Rich, buttery and crunchy, this is a wonderful pecan pie option when you want a more sophisticated dessert. The filling comes together in 10 minutes and uses brown butter for a deeper flavor, so you know it'll be amazing. Serve it warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to make it a special dessert.

Table of Contents Open

Partial view of hands holding pecan pie with a white kitchen towel.

SAVE THIS RECIPE

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

So much flavor!

A tart is a short pie, with a different ratio of crust and filling than traditional American pies.

This pecan tart is a rich dessert, so a sliver goes a long way.

As much as I like traditional pie, this pecan pie tart version is more sophisticated, with no corn syrup but two interesting additions: bourbon and brown butter. The first brings a wonderful caramel undertone, and the latter adds a richness and complex flavor that I don't think can be achieved otherwise.

I'm quite a fan of both ingredients and baking cakes with them, like the brown butter bundt cake and the bourbon chocolate bundt cake.

Does alcohol bake out of the pie? Most of it does, if not all. It depends on how long the pie takes to bake.

This tart makes a fantastic addition to a dessert table for the holidays and during cold months.

Slices of pecan pie with whipped cream on pink plates and embroidered tablecloth.

Testing Notes

Tart shell: I use this basic all-butter pie crust, which is very easy to handle and is almost plain, perfect for the sweet pecan pie filling. Tarts use sweet pie crusts usually, but I find it's too much for the rich filling. You can, though.
Pecans: They rise to the top and are toasted as the tart bakes, so they should be natural or raw. I like whole ones as they look prettier, but you can use chopped pecans if that's all you have.
Bourbon: They all work, but I find that good brands (I use Jim Beam or Jack Daniel's, regular or honey) give a much better flavor. But use any bourbon or whisky you like or have.
Pan: If you use a smaller pie pan, the tart will be taller, of course, more in tune with traditional Thanksgiving pies. But this is a tart, so it's meant to be short. Adjust baking time if using a smaller pan.
Baking: don't overbake the filling, and don't underbake it either (you're allowed to roll your eyes). It should still be a little jiggly when you take it out, and the pecans don't have to be burned. But make sure it's settled enough, and not too runny. It'll firm up as it cools.
I recommend eating it the day it is baked, and, though it can be kept at room temperature for a day or two (covered to prevent dryness, always!), this is not a tart to be made many days ahead or kept refrigerated.
Variation: Walnuts can be used instead of pecans. And orange zest is a nice addition if you want to change it a bit. It's also pretty amazing with brown sugar.

Bourbon pecan tart ingredients in bowls on a white surface, with text overlay. Including eggs, butter, sugar, flour, vanilla.

Process steps

Brown butter

It's optional but adds phenomenal flavor and is easy to make, so I recommend not skipping this step.

You melt the butter in a saucepan and cook it until the water evaporates, and it becomes amber in color and has a nutty aroma. You can read the how to make brown butter post for more details.

Tart crust

All-butter pie crust: This is a basic and plain French dough recipe with a very small amount of sugar, used for both savory and sweet pies.

Of course, you can substitute a store-bought one; all-butter is highly recommended.

Aluminum foil with pie weights over tart crust in pan.

This is a necessary step, so the crust doesn't turn soggy. It's like partially baking the dough (with weights on top so it doesn't shrink) and creates a dry layer that prevents, as much as it can, the filling from seeping into it during baking.

Here's a more comprehensive guide to blind bake pie crust.

Bourbon being poured into glass bowl with brown butter and egg mixture.

Make the filling

It comes together in minutes, so prepare it while the crust is blind baking.

You can use brandy or cognac instead of bourbon. You can also increase the vanilla extract and add some pure almond extract to complement it more.

Bourbon butter filling being poured into a tart crust filled with pecans.

Assemble the tart

Jar or pitcher: The easiest way to add the liquid filling over the pecans is with a pitcher. That way, you can slowly fill the crust without moving the pecans too much, so they retain the pattern.

Pecans: any way you place them is fine. They will move around a little anyway. But they rise to the top in the oven, so it's nice to have a pattern.

Holding tart pan with baked pecan pie and a white kitchen towel.

Single slice of pecan pie in light pink plate, dollop of cream, fork. Pink tablecloth.

Before you go...

Did you make this recipe and loved it? You can comment below and leave a 5-star ⭐️ review. Also, if you had issues, let me know so we can troubleshoot together. You can also connect with me on Instagram and follow and save my recipes on Pinterest.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure policy.

Filling adapted from Room for Dessert, by David Lebovitz.

Comments

5 from 4 votes