Pecan Pie 

The holidays mean pie time. Well, actually it’s time to gather, be thankful, and share good food and delicious recipes made with love…but most often that includes pie. 

Pecan pie is one of those pies that is so sweet and sinful, and more times than not, it is made with unhealthy ingredients. This recipe below is an improvement, but I wouldn’t call it healthy…It’s the holidays, so we’re going to have a little fun! It’s sweet and gooey with a crunchy candied top. The taste of the toasted pecans mixed with the gooey toffee like center, and crisp crust, mixes in your mouth, and makes your eyes roll in the back of your head. Delish.

Every year somehow, someway, I have become the designated pie maker. I wouldn’t say that I don’t like making pies, but I would say that I always dread making the crusts. Flakey, buttery, beautiful homemade crusts aren’t that hard to make, yet they are the part that makes me feel so daunted. After years of pulling up my sleeves and rolling out crusts, I have finally given in to buying the pre-made shells. If you are still making your own, kudos to you. For this recipe, I used the gluten free pie shells from the freezer section of Trader Joe’s. They also make a regular all-purpose flour one that I have used in the past, which is pretty good. Nothing beats the homemade crust, but I figure stress free cooking is the way I want to spend my holidays. How about you? 

Ingredients:

1. 3 eggs
2. 1 cup brown sugar
3. ½ cup maple syrup
4. 1 tablespoon vanilla
5. 2 tablespoons flour of your choice (I used gluten free flour)
6. 2 tablespoons of melted butter or vegan butter
7. 2 cups chopped pecans… and some whole ones for the top
8. 1 9-inch pie shell- buy pre-made or make it, it’s up to you
9. ¼ teaspoon salt

Okay, pie time…

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, beat the eggs till they are fluffy. Add the maple syrup and brown sugar and continue to beat until frothy, approximately 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour of your choice and the salt, and continue to stir until well combined. Pour in the melted butter and vanilla. Last, add the pieces of pecans and stir until they are evenly coated. Pour into your pie shell. It should be quite full. Decorate the top with extra pecans. Put it in the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for 45-70 minutes, depending on your oven. I would start checking it at 45 minutes. It should rise and solidify some, with a crackled top. If yours is taking a long time, and it appears to be burning, put a layer of tin foil on top to protect it, and continue to cook till it looks done, and is no longer jiggly. Oven temperatures may vary. Once done, remove it from the oven and set in on the counter to cool and solidify further. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerated leftovers should stay good for several days.

If you love pecan pie, this easy to make version will be a keeper. Whip it up, and bring it to your friends and family, and watch them devour it. It’s so sinfully good! I hope your holidays are filled with love, beautiful memories, and of course good food. Wishing you good health and good luck on all of your cooking adventures.