Maple Pecan Pie (Without Corn Syrup)

I recently came across this Pecan Pie recipe that uses pure maple syrup instead of corn syrup and really wanted to try it. I didn't end up making it for Thanksgiving so I made it today to take to my parents' house tonight. I used my go-to pie crust recipe, but I only made half a recipe since I only needed a bottom crust. I didn't measure the ice water like I usually do and used too much, so my dough was a little wet. I also forgot to poke holes in it.

I happened to have Crown Maple Syrup, which Costco sells around the holidays, so I used that for my pecan pie. I did not use cinnamon or nutmeg in my pie and I don't think the recipe needs them. Mixing the pie filling is super easy and only requires a whisk, but be careful not to over mix the filling, which can cause it to puff up and crack while baking.

I always find it hard to tell when pecan pie is finished. If you remove it from the oven too soon, it will be soupy in the middle, and if you bake it too long it will be too hard. Remove it from the oven when you insert a toothpick in the center and just a little bit of gooey filling is on the toothpick. I tried to tell if it was done just by how jiggly the pie filling was. I'm pretty sure mine took longer to bake than 40 minutes, but my son turned the oven timer off at some point while my pie was baking, so I have no idea how long it was actually in the oven, but it was definitely longer than the recipe calls for.

I read a review on this recipe that said to avoid a soggy crust, you can blind bake the crust (with pie weights) at 400° for 10-15 minutes, then pour in the mixed ingredients and finish baking the pie. You may need to bake 10 minutes longer than the recipe says.

This pie was pretty delicious! I served it with homemade whipped cream to my husband (it's his favorite kind of pie and he loved this recipe!), mom and siblings and they all enjoyed it too. If you're looking for a good pecan pie recipe and don't have or don't want to use corn syrup, give this one a try!

Maple Pecan Pie Recipe (Without Corn Syrup)

Recipe from Cucina by Elena

 

If you are looking for the BEST pecan pie without corn syrup, you’ve landed on the right recipe! This delicious pie has a beautifully rich maple syrup flavor and warm spices that enhance the pecan flavor. The buttery, flaky pie crust nestles it together, making it irresistible.  

 

Homemade 9” pie crust

2 cups (8 ounces) pecan halves

3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

¾ cup real maple syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

 

 

Preheat the oven to 400°.

 

Prepare the pecans:

Spread the pecan halves evenly inside the unbaked pie crust. Place the crust in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.

 

Make the filling:

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy.

 

Whisk in the melted butter until smooth.

 

Add the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and flour, whisking just until everything is well combined, but don’t over mix.

 

Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using). Whisk just until smooth and fully combined, but don’t over mix.

 

Assemble the pie:

Take the chilled pie crust with pecans out from the fridge.

 

Carefully pour the filling mixture over the pecans, ensuring they are evenly coated.

 

Bake the pie:

Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400°.

 

After 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350° and continue baking for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling is set and only slightly jiggles in the center.

 

Check halfway through and cover the pie with foil if it’s browning too quickly.

 

Cool and serve:

Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. The filling will firm up as it cools.

 

If desired, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top before serving for a balanced sweet and salty flavor. You can also serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream. 

 

NOTES:

Use real maple syrup: Pure maple syrup (not imitation) gives the pie a rich, natural sweetness. It’s the star of the show, so go for quality!

 

Chill the crust: After placing the pecans in the pie crust, chill the crust in the fridge while preparing the filling. This helps the butter firm up, creating a flakier, crisper crust when baked.

 

Don’t over mix the filling: When whisking the eggs and other ingredients, mix until just combined to avoid a tough filling texture. Over mixing can cause the filling to puff up too much and crack.

Homemade Buttery Flaky Pie Crust

This Buttery Flaky Pie Crust Recipe is super easy to make and delicious! So far I've used it for chicken pot pie, apple pie and pecan pie. This recipe makes is enough for a double crust but it can easily be cut in half to make just one crust (that's what I do when I make a pecan pie). You can also make the dough and refrigerate it in discs for up to 5 days before rolling it out, which helps around the holidays so you don't have to do everything in one day.

Making a pie always intimidates me because I'm not good at making the crust look nice, but this recipe is so simple and always tastes delicious - that's why it's my go-to pie crust recipe!

This link also has some more great tips!

Homemade Buttery Flaky Pie Crust

Recipe courtesy Sally’s Baking Addiction

 

This recipe is enough for a double crust pie. If you only need 1 crust for your pie, cut this recipe in half OR freeze the other half per the make ahead tip instruction below.

 

2½ cups all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled) plus more as needed for shaping and rolling

1 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

2/3 cup vegetable shortening, chilled

½ cup ice water

 

For best results, chill all ingredients before using. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl and chill them.

 

Add the chilled and cubed butter and shortening to the chilled flour and salt mixture.

 

Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). A pastry cutter makes this step very easy and quick.

 

Measure ½ cup of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure ½ cup water since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon added. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use about ½ cup of water and a little more in dry winter months (up to ¾ cup). Do not add any more water than you need.

 

Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball. Cut dough in half. Flatten each half into 1-inch thick discs using your hands.

 

Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.

