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Maple syrup, bourbon, and toasted pecans create an incredible depth of flavor in this Salted Maple Pecan Pie. To overcome the common issue of overwhelming sweetness, this is a pecan pie without corn syrup.

a pecan pie toped with pie crust pieces shaped like maple leaves

OVERVIEW

Pecan pie belongs on all Thanksgiving dessert tables but I’ll be honest in saying I don’t love most versions. It’s often too sweet and is very one-note in flavor. To combat these issues, I was determined to find my perfect version. And this is it!

My pecan pie has no corn syrup while having plenty of toasted pecans, maple syrup, a splash of bourbon, and a hit of salt. No one will complain that this pie is too sweet.

Ingredient Highlights

  • Maple Syrup: The maple syrup in this recipe replaces the corn syrup in most pecan pie recipes. Corn syrup is what makes it sickeningly sweet and gives it a gelatinous texture. Maple syrup on the other hand still provides necessary sweetness but gives more in-depth flavor and better texture. It holds up and gives you a clean slice when serving.
  • Toasted Pecans: You can’t have pecan pie without pecans. Before adding to the filling, I highly suggest toasting the pecans for a warmer flavor.
  • Bourbon (whiskey or spiced rum): To add a warm and slightly bitter flavor that helps offset the sweetness, add your favorite bourbon, whiskey, or spiced rum. The alcohol burns off in the oven leaving only the incredible flavor.
  • Salt: A good hit of salt is needed to make a really great version of pecan pie. Some other recipes don’t even call for it! This is the most influential change I made to the classic pecan pie to balance the sweetness.
  • Chocolate Chips (optional): While this version of pecan pie is incredible as is, sometimes you just need a little bit of chocolate. I highly recommend trying a version with chocolate chips at least once. I suggest using only bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate.
a slice of salted maple pecan pie with a side of whipped cream

How to Make a Pecan Pie without Corn Syrup

Here are the basic steps in making this pecan pie. This assumes you are making the pie crust from scratch. For an even easier recipe, use a store-bought pie crust!

  1. Make the pie dough and chill
  2. Blind bake the pie crust
  3. Toast the pecans
  4. Make the filling and bake
  5. Cool and serve

Make the pie crust

combining dry ingredients for pie dough
cutting butter and shortening into pie dough

I highly recommend making your own pie crust to make this the best pecan pie. I know that making pie crust can seem daunting if you aren’t familiar with the process. This pie crust tutorial is a great place to start to help you gain some confidence.

After making the pie dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. This will help the gluten to relax making it easier to roll out.

Blind Bake the Crust

To prevent a soggy bottom crust, we are also going to par-bake the crust before adding the filling. Also known as pre-baking, this step is done to ensure the bottom crust doesn’t become soggy from the filling. We are going to par-bake it for a short time, add the filling, and then continue baking to finish it off.

pie dough lying over a pie plate
crimped raw pie crust

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured countertop. Roll it out using a rolling pin a little wider than your pie plate. Carefully place the dough onto the pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Trim and crimp the edges as desired. Place the prepared crust in the freezer for about 10 minutes to relax and chill.

pie weights and rice on top of parchment paper over a pie crust ready to par-bake

Place a piece of parchment paper into the crust and fill with pie weights or beans. Blind bake the crust at for 15 minutes.

Make the Filling

While the crust par-bakes, make the filling.

Toast the pecans

toasting pecans in a pan
chopping pecans

Toast the pecans in a dry pan on the stovetop or in the oven. I recommend using the stovetop so you don’t disturb the crust in the oven.

After toasting, chop half of the pecan halves into smaller pieces for the filling. For the other half, keep them as halves to decorate the top of the pie

Mix the filling

pecan pie filling mixed into a bowl
pecan pie filling in the pie crust
pecan halves on top of filling

Combine all ingredients for the filling into a large mixing bowl. This includes the chopped pecans, eggs, maple syrup, bourbon (whiskey or rum), salt, brown sugar, melted butter, and chocolate chips if using.

After the crust comes out of the oven remove the parchment with pie weights. Pour the filling mixture into the par-baked crust. You do not need to wait for it to cool down. Spread out the remaining pecan halves into a single layer on top of the filling. Make a decorative pattern if desired.

Bake

a whole salted maple pecan pie

Bake for a total of 35-40 minutes until the pie is mostly set but still has a slight jiggle to it. After about the 15-20 minute mark, watch the edges of the crust as they can tend to over brown. Wrap just the edges in aluminum foil to cover.

Let cool for at least 4 hours before serving to fully set. Before serving sprinkle coarse salt over the top of the pie. Serve room temperature or chilled with fresh whipped cream.

