Bourbon Pecan Pie

By Julia Reed

Updated Dec. 29, 2025

Bourbon Pecan Pie
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
5(4,377)
Comments
Read comments

This is a classic and simple recipe given a Southern kick with a little bourbon. The alcohol will evaporate when you bake the pie, and you’re left with a richly flavored, gooey dessert, intensely sweet with a baseline of vanilla. You do need both light and dark corn syrup for this — using only one or the other will change the pie’s flavor. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • 3eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1cup granulated sugar
  • ½cup light corn syrup
  • ½cup dark corn syrup
  • ⅓cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2tablespoons bourbon
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼teaspoon salt
  • 1unbaked 9-inch pie shell (see recipe)
  • 1¼cups coarsely chopped pecans
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

562 calories; 29 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 74 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 58 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 259 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together eggs, sugar, corn syrups, butter, bourbon, vanilla and salt until well blended.

  2. Step 2

    Prick the sides and bottom of the pie shell with a fork at ½-inch intervals. Spread the pecans on the bottom and pour the mixture over them. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until just set around the edges but still slightly loose in the center. (It will continue to set as it cools.)

  3. Step 3

    Place on a rack to cool slightly.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
4,377 user ratings
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Comments

Mark

I love this recipe and completely agree on less sugar and using brown sugar. I like to soak pecans in Bourbon while I am preparing the pie and layer them on top after I sprinkled them lightly with a sanding sugar. Don't forget to finish off the Bourbon to eliminate waste.

s leinweber

I make a pecan pie every year, from my grandmother's recipe. It has been requested by many, and the only 2 differences between it and this recipe is the lack of bourbon and 1/2 cup of the sugar. 1/2 cup of sugar is MORE than enough, please don't use 1 cup!!! (And she always put in 2-3 T of flour, but that is not essential.

Winifred

I incorporated the half sugar comment using light brown sugar and the double nuts comment. Absolutely the best pecan pie I have ever eaten!

Dave G., Lawndale, CA

This dessert was not hard to make and came out awesome. It did take quite a bit more cooking time than listed, but that was okay. I did not vary from the printed recipe. No one complained about it being too sweet. My guests loved it, especially served with some good store-bought vanilla bean ice cream (I think we had Tillamook). I did go to the trouble to hand-make the crust, with European butter, and everyone commented on good that was. I would make it again!

Chef Tija

Regardless of the fact that this browned very quickly and got a little burned, this was adored by the family. Just be cautious and perhaps put tinfoil over the top to prevent burning.

m0

Made two and barely got a slice, so good! Included several suggestions from others: reduced the sugar and used 1/4 c brown and and 1/4 c white, used 1 c of light corn syrup. Soaked some of the pecans for the filling in bourbon while making the crust, which I made using the linked recipe. Because I'm not kitchen fancy, used my hands to crumble 7-8 tbls of butter into the flour. Make sure it's very cold first. I didn't double recipe, just made it twice.

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