The Best Pecan Pie with Sourdough Pie Crust Recipe
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This Sourdough Pecan Pie recipe is just as sweet and crunchy as grandma’s, only it’s baked in a buttery, flaky pie crust made with sourdough discard! It’s the perfect sweet treat for the holiday season, whether you’re gathering with family for Thanksgiving dinner or sharing dessert at a cozy winter get-together.
The sourdough crust is rich and tender, the toasted pecans add a deep nutty flavor, and the dark brown sugar filling gives every bite that classic, gooey sweetness everyone loves.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
Quick and easy
Forget peel and slicing apples or roasting a pumpkin, this traditional pie is one of the quickest and easiest to put together! No need for par-baking the pie crust, simply pour the sweet syrup over the pecans in the pie dough and bake!
Traditional pie with a golden, flaky crust
It’s just as gooey and crunchy as your grandma’s pecan pie, and the added flavor of a buttery sourdough crust makes it even better. The sourdough discard crust is super tender and flaky and works great for both sweet pies and savory pies. This pie is so irresistible you might notice a few pieces disappearing before the pie even hits the table!
You’ll toss your excess stater no more
This homemade pie crust is one of the best ways to do something with the discard from feeding your starter. If you’re a minimalist at heart like me you won’t want to throw away the excess starter. You’ll want to bake something with it, where that’s your favorite pie, sourdough pancakes or whatever.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
Sourdough Pie Crust
- All-purpose flour: I use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but if you have pastry flour on hand, even better. Swap out for even amounts.
- Butter: It is important to keep the butter COLD. I cut my butter into large chunks straight out of the freezer to make sure it’s cold enough.
- Lard: I know having lard in your pantry isn’t common these days, but my grandma swears by it. It has a higher melting point than butter, so it doesn’t melt in the pastry as quickly as butter, which is what you want. This means you don’t have to work as cautiously when making the dough. If you’re in a pinch and don’t have lard, you can swap it with the same amount of shortening or extra butter. Make sure the lard goes in the freezer first so it’s nice and cold.
- Baking Powder: While it’s not a typical ingredient in pie crust, it makes a nice difference. A little bit helps the dough puff slightly, giving the crust a tender, crisp texture.
- Sourdough Starter Discard: I find sourdough discard that is about 1-2 days old works best for this recipe, however, you can use even older discard for a more tangy taste.
- Ice water (optional): Depending on the discard you use, you might not even need ice water. Only add if the pastry dough doesn’t form after mixing. To make ice water I just pour water and add a few ice cubes to a bowl. Pour 1 tablespoon at a time into the dough and mix. It shouldn’t need much liquid to form a dough ball.
Pecan Pie Filling
- Pecans – Pecan halves or roughly chopped pecans can be used.
- Dark Corn Syrup – Pure maple syrup can be used as a 1:1 substitute!
- Dark Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar can be used as a substitute, but I just love the extra caramel undertones dark brown sugar brings to this pie.
How to Make Sourdough Pecan Pie
- Prepare my sourdough pie crust recipe through step 7 (this makes enough for a double pie crust). Then, follow the instructions below.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and roast the pecan halves for 3-5 minutes. Let them cool to room temperature.
- Remove one pie dough disc from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature. On a lightly floured surface, roll the first disc (the bottom pie crust) of dough to about 1/8 inch thick, forming a 13-inch circle.
- Transfer the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie dish, press it into your pie dish and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until pale yellow and foamy.
- Add the dark corn syrup, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, melted butter, and salt. Whisk until completely smooth.
- Pour the pecans, then the pie filling into the pie dough.
- Bake 50-55 minutes at 350 degrees F or until when gently shaken, the middle of the pie no longer jiggles or jiggles ever so slightly.
- Allow the pie to cool completely, about 2 hours. Slice, top with homemade whipped cream and enjoy!
How to Store
After the pie has cooled completely, cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Take it out and let it rest at room temperature for half an hour to an hour before serving for the best texture and flavor.
FAQs
Pure maple syrup can be substituted for dark corn syrup 1:1.
Absolutely! If all you have in the pantry is light brown sugar, use it! However, I prefer the inclusion of dark brown sugar as it bring an even more caramel undertone to the Sourdough Pecan Pie.
Yes, you can. Use the same amount of bubbly starter by weight. The starter adds flavor rather than leavening, so your crust will turn out tender and delicious either way.
