Take pecan pie to the next level with this smoked pecan pie sweetened with maple syrup and served up in a flaky, buttery crust that's cooked in a smoker giving the sweetness of the pie hints of a smokey flavor. It's perfect served up with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream.
I recently stared experimenting with smoking desserts and this version of pecan pie is my new favorite. As a matter of fact, when it was served up for dessert recently, everyone raved about the flavor combination!! And the pie crust is perfection!! So light, flaky and delicious buttery flavor.
Smoked Pecan Pie
This was inspired by my smoked pumpkin pie recipe on this site, and pairs well with a hot cup of coffee made with homemade pumpkin spice creamer.
If you like more unique foods cooked in the smoker, you might also like this Smoked Green Bean Casserole or these Smoked Salmon Cakes.
Ingredients
This maple pecan pie recipe is made with easy ingredients you can find in most large grocery stores these days and you might even already have some of them on hand.
Pie Crust
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- confectioners' sugar
- salt
- unsalted butter
- vegetable shortening
- egg
Pecan Pie Filling
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- salt
- eggs
- Grade B or Grade A dark amber pure maple syrup
- whole toasted pecans
See recipe card further down on the page for exact quantities of each ingredient.
Instructions
Despite the long list of instructions this smoked pecan pie recipe is easy to make so don't be overwhelmed by all the steps. If you want to see photos of the step by step process, check out the recipe instructions further down on the page.
Step 1: Make Dough for Pie Crust
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Scatter chilled butter and frozen shortening over the dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds.
When the consistency is right, turn the flour mixture into a medium bowl.
Separate the egg and add 2 tablespoons of ice water to the egg white to make about ¼ cup. Mix well and set aside the egg yolk to use later.
Sprinkle the egg white and water mixture over the dry ingredients and using the blade of a rubber spatula, in a folding motion to mix. Then press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together.
Shape the dough into a ball using your hands and then flatten into 4-inch disk. Dust dough lightly with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
Step 2: Roll Out Pie Crust
After the dough has chilled, place it on a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it into a 13-inch circle and transfer to 9-inch pie pan, preferably metal to use later for the smoker.
Press the dough into corners and sides of pan, being careful not to stretch dough. Trim edges of dough to make ½-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough under so that folded edge is flush with rim of pan. Flute the edge of the pie crust by pinching together with your fingers.
Place the formed pie shell into the refrigerator and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
Prick the sides and bottom of the crust with a fork and line entire shell with heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing foil firmly against shell and extending it over fluted rim.
Prick foil with fork and return shell to refrigerator while oven is heating.
Step 3: Pre Bake Pie Crust
Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Bake, pressing once or twice with mitt-protected hands, if necessary, to flatten any puffing in the crust. The crust is ready when it is firmly set, about 15 minutes.
Remove the piece of foil and continue to bake until bottom begins to color, about 10 minutes longer.
Remove from oven, brush sides and bottom with egg yolk scrambled with ⅛ teaspoon of water. Return the pie crust to the oven until yolk glazes over, about 1 minute longer.
Remove from oven, and set aside while preparing the filling.
Step 4: Make Pie Filling
Melt butter in a medium heatproof bowl set in a skillet of water maintained at just below a simmer.
When melted remove the bowl from the skillet and mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed.
Beat in the eggs, followed by the maple syrup.
Return the bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.
You want to pour the mixture into a warm shell so if it has completely cooled down, place pie shell in the oven to warm up slightly.
Step 5: Smoke the Pecan Pie
Smoke the pecan pie at 250 degrees F for about 90-120 minutes, checking every 30 minutes. The pie is ready when the center is firm to the touch and fully set.
Serve pie at room temperature or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Hint: For a sweeter smokey flavor, use maple wood or another variety of sweet wood instead of using savory woods such as hickory.
Substitutions
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand? Or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this smoked pecan pie recipe.
- Pecans - Swap out the pecans with walnuts for a similar texture but a slightly different flavor to make a smoked walnut pie.
- Maple Syrup - If necessary, you can swap out the maple syrup with corn syrup. It will be missing the maple flavor but it will add the necessary sweetness to the pie.
Variations
Want to personalize this your smoked pecan pie? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Chocolate - Mix in ¼ - ⅓ cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips when mixing in the nuts.
- Coconut - Add ¼ cup of unsweetened shredded coconut along with the nuts.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy this Brownie Pecan Pie.
Equipment
Make your smoked pecan pie with a few basic baking tools and a few larger pieces of helpful kitchen equipment.
- Food processor
- Smoker
- Heat proof mixing bowl
- Skillet
- Metal pie plate
- Spatula
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
Storage
Smoked pecan pie should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. After the pie is completely cooled, wrap it up tightly or store in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to five days or the freezer for up to one month.
