Pecan Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with too many pecans? ›

Rich and buttery pecans add crunch and depth of flavor to many dishes. They pair wonderfully with our favorite autumnal flavors—like maple syrup, bourbon, chocolate, and even sweet potatoes—and are the perfect snack regardless of whether they're raw or toasted.

Blind Bake

The most common way to ward off a soggy pie crust is by a process called blind baking. Blind baking means you pre-bake the crust (sometimes covered with parchment or foil and weighed down with pie weights to prevent the crust from bubbling up) so that it sets and crisps up before you add any wet filling.

Another VERY important step: after baking, you must allow the pie to cool to room temperature. Although it can be served warm, pecan pie is best when it's completely set. Very often, I'll make my pecan pie the night before Thanksgiving; by the next day, it's perfect.

Raw pecans pack a 1-2-3 punch of protein, healthy fats, and fiber that can help keep you energized and satisfied. Pecans are a good source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which help lower blood pressure. Most of the fat found in pecans is a healthy type called monounsaturated fat.

Instead of snacking on foods that contain too many saturated fats and too few nutrients, reach for all-natural pecans. Swapping out empty calories for a handful of pecans each day can rev up your metabolism and keep your body processing foods consistently.

Raw. Raw pecans can be eaten alone, salted, or sweetened. In savory dishes, pecans can lend a burst of rich buttery flavor. Some cooks like to candy pecans and sprinkle them on salads or pastas, especially in combination with rich cheeses like Gorgonzola and blue cheese.

Recommendation: One ounce (15-19) pecan halves per day. Like pecans, walnuts are very high in antioxidants and contain more omega-3 fats than any other nut.

Pecan wood has a sweet, nutty, and rich flavor, similar to hickory, which is great for poultry. Pecan wood is also strong enough to stand up to beef, pork, and game meats as well. The smoke wood comes in both chips and chunks, with the difference being that chips burn faster than chunks.

Pecan pie has a somewhat similar set of issues—the filling can crack, the bottom can be under-baked, the filling can seep under the crust, and the nuts can be soggy. Like the pumpkin pie, the filling will crack if the pie is over-baked or cools too quickly.

What is blind bake method? ›

Blind baking simply refers to baking a pie crust, partially or completely, without any filling in it. Easy enough, right? The only catch is that if you're using pastry dough for your pie (versus a crumb crust), you can't just slide the pie into the oven as-is.

You can only keep it at room temperature for two hours. Since pecan pies contain eggs, they have more chances to get bad and make you sick. So, if you have kept your pies in the fridge, put them back within two hours. On the other hand, store-bought pies contain preservatives that keep them from spoiling.

If the filling is flowing in a wavy movement from the center to the edge, your pie isn't set quite yet. Wait for the moment when the center of your pecan pie gives you just a little jiggle, like the stable but slightly wiggly movement of Jell-O when you give it a gentle shake.

The edges should be set but the center should wobble a bit, kind of like gelatin. Cook pecan pie too much and it'll crack and be dry. Underbake it and it will be watery and runny. You want to cook pecan pie to an internal temperature of 200°F.

Over beating the filling will cause it to become foamy and will make the filling look cloudy. Keep an eye on the crust as it bakes. Typically it will need to be covered within about 20 minutes of baking. You can make pecan pie ahead of time and freeze them easily.

Answer: Absolutely! Freezing your pecans is the best way to store them. You can extend the shelf life of shelled pecans up to 2 years by freezing them.

In-shell pecans can be stored in a cool, dry place for 6 to 12 months. They can be refrigerated up to 18 months and frozen for about three years. After removal from the freezer, pecans will last for an additional two months.

Like many other nuts, pecans contain a high percentage of fat and can lead to diarrhea if too many are eaten in a short amount of time. Over-consumption may also lead to digestive issues like gas and bloating. Recommendation: One ounce (15-19) pecan halves per day.

Keep Cool. Shelled pecans can be kept in the refrigerator for about nine months and for up to two years in the freezer.