Baking Tips

  • Pie dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. I highly recommend doing this so the process moves quicker when you are ready to assemble and bake the pie.
  • Use the pie dough scraps to cut out decorative pieces of dough to decorate the top of the pie. You can bake the raw dough shapes directly on top of the pie or bake separately and decorate at the end.
  • Do not skip toasting the pecans. This brings out all of the flavor potential in the pecans. They will taste flat without this step.
  • Chop half of the pecans to go into the filling and save the other half of the pecans to place on top to create a beautiful look to the top of your pie.
  • Wrap the edges of the crust in aluminum foil about halfway through baking. They will burn if left out the entire time.
  • Bake the pie in the lowest position in the oven to prevent a soggy bottom crust.
  • After baking, sprinkle coarse salt over the top. This is a visual cue that it is a salted pecan pie.

Make-Ahead Pie & Storage

Make the pie dough and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer up to 3 months. I do not recommend mixing the filling ahead of time.

If serving the pie with fresh whipped cream, wait to make it until right before serving. If you’d like to make the whipped cream in advance, use my recipe for stabilized whipped cream. Stabilized whipped cream can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before serving.

How to store: After the baked pie has completely cooled, wrap loosely in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. A baked pecan pie can be left out at room temperature overnight if you are serving it the next day. If you need to store it for longer, it may be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

How to store in the freezer: After the pie has fully cooled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!

If you loved this recipe, you might like to try these other holiday pie recipes.

a slice of salted maple pecan pie with a side of whipped cream
Yield: 8 servings

Salted Maple Pecan Pie

Prep Time 35 minutes
Chilling Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Maple syrup, bourbon, and toasted pecans create an incredible depth of flavor in this Salted Maple Pecan Pie without corn syrup.

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST

  • 180 grams (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 85 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 30 grams (2 ½ tablespoons) shortening
  • 57-85 grams (4-6 tablespoons, 60-90 milliliters) ice water

FOR THE FILLING

  • 226 grams (2 cups) pecan halves
  • 28 grams (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 large eggs
  • 100 grams (½ cup) brown sugar, light or dark although I prefer dark brown
  • 255 grams (¾ cup) pure maple syrup
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 30 grams (2 tablespoons) bourbon, whiskey or spiced rum
  • 75 grams (½ cup) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips optional *see note below

Instructions

Prepare the Crust:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour (180 grams/ 1 ½ cups) and salt (½ teaspoon).
  2. Add the cold and cubed butter (85 grams/ 6 tablespoons) and the shortening (30 grams/ 2 ½ tablespoons) into the bowl. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers, cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. A few larger pieces is okay.
  3. Drizzle in the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every addition. Do not add any more water than you need to. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps.
  4. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball and flatten into a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick disc using your hands.
  5. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.

Blind Bake the Crust:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C.
  2. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out to a circle that is about 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9 inch (23 cm) pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Trim and crimp the edges as desired. Place the prepared crust in the freezer for about 10 minutes to relax and chill.
  3. Place a piece of parchment paper into the crust and fill with pie weights or beans. Blind bake the crust at for 15 minutes.

Make the Filling:

  1. In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the pecan halves (226 grams/ 2 cups), tossing frequently, until they smell very fragrant and nutty. Alternatively, you can toast them in the oven on a sheet pan on 325°F/163°C for about 8 minutes. Watch them closely so they do not burn. Remove them from the pan. Reserve half of them to decorate the top and roughly chop the other half.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter(28 grams/ 2 tablespoons), eggs (3 large), brown sugar (100 grams/ ½ cup), maple syrup (255 grams/ ¾ cup), salt (1 ¼ teaspoons), bourbon, whiskey, or rum(30 grams/ 2 tablespoons), the chopped pecans, and chocolate chips(112 grams/ ¾ cup) if using.
  3. When the crust is finished blind baking, remove it from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375°F/190°C. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and pour the filling into the crust. Place the remaining pecan halves directly on top of the filling.
  4. Bake for a total of 35-40 minutes until the pie is mostly set but still has a slight jiggle to it. After about the 15-20 minute mark, watch the edges of the crust as they can tend to over brown. Wrap just the edges in aluminum foil to cover.
  5. Allow to cool for at least 4 hours before slicing. Before serving, sprinkle coarse salt over the top if desired to really drive home the flavor of this pie.
  6. Storage: Cover the cooled pie with foil or plastic wrap to store. If you are serving it the next day, you may leave it out at room temperature. If you need to store it for longer, it may be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Notes

Pie Shapes: use the excess pie dough to cut out shapes. Brush an egg wash over the shapes and bake separately. Use these shapes to decorate the top of the pie.

Chocolate Chips: If using mini chocolate chips use 87 grams (½ cup).

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© Baker Bettie
Category: All Recipes