Recipe: Homemade Maple Pecan Pie

While pumpkin pie is the classic Thanksgiving dessert, my favorite has always been pecan! I know it's full of sugar, but come on, that soft, gooey, buttery filling, topped with crunchy pecans - what could taste better than that??

However, for years, I shied away from making my own pecan pie. It seemed that something that yummy and delicate would have to be difficult to make, right? Plus, once I got more into health, it seemed criminal to cook with high-fructose corn syrup on purpose...

But then, my little sister informed me that not only is it super-easy (one could say easy as pie), but you can also make pecan pie with maple syrup!

The recipe below is not hers, but it's simple, delicious, and contains NO corn syrup or refined cane sugars. Instead, it is made with real maple syrup and coconut sugar and a few other whole food ingredients. Making your own crust is also surprisingly easy, but if you don't have the time or don't feel up to it, you can also use a store bought crust instead.

As with most custard-type desserts, it's best to make pecan pie ahead of time so that it has time to cool completely before you dig in. This actually works out well for Thanksgiving, as you can get your pie made the day before so you won't have to worry about it on the actual day-of, when you'll likely be plenty busy with cooking other things.

Without further ado, here's your new favorite Thanksgiving dessert!  :-)

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Homemade Maple Pecan Pie

Crust

1. 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2. 1 tsp sea salt
3. 1/2 cup lard
4. 6 Tbsp COLD water

Filling

1. 1 cup maple syrup
2. 1 cup coconut sugar
3. 3 eggs, slightly beaten
4. 1/3 cup butter, melted
5. 1/2 tsp sea salt
6. 1 tsp vanilla
7. 1 heaping cup pecan halves

For the Crust:

1. Mix the flour and salt in a medium sized bowl. Cut in the lard until you have pea-sized crumbs.
2. Add the COLD water 2 tablespoons at a time and mix until all of the water has been added. Your dough will be pretty sticky.
3. Divide your dough in 2 pieces and roll out on a (heavily) floured surface.
4. Transfer the dough to your pie plate and trim the edges accordingly. (Note: This recipe makes enough dough for 2 9-inch pie crusts or one 9-inch pie that has a top and bottom crust. If you are only making one pie, wrap remaining piece of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze for later use.)

For the Filling

1. Combine the maple syrup, coconut sugar, eggs, butter, salt and vanilla in a bowl and mix well.
2. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and sprinkle with the pecan halves.
3. Bake at 350F degrees for 50 minutes, or until the center is set.
4. Cool completely.
5. Top with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream if desired and enjoy!

See? Easy as pie.  :-)

Now I'm off to finish cleaning the house before guests arrive...

Happy Thanksgiving!
Rose.


Recipe Source: OhLardy.com