Smoked Pecan Pie
On November 19, 2019 (Updated April 17, 2022)
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Smoked Pecan Pie gets its smoky flavor from smoking the nuts before baking the pie. It’s the perfect twist on a beloved favorite, and I’m willing to bet you’ll never make your pecan pie the same way again.
Smoked Pecan Pie
Yup. You heard correctly. Today we’re making smoked. pecan. pie. The secret to this pie is smoking the pecans for 1 hour prior to adding them to the pie. Just imaging your favorite dessert kicked up the tiniest of notches with the perfect amount of smoke flavor.
Believe me when I say this pie is worth the extra effort of smoking the pecans. I mean, you’re already spending time and effort on a delicious dessert, why not go the extra mile to wow all your family and friends with a truly unique dessert with a flavor unlike any other?
Smoked Nuts for Pecan Pie
Since this pecan pie gets its awesome smoked flavor from smoking the nuts prior to baking, you won’t get a lot of smoke flavor from the grill itself (since it’s running at a hotter temperature). I don’t recommend smoking the nuts for more than an hour. They start to take on too much smoke after that and get REALLY smoky (believe me when I say this doesn’t help the flavor of the pie).
Subtlety is the name of the game with these nuts. For an even more subtle smoky flavor, cold smoke the almonds with the help of a smoke tube (see the pic below) for 30 minutes instead of 1 hour. You can also play around with the smokiness in these nuts and find that perfect smoky flavor for you and your family. Maybe 45 minutes is the magic number for you? You’ll never know until you try!
Tips to Making Pecan Pie
Before you fire up the smoker, here are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure your pie comes out tasting like everything you hoped for and more.
- Get that pie hot! The crust is an all butter crust, which means it has tons of flavor, but it needs a little boost of heat to bake correctly. I recommend putting it right over the firepot in the smoker or on the lowest shelf if you’re baking it in an oven.
- Move the baking to the oven. You won’t get a lot of smoke flavor from the final bake itself since the smoker is running so hot, so you are welcome to finish baking this pie in the oven if your smoker is overrun with cooking the main course and sides. Simply preheat your oven to the same temp as you would your smoker (350 degrees F) and cook for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Keep those pecans large. When chopping your pecan, keep them quite large, and feel free to leave full nuts in there as well. I recommend using a sharp knife to make quick work of this step. The pecans are the star of this pie show, so keep them large and in charge.
More Dessert Recipes on the BBQ
Betcha didn’t think of baking dessert on the BBQ, did ya? But let me tell ya, you can cook ANYTHING on the smoker or grill, including desserts. Check out just a few tasty desserts from Hey Grill Hey below:
Roasted Pumpkin Cheesecake
Cherry Berry Dutch Oven Cobbler
Smoky Salted Caramel Creme Brulee
Smoked Pecan Pie Recipe
Follow the recipe below and let’s make something delicious! I’m all about helping you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a BBQ hero. If you want to see more of my recipes, tips, and behind the scenes action, follow along on my social channels. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube!
Smoked Pecan Pie
Video
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 8 Tablespoons very cold salted butter
- 4 Tablespoons ice water more if needed
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- 2 ½ cups coarsely chopped pecans
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup salted butter melted (but not hot)
Instructions
- **Optional step if you really like smoke flavor** Prepare your smoker for cold smoking (temperatures between 40-70 degrees F inside your smoker). I used a smoke tube accessory filled with pecan pellets. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the smoker. Close the lid and smoke the pecans for 1 hour.
- Prepare the pie crust. Cut the chilled butter into cubes and put it back in the refrigerator while you prepare the flour. In a large food processor with a steel blade, place the flour, salt, and sugar. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter to the flour and pulse the food processor until the butter has broken down to the size of peas (12-15 times).
- Start the food processor and while it is running, pour the ice water down the feed tube until the dough begins to form a ball. Stop the processor as soon as the dough just starts to come together (there will still be a lot of unincorporated pieces of dough in the mixer bowl).
- Dump out on a floured board and press the dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- While the dough is in the refrigerator, preheat your pellet smoker to 350 degrees F. You can use whatever wood you like, but I recommend pecan. At this higher temperature, you won’t get too much smoke flavor from the grill. If you want, you can bake in the oven. I recommend moving your oven rack to the lowest shelf.
- Unwrap the dough and place it on a floured surface and roll into a 12 inch round. Transfer carefully to a 9x2 inch pie tin and crimp the edges.
- Make your pie filling. Spread pecans evenly inside pie crust. Whisk the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and melted butter together in a large bowl until combined. Pour over pecans.
- Place the pie on your smoker (preferably above the firepot, if possible) and close the lid. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the top of the pie has browned slightly and the crust is golden brown.
- Carefully remove the pie from the smoker and allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. The filling will set as the pie cools.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I prep this the day before and smoke it the next morning after keeping it in the fridge?
Absolutely!
Made this for the first time and everyone loved the addition of the smoked flavor. It was a hit a pie party! 🙂
Would love to see our modification for a Bourbon pecan pie. Also known as a Kentucky Derby pecan pie.
Can I make this 1-2 days in advance and if so, what is the best way to store it until thanksgiving?
You can. I’d suggest covered in the refrigerator.