Baking the Goods

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Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

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Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie with a scoop of Vanilla Bean from McConnell's Ice Cream.

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Every Fall, I look forward to pie baking season like a bowhunter awaits deer hunting season. I gather my tools the night before and arrange them neatly on the counter as a woodsman would in preparation for an early start. In the wee hours of the morning, I prepare a pot of strong black coffee and begin to stalk the illusive ingredients. I'm on the trail of Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie, so I stealthily raid the liquor and baking cabinet for my prey.

I sight my prey with the marksmanship of a hunter in a tree stand. I field dress the dough until it's stretched out like a bearskin rug. I toast the pecans until the kitchen smells like opening day of hunting season. I stuff the pie shell with filling like a taxidermied deer (with a big rack, of course).

That's probably graphic enough, you get the idea....I live for pie season.

Pecan pie is an indulgence that only comes once (ok, maybe twice) a year for me, so I make sure I'm prepared for opening day; Thanksgiving. While pecan pie is decidedly sweet, this recipe for Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie is more rich than sweet. The maple syrup brings a level of flavor and luxury that sugary corn syrup simply doesn't offer. The bourbon mellows the sweetness, and a bit of coarse fluer de sel brings subtle support to the herd of flavors.

Basically, this recipe is like a 12 point buck among a field of doe. It's smooth and full-bodied with masculine characteristics, but it's not too sweet or <insert Grandpa joke here> doe-ghy.

Because most of us are no longer hunters, at the very least we can do our best to gather fine ingredients and create something special that we are proud to share with our families and friends. If you're on the hunt for a new pie recipe, try this one for your Turkey Day gathering. I promise your loved ones will be thankful for it (and for you).

While eating this pie is rewarding, I wonder if I'd feel more accomplished if I had mounted the pie plate on the wall as a placard of my achievement? Hmmm.

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Begin by rolling out your dough, I suggest using my tried and true all butter vodka pie crust recipe.
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Once the dough has been transferred to the pie dish, use scissors to trim the excess dough down to a 1-2" overhang all the way around.
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Then tuck the overhang edges, under; like this.
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Then flute the edges by pinching the dough between your thumb and pointer finger on one hand and your pointer finger knuckle on the other.
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Prick the bottom of the pie shell with a fork to prevent it from bubbling up during the blind baking process.
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Cover the shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with beans, pie weights or rice.
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Your shell should just start to turn a warm gold in the oven and begin to slightly harden on the outside when blind baking.
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All the good stuff. Bourbon and maple go together like a bow and an arrow.
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Whisk together the maple syrup and brown sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely.
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Then add the butter, vanilla, bourbon and salt. Allow to cool.
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Once the mixture has cooled way down, lightly beat in the eggs. If the mixture is too warm, the eggs will begin to cook and the yolks will start to curdle. Yuck, don't do that.
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Fill the shell with toasted pecans.
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Then gently pour the liquid mixture over the top of the nuts.
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Ready to hit the oven! Be sure to place the pie on a baking sheet in case it spills or leaks while baking.
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If you have leftover dough from trimming off the edges, don't waste it! Roll it out again and use a cookie cutter to make decorative pie crust cookies. I used a maple leaf cookie cutter to create leaves and then brushed them with an egg wash and topped with a bourbon smoked sugar.
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I've been dying to use this Bourbon Smoked Sugar I got it as a gift from some good buddies. It was the perfect compliment to this pie, the smokiness brought a much appreciated earthiness to this sweet pie. I even added a couple of tablespoons to the filling. So yummy.
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I love the way this Maple Bourbon Pecan pie looks resting in a Lodge Cast-Iron Skillet .
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A perfect slice of Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie, it's like a stag in the moonlight.
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All that ooey gooey goodness is what makes this pie so tasty.
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This Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie pairs best with a simple Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, like this one from McConnell's.

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Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

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Description

Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie brings full-bodied flavors & luxurious textures to the mix with toasted pecans, woody bourbon, rich maple syrup & a slight burst of salt.

