Name: Maple Pecan Pie with Bourbon and Chocolate Chunks
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 100 min
Ingredients: 1/2 portion Mealy Pie Dough ((or 8-ounce pie dough)); 3/4 cup, packed (192 grams) dark brown sugar; 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter (at room temperature); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional); 4 large eggs (at room temperature); 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) maple syrup; 1/4 cup (60 milliliters bourbon; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups (245 grams) chopped pecans (plus more to decorate); 3/4 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) semi-sweet chocolate (roughly chopped)

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You can’t tell it by looking at these images, but Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie with Chocolate Chunks isn’t my favorite pie to eat. My family, on the other hand? They’d riot if this didn’t show up at least twice during the holidays. Bourbon cuts through the rich, chocolaty flavor of this maple and brown sugar-sweetened pie. Even the chocolate is bitter enough to add contrast to that buttery sweet filling. Because I prefer a more “cuttable” pie, I have developed this recipe to have an almost praline texture. Just wait until you bite into it.

*I originally published this post in November 2017. I’ve updated the hideous images and the rambling article. I’ve also removed the corn syrup from the original recipe.*

Where does Maple Pecan Pie come from?

The part of Texas I’m in (San Antonio) was Comanche land, and many of the Indigenous tribes incorporated pecans (from the Algonquin word pa’kan, though many of the tribes have different forms of this word) into their diets. However, it was an enslaved man, known only by his first name, Antoine, who successfully grafted the first pecan tree on a plantation in Louisiana.

There are arguments as to whether or not the French created the dish in New Orleans or if it was created in the backwoods of Alabama. What no one debates, though, is that pecan pies are a very Southern dessert. Pecan pie is the state pie of Texas. That much is also true. Since there are so many pecan farms here, it would make sense.

What are the ingredients in Maple Pecan Pie?

The ingredients in my pecan pie are eggs, semi-sweet chocolate, unsalted butter (not pictured), pecans, maple syrup, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, bourbon, kosher salt, and cinnamon. After mixing, it all pours into and bakes in blind-baked mealy pie dough.

Maple pecan pie is a sugar pie. Which means it is primarily some sort of sugar filling made thick with eggs. Often, the preferred sugar is corn syrup.

Why do you make your pecan pie without corn syrup?

I don’t have anything against corn syrup, but I started veering away from using it in recent years. Now I don’t use corn syrup in it at all. Corn syrup is used in pecan pie to prevent the crystallization of the brown sugar in the filling. Because corn syrup is an invert sugar, it keeps the filling from becoming grainy. For me, I found that I was okay with the texture of my pecan pie filling after using maple syrup (also an invert sugar, though not as much as corn syrup is). Maple syrup is a natural product that has a much better flavor than corn syrup does.

Other than that, there’s no real reason why I don’t use corn syrup in my pecan pies. I just find I prefer the taste of maple syrup in this recipe. You can replace the maple syrup in this recipe with dark corn syrup. It will have a more robust flavor and thinner texture, but it will work fine.

What kind of pecans are best for this pie?

The specific variety I use is Desirable. I like their size and how they’re almost a perfect rectangle. Truth be told, most of us buy our pecans from the nut aisle in the grocery store, so we get what they have in the bags.

Choose pecan halves for this recipe. You can use pecan pieces, but you won’t be able to decorate the top all pretty and junk. If you have no interest in decorating the top of your maple pecan pie, then, by all means, grab the pecan pieces.

With the pecan halves, you will chop them as part of the prep, so be mindful of those extra five or ten minutes you’ll dedicate to that.

What is the best bourbon to use in a Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie?

I like adding some liquor to some recipes because the spirits tend to boost the flavors of what they’re added to. Such is the case with this sugary-sweet pecan pie. The headiness of the bourbon cuts the cloyingly sweet taste pecan pie tends to have. Use a bourbon that you drink from a glass. You never want to add gut-rot liquor to your recipes because their flavor will affect the rest of the dish.

Adding bourbon to your pecan pie will not make it taste like alcohol. There’s not enough bourbon in this recipe to do that. The addition of dark chocolate also adds another dimension of flavor that balances out the alcohol. Sweet brown sugar, maple syrup, and the pecans all work together- along with the bourbon- to make this a not-to-sweet, not at all boozy pie.

All this is to say that you can totally make this filling sans bourbon. Substitute it with an additional tablespoon of vanilla extract instead.

Is maple syrup the same thing as pancake syrup?

Maple syrup is not the same as pancake syrup. If you want to use pancake syrup, you might as well use dark corn syrup because it’s the same thing. The only difference between the two is that pancake syrup has maple flavoring added to it. Maple syrup is the real deal sap of a maple tree.

There are different grades of maple syrup. The syrup is taken through various tastes and color grades in a boiling process that condenses the sugary sap. Ranging from Fancy to Grade B, the sugar goes from light and vanilla-flavored to a deep and dark robust flavor. My favorite is the Grade A or Grade A Amber- both of which sit right in the middle of maple-y deliciousness.

Choose whichever grade fits your budget, but please avoid using pancake syrup in this.

What kind of crust is best for this pie?

The best type of crust to use for any custardy or sugar pie is a Mealy Pie Dough. This pie dough- also called Pâte Brisée– has waterproof characteristics that help it resist becoming soggy as it bakes under the runny pie filling. You will need half of the recipe or one 10-ounce disc of mealy pie dough for this maple pecan pie. You can also use store-bought, pre-made pie dough. Roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle and line your 10-inch pie tin with it. Line your pie tin and flute the edges however you like. An edge crimped with the tines of your fork works just fine, too.

