Recipe Background
Some traditions are just too delicious to pass up! One of those is Dad's Pecan Pie. A buttery homemade crust and a decadent filling of sweet and crunchy pecans with just a hint of ancho chile and cayenne pepper for a minuscule kick of heat. This pie really has it all with its distinct balance of sweetness and subtle heat. With rich flavors of brown sugar, vanilla, and even a sprinkle of cocoa powder for color and richness, Dad's Pecan Pie is just the dessert to become a family favorite for years to come.
Some traditions are just too delicious to pass up! One of those is Dad's Pecan Pie. A buttery homemade crust and a decadent filling of sweet and crunchy pecans with just a hint of ancho chile and cayenne pepper for a minuscule kick of heat. This pie really has it all with its distinct balance of sweetness and subtle heat. With rich flavors of brown sugar, vanilla, and even a sprinkle of cocoa powder for color and richness, Dad's Pecan Pie is just the dessert to become a family favorite for years to come.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more, to taste, for the dough and for dusting a work surface
- 1 large egg beaten
- 5 tablespoons ice water
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder divided
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper divided
- 1 1/4 cups pecans
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Directions
- In a large bowl, add the vegetable shortening and 3 cups of the flour and using a pastry cutter or a fork, gradually work the shortening into the flour until it resembles a coarse meal, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add 1 of the beaten eggs, the ice water, the white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to the flour mixture and stir gently until everything is incorporated an a dough forms.
- Form the dough into 2 evenly-sized balls.
- Place each of the dough balls in a separate, large resealable plastic bag.
- Using a rolling pin, flatten each of the dough balls into a 1/2-inch-thick disk.
- Seal the plastic bags.
- Freeze the dough disks for at least 15 minutes.
- Transfer 1 of the dough disks from the freezer and allow it to thaw slightly. Reserve the remaining dough disk for a separate use.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Using the extra flour, lightly dust a work surface.
- Add the thawed dough disk to the floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll it out by starting at the center and working your way out to the edges until it is a circle about 11 inches in diameter. Make sure to sprinkle some of the extra flour over the top of the dough if it seems too moist. If the dough is sticking to the work surface, use a metal spatula to scrape it up and flip it over.
- Carefully transform the dough circle to a 9-inch pie plate.
- Gently press the sides of the dough against the sides of the pie plate and tuck in any overhanging dough.
- Crimp the edges of the dough.
- In a large bowl, add the corn syrup, the granulated sugar, the melted butter, the brown sugar, the vanilla, the remaining salt, and the remaining beaten eggs and whisk to combine.
- Add the cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of the ancho chile powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne pepper.
- In a medium bowl, add the pecans, the powdered sugar, the remaining ancho chile powder, and the remaining cayenne pepper and toss until evenly coated.
- Add the pecan mixture to the pie crust, spreading it out evenly.
- Pour the corn syrup mixture over the pecan mixture in the pie crust, making sure to spread it out evenly.
- Carefully cover the pie with foil.
- Bake until the filling just starts to set, about 40 minutes.
- Uncover the pie and continue to bake until the filling is mostly set but the center is still slightly jiggly, about 40-50 minutes.
- Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
- Serve.
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