Ingredients

Units

Pie Dough

Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie Filling

  • maple syrup - 1 cup
  • brown sugar - ¾ cup
  • unsalted butter - 3 tablespoons
  • bourbon - ¼ cup
  • pure vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
  • coarse sea salt - 1 teaspoon
  • eggs at room temperature - 3
  • halved pecans - 1 ½ cups

Egg Wash For Extra Crust (optional)

  • egg - 1
  • water - 1 teaspoon
  • salt - dash
  • raw or flavored sugar - 1-2 tablespoons

Instructions

FORMING THE PIE SHELL

  1. You will need a single disk of prepared pie dough, you can't go wrong with my All Butter Vodka Dough Recipe. (This recipe makes 2 disks, I suggest making both and freezing the second one to have on hand for your next pie baking adventure).
  2. Remove the dough disk from refrigerator and roll out onto a lightly floured surface into a 12" round about ⅛" thick.
  3. Gently transfer the rolled dough into a 9" pan, leaving a 1-2" overhang all the way around. Tuck the edge underneath itself to form a ring around the edge of the pie plate.
  4. Flute the edges by pinching the dough between your thumb and pointer finger on one hand and your pointer finger knuckle on the other. Use a fork to prick small holes into the bottom of the pie shell.
  5. Place the pie shell in the freezer and chill for at least 20 minutes.
  6. While the pie shell is baking, preheat oven to 350° and bake the pecans for 7-8 minutes until they start to brown slightly and you smell a nutty aroma.

BLIND BAKING THE PIE SHELL

  1. Turn the oven up to 400°.
  2. Place the frozen pie shell on a baking sheet and line with a layer of parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill the lined shell with beans, pie weights or rice. Be sure the weights fill the entire shell and reach to the edges and up the sides.
  3. Bake with weights for about 15 minutes, until the crust barely begins to turn a golden color and starts to look dry. Remove the lining and beans and bake for another 5 minutes until the bottom of the shell looks dry, too. Allow to cool on a rack.
  4. Turn the oven temperature down to 350°.

PREPARE THE FILLING

  1. While the crust blind bakes, prepare the filling.
  2. Start by whisking the brown sugar and maple syrup together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat.
  3. Whisk in the butter, bourbon, salt and vanilla. Allow the mixture to cool.
  4. Once the mixture has cooled way down, lightly beat in the eggs. Mix until the mixture is fully blended and starts to thicken. If the mixture is too warm, the eggs will begin to cook and the yolks will start to curdle. Yuck, don't do that.
  5. Place the blind baked pie shell on a baking sheet and arrange the toasted pecans in the bottom of the pie shell. Slowly pour the filling over the top.

BAKE THE PIE

  1. Bake the pie at 350° for 40-45 minutes, until the filling is set; rotating the pan halfway through. The filling should be just barely jiggly in the center.
  2. Place on a cooling rack. While the pie cools, roll out the extra pie dough and cut desired shapes.
  3. Brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with raw or flavored sugar. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes, until the pie crust cookies start to turn a golden color.
  4. Decorate the pie with baked crust cookies in any design your heart desires. <3 Serve plain or à la mode with a simple vanilla bean ice cream.

Notes

My All Butter Vodka Dough Recipe is a no-fail recipe that works great for all types of pies.

  • Cook Time: 45 minutes

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Comments

  1. Brenda says

    I just want you to know that I LOVE this recipe. I just recently found it and have made it several times already. The crust is perfect and I really appreciate the use of maple syrup instead of corn syrup. I used Belle Mead Bourbon the first few times, but today I am baking for friends who work at Jack Daniel's, so obviously I will be using JD. I can't wait to hear their rave reviews! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe and I look forward to exploring your other wonderful creations!

    • beckysue says

      Hi Brenda! Thanks so much for the rave review, I am so happy to hear you enjoy the recipe so much! It's one of my personal faves, especially this time of year. I am sure good ol' Jack Daniel's will feel right at home in this pie. I'd love to hear how it turns out and what your pals at JD think. Enjoy! 😀

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