Maple Pecan Pie

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If you’re looking for a pecan pie made without corn syrup, this Maple Pecan Pie is it. With a rich, decadent, and buttery pecan filling in a flaky pie crust, it’s the pie you didn’t know your holiday dessert table was missing. Not to mention that it’s easy to make & can easily be made in advance!

Why You’ll Love This Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup

  • No corn syrup. If you’re looking for a pecan pie without corn syrup, this maple pecan pie is it. It’s based on my classic pecan pie. The only real difference is the corn syrup being swapped for maple syrup. The texture and flavor with the maple syrup are delicious and very similar to the original.
  • Flaky, buttery crust. This maple pecan pie recipe starts with my homemade pie crust. It’s flaky and made with all butter, which really amplifies the buttery flavor in the pecan pie itself.
  • Rich, decadent flavor. The maple syrup along with the dark brown sugar and butter give this recipe a delightfully rich and complex flavor. It pairs so nicely with the pecans and the buttery pie crust.
  • Great for making ahead. This pie needs to chill for at least 3 hours before enjoying so this is a great recipe to make a day or two in advance. It freezes well too!

For more pecan pie variations, check out my pecan pie cheesecake, chocolate pecan pie, and caramel pecan pie.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make maple pecan pie

Recipe Ingredients

Besides the maple syrup and pecans, this recipe is made primarily with pantry staples. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the measurements.

Crust

  • All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure the flour correctly.
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter – Make sure it’s very cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. I recommend keeping it refrigerated or even popping it in the freezer to ensure it stays cold.
  • Ice water – It’s important that the water is very cold, like a glass of cold water with ice cubes. Keeping the butter cold is key to getting those butter bits in the crust. The little pockets of butter will melt during the baking process to give you flakey layers.

Pie Filling

  • Eggs – Eggs help to firm up the filling. This recipe uses large eggs, not medium or extra large.
  • Maple syrup – The base of the filling. Use a good quality one, since a lot of flavor will come from the syrup.
  • Dark brown sugar – Light brown sugar will work but you won’t get the same rich flavor.
  • All-purpose flour – For a little thickening powder and texture.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Butter – Adds extra richness to the filling.
  • Salt – Helps enhance the other flavors in the pie.
  • Pecan halves

How To Make Maple Pecan Pie

The most important thing to know before you begin making this pecan pie with maple syrup is that the pie crust dough needs to chill twice, for a minimum of 1 hour each time, so you’ll want to plan for that. You could easily make it ahead of time and add the filling when you’re ready. You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.

Make the crust

  • Combine the flour and butter. Pulse 3/4 cup of flour and salt 2-3 times in a food processor. Add the cubed butter and process for about 15 seconds, until a crumbly dough forms and all of the flour is coated. Add the remaining flour and pulse to evenly distribute. The texture should be sandy without a bunch of big pieces.
  • Form the dough. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water then use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together, until larger clusters form. If the dough holds together nicely when you pinch it, it’s ready. If it falls apart, add 1-2 more tablespoons or water and continue pressing it together.
  • Chill. Pour the dough out onto parchment paper, work just until for it to come together, and then shape it into a disc. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
  • Form the crust. When you’re ready to bake, roll the pie crust out between two pieces of parchment paper. Drape it over a 9-inch pie plate, remove the parchment paper, and shape it. Prick the crust with a fork so that steam can escape and the crust won’t bubble up.
  • Chill. Refrigerate the crust for 3-4 hours or freeze for an hour.
  • Bake. Line the pie crust with parchment paper, ensuring it presses all the way against the crust, then fill the pie crust with pie weights, rice, or beans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust just begins to brown. See my tutorial for blind baking pie crust, if you’d like.

For more step-by-step photos of making the crust, check out my my flakey all-butter pie crust post.

Make the pie filling

  • Make the filling. Whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, butter, and salt.
  • Assemble. Place the pecans in an even layer in the pie crust. Pour the maple mixture over the pecans. They will float to the top.
  • Bake. Bake for 40-45 minutes, adding a pie crust shield after about 15-20 minutes. The pie should be set but still a bit jiggly.
  • Cool. Cool the pie on a wire rack for about an hour then cover and refrigerate for about 3-4 hours, until firm.
Overhead view of maple pecan pie