 

When rolling out the chilled pie dough discs to use in your pie, always use gentle force with your rolling pin. Start from the center of the disc and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go. Visible specks of butter and fat in the dough are perfectly normal and expected!

 

Proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions.

 

NoteS:

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare the pie dough through step 4 and freeze the discs for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using in your pie recipe.

Shortening:  I use between 2/3 and 3/4 cup of cold shortening in this dough. Lately, I find 2/3 cup (which is 10 Tbsp + 2 teaspoons) works best.

Salt: Use regular table salt. If using kosher salt, use 1¼ teaspoons.

Apple Cobbler

Earlier this week I bought 1/2 bushel of various types of apples. I'm not sure what I'm going to bake with most of them but I knew I wanted to make apple cobbler. I had recently come across a recipe that looked good and decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did because it was so delicious! This is also so much easier than making a pie, at least for me. I love cobblers and this is a recipe I'll be making often.

I used 5 apples (4 were large and 1 was small) and cut them in thin slices. It looked like too much to put in an 8x8 pan and I don't have an 11"x7" baking dish. I used a 2-qt. baking dish (and baked it on a baking sheet, just in case of any spill over), which worked out fine, but I could have baked it in something even bigger like a 9"x13" pan. I also baked it for the amount of time in the recipe, but later discovered the cobbler topping was a bit runny in some parts and the apples a bit crunchy, so next time I will bake it a little longer.

I did not change anything about the recipe or the ingredients and I would not in the future either - the taste of this cobbler was absolutely perfect! Unfortunately I did not take any photos but I will try to next time.

Update: I made this again two weeks later to freeze for Thanksgiving dessert. I made it in a 9x11" baking dish (3-quart baking dish). The only thing I changed was I used 6 large apples, but I kept the rest of the recipe the same. The amount fit perfectly in the dish (I could have even added another apple) and the cobbler topping was still enough.

Apple Cobbler

Recipe courtesy “Once Upon a Chef” Website

 

Apple cobbler is a rustic dish of apples bubbling in their juices beneath a biscuit crust that resembles a cobbled stone pathway.

 

FOR THE APPLE FILLING:

5 large baking apples (about 2½ lbs), peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick (see note)

⅓ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup (packed) dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing the pan

 

FOR THE BISCUIT TOPPING:

1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off

7 Tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

1¾ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

1 cup buttermilk (see note)

 

FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL):

Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream

 

Preheat oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease an 8-inch square or 2-quart baking dish with butter.

 

Make the Apple Filling: In a large bowl, combine the apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Toss until the apples are evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and pat into an even layer. Dot with the 2 tablespoons butter.

 

Make the Biscuit Topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cold butter and smoosh with your fingers (or cut in with a pastry cutter) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within. Add the buttermilk and stir until just combined and evenly moistened. It will look lumpy; that's good. Do not overmix.

 

Using a large spoon, dollop 8 to 10 spoonfuls of the biscuit batter over the apples, allowing the filling to show through in spots (most of the filling will be covered). Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the batter.

 

Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden, about 45 minutes (keep an eye on it during the last 10 minutes; if it looks like it's getting too brown, cover it loosely with aluminum foil). Let the cobbler cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

 

NOTES:

For the best flavor, use a combination of tart and sweet baking apples, such as Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Gala, Jonagold, Jonathan, and Golden Delicious. (Don't use all tart or all sweet, or the flavor won't be balanced. I typically use 2 Granny Smith, 2 Golden Delicious, and 1 Honeycrisp.

 

If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, it’s easy! Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup. Pour milk to the 1-cup line (use this same ratio of lemon juice/vinegar to milk when you need more or less than 1 cup of buttermilk). Stir to combine the liquids. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. You’ll begin to see small curdled bits in the mixture; this means it’s ready to add to the recipe. Note that homemade buttermilk is not cultured and thick like store-bought. Even if you don’t see much change in the appearance of the mixture, the acid has been added to your milk and it will work just like real buttermilk in most recipes.

 

Make-Ahead Instructions: The cobbler can be made one day ahead and kept, covered with foil, at room temperature. Reheat, covered with foil, in 300°F oven for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and continue reheating for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until warmed through.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Last month I tried a new cake recipe that was delicious. I decided to make this for Thanksgiving dessert this year instead of the Pumpkin Roll that I have made the past few years. This cake is very simple to make. I have never loved pumpkin desserts, but this one only has cinnamon in it, so it is not overpowering like some other recipes that have other spices in them. I highly recommend trying this if you need a new recipe for the Fall!

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

CAKE:

4 large eggs

1 2/3 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour one glass 9 x 13 inch pan.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon; add to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spread into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
4 Tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
1 to 2 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Spread frosting on top of cake. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over icing, if desired.

Eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin

Dry cake ingredients

Cake batter

Ready for the oven

Fresh out of the oven!

Frosting ingredients

Finished frosting

Photos by JoJo

Pumpkin Roll

Last year we had a new dessert at our Thanksgiving feast - a Pumpkin Roll that my mom made. This year I tried it out. I made two pumpkin rolls, and there was only half of one leftover (thankfully, so we could enjoy it a day or two longer!). This was easier to make than I thought it would be. My mom helped me out a little with getting the wax paper off the cakes and rolled them up. The only thing I will do different next time is chop the walnuts finer, as they were a little big. Other than that, this is a great dessert that is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

I don't have photos from when I made the cake, but this blog has some great step-by-step directions.

