Pecan pie is an American classic that’s sweet, rich and nutty in all the right places. Traditionally eaten through autumn, it’s a real heart warmer that’s perfect for cosy days inside while the weather outside turns dark and cold.

It’s great at any other time of the year too!

The traditional pecan pie recipe consists of a pie crust, usually made from shortcrust pastry, and a filling made of eggs, butter, pecan nuts, maple syrup, golden syrup and sugar.

The filling is soft, with the nuts adding a crunchy bite, and the pie crust is biscuity, making each mouthful a drool-worthy extravaganza of textures.

Our recipe takes things up a notch with the addition of autumnal spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and ground ginger to lift the whole experience.

We have also added a good glug of spiced gin. The juniper and unique spice tones of the gin work so well with the fragrant, aromatic complex pecans.

They are a match made in heaven!

Which spiced gin should I use for this recipe?
For this recipe, we recommend using spiced gins that also have fruitier notes to them.

Gins like Ludlow Spiced Gin No. 3, Spiced Cuckoo Gin and Micil Spiced Orange Gin (Craft Gin Club’s October 2021 Gin of the Month) are all perfect.

Ludlow Spiced Gin No. 3 has subtle berry notes among the spice that will add a fruitier touch to your pie.

Spiced Cuckoo Gin and Micil Spiced Orange Gin on the other hand both have delightful citrus tones that never fail to work well with sweet treats of this kind.

The perfect Spice Gin & Pecan Pie for autumn 2023:

For the pie crust:
150g softened, unsalted butter
80g icing sugar
300g plain flour
2 eggs
Zest of half a lemon

For the pecan filling:
100ml spiced gin
250g pecans, roughly chopped
50g whole pecan halves
150g golden syrup
150g maple syrup
50g honey
75g unsalted butter, softened
100g brown sugar
3 whole eggs
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod (or 1tsp of vanilla extract)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of salt

1. Make the pie crust by creaming together the butter, lemon zest and icing sugar. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Sift in the flour and mix in until no dry flour is visible - be careful not to overwork the mixture. Press into a dough. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (the longer the better - overnight would be ideal!).
   
   2. Preheat your oven to 180c. Roll out the dough into a disc that’s around 2mm thick on a lightly floured surface. Place in a pie tin with a removable bottom that is lightly greased with butter. Line the pie dough with baking parchment and fill it with baking beans or rice. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the baking parchment and beans. Bake for a further 30 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
   
   3. Turn your oven up to 200c. Make the pecan pie filling by creaming together the butter, sugar, salt and spices (including the vanilla). Mix in the syrups, honey and gin. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the chopped pecans. Pour into the pie crust and bake for 30 minutes. The pie is ready when deep brown but still has a slight wobble in the centre. Remove from the oven and decorate with the remaining pecans.

Serve with whipped or clotted cream and enjoy!