Tips for Success

  • Use a pie shield. After about 15-20 minutes of baking the whole pie, you will want to add a pie shield to prevent the crust from browning a little too much before the filling is done. If you don’t have a pie shield, just tent some aluminum foil over the pie.
  • Toast the pecans. If you want to add some extra flavor to the pie, toast the pecans first. You can easily do this in the oven for a few minutes or on the stovetop. Just be sure to let them cool before adding them to your pie crust.
  • Make sure the pie crust is COLD. The key to a flaky, buttery pie crust is for the crust to be super cold when going into the oven. The longer it takes the butter to melt, the flakier the crust is. This is why it’s also important to use cold water and cold butter when making the crust.
  • Chill before slicing. As tempting as it may be to dive right in, I highly recommend letting the pie chill for 3-4 hours in the fridge. Otherwise, you’ll have messy slices.
A slice of maple pecan pie on a white plate with a dollop of whipped cream

Proper Storage

  • Make ahead. Maple pecan pie can be made 1-2 days in advance. In fact, I recommend making it at least 1 day in advance so it has lots of time to chill. Just cover it with plastic or foil and keep it refrigerated.
  • Fridge. This pie can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Either wrap the pie pan tightly with plastic wrap or, if you’ve already sliced it, wrap the slices in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container.
  • Freezer. Before freezing, be sure to allow the pie to firm up completely in the fridge. Then you can just wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Leftover individual slices can also be frozen in the same way.

More Pie Recipes To Try

Watch How To Make It

Read Transcript

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A slice of maple pecan pie topped with whipped cream
Recipe

Maple Pecan Pie

  • Author: Lindsay Conchar
  • Prep Time: 50 minutes
  • Cool/Chill: 6 hours
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 7 hours 50 minutes
  • Yield: 10-12 slices
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

If you’re looking for a pecan pie without corn syrup, this Maple Pecan Pie is it. With a rich, decadent, and buttery pecan filling in a flaky pie crust, it’s the pie you didn’t know your holiday dessert table was missing. Not to mention that it’s easy to make & can easily be made in advance!


Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 1/4 cups (163g) all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (112g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 24 tbsp ice water

Pie Filling

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup (240ml) maple syrup
  • 3/4 cup (168g) dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp (8g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (56g) butter, melted
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups (200g) pecan halves

Instructions

Make the crust

  1. Add 3/4 cup (98g) of flour and salt to a large food processor and pulse together 2 to 3 times.
  2. Scatter the cubed butter over the flour and process until a crumbly dough forms, about 15 seconds. The flour should all be coated – none of the flour should be dry.
  3. Add the remaining half cup of flour (65g) and pulse a few times until everything is evenly distributed. The doughy pieces should break up and it should look sandy. There shouldn’t be a bunch of big pieces remaining. A few are fine, but it should be mostly evenly distributed.
  4. Move the mixture to a medium mixing bowl and add 4 tablespoons of the ice water. Start with 2 tablespoons and add from there. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together. The crumbs should begin to form larger clusters. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together nicely, it’s ready. If the dough falls apart, add 1-2 more tablespoons of water and continue to press until dough comes together.
  5. Pour the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and work just enough for it to come together, then shape into a disc.
  6. Wrap disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 2 days.
  7. When ready to bake the crust, place the pie crust onto a piece of parchment paper. Cover the crust with another piece of parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin.
  8. Peel one piece of the parchment paper off and use the other piece of parchment to lift the pie crust and drape it over a 9-inch pie plate. Carefully peel off the second piece of parchment paper, then shape your pie crust. “Dock” the crust by pricking the crust with a fork to allow steam to escape evenly. This helps the crust not bubble up and cook unevenly.
  9. Refrigerate the crust for 2-3 hours or freeze for about an hour. You want to be sure the crust is very cold.
  10. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line the pie crust with parchment paper. Be sure the parchment paper presses all the way against the crust so that it’s flush. Fill the pie crust with pie weights, rice or beans.
  11. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust just begins to brown. At this point, the crust is partially baked and it is done if that’s what you want. See my tutorial for blind baking pie crust, if you’d like.

Make the pie filling

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, dark brown sugar, vanilla, butter and salt.
    Put the pecans in the bottom of the crust in an even layer. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the pecans, which will then float to the top.
  2. Place the pie back in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, adding a pie crust shield after about 15-20 minutes, when the crust looks like it may brown too much.
  3. When the pie is set around the edges and the center is set but still jiggly, remove the pie from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for about 1 hour, then refrigerate until firm, 3-4 hours.
  4. Pie can be made 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve. Best if eaten within 4-5 days.

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Lindsay
About Lindsay

I’m the baker, recipe developer and photographer behind Life, Love and Sugar. I love sharing trusted recipes with helpful tips to give you great results.

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