The absolute best

pecan pie

The Absolute Best Pecan Pie

Honestly, what’s Thanksgiving without pecan pie?

Not that one has to wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy this classic American treat. It’s great the other 364 days as well.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad pecan pie. So what makes this one so special?

The traditional pecan pie recipe calls for, obviously, pecans, plus eggs, sugar, and corn syrup. It all gets mixed together and poured into a pie shell, then baked. Some add maple or other flavorings. Some add chocolate. It’s all good.

This one replaces the corn syrup with light treacle. Lyle’s Golden Syrup adds a buttery, toffee-like flavor that corn syrup just can’t compete with. The filling also contains cream, and is pre-cooked before being poured into the pie shell.

The complexity of the flavor comes from a dash of bourbon, good vanilla, salt, and yes, pecan extract. The pecans in the filling are chopped, which gives the pie a good texture, and whole pecan halves decorate the top. I do get that maple flavor in there—it comes in the whipped cream that you dollop onto each slice. Not absolutely necessary, but it takes 3 ingredients and less than 5 minutes to make. Totally worth it!

Make this pecan pie once and I think you’ll never make it any other way again. Lyle’s Golden Syrup can be found in many grocery stores, on the international aisle. You can also get it from Amazon.

As for the crust, I highly recommend my Ultimate Pie Crust. Follow the directions, and even if you’re new to working with pastry, you’ll have great success with this recipe.

The best pecan pie

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (215 grams) dark brown sugar

  • 2/3 cup (160 ml) Lyle's Golden Syrup

  • 1 tablespoon rum or bourbon

  • 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) cream

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

  • Optional: ½ teaspoon pecan extract

  • ½  cup pecans, sprinkled lightly with salt, toasted and coarsely chopped

  • 1 cup whole pecans

Method:

  • In a large saucepan, heat the brown sugar, the Lyle's Golden Syrup, bourbon, and the butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. As soon as it boils, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Be sure to take the pot off the heat as soon as it boils, or the filling will get too thick and be hard to work with.

  • While the pot is cooling, whisk the eggs with the salt in a medium/large bowl.

  • Add the extracts and the cream to the eggs and whisk until well combined.

  • When the contents of the pot are cool, use a rubber spatula to scrape it all into the bowl with the eggs. As you whisk, it will all come together.

 Build the Pie: 

  • Evenly distribute the chopped pecans over the bottom of the crust. 

  • Then pour in the filling.

  • Arrange the whole pecans over the top of the pie.

  • Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is just set (a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie will come out clean. If you find the edges of the pie crust are over-browning during baking, cover the edges with foil.

  • Remove the finished pie from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool.

 

Maple Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

Method:

Use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, or an electric hand mixer. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat until it turns into fluffy whipped cream.