Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (for crust)
  • 8 Tablespoons Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed
  • 4–6 Tablespoons Ice Water
  • 3 Large Eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup Dark Corn Syrup
  • ½ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (for filling)
  • 1 ½ cups Pecan Halves

Instructions:

  1. Make the Dough: Combine flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter using your fingers, a pastry cutter, or a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
  2. Hydrate: Gradually sprinkle in the ice water (start with 4 Tbsp), mixing until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
  3. Chill and Roll: Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly, and chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll the chilled dough out to a 12-inch circle and fit it into the 9-inch pie dish. Trim the edges and crimp decoratively.
  4. Blind Bake Prep: Prick the bottom of the pie crust all over with a fork. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
  5. Partially Bake: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and paper, and return to the oven for 5 minutes until the bottom looks dry and slightly set. Set aside to cool while preparing the filling.
  6. Preheat & Prep: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Place the pie dish on a lined baking sheet.
  7. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the lightly beaten eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Do not over-aerate.
  8. Add Pecans: Stir 1 cup of the pecan halves into the filling mixture.
  9. Fill the Pie: Pour the filling into the partially baked and cooled crust. Arrange the remaining ½ cup of pecans decoratively on top of the filling surface.
  10. Bake: Place the pie in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven.
  11. Monitor the Edges: After 25–30 minutes, if the crust edges are browning too quickly, gently cover them with a foil pie shield or small strips of foil.
  12. Check for Doneness: Continue baking for another 25–30 minutes (total time 50–60 minutes). The pie is done when the center jiggles only slightly. An instant-read thermometer should read 200°F (93°C).
  13. Cool Completely: Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack for a minimum of 2 hours, or until room temperature. The filling finishes setting during this crucial time.