Bourbon Pecan Tart
Whether you pronounce it pecan or pecan, this bourbon pecan tart will be a favorite dessert at Thanksgiving. My bourbon pecan tart recipe without corn syrup uses the flavors of other types of sweeteners like maple syrup and molasses plus the added bonus of bourbon. You can’t go wrong with this classic fall bake.
What is Pecan Pie Filling Made Of?
Some people have a love hate relationship with pecan pie during Thanksgiving. I think those who hate it think it’s too sweet, and those who love it just love pure sugar. Most pecan pies I’ve come across are very sweet and use an aggressive amount of sugar and corn syrup. This pecan tart recipe is made without corn syrup and uses few ingredients in general. Instead it uses sugar in different, more flavorful forms including brown sugar, molasses, and maple syrup. While it is still sweet, you get flavor before sweetness on the tongue.
The Origin of Pecan Pie
Unlike apple pie, pecan pie is purely an American creation since pecans are native to North America. Pecans grew along the Mississippi river and were sent to other areas in the south to populate. With pecans prevalent in the south, pecan recipes started popping up. The pecan pie recipe we know today was first published in 1898 in a St. Louis cookbook with the submission coming from a Texas woman but did not become popular until Karo Syrup (a corn syrup company) started printing pecan pie recipes on their product. Moreover, pecan pie became a Thanksgiving table contestant with the fact that pecan season is from September to November. Read more about the history of pecan pie here!
Bourbon Pecan Tart Ingredients
- Pecans: For this nutty bake, you should use unroasted since you bake this. You can use either chopped pecans, or pecan halves. Pecan halves look prettier, but is more difficult to slice. Pecan pieces still look nice (the pecan bourbon pie I have featured in these photos uses pecan pieces), and it’s easier to cut. The choice is yours.
- Bourbon: Any bourbon, whisky, or scotch will do! Don’t forget to pour yourself a glass while baking and check out my other boozy bakes.
- Maple syrup: The real stuff. None of that Aunt Jemima fake stuff.
- Pie dough: Instead of making the tart dough, you can buy premade pie dough. Just keep in mind you need enough for an 11″ tart.
Major Allergens Present: gluten, eggs, dairy (butter), nuts, alcohol
About the Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer: Used to make the tart dough. You will use the beaters for a hand mixer or the paddle for a stand mixer. A mixer is not needed if you choose to buy your pie dough.
- 11-12″ Tart Tin: Used to bake the tart in. I prefer a tart tin with a removable bottom as it makes taking the tart out easier.
How to Make Pecan Tart With Bourbon
What is a pecan tart made out of?
This easy pecan tart recipe has no corn syrup and made with all of our favorite things. Molasses, brown sugar, and maple syrup are used as the sweeteners with bourbon or whiskey for extra boozy flavor. And obviously there are pecans in there. This is the pecan tart recipe for those who don’t like pecan pie. But what is the difference between and pecan tart vs pecan pie? Well the pie version is made with pie dough (less sweet) and is usually deeper. A pecan tart is made with tart dough (little sweeter) and is much thinner.
Make the Tart Dough:
If you are using store bought pie dough then you can skip this section! However, if you’re home making, the tart dough is a basic pate sucree dough which is a sweetened dough. Between the three major doughs (brisee, sucree, and sablee) the sweetness level is in the middle. It is essential not to overwork the dough (particularly the gluten) too much during making or rolling or else it will shrink when baking.
When making the dough, ensure that a dough does not form before you add the eggs. Once you add the eggs, mix just enough for the dough to form then give it a 30 minute rest before rolling it out. You can make the dough a week in advanced if storing in the fridge, and I will usually make a double or triple batch of the recipe to freeze in separate portions for months. However, make sure to defrost the dough and that it’s of a temperature between room and fridge temp.
Roll Out and Freeze the Dough:
If you’ve never rolled out dough before it can be tricky the first time to get a feel for it. Start with a floured surface. With a rolling pin or similar object, roll by pushing out on all sides to form a rough circle, and frequently move or turn the dough to prevent sticking. If it does start to stick, sprinkle a little more flour. Roll to a quarter inch thick (store bought included!), larger than your tart tin, and even. Run your hand over the dough and try to feel if any sections are thicker or thinner than ideal. Again, we don’t want to overwork the dough; you can only roll it out twice before needing to toss it.
Roll up the dough around your rolling pin then unroll to evenly fit in the tart tin. When forming into the tin make sure to press into the corners so you have nice clean corners. Use a knife to trim off any excess, and poke holes in the bottom (also known as docking) to help prevent any bubbles forming and freeze. When you do poke holes, do not make them too big! Freezing is essential because when you go to bake it, the flour in the tart dough will start to bake and solidify before the butter has time to melt preventing your sides from falling down. Freeze for about two hours.
Make the Easy Pecan Tart Filling:
While waiting for your tart shell to freeze, make the filling. Super quick and easy; just mix all the ingredients together except the pecans and butter then slowly stream in the butter while whisking. It will have a very gloopy feel. That’s it! You can let that sit out at room tempertaure until ready to bake. You can even make it a few days in advanced.
