The Best Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie (with Orange Zest)

I am all about cozy baking recipes right now, and this maple pecan pie is one of my favorite pies. I’ve made it about 4 times in the last month, I just can’t get enough of it and want to share it with EVERYONE. This easy pie is perfect to make this winter or for the upcoming Holiday season. It’s delicious on its own, warmed up or at room temperate. Move over pumpkin pie, you can even add a little bit of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to this boozy pie as one of your Thanksgiving desserts.

If you love the sound of this recipe, you’ll love this Spiced Rum Apple Pie Filling or these Mini Brown Sugar Bundt Cakes with a Rum Sauce.

Why you’ll love this Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie Recipe…

• First of all, this dessert recipe is incredibly easy to make! Making the pecan pie filling only takes a few minutes and the rest of the time you are just letting the oven work its magic!
• This boozy pie is perfect for so many occasions! Goes perfectly with Thanksgiving dinner, and Christmas supper. I know I’ll be making this one regularly over the winter season since it’s so easy to make and so so good. Definitely a crowd-pleaser.
• For this recipe, you can use a store-bought pie shell or you can use your own pie crust recipe. The only reason I prefer to use store-bought since it’s such a time saver and you’ll have this sweet pie ready in no time. Regardless, you’ll still achieve the flaky crust!

How to Toast Pecans for Pecan Pie

Simply add pecans to a pan on medium-high heat, and allow to gently brown for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant and start to turn a darker brown. The key is to stir regularly so that the pecans toast evenly and do not charr too much. This will cause the pie to have a burnt flavor if you toast them too much.

What is Pecan Pie filling made of?

This tasty pie has a filling made with chopped or halved pecans, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract and salt. Some classic recipes also include heavy cream in their pecan pie filling.

Pecan Pie vs Butter Tart. Is a butter tart just a small pecan pie?

These recipes are quite close, and you can almost say that a Canadian classic butter tart is the same as a pecan pie. The main difference is that a pecan pie filling would be considered a little softer since butter tart fillings include cornstarch, which helped the filling stay thicker and gooier during the baking process.

Ingredients for Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie…

• 1 cup of dark brown sugar
• 1/4 of melted butter, unsalted butter preferred
• 1 cup of dark corn syrup, light corn syrup will also work
• 1/4 cup of real maple syrup
• 3 whole eggs, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp of bourbon
• 3 tbsp of orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 2 cups of pecan halves
• 1 store-bought crust

How to make the Maple Pecan Pie filling…

1. Start by toasting your pecans on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until slightly darkened and fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If you are using a store-bought pie crust in aluminum foil, place the pie dough in a 9-inch pie dish. This will make it so much easier to place into the oven since that pie tin tends to be flimsy and we want to avoid a mess.
3. Using a fork or knife tip, poke a few holes in the bottom of the pie crust dough and along the sides.
4. In a large bowl, combine maple syrup, brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla and eggs. Whisk to combine or use an electric hand mixer.
5. Next, add in the bourbon, orange zest, little sea salt and whisk again to combine.
6. Then, add the rest of the pecans to the maple syrup mixture. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine and ensure all the pecans are covered in the mixture.
7. Brush the edges of the pie with an egg wash (optional).
8. Pour the mixture on top of the pie crust and bake the pie for 50 minutes, or until the top of golden brown.

What kind of pecans are best for this pie?

I used halved pecans from the grocery store. If you have full pecans on hand, simply put them in a food processor and chop them a little bit until they are in small pieces.

How long does Pecan Pie take to Bake?

This pie will take about 50 minutes. You want to ensure that the centre is fully cooked. If not, the center will be too wet and will make the bottom of the crust soggy. Depending on your oven, baking time may vary slightly. Have a look at the top of the pie before the last time minutes of baking. If you see that the pecans are getting too dark, reduce the oven temperature

How to tell when a Pecan Pie is done…

You will know it’s ready when the centre of the pie looks fully cooked and no longer wet, and your pie crust is golden brown.

Is it safe for kids to eat pecan pie due to the alcohol in it?

Yes, generally baked goods or dishes that add alcohol are safe for children to eat since the alcohol is burned off in the cooking process and all that remains is the flavor.