The Dreamiest Caramel Pecan Delight Pie Recipe for Sweet Tooths

Sinking your fork into a luscious caramel pecan delight pie that melts hearts instantly.

Rich, golden caramel weaves through each buttery bite with incredible depth.

Pecans add a delightful crunch to this classic Southern-inspired dessert.

Layers of sweet complexity dance across your palate with each smooth forkful.

Baking this pie feels like sharing a warm hug from grandma’s kitchen.

Nutty, sweet notes promise an irresistible experience that will make everyone ask for seconds.

You’ll want to savor every decadent moment of this incredible creation.

FAQs On Caramel Pecan Delight Pie

• What makes the pie crust flaky and tender?

The key is using cold butter and handling the dough minimally. By cutting the chilled butter into the flour and adding just enough ice water to bind the dough, you prevent gluten development, which ensures a delicate, flaky texture.

• Can I make the pie crust ahead of time?

Absolutely! The dough can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month. This makes prep time easier and allows the gluten to relax, resulting in an even more tender crust.

• Why is it important to refrigerate the dough before rolling?

Chilling the dough helps solidify the butter, which creates those beautiful flaky layers when baked. It also prevents the butter from melting too quickly, maintaining the structural integrity of your pie crust.

• Do I need any special tools to make this pie crust?

Not really! While a pastry cutter is helpful, you can easily use your hands to cut the butter into the flour. The key is working quickly and keeping ingredients cold.

Caramel Pecan Delight Pie And Why It’s So Loved

• Masterful Flaky Crust: The pie's delicate pastry dough delivers an incredibly tender texture, created by carefully cutting cold butter into flour and chilling the dough, which ensures a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
• Stress-Free Preparation: Simple step-by-step instructions make this recipe accessible for bakers of all skill levels, requiring minimal specialized equipment and basic ingredients found in most kitchens.
• Artisan Baking Technique: Using a traditional pastry-making method of hand-cutting butter into flour creates superior texture, allowing home bakers to craft a professional-quality pie crust with just a few precise movements.
• Versatile Make-Ahead Option: The dough can be prepared in advance and refrigerated, making it perfect for busy home cooks who want to plan desserts ahead of time or spread out the baking process.

What You Need For Caramel Pecan Delight Pie

• All-Purpose Flour: A key base for the tender, flaky pie crust that creates the perfect foundation for the dessert.
• Salt: Enhances the overall flavor and helps balance the richness of the butter.
• Unsalted Butter: Provides rich, buttery flavor and creates the signature flaky texture of the pie crust. Cold butter is crucial for a perfect pastry.
• Ice Water: Helps bind the dough together without developing too much gluten, ensuring a tender crust.

• Pecans: Classic nut that adds crunch and deep, nutty flavor to the pie. Look for fresh, whole pecans with a rich golden color.
• Caramel: Brings a sweet, golden richness that complements the nutty pecans. Choose a high-quality caramel sauce for best results.

• Vanilla Extract: Optional flavor enhancer that adds depth to the caramel and pecan combination.
• Heavy Cream: Potential ingredient for creating a smoother, richer caramel base.

How To Make Caramel Pecan Delight Pie

Step 1: Craft the Pie Crust

In a spacious mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Gently break up chilled butter into tiny pieces and work it into the flour mixture using your fingertips or a pastry cutter. Continue blending until the mixture looks like scattered, rough sandy crumbs. Slowly introduce ice-cold water, adding small splashes and mixing until the dough starts to stick together naturally. Shape the dough into a smooth, flat circular disk. Wrap the disk securely in clear plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of half an hour.

Step 2: Roll Out the Pie Crust

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Dust your work surface with a light sprinkle of flour. Using a rolling pin, carefully roll the dough into a circular shape that’s slightly larger than your pie dish. Gently transfer the rolled dough into the pie plate, pressing it smoothly against the bottom and sides.

Step 3: Prepare the Pecan Filling

• Pecans
• Brown sugar
• Corn syrup
• Eggs
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Fold in most of the pecans, reserving some for topping.

Step 4: Bake the Pie

Pour the pecan mixture into the prepared pie crust. Scatter the remaining pecans on top for a beautiful finish. Slide the pie into a preheated oven and bake until the filling sets and the crust turns golden brown. Allow the pie to cool completely before serving.