Libby’s® Pumpkin Roll 

                                                                   

CAKE

¼ cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

FILLING

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

6 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

FOR CAKE:
Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease 15” x 10” jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour wax paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar. Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel so the cake will not stick when rolling it up.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes). Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Unroll cake after it has cooled

Prepare cream cheese filling

Spread filling over cake

Re-roll cake

Sprinkle powdered sugar on top

Photos by JoJo

Mulled Cranberry Apple Cider

A few weeks ago I was taking a walk with my sister and we started talking about hot apple cider. She said she had a recipe from my cousin Andrew that she liked. I usually don't like hot drinks, but for some reason I really wanted some. We made the apple cider this past weekend, and her four boys loved it. I'm making it again for Thanksgiving since it will go well with the menu. It's very simple to make and leaves the house smelling so good!

Mulled Cranberry Apple Cider

2 quarts apple cider

1½ quarts cranberry or cranberry-apple juice

½ cup light brown sugar, packed

8-10 cinnamon sticks, 3 inch, broken into pieces

10-15 whole allspice

20-25 whole cloves

Bring everything to a boil in a 6-quart pot. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain and discard spices.

Yield: 12 cups

Photo by JoJo

Apple Cranberry Pie

It's the beginning of November and I hadn't gotten a chance to make an apple pie until today. I had some Fuji apples from a local orchard, but picked up some Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples too, as well as some cranberries. I used a Williams-Sonoma flaky pastry dough recipe for my crust. Not only was the crust delicious, but the recipe makes enough for a top and bottom crust and then another bottom crust, so tomorrow I'll be using that for a banana cream pie!

While my pie dough was in the refrigerator, I prepared the apple filling. The apple cranberry pie recipe below was given to me by my friend Bianca last year. This is the second time I've made it, but last time I used a store-bought pie crust. This time, I was using a pie dish that is a little deeper than most pie dishes, so I made a recipe and a half of filling (6 apples, 1.5 cups cranberries, etc.). It ended up being a little much, but still fit into the dish fine.

I used a vegetable peeler to peel the apples. Then I used an apple slicer to core and slice the apples. I cut the slices in half (although I should have cut them in threes, as the apples didn't bake as much as I would have liked). I cut the cranberries in half. I mixed the apple slices and cranberries together with flour, cinnamon and sugar and set aside while I rolled out the pie dough. After putting the top dough on, I sealed the edges and poked holes in the crust. I put it in the oven (with a cookie sheet on the lower rack just in case any juices came out of the pie) and enjoyed the lovely smell of fresh apple pie that filled up the house. After letting it cool a bit, I sliced two pieces to bring to my sister and brother-in-law. I noticed that the apples were a little harder than I wanted. Next time I will slice them a little thinner. In the end the pie still tasted great, especially with some vanilla ice cream! This is an easy and delicious fall dessert recipe, and I'm glad I finally had the chance to make it!

Flaky Pastry Dough

Recipe courtesy Williams-Sonoma

A food processor makes this flaky pastry dough in a snap. The recipe yields enough dough for three pies or galettes.

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

24 Tablespoons (3 sticks) plus 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes

¾ cup ice water

In a food processor, combine the flour and salt and pulse briefly to mix. Scatter the butter over the top and pulse just until the mixture forms coarse crumbs about the size of peas. Drizzle the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse just until the dough starts to come together.

Transfer the dough to a work surface, divide into 3 equal pieces and press each into a flat disk. Wrap disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour before rolling out.

Roll out one disk into a 12-inch round and line the pan or dish. Press any scraps trimmed from the first round into the bottom of the second disk. Roll out the second dough disk into a round at least 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick and refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes three 9-inch pies.

Note: Pie dough may be made ahead and frozen for up to 2 months. To freeze, place the dough round on a 12-inch cardboard circle and wrap it well with plastic wrap. Alternatively, use the round to line a pie pan or dish, flute the edge and wrap well.

Apple Cranberry Pie

9-inch pie crust

1 Tablespoon flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 large granny smith apples – peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup chopped cranberries

½ cup sugar

Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and toss. Add apple mixture to crust and add top crust. Use a fork to crimp edges of top and bottom crusts together crust and poke holes in top crust.

Bake at 400° for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

Flour & salt

Add cold cut up butter

Pulse until it forms a coarse grainy mixture

Add ice water and pulse until dough forms

Form into 3 disks and refrigerate for an hour

Use a mixture of apples for best results - I used Fuji, Honey Crisp and Granny Smith

Add fresh cranberries for a little bit of a tart flavor

Slice cranberries in half

Peel, core, and slice apples

Add cinnamon, flour and sugar to apple/cranberry mixture

Roll out pie dough

Fill pie dough with apple/cranberry mixture

Add top dough, crimp edges, and poke holes in top

Finally, put it in the oven!

Nothing smells better than a fresh apple pie!

Photos by JoJo