Candied Yams Pecan Crust Pie (Printable)

A rich blend of sweet yams and crunchy pecan crust for festive or cozy gatherings.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Pecan Crust

01 - 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
02 - 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
03 - 1/3 cup brown sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Candied Yams Filling

06 - 2 cups cooked, mashed yams
07 - 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
08 - 1/2 cup evaporated milk
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
15 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Topping

17 - 1/2 cup pecan halves
18 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - In a food processor, pulse pecans, oats, brown sugar, and salt until finely ground. Add melted butter and pulse until mixture resembles wet sand.
03 - Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
04 - In a large bowl, combine mashed yams, brown sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Mix until smooth and well-blended.
05 - Pour filling into the pre-baked pecan crust and smooth the top.
06 - Toss pecan halves with brown sugar and arrange over the filling.
07 - Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the center is set and a knife inserted comes out clean. Cover the crust edges with foil if needed to prevent over-browning.
08 - Cool completely before slicing. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The pecan crust shatters in your mouth instead of turning dense and heavy like regular pie crusts sometimes do.
  • You only need two components to feel restaurant-quality, which means less stress and more time enjoying the actual cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the pre-baking of the crust or it'll stay slightly soggy on the bottom, which changes the whole texture experience in a disappointing way.
  • The filling might seem slightly loose when you pull it from the oven, but it continues to set as it cools, so resist the urge to bake it longer just because it jiggles a little.
03 -
  • If your crust edges brown too quickly, tent them loosely with foil about halfway through baking and they'll stay golden instead of burnt.
  • Roasting your yams before mashing them concentrates their flavor and makes the filling taste like you spent hours on it when you really didn't.
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