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Making pecan pie at high altitude is no joke. If you’ve ever tried a standard sea-level pecan pie recipe, you may have been startled by an exploding filling, a texture that’s either runny or unpleasantly dense and chewy, and/or an overly sweet flavor. This recipe solves those problems – and results in the luscious, gooey High Altitude Pecan Pie of your dreams.
In case you’re wondering why this pie behaves so differently at high altitude, it basically comes down (as always) to moisture. Water evaporates more quickly up here, and when you mix together super sugary, buttery, liquid-y ingredients and blast them in a hot oven, the vaporizing water leaves behind a cauldron of boiled-down, molten sugar that can bubble, then violently blow its way out of its crust. Bad for your oven, and really bad for eating.
So, how do we make a delicious pecan pie that doesn’t boil over and ruin your day? I’m so glad you asked! Let’s go:
TEXTURE
To add a bit more volume and lift, I altered the standard syrup-to-egg ratio with one more egg. Then I stabilized the filling by tempering the eggs and adding a little starch (tapioca or cornstarch) before boiling the mixture briefly on the stovetop. This slight pre-cooking allows for more precise control of evaporation and gently coaxes the filling into a velvety, luscious consistency. Chopping the pecans also helps by ensuring there’s not a solid crust of nuts to block further evaporation – although it won’t hurt anything to make a pretty pattern on top if that’s your jam.
To further enhance the buttery flavor, I recommend an all-butter pie crust for this recipe, too. My World’s Best Pie Crust is perfect!
FLAVOR
My early encounters with pecan pie left me feeling like I had to brush my teeth immediately. I wasn’t a fan, and pretty much avoided it after that. Then one day I had a bite of one created by a chef pal, and friends, I swooned. It was buttery, nutty, dense yet light, and sweet, but not cloying. Heaven.
I’ve made a few adjustments that keep the filling out of sickening-sweet territory. First, while researching recipes I kept seeing raves for pies made not with corn syrup but with with golden syrup, a cane sugar syrup widely used in Europe and beyond. It has a buttery, almost caramel-y flavor that has more depth and character than traditional corn syrup, in my opinion. It’s takes some planning to get your hands on it here in the U.S., though, since it’s produced abroad and not widely distributed here. I ordered some on Amazon, and also found a bottle at World Market. If you can’t find it, or don’t have time to order, it’s fine to use a mixture of light and dark corn syrups in its place.
Secondly, a tiny bit of acid can help cut the sweetness. I’ve tried lemon juice – and that will certainly work – but I prefer the slightly fruity, fall-like flavor of apple cider vinegar. Although honestly, the flavor is barely a whisper (I promise your pie won’t taste vinegary).
Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown sugar, and that teensy bit of bitterness adds a lovely nuance to the mix. And finally, adding a healthy pinch of sea salt (which tastes saltier than kosher salt) ensures an ideal sweet-savory balance.
Particularly key to a deep, nutty flavor is the important step of roasting the pecans, which brings out a toastiness you won’t get otherwise. You’ll notice I chop the nuts before adding them to the filling, which is purely personal textural preference. If you prefer a more traditional style, leave the halves intact, or chop some and arrange the remainder decoratively on the top of the filling.
To ensure the bottom of the crust stays crisp, first partially bake your pastry (just 20 minutes in a 350-degree oven will do it), and then pour the hot filling into a hot crust (you may need to return your crust to the oven briefly to make this happen). Nothing worse than a soggy bottom, as Mary Berry likes to say (any other Great British Baking Show fans here?).
You’ll know it’s done when the edges of the pie are fully set, but the very middle still wiggles a bit, like Jello. Not liquid, just jiggly! Find that sweet spot, and this is how it’ll look when it cools and sets.
Prepare to swoon. Enjoy!
High Altitude Pecan Pie
★★★★★4.8 from 5 reviews
- Author: Butter & Air
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Yield: 8–12 slices 1x
Description
This luscious, rich pecan pie boasts a velvety texture, a buttery-caramel flavor, and bakes up calmly and beautifully at elevations above 9,000 feet.
Ingredients
Scale
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
5 TB unsalted butter
2/3 cup golden syrup* (see note) or a mix of light and dark corn syrups
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt (or table salt)
1 TB vanilla extract (not imitation)
2 tsp tapioca starch or cornstarch
1 1/2 cups raw pecan halves or pieces
Instructions
1. Place your raw crust in a pie plate, crimp the edges, and prick all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment over the pastry (being sure to cover the edges), and fill with pie weights or dried beans to avoid puffing. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, then take out of the oven, remove the pie weights, and set aside to cool slightly. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
2. Spread the pecans on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in the 350-degree oven for 7-10 minutes, until the nuts are fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When the nuts are cool enough to handle, chop into small pieces (optional – you may leave them whole or halved if you prefer).
3. Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees.
4. Begin to prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until uniformly yellow in color. Set aside.
5. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the brown sugar, golden or corn syrup, and salt. Stir until everything is combined and melted.
6. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, vanilla, and tapioca or cornstarch. Mix thoroughly until the starch is dissolved, then stir into the pot.
7. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a vigorous boil, cooking about a minute until it becomes thick and bubbly. Remove the pan from the heat and let the filling settle and cool for about a minute.
8. Scoop up about 1/4 cup of the sugar syrup mixture and slowly drizzle it into the eggs to warm them, whisking constantly. Scrape the eggs back into the pan of syrup, again whisking constantly to make sure they don’t curdle.
9. Check your pie crust. If it’s cooled completely, return it to the oven for a few minutes. When it’s warm, scatter the pecans on the bottom, and pour the hot filling on over the nuts.
10. Place the pie on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet, then bake at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until the center jiggles like gelatin but is no longer liquid in the center. If the edges of the crust begin to brown too much during the bake, cover them with strips of foil. Do not overbake the pie – the filling will continue to set as it cools.
11. Cool pie thoroughly to set. Serve at room temperature (or, if desired, you can heat it slightly before serving.
Pie can be kept at room temperature, wrapped tightly in foil, for a day or two, or in the refrigerator for and additional day.
Notes
… Golden syrup is a European product that produces exceptional flavor but can be difficult to find in American grocery stores (I have seen it at World Market and Whole Foods, or you can order it on Amazon). If you cannot find it, a mix of light and dark corn syrups is an acceptable substitute.
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