Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3 tablespoons chilled lard or vegetable shortening
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups pecan halves
• 4 large eggs, room temperature, beaten to blend
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• ⅔ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon robust-flavored (dark) molasses (not blackstrap)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled
• Vanilla ice cream (for serving)

Method

1. Pulse the sugar, 1½ teaspoons of the salt, and the flour in a food processor until combined, then add the chilled butter and lard and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with a few visible pieces of fat, about fifteen 1-second pulses.
2. With the motor running, drizzle in the vinegar and 5½ tablespoons of ice water and pulse just until the dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed, adding more water a teaspoon at a time only if needed.
3. Tip the dough onto a work surface, knead once or twice to bring the shaggy pieces together, flatten it into a 6-inch disk, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
4. Heat the oven to 425°F, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14-inch round, and ease it into a 9-inch pie dish, letting the excess hang over the edge; trim to a 1-inch overhang, fold the overhang under, crimp, and chill the shell for 30 minutes.
5. Line the shell with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake until the edges look dry and are just starting to color, 25–35 minutes; remove the parchment and weights, lower the oven to 350°F, and bake 10–15 minutes more until the center is set and beginning to brown, then cool on a wire rack.
6. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast at 350°F until browned and fragrant, 8–10 minutes, then let them cool.
7. Lower the oven to 325°F and whisk the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl until smooth, then slowly whisk in the melted butter and fold in the toasted pecans.
8. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake until the edges are set and slightly puffed while the center still wobbles softly, 55–70 minutes; cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before slicing, and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Cook: 20 minutes · Total: 2 hours plus cooling

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data