Southern Pecan Pie
Desserts · Serves 8 · Prep 30 min · Cook 1 hr · Total 1 hr 30 min
A gooey brown-sugar filling under a thick layer of toasted pecans, with a little salt to keep the sweetness in check. Toasting the nuts first makes all the difference. It holds well at room temperature, so it travels to holiday tables easily.
Ingredients
The Crust
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cubed
- 3 to 4 tbsp ice water
The Filling
- 2 cup pecan halves
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp bourbon (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Steps
The Crust
- Whisk the flour, sugar and salt, cut in the butter until crumbly, then toss in ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. Flatten into a disk, wrap and chill 1 hour.
- Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, fit it into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edge. Chill while you make the filling.
The Filling
- Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third and a baking sheet on it. Spread the pecans on another pan and toast until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool, then roughly chop about a third of them.
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in the corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, bourbon if using, and salt until smooth.
- Scatter the chopped pecans in the crust, arrange the halves on top, and slowly pour the filling over them. The halves will float to the top.
- Bake on the hot baking sheet until the filling is puffed and the center wobbles only slightly when nudged, 50 to 60 minutes (about 200°F in the center). After 30 minutes, cover the crust edge with foil if it is browning fast.
- Cool on a rack at least 4 hours so the filling sets before slicing.