Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 8 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, very cold and cubed
  • 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
  • ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt (for dough)
  • 4–6 Tbsp Ice Water
  • 1 ½ cups Pecan Halves, lightly toasted
  • 3 Large Eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1 cup Light Corn Syrup
  • 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ tsp Fine Sea Salt (for filling)
  • 1 Tbsp Bourbon or Dark Rum (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl or food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
  2. Hydrate and Chill: Slowly sprinkle in the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly until the dough just comes together. Form into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
  3. Roll and Fit Crust: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to an 11-inch circle. Carefully transfer the dough to the 9-inch pie plate. Trim the edges, crimp them decoratively, and re-chill the shell.
  4. Toast Pecans and Preheat Oven: Spread pecans on a dry baking sheet and toast in a preheated oven (350°F / 180°C) for 5-7 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C), placing a baking sheet inside to preheat as well.
  5. Mix Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs until frothy. Whisk in the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and optional bourbon until thoroughly combined and smooth.
  6. Assemble the Pie: Remove the chilled pie crust. Sprinkle about half the toasted pecans over the bottom of the crust. Pour the liquid filling over the pecans. Arrange the remaining pecans decoratively on top.
  7. Bake: Place the pie onto the preheated baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for an additional 45–55 minutes.
  8. Prevent Burning and Check Doneness: After the first 20 minutes, loosely tent the crust edges with aluminum foil. The pie is done when the edges are set and the center has a slight, soft jiggle.
  9. Cool Completely: Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Allow it to cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature before slicing to ensure the filling sets properly.