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You are here: Home / Recipes / Desserts / Browned-Butter Pecan Pie with 5 Tips for Preventing the Crust from Sticking

Browned-Butter Pecan Pie with 5 Tips for Preventing the Crust from Sticking

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As you may have guessed, the secret ingredient in this Browned-Butter Pecan Pie is browned butter. Many a pecan-pie-hater has been converted by this recipe.

Do you ever have problems with your pecan pie sticking to the pie plate? Me, too. It can stick so bad that you think it will take a chisel to get it out.

Since this recipe was originally published in 2009, I went back to the drawing board. After borrowing some techniques from America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book, I tested and retested. Think I’ve got it!!

two pieces of Browned Butter Pecan PIe
Jump to the recipe

If you’re like me, pecan pie is a once-a-year treat. So it better be fabulous. This recipe deserves the honors.

It is the lightest, most delicate pecan pie I have ever eaten in my entire life.

Uncut baked pecan pie with chocolate drizzle
With chocolate drizzle
uncut browned-butter pecan pie without chocolate drizzle
Without chocolate drizzle

The secret is the browned butter.

It contributes a nutty, buttery, toffee-like flavor without taking over the show. It’s the magic ingredient in this pie! Add chocolate drizzles on top to dress it up, but that’s optional.

RELATED POST: Soft Cinnamon Cookies with Browned Butter Icing

Browning the butter:

The process of browning butter is simple. Knowing when the butter is brown enough without burning it is the tricky part. Don’t be afraid. I’ll hold your hand.

Please note that the amount of time this takes depends on three things:

  • How much butter you are browning
  • How high the heat is
  • The cooking vessel you use
melting butter in a pan on the stove
Slowly melt butter in a saucepan on the stove.
butter solids beginning to separate
The solids will start to separate.
browned butter in a pan
The buttery liquid will turn a golden brown and become fragrant.

RELATED POST: How To Make Browned Butter in a Microwave

5 Tips for Preventing a Pecan Pie Crust from Sticking to the Pie Plate:

#1

Spray your pie plate with an oil/flour mixture like Baker’s Joy.

Do this before you place the pie crust dough into the pie dish.

spraying pie plan with baker's joy

#2

Make sure your crust is not too thin and has no cracks.

raw yogurt and butter pie crust

#3

Partially bake your pie crust before filling.

Cover well-chilled or frozen raw pie crust with two layers of aluminum foil. Press foil to fit the pie crust snugly, then fold edges over the crust to protect edges from over-browning.

raw pie shell covered with aluminum foil and filled with a chain instead of pie weights

Fill pie shell with pie weights, rice, pennies, or my personal favorite, a heavy chain (sold by the foot at hardware stores). Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. (The longer time is suggested for frozen crusts.)

Remove foil and let cool slightly. You want your crust to still be warm when you pour in the filling.

Kitchen Tip: To catch any buttery drips, place a cookie sheet topped with a silicone mat on the rack beneath your crust while baking. It’s much easier to throw the mat into your dishwasher than to scrub your oven after the drips burn on the bottom of your oven.

#4

Heat pie filling before pouring it into your pie crust.

Before adding the vanilla, lemon juice, and pecans, I cook the custard mixture in the microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds. You want it to reach 130 degrees F when measured with a quick-read thermometer.

#5

Fill the pie crust with filling while the crust is still warm.


As you might have figured out, this “no-leak” process requires a bit of timing.

This is my time schedule for making Browned Butter Pecan Pe:

  • Prepare pie shell. Chill well or freeze.
  • While pie shell pre-bakes, prepare the filling.
  • Pour the hot pie filling into your warm pre-baked crust.
  • BAKE!

Can I use a store-bought pie crust?

A store-bought crust is fine, or you can make your own. My personal favorite is my All-Butter Yogurt pie crust. It is so incredibly FLAKY!

RELATED POST: How To Make a Flaky Pie Crust with Greek Yogurt

I don’t recommend baking your pie in an aluminum foil pan. The cooking process tends to be uneven. If possible, place the foil pan inside of a larger glass pan. At the very least, place it onto a cookie sheet.

Pecans: Should I toast them?

pecans toasted in the microwave

YES! Toasting adds additional flavor to your pie.

Throw chopped pecans onto a paper plate and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir and cook for an additional minute.

RELATED POST: Using a Microwave To Toast Nuts or Coconut

Should I chop the pecans or leave them whole?

Chopping most of the pecans for your pie may not be as pretty, but your tasty pie will be much prettier when you go to slice it. Otherwise, cutting into unsliced pecans can squash the custard filling into a ragged mess.

My compromise is to hold out a few pecans to decorate the top of the pie. (See the pie without chocolate above.) I don’t toast them ahead of time. The oven will do that in the baking process.