Par-Bake the Tart Dough:
Par-baking means baking it halfway, and we do so because the bottom will not fully bake once the filling is in. The holes from docking are usually enough to prevent air bubbles, but if you do notice any bubbles forming poke a small hole on top and push out the air. Be careful though because that is hot steam! When it is done make sure none of your holes are too big otherwise the filling will seep through; I will usually just pinch or press the holes together. Once it has cooled a bit, you can pour the pecans in followed by the pie filling.
Bake the Bourbon Pecan Tart:
I would strongly advise you to bake on a sheet pan lined with foil. From personal experience, my pie has leaked out and was a huge mess for my oven. The filling will rise a little bit, and you will know it is done when it feels firm in the center. If the edges of the tart start to get too dark, take out the tart, cover the edges in tin foil and continue baking as normal. This pie cuts better when it is cold, so I will chill for a couple hours before serving and cutting. If you don’t like cold bourbon pecan tart then slice at room temperature.
Help Making Bourbon Pecan Tart Recipe
How to Roll Out Tart Dough:
- Flatten your dough first with your hands and work with dough that is in between room temperature and fresh from the fridge temperature.
- Use a well floured surface and don’t be shy to add more flour as you see fit especially when you start rolling.
- The dough is going to stick to the table no matter what. Make sure to be continuously moving the dough, running your arm under it, or simply turning it. While you’re rolling, if your dough doesn’t move it means it is stuck to the table. Get it unstuck, and dust some more flour to the table.
- Move the rolling pin in all directions and roll evenly which means don’t put pressure too much on one side of the pin. You want a rough circle so you have to make it that way with the rolling pin. Also, make sure you have the space to roll.
- To know if your dough is even, run your hands on top of the dough and feel which ares are thinner or thicker. If thinner, try to push the surrounding dough into (not onto) itself. If thicker, roll a little more.
- To move the dough from the table to the tin, you can either pick it up with your hands, or you can roll it up around your rolling pin and unroll it over the tin. I usually prefer the first option.
Enhancing This Bourbon Pecan Tart Recipe:
- Chop up some chocolate or mix some chocolate chips in with the pecans! Replace 25% of the pecans with chocolate pieces (100g chocolate and 300g of pecans).
- Make a chocolate tart dough by replacing 40g of flour for cocoa powder.
- Add some orange zest to the dough and/or pie filling, and accompany with some orange whipped cream!
Can You Freeze Pecan Tarts?
- Yes you can free pecan tarts if wrapped tightly and for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw before slicing and serving.
- Do pecan tarts need to be refrigerated? No. You can store covered at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Troubleshooting Bourbon Pecan Tart:
- My filling leaked out! Your holes were too big or you overfilled the pie. Next time, make sure to plug up those holes by either pinching the dough or shoving a pecan piece in there. Also, if your pie shrunk a bit, don’t use all the filling.
- My tart crust shrunk! You overworked the dough. For now, just don’t add all the filling. Next time, try to work the dough as less as possible, and make sure a dough doesn’t form when you are just mixing the butter and flour. Sometimes, after I add the eggs, if it’s taking too long for the dough to form I will shape it together with my hands.
- The crust did not bake all the way! You under par-baked it. Maybe your oven needs a couple extra minutes on the par-bake next time!
- My tart crust edges are starting to burn! You over par-baked it. Take it out, cover the edges in tin foil, and continue baking. Maybe your oven needs a couple minutes less on the par-bake next time!
Something else going wrong? Reach out and we will troubleshoot together!
Bourbon Pecan Tart
Equipment
- Stand or hand mixer
- 11" Tart pan Removable bottom preferred
Ingredients
Tart Dough (if not using store bought)
- 226 g All purpose flour
- 57 g Powdered sugar
- 1 Stick Butter, unsalted
- 1 ea Egg yolks
- 1 ea Whole eggs
Pecan Pie Filling
- 4 ea Whole eggs
- 156 g Light brown sugar
- 100 g Maple syrup
- 100 g Molasses
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 65 g Bourbon/whisky/scotch
- 1 ½ Tbs Butter, unsalted melted
- 400 g Pecans halves or chopped
Instructions
To prepare the tart dough:
- Skip this section if using store bought pie dough.
- Combine the dry ingredients with cubed butter in a bowl and cream with your hand or stand mixer on low until small, half-pea sized butter chunks remain. DO NOT allow a dough to form at this stage.
- Add the egg and yolk, and paddle until a dough forms.
- Allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling it out.
- Roll out the tart dough or store bought pie dough to about a 1/4 inch thick and shape into your tart tin. Dock (or pock holes) in the bottom and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Once frozen, bake the tart shell for 8 minutes. Press out any bubbles that form (do so carefully to prevent steam burns!).
- Close up any large holes so the pecan filling will not seep through. Keep the oven at 350°F.
To prepare the filling and finish:
- Whisk together all ingredients except the butter and pecans.
- Slowly stream in the melted butter while whisking continuously.
- Pour your pecans into the tart shell. Spread evenly around the tart then pour over the filling. Bake on a sheet pan for 30-35 minutes or until the tart is set.
Notes
Nutrition
Well, store bought pecan pie is forever ruined for me after making this (3 times!). The flavor profile is so amazing that it’s incredibly tolerant to errors and alcohol substitutions (under or over baking crust, pecan size, subbing whiskey for bourbon). Make this tart and you will never go back to using corn syrup again