrup adds richness and complexity. While still in keeping with the sensibility of the classic, the maple syrup rounds things out with warmth.

All good pies start with a solid pie dough

If your pie crust is junk, it will take the filling down with it. Butter based pie crusts that bake up ultra tender with a crisp crust that shatters into a fabulously flaky texture upon biting are simply the best. The butter fat creates little pockets of flakiness that puff up when the pie dough bakes, giving the pie crust a croissant inspired flaky crispness.

Anytime I bake pies, I insist on using European style butter in my pie dough. That high fat, less water ratio translates to more textural and tender crusts. And more fat means more flavor! Resulting in a superior pie crust that is just right for this rich and robust Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie.

I find that butter based pie dough are more pliable when European style butter is used. Which, in turn, makes them more forgiving and easier to work with. The lush quality the butter imparts is evident in rolling, transferring and shaping a pie crust. That butter obviously translates to the finished, baked product as well!

Blind baking the pie shell

You will need to blind bake the crust of this Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie but don't let that deter you. Blind baking is a simple process that means you will need to first bake the pie shell, separately, before adding the filling.

What the heck are pie weights?

Well, pie weights can be a whole lot of things. But the purpose of pie weights is to weigh down a pie crust during the blind baking process, preventing it from puffing up or shrinking while it bakes.

Pie weight options

• Ceramic pie weights or metal pie weights are a reusable option available at retailers.
• Dry beans are my preferred method. They are cheap, reliable and weigh down the pie crust well. I re-use them a handful of times each season.
• Dry rice is another reliable method that works just like the dry beans.
• Sugar is a fun option as the sugar will toast under the heat and can be re-used in recipes, adding a toasty element to the flavor!

Tips for blind baking pie shells

• Dock or prick the bottom of the pie shell with a fork to create little holes for steam to escape while the shell bakes. This will keep it from puffing up too much and assist in building a flaky texture.
• Once you've shaped your pie shell, stash it in the freezer for at least 15 minutes while the oven preheats. This will help that shell keep its shape in the hot oven.
• Line your pie shells with either foil or parchment paper before filling with pie weights.
• Bake for pie shell with the weights for the initial bake time. Then once the crust has a dry outer shell, remove the weights and bake an additional 5 minutes to deepen the crust and build more strength in the pie shell structure.

What makes this Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie so special?

Now that we've established the importance of a quality pie dough recipe, let's discuss the filling! When developing this recipe for Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie I kept the flavor in the forefront. Without adding a whole bunch of ingredients or changing the integrity of a classic Pecan Pie too much, I made a few minor modifications that brought major magic.

It's all in the details, baby. A few tips and tricks and simple swaps elevate a plain Pecan Pie to this cherished Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie recipe that will call to you year after year.

• Perfect pie crust, as discussed above. Begin with my Basic All Butter Pie Dough, All Butter Vodka Pie Dough or Chocolate Pie Dough.
• Toasted whole pecans add a deep aroma of nuttiness. By first toasting the pecans, they take on more depth and character, adding an extra nutty flavor to the pie.
• Maple syrup swaps in for the standard corn syrup. Bringing body, natural sweetness and smooth richness to the filling.
• Bourbon imparts a woodsy roundness, mellowing the sweetness of the filling with a shot of warming distinction.
• Eggs are the binder that holds the filling together. Blending with the maple syrup and sugar, together they create a custardy, almost creamy filling that surrounds the pecans in silky smoothness.
• Brown sugar brings caramelized notes to the filling.
• Butter adds rich buttery mouth feel, enriching the filling while softening the sweetness.
• Pure vanilla extract compliments the filling with familiar flavor and comfort.
• Fine sea salt weighs the other flavors happening in the filling and balances them with just enough contrast, highlighting the complexity of the simple ingredients.
• Sea salt flakes finish the pie once it's baked. A soft sprinkling of the sea brine scented flakes enhances the full flavor of this Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie. While this is an optional move, I highly recommend it.

Make the Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie filling

The filling for this Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie comes together in a few key steps. There are some important factors to keep in mind for achieving that luxuriously smooth and custardy filling.

• Whisk the brown sugar and maple syrup together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved. You want it smooth and syrupy.
• Take it off the heat and whisk in the butter, bourbon, salt and vanilla.
• Allow the mixture to cool before adding the eggs. This will prevent the eggs from starting to cook or curdle from the heat, helping to maintain that smoothness.
• Once cool, whisk in the eggs to thicken the filling.

Assembling and baking the Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

The home stretch! Once the pie shell is baked and the filling is mixed, the Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie can come together and bake in the oven. Simply fill the shell with the toasty pecans and pour the filling over the top. Then bake it until the filling is set. It should just barely jiggle when you give it a shake.

Bonus points for using those pie scraps!

I hate to waste good pie dough. So I always make decorative elements to jazz up my pies using those pie dough scraps. Even if you don't use them to decorate your pies, at least bake the scraps for snacks.

This Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie is a Thanksgiving table must. An elevated take on a classic with handsome flavors and an unrivaled variety of textures. It's a pie dressed to impress that will have guests oohing and awwing and at the comfort and warmth it brings.

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