Bourbon Pecan Pie, made with just a touch of bourbon, molasses, and butter with the flakiest homemade pie dough is a favorite anytime of year! I made this Bourbon Pecan Pie without corn syrup – but it tastes as fabulous, if not better than the traditional!
Oh, it’s been one of those weeks. I’m not sure if it’s the change in season, the stormy weather or if I’m coming down with a little something. I just seem to be running in circles, not accomplishing what I’ve set out to do. Do you know what I mean?
One thing I have going for me is this Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie Recipe. Finally, something worked! But before we talk about this pecan pie recipe, I’ve got a few pics to share with y’all from our California trip.
A Trip to California for a Birthday Celebration
Rob and I headed out to California late last month, for a bit of birthday celebration and get-a-way. First to San Fran to say a quick hello to the gorgeous bridge and environs and to meet Kelly at the famed Tartine Bakery. Have you been? It was such a delight to meet Kelly, whose blog I discovered last year, for the first time. We sipped wine and champagne over some outrageous hot pressed sandwiches, I’m determined to recreate for y’all because I know you love sandwiches, and chatted for as long as possible, but not long enough.
Rob and I left with an armful of brownies, chocolate croissants and dark chocolate mousse cake (gah!). We had a long drive ahead and I had to do some blog research, right?
Enjoying Nature
That evening we drove to Pacific Grove where we stayed in a little AirBnB that was cozy and comfortable. This was our jumping off point for days of birding, hiking, picnicking and ocean gazing. We didn’t even make it to a winery!
Rob and I haul our binoculars with us everywhere and keep lists of birds we spot. We study their behavior and listen to them by ear. One spectacular sighting was a California Condor, the largest bird in North America with a wingspan of nearly 10′. Their numbers had plummeted to a mere 23 individuals in the early 1980s. To avert extinction, a captive breeding program was started and brought their numbers back to around 400 individuals. This is nowhere near their historic numbers, but an improvement nevertheless.
A Little Recipe Research
Each morning we’d plan the day, pack a lunch and spend the days out exploring and hiking. We visited Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, a gem just outside of Carmel supported by an educated and loyal group of volunteer docents. We made our way down the twisting coast on highway 101 through Big Sur, over Bixby Bridge and stopped along the way at Big Sur Bakery to recharge, and do a bit more research.
There were plenty of gasps from the views, waves crashing and quick turnouts to catch a glimpse of a flock of Brown Pelicans, a pod of Sea Lions or to watch the fog roll in from above. Julia Pfeiffer State Park was breath-taking. We spent most of Rob’s birthday there. Hiking. Gazing. Listening.
And now to my best bourbon pecan pie recipe!
Ingredients You’ll Need for this Bourbon Pecan Pie Recipe
Most pecan pie recipes use corn syrup to sweeten and thicken it. I’ve made this pecan pie without corn syrup in favor of brown rice syrup, but it tastes just as fabulous as the most traditional versions out there!
- One, 9 1/2″ Blind Baked Pie Crust
- Brown Rice Syrup
- Light Brown Sugar
- Unsalted Butter
- Molasses
- Bourbon
- Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
- Pecan Halves
- Eggs
The bourbon is bold, but not overwhelming. I like to whip out the booze during the holiday season, both in baking and in drinking, especially Bourbon; one of my favorite libations to bake with.
My love of pecan pie runs deep. Growing up, it was always on the holiday table, without the bourbon of course. Ma used to serve it with whip cream. Us kids, all four of us, would haggle over the leftovers. It was always over the top sweet. We loved it.
Tips and Variations
- As an adult, I find pecan pie usually to be overly sweet because of the corn syrup and added sugar. In this bourbon pecan pie, I’ve left out the corn syrup in favor of brown rice syrup and use brown sugar in place of white with a bit less of it than in some recipes I’ve seen. I prefer brown rice syrup over corn, given the issues surrounding GMOs.