Step 5: Create Caramel Drizzle

In a small saucepan, melt caramel or prepare homemade caramel sauce. Once the pie has cooled, generously drizzle the warm caramel over the top, creating elegant swirls.

Helpful Hints For Caramel Pecan Delight Pie

• Chill Dough Effectively: Refrigerate pie crust for a minimum of 30 minutes to prevent butter from softening, ensuring a flaky and tender texture.
• Master Butter Incorporation: Use cold butter and cut it into flour carefully, creating small, pea-sized crumbs that guarantee a light, crisp pastry.
• Control Water Precisely: Add ice water gradually, just until the dough holds together, preventing a tough or sticky crust.
• Handle Dough Gently: Minimize handling to keep butter cold and maintain the delicate structure of your pie crust.
• Choose Right Butter: Select high-quality, unsalted butter with high fat content for superior flavor and optimal pastry performance.

How To Store And Reheat Caramel Pecan Delight Pie

• Refrigerate: Store leftover pie in an airtight container or cover tightly with plastic wrap. Keeps fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Room Temperature: Let pie sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving to soften the caramel and enhance flavors.
• Freezing: Wrap pie securely in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
• Reheating: Warm individual slices in the oven at 325°F for 10-12 minutes to restore the pie's crisp crust and gooey caramel texture.

Best Pairings For Caramel Pecan Delight Pie

• Pair with Bourbon Cream: Serve a small glass of smooth, caramel-noted bourbon alongside the pie to enhance the rich, nutty flavors of the pecan and caramel.
• Match with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream: Scoop a creamy, cold vanilla bean ice cream next to a warm slice of pie to create a delightful temperature and flavor contrast.
• Complement with Spiced Chai Tea: Brew a warm, aromatic chai tea that brings subtle spices like cinnamon and cardamom to balance the sweet pie's richness.
• Elevate with Salted Caramel Latte: Prepare a decadent salted caramel latte that mirrors the pie's caramel notes while adding a warm, comforting coffee depth.

Ways To Change Up Caramel Pecan Delight Pie

• Nutty Chocolate Caramel Pie: Replace pecans with chopped dark chocolate and add a layer of chocolate ganache beneath the caramel filling for an indulgent chocolate lover's version.
• Maple Walnut Cream Pie: Swap pecans for walnuts and incorporate maple syrup into the caramel sauce for a rich, autumnal flavor profile that complements the buttery crust.
• Salted Almond Caramel Pie: Use ground almonds in the crust and sprinkle flaky sea salt over the caramel layer to create a sophisticated sweet-and-salty combination that elevates the classic recipe.
• Coconut Caramel Crunch Pie: Mix shredded coconut into the crust and top the pie with toasted coconut flakes for a tropical-inspired dessert with added texture and nutty undertones.

Caramel Pecan Delight Pie Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.6 from 22 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Sweet southern charm meets pure indulgence in this Caramel Pecan Delight Pie, where buttery pecans dance with rich caramel in a flaky golden crust. Dessert enthusiasts can savor each luxurious slice that promises comfort and pure deliciousness in every heavenly bite.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 ¼ cups (155 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) ice water

Filling:

• 1 ½ cups (150 g) pecan halves
• 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Topping:

• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Additional pecans (optional)
• Caramel drizzle (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Combine flour and salt in a spacious mixing vessel, ensuring a uniform blend of dry ingredients.
2. Incorporate chilled butter into the flour mixture using fingertips or a specialized pastry tool, working methodically until the texture transforms into irregular, sandy granules.
3. Gradually introduce ice-cold water, carefully incorporating small amounts to encourage dough cohesion without over-manipulating the delicate mixture.
4. Gently shape the fragile dough into a compact circular form, enveloping it securely with transparent plastic membrane to prevent moisture loss.
5. Allow the wrapped dough to rest and chill in the refrigerator, permitting the gluten to relax and butter to solidify, which ensures a flaky, tender pastry foundation.

Notes

• Use very cold butter straight from the refrigerator to ensure a flaky, tender pie crust that doesn’t become tough or dense.
• Work quickly when handling the dough to prevent the butter from warming up, which can make the crust less crisp and delicate.
• For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with a high-quality gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum for better texture.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the flour mixture for a subtle warm flavor that complements the caramel and pecans beautifully.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Mixing
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 407
• Sugar: 24 g
• Sodium: 182 mg
• Fat: 30 g
• Saturated Fat: 15 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 36 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 74 mg