When you want to serve, heat it up first or allow it to sit on the counter for a few hours to raise to room temperature.
Tips
Here are some tips that I've learned along the way that will help you make sure you get the best results when making smoked maple pecan pie.
- Making the pie crust with chilled butter and frozen shortening is how it bakes up into the flakiest crust. It's also important to keep the dough chilled before it goes into the oven so it forms pockets in the crust which is what makes it flaky.
- Serve up with whipped cream or ice cream for a smoky dessert everyone will love.
- Allow the smoked maple pecan pie to set for at least four hours after baking otherwise the pie may be to soft and be overly weepy when cut.
- Add the prepared pecan pie filling to a warm pie crust. If the pie crust is no longer hot, place it back into the oven to warm it up.
More Pecan Recipes
Do you like the flavor and crunch of pecans? Here some recipes you may also like to try:
FAQ
Do you have questions about making smoked maple pecan pie? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions I get about smoked pecan pie.
To make smoked maple pecan pie, you will first need to bake the pie crust in the oven. It will not cook properly in the smoker and if you do not bake it in advance the crust will come out a soggy mess.
If you want to make this pie recipe in advance you can certainly do so. To freeze, first allow the pie to completely cool. Then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil or an airtight container if you have one to fit the pie. Store it in the freezer for up to one month. Allow it to thaw out completely before serving. You can warm it up in a low temperature oven to serve the pie up warm.
Yes this pie works great in the oven. Heat the pre-baked pie crust in oven until ready to add filling. Bake at 275 degrees F until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours.
The pie may not need the full 90 minutes in the smoker. The pie is done when the filling is firm and fully set. To test if it's done, give the pie a little shake. It should move just a tad in the center but if it seems to move too much, let it cook just a bit more.
Yes you can freeze baked or smoked pecan pies. You can freeze your made pecan pie in advance a few weeks before needed too. Simply remove from freezer the day before you need it.
Smoked Pecan Pie
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Smoked Pecan Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dough and rolling surface
- 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter chilled, cut into ¼ -inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening frozen, cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg white chilled, thoroughly mixed with ice water (about 2 tablespoons) to equal ¼ cup
- 1 large egg yolk beaten with ⅛ teaspoon water
Maple Pecan Filling
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup maple syrup pure, preferably Grade B or Grade A dark amber
- 1 ⅔ cups whole pecans toasted and chopped into small pieces
Instructions
- Get out and measure your ingredients.
Pie Crust
- Place the flour, sugar, and salt in food processor that's fitted with a steel blade. Scatter chilled butter and frozen shortening over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer mixture to medium bowl.
- Sprinkle egg white mixture over flour mixture and use blade of rubber spatula, to fold the egg into the flour mixture. Then press down on dough with flat side of spatula until dough sticks together.
- Shape pie dough into ball using your hands, then flatten it out into 4-inch disk. Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
- Lightly flour work surface and roll chilled dough into a 13-inch circle. Then transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, preferably metal. Press dough into corners and sides of pan, being careful not to stretch dough. Trim edges of dough leaving a ½-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough under so that folded edge is flush with rim of pan. Flute the edge of the crust by using your fingers to pinch the edges together.
- Chill shell until firm, about 1 hour. Prick sides and bottom with fork.
- Line entire shell with heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing foil firmly against shell and extending it over fluted rim. Prick foil with fork and return shell to refrigerator while oven is heating.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F with the oven rack in the center of the oven. Bake, pressing the dough down to flatten ay puffing using mitt-protected hands. Bake until crust is firmly set, about 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake again until bottom begins to color, about 10 minutes. Remove the crust from oven, brush sides and bottom with egg yolk, and bake again until yolk glazes over, about 1 minute longer. Remove from oven, and set aside while preparing the filling.
Maple Pecan Filling
- Melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintaining the temperature at just below simmer. When the butter is melted, remove bowl from skillet.
- Add sugar and salt to the butter and mix with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. Beat in eggs, followed by maple syrup.
- Return bowl to hot water; stir with a wooden spoon until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130 degrees F.
- Remove the bowl from heat and stir in pecans.
- Pour mixture into warm shell.
- Smoke at 250 degrees for 90-120 minutes, checking every 30 minutes until crust is golden brown..
- Smoke until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed.
- Allow to totally cool on a rack to set, at least 4 hours.
- Serve pie at room temperature or warm.
- Slice.
- Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
- Enjoy every bite.
Oven Instructions
- Warm baked pie crust in oven until ready to add filling. Pour the filling into the warm pie crust and bake at 275 degrees F until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours.
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