The holiday is less than two weeks away and do I have the perfect pie to grace your holiday table – a Bourbon Pecan Pumpkin Pie.
Holidays with my family growing up meant two dinners – one at my grandma’s and another at my Bampa’s house. Grandma always had pecan and pumpkin pie cooling on the counter where my Bampa had a dark chocolate pie cooling on the sideboard. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my Bampa’s pie (though I did constantly ask him why there was no whipped topping in a tub in his fridge), but my grandma made a to.die.for pumpkin pie. Her pecan pie also was excellent but I always got a slice of pumpkin and a smidgen slice of pecan. How could I choose between the two right?
Well, if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have had to make a choice because this Bourbon Pecan Pumpkin Pie is the best of both worlds. A rich and velvety pumpkin pie filling layered with a divinely rich pecan pie layer. All of this pie goodness is nestled in a “from scratch” pie crust. Yes – you heard me right – a FROM SCRATCH pie crust.
Yes – I confess, during the holidays I have been known to keep store bought dough in the fridge. Yes, I know – I have an irrational fear of all things pie crust. Yes, I know – the time has come for me to put on my big girl stilettos and face that pie crust fear head on and there was no time like the present to get into the kitchen. Bob’s Red Mill put forth the challenge to make a from scratch pie, perfect for the holiday season and I stepped up to the plate.
Look at these goodies that Bob’s Red Mill sent to be played with – their organic all purpose and whole wheat flours. I think it’s time for me to face my fears and make a pie crust from scratch.
I am going to be breaking open the whole wheat flour to make some pizza dough, muffins and bread this holiday season (whole wheat challah perhaps?) but for a pie, this gal had to go with the classic, All Purpose Flour. Their AP flour is used by the pros and produces a tender crust. I can’t tell you how awesome this pie crust turned out and the scraps – well, those turned into “Pie Crust Cookies” that I sprinkled with brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice that were so good that the Jr. Sous Pug demanded his own pie crust cookie.
To make the crust, I played with a pie crust recipe from the Barefoot Contessa, and was inspired by this recipe and this recipe for the filling. As my grandma always used corn syrup, I went with it but I have seen it made with maple syrup if you want to go that route. All in all, this Bourbon Pecan Pumpkin Pie is a tried and true and will be gracing my holiday table from hereon out – it’s a pie I think even my Grandma would love.
On to the recipe:
Gather your ingredients
Time to make the pie crust – let’s pulse the butter and shortening into the flour mixture
OK – let’s roll this dough out
A tale of two fillings – Pecan and Pumpkin – both with a bit of bourbon love
and time to layer
Now – look at this {rustic} lovely. Not bad for my first from scratch homemade pie crust
Shall I cut you a slice?
Aly M. Cleary
Yields 6
A velvety pumpkin filling topped with a rich pecan pie filing layer, all nestled in a from scratch homemade crust.
1 hr, 15 Prep Time
1 hrCook Time
2 hr, 15 Total Time
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Ingredients
- 3 cups of all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
- 12 tablespoons of cold butter, cubed
- 4 tablespoons of vegetable shortening, cubed
- 1/3 cup of ice cold water, added by tablespoon
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1/4 cup of heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons of bourbon
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup of chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1/4 cup of corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons of bourbon
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup of pecan halves for decoration
- Whipped cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt.
- Add the cold cubed butter and shortening.
- Pulse about 12 times in the food processor, until it resembles peas
- With the food processor running, add the water tablespoon by tablespoon until it starts to form a ball.
- Turn the ball out onto a floured board and shape into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to rest for at least 45 minutes.
- When the dough has rested, remove from the refrigerator and slice in half. Wrap the half you are not using in plastic wrap and put in the fridge or freezer for later use.
- Roll out on a lightly floured surface to extend over the pie plate.
- Using the rolling pin, roll the dough onto the pie pan and cut away any major excess dough.
- Flatten the dough and crimp the edges or fold the remaining excess dough under.
- Put back in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
- In a bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin, brown sugar, heavy cream, bourbon, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, chopped pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup, bourbon, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, F.
- Remove the crust from the refrigerator. Add the pumpkin pie filling and spread evenly.
- Using a spoon, layer the pecan pie filling on top of the pumpkin pie layer so that it's even.
- Decorate the edges with the reserved pecan halves and place the pie on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. and then reduce heat to 350 degrees F.
- Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. until the crust is golden and the filling is set.
- Let cool for at least an hour.
- Enjoy with a bit of whipped cream.
