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Butter Pecan Pie

A buttery pecan shortbread crust, creamy butter pecan flavored pudding, lightly sweetened whipped cream, and a pecan plus toffee topping make up this incredible butter pecan pie. 
Course: Dessert, Pie
Cuisine: pecan, pie, shortbread
Keyword: butter pecan, butter pecan pie, pie
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • FOR THE CRUST:
  • 1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
  • ½ Cup Pecans, finely chopped
  • ⅓ Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
  • Pinch of Salt
  • ¾ Cup Salted Butter, melted
  • 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • FOR THE FILLING:
  • 2 ½ Cups Milk, whole or 2%
  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg + 4 Large Egg Yolks
  • ¼ Cup Cornstarch
  • ¼ Cup Salted Butter
  • 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ½ Tablespoon Pecan Flavoring
  • FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
  • 1 ¾ Cups Heavy Cream
  • 2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
  • TOPPINGS:
  • ⅓ Cup Toffee, crushed (I used Heath Bar)
  • ¼ Cup Pecans, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°. You will be using a 9” pie pan for the recipe. 
    To make the shortbread crust: 
    Combine the flour, finely chopped pecans, dark brown sugar, salt, and melted butter in a medium size bowl. Mix all ingredients until dough forms. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Press into the 9” pie pan, bringing the dough up on the edges a bit as in the photos. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the base of the pie, and place it on top of the unbaked crust. Fill with pie weights {rice/dried beans would work as well}. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until crust is slightly golden and cooked through. Allowed to cool completely before filling. 
  • To make the filling: 
    In a medium saucepan, heat the milk on medium to high heat until hot and just beginning to steam, about 2-4 minutes. 
    In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, egg plus egg yolks, and corn starch. Whisk until fully combined, about 30 seconds. Slowly pour ⅓ of the hot milk into the egg mixture, ensuring that you are careful and do not splatter on yourself. Whisk to combine. Add another third of the milk, and whisk again to combine. Finally, add the remainder of the milk and whisk well. Gently pour the mixture back into the saucepan and whisk on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until mixture thickens. Be cautious as pudding can splatter and it is hot. If it starts to bubble up too much, simply remove it from the heat and continue to whisk. 
  • Add the butter, vanilla, and pecan flavoring. Whisk to fully combine. Place plastic wrap over the bowl and allow the wrap to touch the top of the pudding to ensure that a film doesn’t form. Refrigerate until cold, 2-3 hours or overnight. If you are assembling the pie the next day simply cover the shortbread crust overnight. 
  • To make the whipped cream and assemble the pie:  
    With a hand mixer or an standing mixer, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, about 60 to 90 seconds. Whisk the cold pudding until it is smooth, about 20 seconds. Pour the pudding into the shortbread crust and spoon it around until it is evenly filling the crust. Top with the whipped cream, crushed toffee, and extra pecans.
  • Serve immediately and store any leftovers uncovered in the refrigerator for up to four days. Enjoy! 

Notes

See blog for dietary substitutions for dairy and gluten.