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Best Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie with Flaky Sea Salt

maple bourbon pecan pie - featured image
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A rich, complex pecan pie made with real maple syrup and bourbon, topped with flaky sea salt for a perfectly balanced sweetness. This sophisticated yet easy dessert is perfect for holidays or any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 3–4 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup (Grade A dark amber preferred)
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon (such as Bulleit or Maker’s Mark)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups pecan halves
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1–2 teaspoons flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Instructions

  1. Make the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add cold butter cubes. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, work butter into flour until it resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter bits. Drizzle in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until dough holds together. Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  2. Blind Bake the Crust: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Trim and crimp edges. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, then bake for another 5-7 minutes until bottom looks dry and just starting to turn golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Prepare the Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, bourbon, and vanilla extract until smooth. In a separate small bowl, toss pecan halves with 1 tablespoon flour.
  4. Assemble the Pie: Spread floured pecan halves evenly over the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Slowly pour the maple bourbon filling over the pecans. Gently tap the pie dish on the counter a few times to release air bubbles.
  5. Bake: Place pie on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 35-45 minutes. Pie is done when edges are set and puffed, but center still has a slight jiggle. If crust edges brown too quickly, tent with foil halfway through.
  6. Cool and Salt: Remove pie from oven and place on a cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle top with flaky sea salt. Let pie cool completely, at least 3-4 hours, before slicing.

Notes

For best results, use real maple syrup (not pancake syrup) and fresh pecans. The pie actually gets better after a day or two as flavors meld. Add flaky salt just before serving for best texture. To make ahead, bake, cool completely, and store loosely covered at room temperature. For a non-alcoholic version, replace bourbon with 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Nutrition

Keywords: pecan pie, maple bourbon pecan pie, Thanksgiving dessert, holiday pie, bourbon pecan pie, maple syrup pie

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/best-maple-bourbon-pecan-pie-with-flaky-sea-salt/