Pecan Pie Recipe with Brown Butter Rum

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A super flavorful, pecan pie recipe made with brown butter and rum! It’s truly our favorite recipe and perfect for Thanksgiving! The crust is buttery and flaky and pairs perfectly with the brown butter, rum filling. It’s really so delicious and everyone will love it!!

Let’s start this off with my husband’s reaction to the pie, “it’s by far the best pecan pie recipe I’ve ever tasted.” Yup, he really said that and I don’t get that reaction too often. And the men who were helping out with our yard devoured two slices each!

pecan pie recipe

Out of all the pies I’ve made including crusts, fillings, different ingredients and measurements (it goes on and on) I think this one may take the pie. Although our sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie and chocolate chip cookie pie are pretty divine!

The best part is that I think it’s a pretty foolproof recipe. The thick, buttery and extremely flaky crust is my favorite crust recipe so far as well. Browning the butter and adding rum to the pecan filling was probably the smartest thing I’ve ever done in my life… truly, smartest decision ever.

I promise (fingers crossed) you will enjoy it. I’ll be making it for Thanksgiving AND Christmas this year.

slice of pecan pie

How To Make Pecan Pie

Supplies

Mixing Bowl

Pie Dish

Pastry Brush

Rolling Pin

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Whisk and Spatula

Ingredients

  • Pie Crust – Homemade or Store Bought
  • Butter
  • Rum, dark or light
  • Brown Sugar
  • Light Corn Syrup
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Salt
  • Pecans

Directions

buttery pie crust
browning butter
  • Brown the butter on the stovetop until it turns a golden brown.
  • Let it cool a bit and add in the rum.
brown sugar and corn syrup
  • In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar and corn syrup.
eggs, corn syrup and brown sugar
  • Then add in the eggs, salt and vanilla and whisk until combined.
chopped pecans in a pecan pie filling
  • Lastly, add in the chopped pecans and stir.
pie filling in a pie crust
  • Pour the filling into the pie dish.
  • Brush egg yolk on the crust of the pie.
  • Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
  • Turn the oven to 325 and bake for 50 minutes or until the center of the pie is like a Jello texture.
  • During the baking process, you will need to cover the crust with tinfoil so it doesn’t burn.
pecan pie with brown butter

How to Store Pecan Pie

Plastic wrap or aluminum foil can be used to cover the pie loosely. When covered, pecan pie will last 3-4 days in a refrigerator. It tastes just as good right our of the refrigerator too!

How to Freeze Pecan Pie

In addition, pecan pie can be frozen. Put the pie in a heavy-duty freezer bag or wrap tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap to freeze. The pie can freeze up to three months.

A Make-Ahead Pie Crust

If you are pressed for time, give yourself a head-start by making the pie crust before. I like to make the crust and shape it in the pie dish and then freeze the entire thing. Remember, you can make several pie crusts weeks before Thanksgiving and freeze them.

Tips For Making Pecan Pie Recipe

  • Freeze your pie crust for 30 mins for the best results.
  • Use quality ingredients when baking. Organic butter, pure vanilla, organic eggs, etc.
  • Brush a lot of egg yolk on the pie crust before baking.
  • During the baking process, take the pie out and wrap foil around the crust so it doesn’t burn. You can also prepare the tinfoil before the pie goes into the oven, by placing portion over the pie, then cutting a hole in the center so that the tinfoil will only lay over the crust.
  • The pie filling can be a little gooey, it makes it better!
  • Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Store Bought Pie Crust

We love making our own pie crust, however if you want to make an easy pecan pie, there is no shame is buying a buttery pre-made curst! The filling will work perfectly in it and you’ll love the flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the filling made of in pecan pie?

A pecan pie contains pecan nuts mixed with corn syrup, rum, eggs, butter, and sugar (usually white or brown sugar). Other types of sugar are also used, such as brown sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup, or cane sugar.

Can I substitute dark Karo syrup for light?

Certainly. Karo Light and Dark corn syrups perform similarly and can generally be used interchangeably in recipes. Although our pecan pie recipe specifies which type to use, personal preferences may play a role in the choice. 

Light corn syrup is usually used in fruit sauces and jams when a  sweet note is needed. The Karo light corn syrup contains real vanilla.

Refiners’ syrup, a type of molasses, is used to make dark corn syrup. Several baked goods benefit from their robust flavor and color.

How can you tell if your pecan pie is done?

Shake the pan or tart tray after you take the pie out of the oven. It should jiggle a little in the middle, but appear stable. 