Sourdough Pecan Pie Recipe
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Ingredients
- Homemade Sourdough Pie Dough full recipe makes 2 crusts: 1 for bottom, 1 for later
- 285 grams pecan halves 2 1/2 cups
- 165 grams eggs about 3 large eggs
- 230 grams dark corn syrup, see substitutions below 3/4 cup
- 220 grams dark brown sugar, see substitions below 1 cup **see substitutions
- 57 grams unsalted butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
- 6 grams vanilla extract 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
- Prepare the sourdough pie dough up to step 7 . Store in the fridge until ready to use.This pie crust recipe makes enough dough for a double crust pie or two single crust pies. This recipe is a single pie crust pie, so you can keep the extra pie dough in the fridge for a few days or freeze for up to 3 months.Homemade Sourdough Pie Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spread the pecan halves out evenly on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once preheated, bake the pecans for 3-5 minutes, or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Allow them to cool until room temperature.285 grams pecan halves
- While the pecans are cooling, roll out the pie dough. Remove one pie dough disc from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature, about 15 minutes. With a floured rolling pin, roll of dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll from the center outward, then turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat rolling.
- After rolling the dough full circle, add more flour to your work surface—you don’t want the dough to stick! Flip the dough to the other side and roll it out until it is about 1/8 inch thick and a 13-inch circle.
- Using your rolling pin is the best way to maneuver your pie dough into a pie dish! Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll in the 9-inch deep pie dish. Press into your crust into the pie dish. Fold any dough overhang back into the dish to form a thick rim around the edges. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers. Place the pie dough in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until pale yellow and foamy (about 30 seconds).165 grams eggs
- Next, add the dark corn syrup, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, melted butter, and salt. Whisk until completely smooth.230 grams dark corn syrup, see substitutions below, 220 grams dark brown sugar, see substitions below, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted, 6 grams vanilla extract, 3 grams salt
- Remove the pie dough from the fridge and add the cooled, toasted pecans into the prepared sourdough pie crust, then pour the egg/sugar mixture over the pecans.
- Bake the pie on the center rack at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until when gently shaken, the middle of the pie no longer jiggles or jiggles ever so slightly.
- Allow the sourdough pecan pie to come to room temperature (at least 2 hours) before slicing and serving. Otherwise, store in the fridge for up to 3 days before ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
Sourdough Pie Crust
- All-purpose flour: I use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but if you have pastry flour on hand, even better. Swap out for even amounts.
- Butter: It is important to keep the butter COLD. I cut my butter into large chunks straight out of the freezer to make sure it’s cold enough.
- Lard: I know having lard in your pantry isn’t common these days, but my grandma swears by it. It has a higher melting point than butter, so it doesn’t melt in the pastry as quickly as butter, which is what you want. This means you don’t have to work as cautiously when making the dough. If you’re in a pinch and don’t have lard, you can swap it with the same amount of shortening or extra butter. Make sure the lard goes in the freezer first so it’s nice and cold.
- Baking Powder: While it’s not a typical ingredient in pie crust, it makes a nice difference. A little bit helps the dough puff slightly, giving the crust a tender, crisp texture.
- Sourdough Starter Discard: I find sourdough discard that is about 1-2 days old works best for this recipe, however, you can use even older discard for a more tangy taste.
- Ice water (optional): Depending on the discard you use, you might not even need ice water. Only add if the pastry dough doesn’t form after mixing. To make ice water I just pour water and add a few ice cubes to a bowl. Pour 1 tablespoon at a time into the dough and mix. It shouldn’t need much liquid to form a dough ball.
Pecan Pie Filling
- Pecans – Pecan halves or roughly chopped pecans can be used.
- Dark Corn Syrup – Pure maple syrup can be used as a 1:1 substitute!
- Dark Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar can be used as a substitute, but I just love the extra caramel undertones dark brown sugar brings to this pie.
Time-Saving Tips:
The holidays can be busy, but these few tips can save you on time and stress!- Prepare the pie dough ahead of time! I love to make a double batch and pop the extras in the freezer. Thaw the dough out in the fridge the night before to save on time the following day.
- Toast the pecans the day before.
- Prepare and bake the pie up to 3 days before enjoyed! Have your dessert ready to enjoy days in advance.
Sweet, crunchy and uses my sourdough discard – what an easy and delicious pie to make this holiday season!