Maple Pecan Pie

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Maple pecan pie is a classic dessert for the holiday table. Using maple syrup gives it a wonderful special flavor.

Have you ever wondered why we eat pecan pie at Thanksgiving? This lusciously sweet and nutty pie has been a staple at my house ever since I was a kid.

As it turns out, pecan harvest season in the South lines up neatly with the holiday season. 

More than once we’ve been gifted with the overflow from our friends’ trees, and I’m not one to turn down an edible present.

The warm, slightly sweet flavor of pecans makes them perfect to bake with, such as in cranberry pecan streusel coffee cake or in salted caramel pecan blondies.

And, of course in pecan pie, like this maple pecan pie I made the other day for Thanksgiving.

Why you’ll love this recipe

It’s incredibly easy. If you are intimidated by making pecan pie, like I used to be, this is the perfect recipe to try! 

The filling comes together in one bowl, so you can have it ready for the oven in just a few minutes.

It’s extra flavorful. This is my favorite pecan pie recipe because it uses maple syrup instead of corn syrup. 

Corn syrup is great for creating sticky, chewy baked goods, but it doesn’t provide any extra flavor. 

Maple syrup, which is just slightly less thick, gives a ton of flavor to this pie. Maple pairs beautifully with pecans, enhancing the flavor of both.

It’s perfect to bake ahead. Yep, you heard me right above. I baked this pie weeks ahead of Thanksgiving so we could eat it when the holiday came around. 

I am all about making food in bulk and ahead of time (hello big batches of pickled red onions!) and this pie freezes so well, I tend to make multiples to last all winter.

Jumping in with holiday prep work was a no brainer. While we all love the food that goes with Thanksgiving and Christmas, the hours and hours of cooking and sometimes be a bit too much to handle.

Being able to get some of that work done ahead of time? Possibly the best gift ever.

Ingredients for maple pecan pie

You might already have everything you need on hand to make this pie!

Eggs – Large, standard size

Pure maple syrup – You’ll want to use real maple syrup for this recipe. Imitation syrup not only lacks the distinct flavor, but might not work to achieve the classic pecan pie texture. 

If you like, you can use bourbon barrel aged maple syrup for an even richer taste.

Brown sugar – Light or dark

Pure vanilla extract – Vanilla enhances the flavor of baked goods, especially when paired with maple! I always recommend real extract over imitation.

Butter – Just a little bit of melted butter helps to create a smooth filling

Salt – Don’t skip it! We need a little bit to bring out the nutty pecan flavor.

Pecan halves – Some might use chopped pecans in their pecan pie, but I only use whole pecan halves. It makes for a prettier pie and nuttier bite!

how to make maple pecan pie

Maple pecan pie is crazy easy. So much so that I actually couldn’t believe how easy it was — but that’s probably because I refused to eat it as a child. I’m glad I’ve changed my ways.

The hardest part is making the pie crust, but you can always opt for premade. 

When I make pie crust I always try to make two so that I have extra on hand in the freezer. Then, I just thaw the crust overnight as needed. 

To make maple pecan pie, first parbake the crust to ensure it is fully cooked on the bottom. 

If you are using a premade crust, make sure to follow the package instructions for parbaking.

Roll out your crust on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Arrange it in the pie plate and crimp the edges as desired. 

Line it with a piece of parchment paper or foil, then fill it with pie weights. 

You can buy ceramic pie weights, but I just keep a jar of dried beans on hand for making pies.

Bake the crust at 350°F for about 8 minutes, then let cool and remove the foil and weights. Then, make the filling.

Grab a large bowl and whisk the eggs until lightly frothy, then whisk in the maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, melted butter, and salt until completely blended.

Fold in the pecans using a rubber spatula, scraping the sides of the bowl, then pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.

If you like, you can get fancy and arrange your pecans by flipping the nuts over with a fork so the nub side is down, but there’s really no need. Pecans already look lovely in a pie.

Bake the pie for 50-60 minutes, then cool completely before serving.

how to freeze pecan pie

If you’re making this pie in advance, freeze it!

To freeze pecan pie, bake it as directed in the recipe, then cool to room temperature.

Place the pie on a baking sheet for easy transfer, and set in the freezer for 1-2 hours, or until completely frozen.

Transfer the pie to a freezer-safe bag or vacuum food saver bag. Remove as much air as possible and seal.

how to thaw pecan pie

Thaw your pie overnight in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature to serve.

Alternately, you can remove the pie from the bag and reheat in the oven for 20 minutes.

What to serve with maple pecan pie

Need ideas for how to round out your holiday dessert spread? Try some of my favorites:

• Caramel Apple Slab Pie
• Butternut Squash Pie
• Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Spiced Cranberry Ice Cream
• Reese’s Pie

Whether you make this maple pecan pie for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, or as a weeknight dessert treat, it’s sure to be a family favorite!

Maple Pecan Pie

Maple pecan pie is a classic for the holiday table. This sweet dessert couldn’t be any easier.

Author : Megan Myers

4.96 from 64 votes

Print Pin Recipe Save Saved! Review

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 440 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out pie crust to fit a 9-inch pie pan and transfer it to the pan. Fold under the edge and crimp as desired. Line inside of pie crust with foil and fill with dried beans (or pie weights) and bake for 8 minutes. Carefully remove foil and beans and let cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk eggs until frothy. Whisk in syrup, sugar, vanilla, butter and salt to blend completely, then mix in pecans.
• Pour mixture into prepared crust and place into the oven. Bake 50-60 minutes, then cool completely.

Notes

Tip: After pouring mixture into crust, use a fork to turn pecan halves over so the nub-side is down.

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• Perfect Pie Plate, 9-Inch, Ceramic, Wheat
• Ouddy 3 Pack Stainless Steel Whisks 
• OXO Good Grips 3-piece Mixing Bowl Set

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 440 kcalCarbohydrates: 54 gProtein: 5 gSaturated Fat: 5 gCholesterol: 77 mgSodium: 194 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 38 g

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.

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