High-Altitude Pecan Pie

Hey everyone! Back with another pie recipe today just in time for the holiday! Today we’re tackling Pecan Pie, which is one of the easiest pies to make, and a big classic for Thanksgiving.

Pecan pie is just a super simple process where you basically just mix everything together and throw it into your crust. At high-altitude, we’re adding an extra egg to help everything set properly here, and I like to go for some maple syrup and cinnamon to make everything feel warm and cozy. Let’s get to it!

How to Make High-Altitude Pecan Pie

We’re going to start out with a pie crust- you’ll want to have yours all prepped and ready, sitting in the freezer while we get the filling going. My recipe for the perfect high-altitude pie crust is here. Meanwhile, we’re going to preheat the oven to 350 degrees along with a sheet pan lined with foil. We want to the pan to get super hot in the oven to help cook the bottom of the crust.

The ingredients for this pie filling are super simple:

In a large bowl, just whisk together the filling ingredients to get started- eggs, corn syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. We’re just whisking to combine everything together here.

In the bottom of your prepared and frozen pie crust, add your pecan halves. I ran out of pecan halves, so I used some chopped pecans too- that’s totally fine!

Then pour the egg filling mixture over the top of the pecans. The pecans will slowly float to the top of the mixture. Pop the whole pie into your preheated oven, on top of your preheated sheet pan, and then it bakes until it looks puffy, set, and golden brown all over.

Then you’ll just want to let everything cool completely before you either serve the pie at room temperature, or chill it for 3-4 hours at least if you’d like to serve the pie cold. That’s it!

Tips & Tricks for High-Altitude Pecan Pie

This is one of the easiest pies to make, and I have some tips to help you along the way!

• Don’t skip freezing your pie crust before you fill and bake it. This really helps the butter stay nice and cold before hitting the hot oven, and it contributes to a great texture of crust.
• Be sure to preheat your sheet pan to help better distribute heat to the bottom of your pie plate while it bakes. This really helps ensure that your crust cooks through, even at the bottom, without having to par-bake the crust first!
• Can I use chopped pecans? Yes, if you’ve got chopped pecans instead of pecan halves, go for it! Or, go for a mix. You’ll still get the texture of crispy pecans and warm custard-y filling in the end.
• Do I need to use real maple syrup? Yes, when it comes to maple syrup in baking, it’s important to go for the real thing to maintain the best texture and flavor. If you prefer to skip the maple syrup, you can sub in more corn syrup for the same measurement.
• How do I know when my pecan pie is done? Your pie is finished when it looks puffy in the center, and no longer jiggles around in the middle. Your pecans on top and the crust will also be a toasty golden brown.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft above sea level don’t need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!

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High-Altitude Pecan Pie

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

• 1 prepared pie crust uncooked
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 cups pecan halves

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and put a sheet pan lined with foil into the oven while it preheats. Form your pie crust into your pie plate, and pop the whole thing in the freezer for about 20 minutes while your oven preheats.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt, and melted butter.

3. Put the pecans into the prepared pie crust, and spread them evenly. Pour the egg mixture over the pecans. The pecans will float to the top of the mixture.

4. Bake the pie on top of the pre-heated sheet pan for 50-55 minutes, or until it looks puffy, set, and golden brown all over. Cool completely at room temperature, and then optionally chill or serve at room temp.

Dough-Eyed

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!