Good Taste is the Worst Vice

Pecan pie

If you could rank desserts in terms of ROI (return on investment), I have to imagine that pecan pie is near the top of the list.


There aren’t many ingredients at all, and it comes together in almost no time.  The result of a small amount of work is a gratifyingly impressive and delicious dessert, one of my favorites.  It’s great on its own, or with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream for those decadent days.

One of the tricks to this recipe is the pat in the pan crust that’s easy as pie to make (ha!).  It originally comes from a blueberry pie recipe my mother received in Alaska, but it’s perfect for pecan pie too; thin and tender, it nearly disappears beneath the sweet filling, but there’s a faint savory note that stands up to it, too.

The filling is made over an improvised double boiler, so it’s basically a one dish, one spoon recipe – no mixing bowls or whisks to dirty!  

And unlike recipes that call for the pecans to be placed carefully on the pie before it goes into the oven, this one takes advantage of the fact that the pecans rise to the surface of the filling while it bakes, so they can simply be mixed with the rest of the filling and poured into the crust.

It’s oh so good…

Pecan pie
For the crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl.  Add wet ingredients and stir until dough comes together.


Transfer to pie pan and press evenly into the bottom and sides with fingers.


Bake for 15 minutes, until crust is golden.




For the filling
2 cups pecans, toasted
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tbsp vanilla


Reduce oven to 275 degrees.


Melt butter in double boiler (use a large bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water).  Meanwhile, roughly chop pecans by hand.


Remove bowl and mix in brown sugar and salt.  Add eggs and mix.  Add corn syrup and vanilla and stir to combine.


Return bowl to saucepan and allow mixture to heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth and fully melted.  Filling should be ~130 degrees.


Remove bowl and stir in pecans.  Pour filling into pie crust.

Bake for 50 minutes.


Pie must cool at least 4 hours before being served.


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