Bourbon Pecan Pie, made with just a touch of bourbon, molasses, and butter with the flakiest homemade pie dough is a favorite any time of year! I made this Bourbon Pecan Pie without corn syrup – but it tastes as delicious, if not better than the traditional. Plan ahead… you’ll make this pie one day ahead of when needed so the pie has time to set. For a vegan version of this pie check out my Vegan Bourbon Pecan Pie.
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Pecan Pie Season
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.
To this day, it’s still one of my go-to recipes during the holidays. So much so, I created these cute little Mini Pecan Pies perfect for holiday dessert tables.
This Recipe Is
- rich and buttery with bourbon notes
- make ahead
- sweet, crunchy and creamy
If you enjoy making homemade dessert recipes, especially pie during the holidays, put this one on your list!
About the Key Ingredients
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, if not better than, as the most traditional versions out there!
- One, 9 1/2″ Pie Crust – for this pie, you can choose a homemade crust like my all Butter Buttermilk Pie Crust, Handmade Sourdough Discard Pie Crust or, your favorite all butter store bought brand.
- Brown Rice Syrup (affiliate link)- a thick syrup I use instead of corn syrup. It is sweet, but not too sweet.
- Light Brown Sugar – adds rich molasses and sweet flavor to the pie.
- Unsulphered Molasses (affiliate link)- traditional in pecan pie, molasses is lightly sweet, thick and viscus. It aids in creating that thick custard texture pecan pie is known for.
- Bourbon, Apple Cider or Apple Juice – for a pecan pie with a touch of bourbon flavor, you can add it or opt for non alcoholic apple cider or apple juice. They each have their own flavor nuances, but each option works deliciously in this pie.
Recipe Insights
- 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 because it’s not as cloyingly sweet.
- 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, parbaked 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!
For a dairy and egg free version of this pie, try my Vegan Bourbon Pecan Pie recipe. It features my diary free, made in a food processor Coconut Oil Pie Crust.
At a Glance: How to Make Bourbon Pecan Pie
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, you’ll par bake (partially bake) your pie crust to prevent a soggy bottom.
- Second, make the syrup on the stovetop, mixing the brown rice syrup, and sugar. Removed from heat and whisk in the butter , molasses, bourbon and vanilla. Set aside to cool.
- 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 cooled, whisk in the eggs. Gently pour the sugar-egg mixture over the pecans.
- Last, bake the pie!
Remove the pie from the oven and cool overnight so the custard has time to set.
“I made this pie for thanksgiving. The instructions were easy to understand which made putting it together a breeze (I am not much of a baker and this happened to be the first pie I had ever made). If you are a fan of bourbon, as I am, you will love this pie. It was lovely, rich, and delicious. As well, it looked amazing on my mom’s decked out table. It was definitely a hit with the family.”
Angela
Recipe Tips
- The Bourbon: I’ve received a few notes regarding the strength of Bourbon flavor in the finished pie. If desired, sub 1/2 or all apple cider or apple juice for the Bourbon.
- Plan Ahead: The pie dough needs to be made and rested in the refrigerator overnight, prior to rolling and par baking. You can use my Butter Buttermilk Pie Dough recipe or my Sourdough Discard Pie Crust recipe. After baking the pie, it will need several hours to cool before either serving or storing it in the refrigerator.
- Any leftover pie dough is perfect for making leaves or other shapes to lay on the edges of your pie.
Maker Notes
If having trouble finding Brown Rice Syrup, several readers shared what they used instead in the comments. Here are a few of their recipe notes:
- Annie said: ” I used agave syrup and it turned out fine. A lovely fragrant pie!”
- Charlotte commented: “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.”
Bourbon Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 Homemade Pie Dough, enough for one disk, make two for leaf decorations (make one day ahead)
- 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
- Make and Roll out The Pie Dough: follow my instructions for making, rolling out and refrigerating the crust on my All Butter Pie Dough or Sourdough Discard Pie Crust recipe. You will need to mix the dough and refrigerate it one day ahead of making the pie.
- Par Bake the Crust: to ensure the bottom crust is cooked through and to prevent a soggy bottom, we need to par bake (partially bake) the crust before filling it with the pecan filling, and baking again. Preheat your oven to 375F. After chilling the rolled out pie dough, dock the dough. Crumble a sheet of parchment paper, then line the dough with the parchment paper. Add 2-3 cups of ceramic pie weights or beans to the parchment, making sure to gently nudge the weights into the corners of the pie plate. Fill to the rim if possible. Place in the oven on a sheet pan, turn the oven down to 350F and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment. Rotate the pan, then bake for an additional 5-8 minutes until the crust is lightly golden, slightly transparent and the crust at the rim is beginning to brown. Remove from oven, and set on a cooling rack.
- Make the Pecan Filling: 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 par baked pie crust, 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: Place the pie pan on a sheet pan and bake at 325F (163C) for 45-50 minutes turning 1/2 way through baking. The pie is done when the center is just set but still slightly soft. If the crust starts to get dark, place a crust protector over the rim of the pie or use foil to cover the edges.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely, about 2-3 hours before slicing and serving. Cover when completely cool and refrigerate 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
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This pie is a game changer. It is hands down the best pecan pie Ive ever had and Im from the deep south! I love changing people’s minds about pecan pie with this recipe. I do have a question though! Would it be ok to make the filling 3 days in advance?
Hi Toni! Thank you for your note and review. Yay! I’m not sure. I’m thinking the pecans would get too soft.
I was referring to just making the custard ahead and then pouring over pecans when Im ready to bake. Do you think that would be okay?
I’m not sure, Toni. If you experiment, please keep us posted!
what two do we bake on? 350?? also if i want to add chocolate chips— do you recommend sprinkling over pecans?
Hi Julianne! Bake at 325F. I’ve not tried this with chocolate chips, if you give it a go, let us know how it goes!
I have a dumb question: does this recipe require a deep pie plate or a regular pie plate? You photo looks like a deep pie plate, but you don’t really specify.
Hi Andrew! Not at all… no deep pie plate needed. I use a 9 1/2″ Glass Pyrex or as seen in the pictures, 9 1/2″ Stoneware. The Stoneware is a deeper pie pan, but you can make it in either. I hope this helps and you enjoy the pie!
Wonderful! I am so grateful for this vegan rendition of a Southern favorite. The depth of flavor even surpassed the traditional egg, sugar pecan pie recipes. I substituted Brandy for Bourbon because I had Brandy on hand.Thank you, Traci.
Hi Cassandra! Thank you for your note! Did you make my Vegan Bourbon Pecan Pie? SO happy to hear you enjoyed the pie. Brandy sounds lovely!
This might be a dumb question, but you put the pecans in the bottom of the pie, correct? I’m new to baking and I really want to try this recipe, but I want to make sure I understand it first. Do the pecans float up to the top as the syrup mixture bakes? I’m envisioning a pecan pie with toasted pecans at the top, so is this what happens?
Thanks for the clarification!
Alison
Hi Alison! Not a dumb question at all… that’s exactly what you do. Place the pecans in the bottom of the par baked crust, tops up. Once the custard is ready to be added to the pecans, gently pour the custard over the top. The pecans float to the top as the pie bakes! I hope you enjoy the recipe!