Once your tin is filled, prick a few holes in the bottom of the pie dough with the tines of your fork, then place it into the fridge to firm up the butter in the dough. The fork holes help vent the dough while the chilling firms the butter in the dough. That way, as the pie bakes, it’s strong enough to hold its shape, resulting in a flaky, beautiful crust.

How do you blind bake pie dough?

Blind baking the mealy pie dough is another way to prevent your crust from becoming soggy as the pecan pie bakes.

After chilling the dough to firm it up, place a parchment or foil liner inside of it. Just cut out a circle that’s 2-inches larger than your pie tin. Set the liner inside of the pie shell and pour ceramic pie weights or dried beans into the liner.

Bake the pie in a 425°F (218°C) oven for 10 minutes. Remove the pie shell from the oven and carefully lift out the liner with the weights in it. The top of the dough will be opaque since it’s been covered.

Return the pie shell to the oven for another 10 minutes to bake the top until it looks flaky and slightly blistered. If there are really large bubbles, try to press them down with your fingertips or the back of a spoon.

Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).

How do I make the Maple Pecan Pie filling?

Add the room temperature butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt to a mixing bowl.

Beat these with an electric hand mixer at high speed for 3 minutes. You want the mixture to look thick and light brown, almost like a chocolate mousse.

Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs to the bowl, one at a time, mixing each one in at medium-high speed until fully incorporated before adding the next egg. This will create a thick, foamy mixture.

Scrape down the bowl once again.

Because of the amount of brown sugar in this recipe, we have to use an inverted sugar (maple syrup) to keep the pie’s filling from crystallizing into a rock-hard mass. Again, you can use dark corn syrup to accomplish this, but it won’t be a maple pecan pie anymore, now will it?

Add the maple syrup, bourbon, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Blend these in at low speed until the mixture looks opaque and is thick like pudding.

Lastly, use a rubber spatula to fold in the chopped pecans and the chunks of chocolate. Once all of the ingredients in the bowl are combined, you can pour the pecan pie filling into your blind-baked pie shell.

Can I freeze Pecan Pie before baking it?

Decorate the top of your pie with a 1/2 cup of pecan halves. Or don’t. That’s a personal preference, but I always do it. I just decorate it by making concentric circles of pecan halves. I leave the middle exposed, so people know to expect those chunks of chocolate.

At this point, you can totally freeze your pre-baked maple pecan pie. Don’t wrap it yet, though.

Set the unbaked, decorated pie on a sheetpan and put the pan in the freezer. Freeze the pie overnight, so the filling sets up as much as possible. Once the pie is frozen, cover it in two layers of plastic film and a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze the pie for up to two months.

When you’re ready to bake the pie, thaw it overnight in the fridge and bake it as follows.

How long do I bake the pie?

Once the shell is filled, slide the pie into the preheated oven. Bake the pecan pie for 35-40 minutes.

If you find the crust is growing too dark for your liking, you can lay a piece of aluminum foil lightly over the top of the pie. Don’t press down or try to seal it. You just need to cover it.

How do I know when my Maple Pecan Pie is done?

The pie is done when it no longer jiggles in the center, and the surface develops little cracks.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes before serving. You can also allow it to cool completely and serve it at room temperature for up to two hours.

Why is my Maple Pecan Pie runny?

If you followed the recipe exactly, the only reason your pie would be runny is that your oven temp is off. Because this is a custard pie, underbaking the pecan pie will cause it to be runny. Just bake it for another 10-15 minutes, and it should set properly.

If the pecan pie has the tiny cracks and no longer jiggles, and it’s still runny when you cut into it, it’s most likely because it wasn’t allowed to cool long enough. The pecan pie filling is gooey while it’s super hot. Allow it to cool the full 30 minutes to give it time to set.

Is Maple Pecan Pie served hot or cold?

That depends on you. Maple pecan pie is best when served warm-ish or at room temperature, in my opinion. The reality is, most of us make pecan pies for desserts far ahead of when we serve them.

Serve your maple pecan pie after letting it cool for 30 minutes. You can serve it as is, on its own or a la mode, topped with one of these frozen custards:

Vanilla Frozen Custard

Ponche Frozen Custard

Coquito Frozen Custard

This pecan pie also tastes amazing with a hard sauce, like the Coquito Toffee Sauce from this recipe.

How do I store it?

The pecan pies on the shelves at the grocery store are chock full of preservatives and additives. Store-bought pies aren’t the devil, but they aren’t a standard to hold up to when debating whether something is shelf-stable. They’ll beat out a homemade pie for days on a counter, but that doesn’t make them safe (nor better-tasting). That’s all I’ll say about that.

I get into many arguments about whether or not pecan, pumpkin, and sweet potato pies have to go into the fridge. Again, since they are custards, they should be kept under refrigeration after cooling. The only time I leave this maple pecan pie out at room temperature is when I’m cooling it or up to a half-hour before I plan to serve it. And that’s only to allow it to warm up to the temp I like to eat it at.

For safety’s sake, keep this pie in the fridge, wrapped in plastic or otherwise covered to keep it from going stale.

Can I freeze Maple Pecan Pie after baking it?

If you want to freeze your pie after baking, just let it cool to room temperature. Freeze it solid, unwrapped, then cover it in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and one layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

You can freeze a baked pecan pie for up to two months. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight, and allow it to warm up slightly on the countertop before slicing and serving.

So, while this isn’t my favorite pie to eat, I won’t turn it down. I doubt you will either. Be sure to try this recipe out, and let me know what you think. Oh, and pin this recipe for easy finding!

Preview image of a slice of Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie with Chocolate Chunks on a white plate.

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