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caramel pecan pie, two slices

Caramel Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup)

Bernice Baran
The easiest caramel pecan pie made with homemade salted caramel and no corn syrup and baked on a flakey, buttery pie crust!
4.57 from 30 votes
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Additional Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 45 minutes
Course Pies & Tarts
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 375 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Salted Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (59mL) water
  • 1/4 cup (56g) salted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (118mL) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Crust

  • 1  Tbsp  whiskey  (bourbon, vodka, any spirit works)
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1 1/4 cup (150g) all-purpose flour  spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter  cold
  • 1  egg  for egg wash

Pecan Filling

  • 3/4 cup (7.5oz) salted caramel sauce* plus more for topping
  • 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar lightly packed
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (56g) butter melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
  • 2 cups (250g) roughly chopped pecans
  • pinch of sea salt flakes

Instructions
 

Caramel Sauce

  • Begin by preparing the homemade salted caramel sauce. In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar and water over medium heat. Place the lid on the pan and remove it every 2-3 minutes to swirl (NOT stir) the sugar.
    1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, 1/4 cup (59mL) water
  • Once the sugar changes to an amber color, remove it from heat (it will continue cooking because the pan is hot so do this immediately). Stir in the butter and whisk continuously. Once that's combined, stir in the heavy cream and then the salt.
    1/4 cup (56g) salted butter, room temperature, 1/2 cup (118mL) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
  • Once it's all mixed, pour it into a heat safe bowl and stir in the salt. Set it aside and allow it to cool at room temperature for about an hour. It doesn't have to cool fully, just enough not to cook the eggs.
    1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Crust

  • Place the alcohol in a measuring cup and add the cold water. Place it in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients. 
    1  Tbsp  whiskey , 1/4 cup cold water
  • Place the flour and salt in the bowl of the food processor. Place the whole bowl in the freezer while you cube the butter. 
    1 1/4 cup (150g) all-purpose flour , 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • Add the cubed butter to the flour in the freezer, for 5-10 minutes.
    1/2 cup (113g) salted butter 
  • Remove the the bowl from the freezer, place it on the food processor and pulse until pea seize chunks form.
  • While the food processor is on, stream in the water mixture just until it starts to come together. Start with only 2 Tbsp of water and use up to 1/4 cup if needed, I usually do 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp of alcohol. You want the dough to be kinda crumbly but stick together when you press on it.
  • Remove the dough from the food processor, press it together so it all sticks together. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for an hour (or overnight). 
  • Preheat the oven to 425F (218C) conventional (no fan).
  • Place a sheet of parchment paper on the chilled pie dough and fill it in with pie weights (or rice) to keep the sheet in place.
  • Bake the pie crust on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 minutes, until it starts to get some color.
  • Remove from the oven and remove the pie weights and parchment sheets. Allow the crust to cool completely (if it's hot when you pour the filling, you may have a soggy bottom).

Filling

  • Preheat the oven to 350F (177C) and in a small bowl use a fork to aggressively beat the egg until it's loosened. Use a pastry brush to the brush the pie crust with the egg wash.
    1  egg 
  • In a large bowl, combine the cooled caramel sauce, brown sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla until they're smooth. Add the pecans and toss until they're fully coated.
    3/4 cup (7.5oz) salted caramel sauce*, 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, 3 large eggs, 1/4 cup (56g) butter, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, 2 cups (250g) roughly chopped pecans
  • Pour the filling over the cooled par-baked pie crust and return the pie to the oven for about 40-45 minutes, until the filling no longer looks liquid-y. It should be puffed around the edges and have wobble in the center when you jiggle it.
  • If the edges of the pie are browning too quickly, remove the pie from the oven and cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent them burning at any point during baking.
  • Remove the pie from the oven, allow it to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate it for a couple of hours to fully set. Top with extra salted caramel sauce and a pinch of sea salt flakes.
    pinch of sea salt flakes

Notes

Store fully covered in the refrigerator.
*feel free the replace caramel sauce with PURE maple syrup or honey.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 375kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 6gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 203mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18g
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