Now that you’ve got everything ready, let’s assemble and bake!

browned butter cooling in a bowl
Brown the butter first, then stir in sugar and salt.
whisking pecan pie fillling
Whisk eggs together, then whisk into the mixture above. Stir in corn syrup.
Microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds to 1 minute until mixture comes to 130 degrees F. (Times will vary according to your microwave)
pouring filling into pie crust
Add vanilla, lemon juice, and pecans, Pour filling into the partially baked pie shell.
unbaked pecan pie ready to go in the oven
Bake at 275 degrees F for 50-60 minutes.
pecan with pie shield so the crust won't overbrown
If necessary, shield crust with a pie crust protector or strips of aluminum foil.

How to decorate your baked pie with melted chocolate:

Browned Butter Pecan Pie -- How to practice drizzling chocolate with a plastic bag
I like to experiment on a paper plate before I start drizzling over the pie to make sure the size of the hole in my “decorating bag” is right.
  1. Place chocolate into a small plastic zippered bag.
  2. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, 15 seconds or until melted.
  3. Mash to make sure there are no unmelted lumps that might clog the small hole in step 5.
  4. Snip a small hole in one corner of the bag.
  5. Squeeze chocolate out of the hole to decorate. Go back and forth one way. Then turn the pie 90 degrees and go back and forth again.

Looking for a smaller recipe for a smaller pie?

Try this recipe for Browned-Butter Pecan Mini-Tarts. These are just as delicious but easier to serve and eat. Really nice for holidays and those people who “want one of everything.”

OR

Use a 7-inch pie plate and cut this recipe in half.

RELATED POST: Divide and Conquer–My Kitchen Secret for the Holidays

Pin the picture below to save for later.

If you make this and enjoy the recipe, it would help me and others if you would return to this post and leave a rating (on the recipe card itself underneath the picture). Although always appreciated, no comment is required. Thank you for visiting! Paula

Yield: 8 servings

Browned-Butter Pecan Pie

Browned-Butter Pecan Pie

Pecan pie containing browned butter--the secret ingredient in this holiday pie.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 9-inch partially-baked pie shell
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • Dash of salt
  • 3 large eggs, well-beaten
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped and toasted

Instructions

Pre-bake Pie Crust

  1. Cover well-chilled or frozen pie crust with two layers of aluminum foil. Press foil to fit the pie crust snugly, then fold edges over the crust to protect it.
  2. Fill pie shell with pie weights, rice, pennies, or my personal favorite, a heavy chain (sold by the foot at hardware stores).
  3. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. (The longer time is for a frozen crust.)
  4. Remove foil and let cool slightly. You want your crust to still be warm when you pour in the filling.

Browning the Butter

  1. Heat butter in a small saucepan or skillet over low heat. It will take several minutes. (Please don't substitute margarine for this delicate operation.) When the solids start to brown, it happens quickly. Be alert. It will smell indescribably fragrant and be a light caramel color when ready. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Browning butter can also be done in the microwave.

Filling

  1. In a separate microwave-safe bowl, combine browned butter, sugar, and salt.
  2. Whisk thoroughly beaten eggs and corn syrup into butter mixture.
  3. Place filling in the microwave for 45 seconds on HIGH. The temperature should read 130 degrees F on a quick-read thermometer.
  4. Add in lemon juice and vanilla. Stir in coarsely chopped and toasted nuts.
  5. Pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 275 degrees F for 55-60 minutes. When done, the filling may be somewhat softer in the middle, but it should not be jiggly.
  6. Allow the pie to cool before slicing so the filling will set properly.
  7. Apply chocolate drizzle while the pie is still warm.
  8. Pecan pie should be refrigerated after cooling for two to three hours.

Decorating with Chocolate (optional):

  1. Place 1/4 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips into a small zippered plastic bag. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, 15 seconds or until melted. Snip off the tiniest corner of the bag. Squeeze chocolate out of the hole over the pie in the design of your choice. If you want to squirt the leftover chocolate in your mouth, go ahead. It's our secret.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. But don't worry. This doesn't change the price you pay.

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  • HOME-X Pie Bakeware Set of 2, Glass Baking Accessories, 7” Dessert Pie Plates
    HOME-X Pie Bakeware Set of 2, Glass Baking Accessories, 7” Dessert Pie Plates
  • The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book
    The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book
  • Anchor Hocking 2 Quart Glass Batter Bowl With Lid (81106L11)
    Anchor Hocking 2 Quart Glass Batter Bowl With Lid (81106L11)
  • Pyrex Glass Bakeware Pie Plate 9" x 1.2"
    Pyrex Glass Bakeware Pie Plate 9" x 1.2"

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 slice

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 471 Total Fat: 25g Saturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 14g Cholesterol: 100mg Sodium: 106mg Carbohydrates: 63g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 55g Protein: 5g
© Paula of saladinajar.com
Cuisine: American / Category: Desserts
Traditional pecan pie contains browned butter--the secret ingredient to the best pecan pie you've ever tasted.
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  1. KK

    January 1, 2013 at 4:59 pm

    This pie made a pecan pie hater convert! Thanks for the recipe – loved it!

