Holiday Baking Ideas: Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

There are few pies in my household that scream the holidays and the family expects...pecan pie being on the top of the list. Personally I'm not a huge fan of nut pies preferring a custard or fruit pie myself so over the years I've played with my pecan pie recipe to make it more appealing to my taste buds so it's not just overwhelmingly nutty and has a depthness of flavor. Enter the maple and bourbon aspect of this recipe! You can tone it up or down based on your preference and it brings such an added richness to the flavor palate of this dish. I use whatever bourbon or whiskey I have on hand and I think even coconut rum would be nice here. The pie crust recipe I use for all my baking is a recipe from Ina Garten that I learned years ago. I use salt or sugar dependent on if I want a savory butter crust or a hinge of sweetness in my crust. But what I've always loved about her recipe is how easy it is and the use of butter and shortening make it more pliable to work with and still get that buttery goodness. I'd love to hear what your Thanksgiving/ Holiday staples are, enjoy!

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 3/4 cup light corn syrup

• 1/2 cup of light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup of white sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 1/4 cup of maple syrup *

• 2-3 tbsp of bourbon of your choice

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 cups (330g) pecan halves

*If you don't have maple syrup you can substitute maple extract flavoring using about

2-3 tablespoons and you'll still get that flavor. Up the corn syrup to 1 cup if you do this.

Pie crust recipe (yields 2- 9 inch crusts) - you only need one for this recipe, you may use the other or the scraps of the one after you fill your pie plate for décor on top of the pie. I like to use a turkey shaped cookie cutter or leaf cookie cutter for some added decoration on top if I'm doing this as a holiday pie.

• Preheat the oven to 350F.

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn syrup, maple syrup, bourbon, sugars, eggs, butter, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and well combined.

• Mix in the pecans to evenly coat.

• Pour into the pie shell and spread around the pecans to create an even filling.

• Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. It’s done with the crust is golden brown and to your eye its looks as though the filling has set.

• Allow the pie to cool completely for about 1-2 hours to allow it to set and enjoy!