When the pie filling shakes horizontally, it is not yet done.

easy pecan pie

Will pecan pie thicken as it cools?

When your pecan pie is ready, remove it from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. During the cooling process, the filling continues to cook and thicken. 

Let your pie cool for a minimum of two hours so that it can fully set. It it’s still not set it needs more time, maybe even overnight in the refrigerator.

Do pecans rise to the top of the pie?

Yes. Due to the unbaked filling, the pecans rise to the top of the pie, making it look attractive. 

The liquid filling in pecan pies is usually baked in pastry crusts that enclose the filling before it sets.

Is Pecan Pie better warm or cold?

Pecan pie is best served cooled down to room temperature or even straight from the fridge.

How long will it last?

Bourbon pecan pie can be refrigerated uncovered for up to 4-6 hours. Storing your pie in the freezer will keep it fresh and maintain its quality.

gooey Thanksgiving pie

Should I Prebake my pie crust for pecan pie?

This is totally up to you! But if you want the crust to keep the exact shape and cool all the way through, then yes, you can prebake the crust for approximately 10 minutes. You have to use pie weights to properly blind bake.

Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans and line it with foil or parchment paper. You should nestle some pie weights (or beans) against the sides of the pan to prevent the crust from collapsing.

Does rum pecan pie taste like alcohol?

As the alcohol evaporates, you’re left with a rich dessert that’s sweet with a hint of vanilla.

Serve….in Jars!

Serving it in individual Ball jars makes it easy to serve and prepare before anyone arrives!

Check Out These Other Delicious Pie Recipes

If you love pie as much as we do, here are some more delicious recipe!

Strawberry Lemonade Pie Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie Recipe

Coconut Cream Pie

Coconut Key Lime Pie

Apple Pie Recipe

If you make this pecan pie recipe, leave a review and rating below. We’d love to know your thoughts!

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pecan pie recipe

Best Pecan Pie Recipe

This pecan pie filling is so good and pretty simple to make! It's also flavored with rum!
4.60 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
5 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 294kcal
Author: Eden

Ingredients

Buttery Flaky Crust

    Pecan Pie Filling

    • 1/4 cup butter, browned
    • 1 tbsp rum, dark or light
    • 1/2 cup brown sugar
    • 1 cup light corn syrup
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

    Instructions

    Buttery Flaky Crust

    • Roll the dough out and fit it into the pie dish. You can refrigerate freeze it for 30 minutes (or even overnight) in the pie dish, which I recommend doing.
      pie crust

    Brown Butter, Rum Pecan Pie Filling

    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
    • Brown the butter on the stovetop until it turns a golden brown.
      browning butter
    • Let it cool a bit and add in the rum.
    • In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar and corn syrup.
      brown sugar and corn syrup
    • Add in the browned butter and rum.
    • Add in the eggs, salt and vanilla and whisk until combined.
      eggs, corn syrup and brown sugar
    • Lastly, add in the chopped pecans and stir.
      chopped pecans in a pecan pie filling
    • Pour the filling into a prepared pie dish.
      pie filling in a pie crust
    • Brush egg yolk on the crust of the pie. Don't be shy, brush it on really good!
    • Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
    • Cover the crust with tinfoil after it starts to brown.
    • Turn the oven to 325 degrees and bake for another hour or until the center of the pie is like a Jello texture.
    • Let the pie cool for a few hours, even overnight. If it's very jiggly, it needs to sit before serving.
      pecan pie with brown butter

    Notes

    Buttery Flaky Crust adapted from The Joy Of Cooking
    You can also buy a pie curst to make things even more simple.
    During the baking process I had to take the pie out and wrap foil around the crust so it wouldn’t burn. It worked perfectly to protect the crust while the filling baked a little longer.
    The pie is just has good the next day, so it’s  great make ahead pie.
    You can blind bake the crust before if you like a well done crust. To do this, you need to have pie wights or it will not work and the crust will completely fall into a pile in the oven.
    Even when baking the curst with the pie filling in the middle, the sides of the pie crust will shrink a little. It’s perfectly fine. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 228IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
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    8 thoughts on “Pecan Pie Recipe with Brown Butter Rum”

    1. 5 stars
      Hi, I just made this for 2022 thanksgiving and it was a HIT against 4 other fall pies. Thank you! I did not change a thing. Took out 10 minutes early and left on counter overnight. Used light corn syrup, light brown sugar and salted butter.

      Reply
    2. Hi I am super excited to make this for a Thanksgiving party we are having this week, do you know of anything that I could substitute the corn syrup for? Maybe honey?

      Reply

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