Butterscotch Pie with Caramelized Pecans
This butterscotch pie with caramelized pecans is one of those Thanksgiving desserts I love having in my back pocket because, honestly, Thanksgiving can get stressful enough without trying to make every single dish at the last minute. A buttery homemade crust is blind baked until lightly golden, then filled with a smooth butterscotch custard made with dark brown sugar, butter, whole milk, and vanilla before being topped with crunchy pecans coated in a simple brown sugar glaze. The rich, creamy filling has a deeper, more buttery flavor than caramel, while the crisp pecans add just the right amount of texture. And because the pie needs at least four hours to chill and set, it is especially well suited to making ahead — one less thing to worry about when the kitchen is busy and Thanksgiving dinner is coming together. If you’re planning your holiday dessert spread, try my sweet potato pie with toasted meringue topping or my tangy cranberry ginger pie next.
What is Tempering?
Tempering is the process of slowly whisking part of a hot liquid into egg yolks and then pouring that diluted mixture back into the remaining hot liquid, usually custard. This process is done so that the eggs don’t immediately scramble when added to the hot liquid.
What is Blind Baking?
Blind baking the crust of the pie, the term for pre-baking the crust before the butterscotch pie filling is added ensures the crust doesn’t get soggy. This crust is partially blind baked until it’s a pale golden brown so it’s not over cooked once it is cooked the second time around after the filling is added. Pie weights or rice or beans are added to the crust so it doesn’t bubble up as it cooks.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Buttery and rich — The brown sugar and butter-based custard has a deep butterscotch flavor without relying on heavy cream.
- Great texture contrast — The creamy custard and flaky crust are finished with crunchy pecans coated in a crisp brown sugar glaze.
- Made for holidays — The pie needs several hours to chill and set, making it a convenient dessert to prepare the day before a big gathering.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Pecans – Pecans add a nutty crunch that complements the butterscotch flavor of the custard. Pecan is a species of hickory quite popular in the South. In this recipe I caramelize the pecans in a brown sugar glaze. Letting the pecans dry on a metal rack allows any excess sugar to drip off as the pecans dry. Make sure the pecans are totally dry before adding them to the pie.
- Butterscotch – The main components of butterscotch are butter and brown sugar. It’s typically used to create hard candies though in this recipe I use the subtle buttery flavoring for the custard in this pie.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
Give the caramelized pecans plenty of time to dry. Separate them on the wire rack while they cool so excess brown sugar glaze can drip away and the coating can fully harden. If the pecans are still sticky when you arrange them on the chilled pie, they can soften the custard’s surface instead of providing the crisp topping you want.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Whole milk — Stick with whole milk for the richest custard, but 2% milk can work if that is what you have on hand.
- Dark brown sugar — Light brown sugar can be substituted, though dark brown sugar gives both the custard and pecan topping a deeper molasses flavor.
- Pecans — Walnuts can be used in the caramelized topping if you prefer their slightly more earthy flavor.
- Homemade pie crust — A 9-inch store-bought pie crust can be used to simplify the recipe, though you should still blind bake it before adding the custard.
- Vanilla extract — Vanilla bean paste can be used in the same amount for a more pronounced vanilla flavor.
How to Make Butterscotch Pecan Pie (Step-by-Step)
- Add the butter to the flour mixture. Add the flour, salt and sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Add the pieces of butter and use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse and pea size pieces of the butter remain.
- Wet the dough. Add 4 tablespoons of ice water to the dough and mix with your hands until dough comes together. Be careful not to over-mix (you should still be able to see pieces of the butter).
- Chill the dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap each in plastic wrap and flatten into disks. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Heat oven and make the butter mixture. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Whisk in the flour until combined followed by the sugar, milk and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Make the butter mixture. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Whisk in the flour until combined followed by the sugar, milk and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Make the custard. Add the egg yolks to a medium mixing bowl and slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk mixture to temper the eggs. Pour the egg mixture back to the milk mixture and add the vanilla extract, stirring to combine.
- Melt the sugar. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of water and bring the mixture to a boil, about 5 minutes.
- Add the nuts. Add the pecans, stirring to combine. Spread over a wire rack, separating the pecans and let cool completely for an hour.
- Roll out the dough. On a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out one half of the dough into a 14-inch circle. Wrap around a rolling pin and unroll on a 9-inch pie pan. Use your thumb and forefinger to crimp the pie crust.