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Bourbon Pecan Pie is best made one day ahead of serving so the rich, custard filling has time to cool and set. Be ready with a homemade All Butter Buttermilk Pie Dough, which can be made in advance of whippin’ up this boozy treat. Gently reheat the pie and serve it with sweetened vanilla bean whip cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a melty, texturally tantalizing experience!
How to Make Bourbon Pecan Pie
You’ll want to make this Southern pecan pie at least one day in advance so the custard has time to cool and set. Then for serving, gently reheat the pie and serve with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!
- First, have ready a blind baked pie crust with extra dough for leaf cutouts.
- Second, make the syrup. On medium-low heat, mix the brown rice syrup and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, molasses, bourbon, and vanilla. Let this mixture cool to room temperature.
- Third, toast the pecan halves, then arrange the pecans, tops up, in the bottom of the pie.
- Next, once the brown rice syrup mixture has come to room temp, whisk in the eggs. Gently pour the sugar-egg mixture over the pecans.
- Last, bake the pie for 45-50 minutes, turning 1/2 way through the baking. You can tell when it’s done when the center is just set but still slightly soft.
Remove the pie from the oven and cool overnight so the custard has time to set.
A Few Recipe Notes
- The pie crust can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated or up to a month in advance and frozen.
- The Bourbon: I’ve received a few notes regarding the strength of the Bourbon notes in the finished pie. If desired, sub 1/2 or all apple cider or apple juice for the Bourbon.
- The pie itself needs to be made at least one day in advance so the custard has time to cool and set.
- PRO TIP: Any leftover pie dough is perfect for making leaves or other shapes to lay on the edges of your pie.
- If having trouble finding Brown Rice Syrup, several makers of my Bourbon Pecan Pie left comments about what they used instead. Here are a few of their notes:
- Annie said: ” I used agave syrup and it turned out fine. A lovely fragrant pie!”
- Charlotte said: “I substituted the brown rice syrup for 3/4 C honey and 1/4 C maple syrup. This worked perfectly for my pie.”
- Kristin said: “I substituted with Corn Syrup and Vanilla Extract.”
Watch a Video to See How to Make This Pie!
More Holiday Pie Recipes to Love
- Apple Dumplings with Brown Sugar Cranberry Butter
- Gluten Free Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Vegan Bourbon Pecan Pie
- All Butter Buttermilk Homemade Pie Dough
- Homemade Vegan Coconut Oil Pie Dough
the recipe
Bourbon Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 1, 9 1/2" Blind Baked Pie Crust (use the leftovers for decorations)*
- 1 C Brown Rice Syrup 344g
- 2/3 C Light Brown Sugar 136g
- 2 Tbs Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1 Tbs Molasses
- 1/4 C Bourbon (see note)** 52g
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
- 1 1/2 C Pecan Halves 184g
- 3 Eggs room temperature, beaten
Instructions
- In a small sauce-pot on medium low heat mix the brown rice syrup and sugar. As the mixture starts to bubble around the edges, whisk so that the sugar dissolves. Do not let this mixture come to a boil. Remove from heat and add the butter, molasses, bourbon and vanilla. Whisk to mix. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 325F (163C). Toast the pecan halves for about 10-12 minutes until lightly toasted. They'll toast further as the pie bakes.
- Arrange the pecans in the bottom of the pie, in an even layer with tops up.
- Once the brown rice syrup mixture has come to room temperature, add the eggs and whisk until ingredients come together. Gently, pour the sugar-egg mixture over the pecans.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes turning 1/2 way through baking. It's done when the center is just set but still slightly soft. If the crust starts to get dark, place a crust protector over the top of the pie or use foil to cover the edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool overnight so that the custard has time to set. Cover when completely cool and store at room temperature for up to three days.
- Cutting this pie can be tricky because it has a soft set. Use a sharp knife and firm pressure when cutting. Dipping your knife in hot water and wiping it dry before cutting will help make a clean edge.
- To reheat for service with ice cream, place in a 325F oven for about 8 minutes.