    Reply
  2. Tasha

    November 24, 2012 at 7:56 pm

    OMG this was sooooooooo good. I am now in love with browned butter. It adds such a nice flavor to pecan pie. I was worried about it not setting properly or that it would be runny. I made it this Thanksgiving and It came out perfect. The flavor is so nice. Thank you for sharing this. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.

    Reply
    • Paula

      November 25, 2012 at 6:52 am

      Hi Tasha,
      So glad you liked it. I used my mini-tart crust recipe this year instead of a regular pie crust and it was fabulous too!

      Reply
  3. Karen

    November 5, 2012 at 8:19 pm

    Hi, I made this yummy pie today. Had a slice for dinner while it was still warm… Fantastic! Thank you for sharing this great recipe.

    Reply
  4. Natasha

    December 28, 2011 at 1:51 pm

    Well I did make this for dessert at Christmas and it was absolutely delicious (my family loved it). Thank you so much for this beautiful recipe. All the amounts and instructions were spot on.

    Reply
  5. Natasha

    December 21, 2011 at 1:49 pm

    I know it’s not traditional, but I’m making this for Christmas. Can’t wait to see how it turns out 🙂

    Reply
  6. Jenny

    December 26, 2009 at 6:16 pm

    Do you foil wrap your crust then? I have tried everything – shields, wrapping, frozen, unfrozen, homemade – the crust gets crunchy – what am I doing wrong?

    Reply
    • Romaine

      December 26, 2009 at 6:23 pm

      Jenny, I do not generally use foil, but I occasionally use a metal piecrust shield. They are cheap and it’s way easier.

      Are you baking the pie closer to the bottom of the oven?

      Is your oven true to temperature? You can check with an inexpensive oven thermometer.

      Reply
  7. Sis

    December 9, 2009 at 9:24 am

    Just made this pie, and had surprisingly good results browning the butter. (Question, explain why you would use unsalted vs. salted butter) You may have mention this hint about browning sugar on another part of your blog, so overlook this if I am repeating. For years I was a failure at browning sugar like my southern mother-in-law did it. Thought the southern black iron skillet was essential. Just in recent years I realized that the black or dark color of a skillet makes it much harder to determine when the butter is the right color. Today I used a heavy small stainless steel sauce pan, and it worked like a charm.
    Now the pie itself?? Well, I set the butter aside to cool, and you guessed it, I forgot to include it in the filling. Knowing it would NOT be pecan pie without the butter, I poured the batter out of the pie shell and put in the butter and returned it to the oven. Big mess! Sure, but can’t wait to taste it when it is finished cooking. Even the raw batter tasted good. I know – I know – raw eggs, etc. :+)

    Reply
  8. Myra

    November 27, 2009 at 10:23 am

    I made this for Thanksgiving this year and although I was sure I was going to mess up the browning the butter part it turned out very nicely. The pie was a huge hit with my husband. It may have to become a TG staple in our house.

    Reply
  9. Jill

    November 25, 2009 at 8:34 am

    This really looks delicious. I’m always looking at recipes with browned butter but I haven’t tried any yet. Love the chocolate on top…that seems mandatory rather than optional! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Jules

    November 23, 2009 at 9:28 pm

    This is going on my list. I need to bake this one. Have you tried the Browned Butter Brown Sugar cookies from Deb at Smitten Kitchen? To die for.

    Reply
  11. Nina

    November 23, 2009 at 3:37 pm

    Wow—does that look delicious. Thank you for posting the tip from CI on the pie crust!! I saw that on CI, but had not tried it! Your photos are terrific.

    Reply
  12. Staci

    November 22, 2009 at 10:07 pm

    I will definitely be printing this off for the next time I get the urge to back (after all I’ve done this past week…it may be awhile! lol)

    Reply
  13. debby

    November 22, 2009 at 5:41 pm

    Yummy, will have to try it.
    BTW, you can see my granddaughter baking your oatmeal cookies at
    http://www.myramoran.blogspot.com

    Reply
  14. mimi

    November 21, 2009 at 10:01 pm

    I love brown butter too. Mr. Mimi’s says pecan is his favorite pie, but I ‘m beginning to think he says that about every pie he wants to eat.
    Mimi

    Reply
  15. Sis

    November 21, 2009 at 7:38 pm

    Have you already given the pie CRUST recipe in a former post? If not, I need that recipe too.

    Reply
  16. Debbie

    November 21, 2009 at 3:52 pm

    Looks great and tastes great! I have had the chance to eat this before. Printed it off the “right way” and will be on my list for Thanksgiving foods to prepare!

    Reply
  17. Myra

    November 21, 2009 at 10:16 am

    I was just looking for a good pecan pie recipe! This looks so good! Can’t wait to try it this week!

    Reply
  18. Christine @ Fresh Local and Best

    November 21, 2009 at 9:57 am

    What a stunning and decadent treat! Romaine, how do you stay sooooo skinny?!

    Reply
  19. amanda

    November 21, 2009 at 9:36 am

    Ummm WOW? That looks awesome!!!

    Reply

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