Name: Browned-Butter Pecan Pie
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
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

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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!!

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

Place chocolate into a small plastic zippered bag.
Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, 15 seconds or until melted.
Mash to make sure there are no unmelted lumps that might clog the small hole in step 5.
Snip a small hole in one corner of the bag.
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.”

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

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If you make this recipe and enjoy it, consider helping other readers and me by returning to this post. Leave a rating on the recipe card itself underneath the picture. Although always appreciated, comments aren’t required. Thank you for visiting! Paula