Bourbon Pecan Pie

When I was growing up in Louisiana, fall meant pecans littering the ground from the stately trees in our suburban neighborhood. On walks home from the bus stop, we would dip into various neighbors’ backyards and gather as many pecans as would fit in our pockets and backpacks. My favorite thing to do once all the nuts had been shelled (by hand!) was to make pecan pie. This recipe uses cane syrup, which adds a more complex sweetness than corn syrup. Plus, by toasting the pecans, you bring out the umami and a slight bitterness, which balances the sweetness of the caramel-like filling. The heavy doses of vanilla and bourbon enhance the pecan flavor while also toning down the sweetness.

This pie crust recipe makes two disks of dough—save the second disk, wrapped carefully, in your freezer for another pie. The dough can be frozen up to 1 month and defrosted in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days.