A touch of bourbon makes a delicious difference in this Bourbon Pecan Pie recipe. If you think you can’t love pecan pie more than you already do, you’re in for a treat!
For more delicious bourbon-enhanced desserts check out my Sweet Potato Bundt Cake and Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars.
I added some bourbon to my holiday pecan pie on a whim many, many years ago and I’ve been reaching for that bottle every single time I’ve baked a pecan pie since. It enhances the other ingredients with a touch of its rich, smoky flavor and takes pecan pie to a truly delicious place.
It isn’t an overwhelming flavor and it does’t taste especially boozy.
It’s just better.
Pecan pie is a classic choice for a Thanksgiving dessert menu. It’s also one of the easiest pies to make since there’s no top crust. It’s just a matter of mixing the ingredients in a bowl, pouring them into a single crust and baking it in the oven. Easy, peasy, and oh-so delicious!
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Pie crust pastry: Take a look at my easy as pie, Food Processor Pie Crust recipe. Once you’ve got your crust rolled out this recipe comes together very quickly.
- Pecans: This recipe calls for chopped pecans, but I like to buy pecan halves and coarsley chop them for slightly larger pieces.
- Bourbon: For baking, a mid-range bourbon with a balanced flavor profile works best. These bourbons have notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak, which add warmth and depth without overpowering. Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, and Buffalo Trace are all great choices – they’re smooth and reasonably priced. Avoid top-shelf bourbons (save those for sipping!) since their complex notes may overtake your recipe, and steer clear of very cheap options, which can be harsh.
- For the rest: Large eggs, light corn syrup, granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, and butter.
- For serving: Be sure to have lots of vanilla ice cream on hand! Bourbon Pecan Pie served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a match made in heaven!
How to Make Bourbon Pecan Pie
- Lightly whisk eggs in a medium mixing bowl.
- Mix in the corn syrup, sugar, melted and cooled butter, vanilla, and bourbon and mix until well combined.
- Stir in the pecans.
- Pour the pie filling into the prepared crust. Then, bake on the center rack of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 60 to 65 minutes until center seems set. Allow to cool before serving.
Tips for the Best Bourbon Pecan Pie
Keep the crust cold: After lining your pie pan with the prepared pie crust, place it in the freezer while preparing the filling. Keeping the butter in the crust very cold helps the crust keep its shape while baking and ensures a flaky texture.
Avoid overmixing: When stirring the filling, mix just until combined to prevent extra air from creating a foamy texture on top of the pie.
Cool completely: Let the pie cool fully before slicing so the filling can set properly, making each slice neat and easy to serve.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap or foil and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours, or refrigerate it for up to four days. . If refrigerated, let the pie sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Bourbon Pecan Pie is a great pie to make in advance. Prepare the pie as usual, then allow it to cool completely. You can store it in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for a couple of days or freeze it for up to two months. If freezing, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and thaw it in the refrigerator before serving.
More Classic Holiday Desserts You’ll Love
Apple Desserts: It can’t be Thanksgiving in this house without a Classic Double Crust Apple Pie. Or go for an easy apple dessert like Apple Cobbler or Fresh Apple Cake.
Pumpkin Desserts: Classic Pumpkin Pie is always a hit but if you love pecans, try my Praline Pumpkin Pie for a pecan pie meets pumpkin pie experience! I have big love for my Pumpkin Gingerbread – a take on my mom’s absolutely delicious Gingerbread Cake recipe. Pumpkin Roll Cake is an impressive and absolutely delicious choice.
Chocolate Desserts: You can’t go wrong with my seriously delicious Chocolate Cream Pie or an indulgent Toll House Chocolate Chip Pie!
Lemon Desserts: A Lemon Tart or my mom’s Easy Lemon Bars are a nice, light way to end a big holiday meal.
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Bourbon Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 1 prepared pie crust, (unbaked)
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
- 1 ½ cups coarsley chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. with a rack set in the center of the oven.
- Line a 9-inch pie dish with the prepared pie crust and place the pie dish in the freezer while preparing the filling.
- In a medium mixing bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Using a spoon, stir in the corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla, and bourbon and mix until well combined. Stir in the pecans. Remove the pie dish from the freezer and pour the filling into the chilled pie crust.
- Bake on the center rack of the oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until the center seems set. Allow to cool before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
This post was originally published on November 23, 2011. It has been updated with new text and images.
The Story Behind the Recipe
As long as I’ve been married, I’ve had a bottle of Jim Beam in my pantry. No, marriage has not driven me to drink.
It was my mother and father-in-law’s drink of choice. After we lost my husband’s mom, my father-in-law would come every Sunday to join our family for dinner. He’d sit at the kitchen table with his bourbon and water while I was busy in the kitchen preparing our dinner.
He appreciated a home cooked meal and the boys loved the tradition of Sunday supper with Grandpa. Since I always had a bottle of it on hand, I started to play around with using bourbon in recipes and found it does something really special to pecan pie.
We lost Grandpa years ago and I still think of him every time I bake this pie. This recipe gives me an excuse to keep a bottle of Jim Beam in the pantry.
It just wouldn’t seem right otherwise.
This recipe required a deep dish for me. Did not fit in regular Pillsbury pie crust
Hi Mary. I baked this pie yesterday (and every Thanksgiving) and although I use my own homemade pie crust, I use a standard Pyrex glass pie dish. It should fit just fine in a standard 9-inch pie crust and dish.
What changes if any would I make when using a frozen deep dish pie crust?
A frozen deep-dish pie crust works great for this recipe. You can use it straight from the freezer — no need to thaw. The bake time should be very close to the same, but if the center still looks a little loose at 60 minutes, just give it another 5 to 10 minutes. Since deep-dish crusts can be a bit taller, the filling will sit a little lower but it bakes the same.
If your crust is already thawed, that’s fine too. Just fill and bake as directed. The timing won’t change much either way.
can you substitute the light corn syrup with maple syrup?
Maple syrup has a much thinner consistency and doesn’t set the same way corn syrup does, so the filling may not firm up as well. Corn syrup is very neutral in flavor, while maple syrup is quite strong, so using a full cup would also noticeably change the taste. For the most reliable results (and classic pecan pie flavor), I recommend sticking with corn syrup.
Do you store it in fridge?
Once it’s cooled, I cover it with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature until I’m ready to serve. If you’re making it ahead, it’s best to refrigerate it but let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so before serving.
Yes, put that room temp cooled pie in the refrigerator. From the USDA site:
What is safe storage for pecan pie?
Jul 3, 2024Knowledge
Knowledge Article
Homemade egg-rich pies such as pecan, pumpkin, lemon meringue and custard must be kept refrigerated after cooking and cooling. Cream and chiffon pies must be stored in the refrigerator. These pies can be kept three to four days. Fruit pies such as cherry and apple can be stored at room temperature one to two days or seven days in the refrigerator. Some perishable pies, such as pumpkin and pecan, purchased in store bakeries, may contain preservatives. Consult the bakery for storage information.
Peecan pie fillings (eggs, sugar, butter, corn syrup) are baked until fully set which makes them more stable than something like a cream or custard pie. That being said, it’s always best to be safe and refrigerate the pie once it’s cooled if you’re baking it in advance. Check the storage tips in this post for the details.