Come on; admit it.
You tell yourself every Thanksgiving that this is the year you’re going to skip the turkey and dressing and green-bean casserole and go straight for the desserts.
Why waste the calories on mashed potatoes and gravy when you know you’ve got to save room for the pecan pie?
Topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, it’s a sweet Southern tradition that says “fall” with every syrupy bite. The pecans are a toasty, crunchy comfort as autumn’s chill takes hold.
Pecan pie is simple and satisfying, just like Mama used to bake.
Unless you want to get complicated.
We took to our search engine and found some stepped-up recipes adding layers of goodness and some tasty combinations to the traditional pecan dessert lineup.
Pecan pie as a filling between the layers of a moist and buttery cake. Pecan pie as a topping on a creamy cheesecake. Pecan pie with chocolate drizzles on a toasted cookie. And a layer of pecan pie spread over a crust that’s cut into bars smaller than a slice of pie but big enough to satisfy your sweet cravings.
So pull on up to the dessert buffet and sample a little of everything.
But do save room for the turkey and dressing; it’s Thanksgiving, after all.
As Grandma would say, during the post-dessert cleanup as she took a bite of pan-fried cornbread: “Got to get the sweet taste out of my mouth.”
PECAN PIE CHEESECAKE
Double your pleasure with this luscious combo of two all-time favorites, from thekitchn.com.
Follow your favorite cheesecake recipe, or follow your neighbors to your favorite bakery for a shortcut you need not feel guilty about.
For the pecan pie topping:
1½ cups whole pecans
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Coarsely chop about 1 cup of the toasted pecans; leave the remaining ½ cup whole.
Place 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is completely smooth and bubbling all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk in ½ cup heavy cream until completely combined and bubbling again.
Remove from heat and stir in the chopped and whole pecans and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Set aside to cool to room temperature, 30 to 45 minutes.
Take the cheesecake out of the refrigerator and unmold it. You can serve the cake right from the bottom of the springform pan or use a large off-set spatula to gently unstick the crust from the pan and transfer it to a serving platter. Spoon the pecan pie topping over the cheesecake before slicing.
PECAN PIE CAKE
Yellow layer cake with a pecan pie filling combines another of your two favorites. Vanilla icing (homemade — or not) adds a classic finish. Recipe by Holly Nilsson at spendwithpennies.com.
For the cake:
2 cups chopped pecans
¾ cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 cup pecans, chopped
⅓ cup caramel sauce
⅓ cup light cream
For the filling:
½ cup packed brown sugar
⅓ cup cornstarch
¾ cup dark corn syrup
2 egg yolks
1 egg
1½ cups light cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Other:
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
additional pecans for decorating optional
cream for serving
Cake instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease three 9-inch pans and sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly among them.
Place 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a 1 cup measuring cup and top to 1 cup with milk. Set aside.
With a mixer on medium, cream together 3/4 cup butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the egg yolks and vanilla.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Beat flour mixture into butter mixture alternating with soured milk.
With the mixer on medium-high, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites and 1 cup chopped pecans into the butter mixture just until completely combined.
Divide batter among the 3 prepared pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 18-23 minutes, or just until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool in the pan 5 minutes. Remove from pans onto cooling racks lined with parchment paper.
Combine caramel sauce and light cream. Brush over each of the warm cakes twice. Cool completely.
Filling (can be made a day ahead):
Combine ½ cup brown sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, egg, light cream and corn syrup in a large saucepan.
Stir continuously over medium heat until mixture boils. Let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool completely.
Assembly:
Place one cake layer on a plate with pecans facing up. Top with half of the cooled filling. Repeat layers and finally top with the last cake.
Whip cream and powdered sugar on medium high until stiff peaks form. Frost cake with whipped cream and top with additional pecans if desired.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
To serve, slice the cake and drizzle each slice with about 2 tablespoons fresh cream before serving.
PECAN PIE COOKIES
They’re pecan pie on the go on your post-dinner walk to burn some calories. Or to take to the couch for a cozy nap. Recipe by Holly Nilsson at spendwithpennies.com.
Ingredients:
1 prepared single-pie crust, homemade or from the dairy section
2 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup pecans chopped
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup corn syrup
2 eggs
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips for decorating
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine butter, pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt and eggs. While constantly stirring, cook on the stovetop over medium-low heat just until thickened. (You don’t want it dry, just slightly thickened, about the consistency of pudding.) Remove from heat and set aside.
Unroll dough and using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out circles. Gently fold about ¼ inch up on the edges.
Spoon 1 tablespoon of the pecan mixture into each circle.
Place on a parchment-lined pan and bake 8 minutes or until filling is just set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Place chocolate chips in a small plastic bag. Microwave about 15 seconds or until mostly melted. Snip off a tiny corner of the baggie and drizzle chocolate over the cookies. Cool until set.
DERBY BARS
TV chef Paula Deen says this recipe’s name comes from the fact that she first made these handheld treats for a Kentucky Derby party. Recipe from Paula Deen magazine.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, cut into tablespoons
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
½ cup butter, melted
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons bourbon
2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, letting excess extend over sides of pan; spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Press mixture firmly into bottom of prepared pan.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned.
In same large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and next 4 ingredients until combined. Stir in pecans and chocolate; pour over prepared crust.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until center is set. Let cool completely. Using excess foil as handles, remove from pan before cutting into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