- Blind bake the crust. Add a piece of parchment paper over the dough and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice. Bake until the dough is firm, about 15 minutes, then remove the pie weights and parchment paper and continue baking the crust until pale golden brown, about an additional 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Add the filling and bake. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack until the center has set, about 1 hour.
- Add the pecans. Arrange the caramelized pecans on the top of the pie.
- Chill and serve. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 4 hours until serving.
How to Serve This Recipe
- Holiday dessert: Serve chilled as part of a Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert spread alongside other seasonal pies.
- With whipped cream: Add a small dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream to complement the rich butterscotch custard.
- Coffee pairing: The deep brown sugar and buttery flavors pair especially well with a cup of hot coffee or espresso.
- Slice cleanly: Use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between slices for neat portions through the custard and pecan topping.
How to Store This Recipe
- Refrigerate: Keep the finished pie covered and refrigerated until ready to serve.
- Make ahead: This pie is particularly well suited to making ahead because it needs at least four hours of refrigeration to set. You can make it the day before serving and keep it refrigerated until dessert.
- Pecan topping: Store leftover caramelized pecans separately in an airtight container if you have extra, since keeping them dry helps preserve their crunch.
- Serve chilled: The custard needs time in the refrigerator to fully set, so do not skip the chilling period before slicing.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Blind baking partially cooks the crust before the custard is added, which helps prevent the bottom from becoming soggy. The crust is baked until pale golden before the filling is added and the pie goes back into the oven.
Temper the egg yolks by slowly whisking about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the beaten yolks before adding them back to the saucepan. This gradually raises the temperature of the eggs so they incorporate smoothly into the custard.
Yes. This pie is particularly well suited to making ahead because it needs at least four hours of refrigeration to set. You can make it the day before serving and keep it refrigerated until dessert.
Butterscotch is traditionally made with brown sugar and butter, while caramel is typically made by cooking white sugar until it caramelizes. The brown sugar gives butterscotch a deeper, more buttery and molasses-like flavor.
Let the caramelized pecans cool completely and dry separately on a wire rack before arranging them on the pie. This allows the brown sugar coating to harden and keeps the nuts crisp rather than sticky.
Other Recipe to Try
If you loved this make-ahead butterscotch pecan pie recipe, check out some of my favorite holiday pies below:
- Sweet Potato Pie with Toasted Meringue Topping
- Cranberry Ginger Pie
- Raspberry Pie with Shortbread Crust
Thanks for cooking with me! If you made this recipe, leave a 🌟 rating and share your thoughts or tips below. I’d love to hear from you!
Butterscotch Pie with Caramelized Pecans
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Ingredients:
For the pie crust:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces
For the butterscotch custard:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ packed cups dark brown sugar
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large egg yolks, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the caramelized pecans:
- ½ cup packed cup dark brown sugar
- 2 cups halved pecans
Instructions:
For the pie crust:
- Add the flour, salt and sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Add the pieces of butter and use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse and pea size pieces of the butter remain.
- Add 4 tablespoons of ice water to the dough and mix with your hands until dough comes together. Be careful not to over-mix (you should still be able to see pieces of the butter).
- Divide the dough in half and wrap each in plastic wrap and flatten into disks. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For the butterscotch custard:
- Heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Whisk in the flour until combined followed by the sugar, milk and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Add the egg yolks to a medium mixing bowl and slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk mixture to temper the eggs. Pour the egg mixture back to the milk mixture and add the vanilla extract, stirring to combine.
For the caramelized pecans:
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of water and bring the mixture to a boil, about 5 minutes. Add the pecans, stirring to combine. Spread over a wire rack, separating the pecans and let cool completely for an hour.
For assembly:
- On a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out one half of the dough into a 14-inch circle. Wrap around a rolling pin and unroll on a 9-inch pie pan. Use your thumb and forefinger to crimp the pie crust.
- Add a piece of parchment paper over the dough and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice. Bake until the dough is firm, about 15 minutes, then remove the pie weights and parchment paper and continue baking the crust until pale golden brown, about an additional 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Pour the filling into the pie crust. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack until the center has set, about 1 hour. Arrange the caramelized pecans on the top of the pie.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 4 hours until serving.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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