Southern Pecan Pie

Pies, pies, pies! Let’s talk about the Southern Pecan Pie. This ooey-gooey, sweet, buttery, crunchy concoction is like a warm, comforting hug on a rainy day. It’s like a perfect reward at the end of a long work week. In other words, it’s a pie you want to make if you need to make your day 100 times better! And that’s true even if you’re already having a great day!

But more than the rich, buttery pecans or the caramel-like flavor, what makes this recipe special is one secret ingredient: bourbon.

Are you shocked that a Southern recipe incorporates just a hint of alcohol to give it an extra kick? Well, don’t be. Besides adding a more complex flavor to the Southern Pecan Pie, the bourbon actually acts as a neutralizing ingredient to balance out the sweetness of the dish.

With just a couple of tablespoons of bourbon, you can jazz up your whole dish with spirits and hints of nutty, warm, maple-vanilla essences.

The Southern Pecan Pie in all its glory is definitely a decadent dessert. However, if you want to further enhance the experience of eating it, I recommend going à la mode. Although a vanilla ice cream topping is a classic choice, I think you will be pleasantly surprised if you use chocolate ice cream instead.

The mouthwatering flavors of the pecan pie come to life with the richness and velvety texture of the chocolate ice cream. Every bite will take your taste buds to heaven and you’ll be coming back for more. After all, once you make a Southern Pecan Pie, you never go to plain old pecan pie.

Southern Pecan Pie

Rich, spice-filled, and bursting with flavor — these are the descriptions many people associate with Southern desserts. This Southern Pecan Pie is no different.

• Author: Addie Gundry
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: 10–12 1x
• Category: Desserts

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 refrigerated pie crust
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped, plus 1/2 cup whole pecans

Instructions

1. Lightly spray the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. If your slow cooker is an oval, you’ll need to shape the pie dough slightly. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough lightly in one direction to make the circle into an oval slightly larger than the slow cooker. Carefully place the dough in the slow cooker, rolling the excess dough around the edges to make a lip to hold the toppings.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, bourbon, salt, and vanilla until well mixed.
4. Stir in the chopped pecans. Pour the filling into the slow cooker over the pie dough. Gently arrange the whole pecans in a pretty pattern on top of the filling. I like to have a row along the edge of the pie crust and a few more scattered in the middle.
5. Place two long pieces of paper towel over the top of the slow cooker and cover with the lid. Cook on High for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Transfer the slow cooker insert to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.
6. Serve warm.

What do you think? Have you tried this recipe? Do you notice the difference in flavor you get from adding a little bit of bourbon?