Description
Decadent Caramel Pecan Pie with flaky homemade crust, rich caramel filling, and crunchy pecan topping. Perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ¼ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into cubes
- 5–7 tablespoons ice water
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups pecan halves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the cold butter and shortening. Cut in with a pastry blender or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, mixing until the dough just comes together. Form into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp the edges.
- Blind Bake the Crust: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the crust with parchment paper and pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights; bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Cool completely.
- Make the Caramel Filling: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in heavy cream. Return to medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
- Let the caramel filling cool slightly before pouring it into the prepared pie crust.
- Prepare the Pecan Topping: In a large bowl, combine pecan halves, melted butter, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Toss to coat.
- Arrange the pecans evenly over the caramel filling in the pie crust.
- Bake the Pie: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the caramel filling is bubbly and the pecans are golden brown. Cover the edges with foil if the crust starts to brown too quickly.
- Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Refrigerate for a few hours to help the caramel set further.
Notes
- Make Ahead: The pie crust can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. The caramel filling can also be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Salted Caramel: For a salted caramel flavor, increase the amount of salt in the caramel filling to ¾ teaspoon.
- Chocolate Pecan: Add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the pecan topping for a chocolate pecan pie.
- Bourbon Pecan: Add 2 tablespoons of bourbon to the caramel filling for a boozy twist.
- Different Nuts: While this is a pecan pie, you could experiment with other nuts like walnuts or almonds. Just be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. A drizzle of chocolate sauce would also be delicious!
- Preventing a Soggy Crust: To further prevent a soggy crust, you can brush the bottom of the baked crust with melted chocolate before adding the caramel filling. This creates a barrier that helps to keep the crust crisp.
- Checking for Doneness: The caramel filling should be set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center when the pie is done. It will continue to set as it cools.
- Storing Leftovers: Store leftover pie in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out.
- Reheating: If you want to reheat the pie, you can warm it in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until it is slightly warmed through. You can also microwave individual slices for a few seconds.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes