3 Texas Pecan Recipes for Fall
If Texas’ pecan season has got you excited for new baking adventures, we’ve got pecan recipes for every occasion (or time of day). Try Seasonally Jane’s pecan-pumpkin butter with your breakfast, Watts Grocery’s brown-butter pecan cakes in the afternoon, and our very own chocolate-pecan pie for dessert. We won’t tell.
Pecan-Pumpkin Butter
This irresistible blend of pecans, pumpkin, sugar, and spices from Seasonally Jane is the pure taste of fall. Spoon onto toast, waffles, muffins, or enjoy it plain all by itself — we won’t tell. If you can bear to part with it, it makes a perfect holiday gift: Just pack it into individual jelly jars and give out to friends, family, or coworkers throughout the season.
Ingredients:
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Juice from half a lemon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread pecans out onto a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Run the pecans through a food processor until finely ground, scraping down the sides of the processor until the pecans form a butter-like consistency, about 4 to 5 minutes.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the dark brown sugar, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Stir until warm, about 2 minutes. Add in the pecan butter, pumpkin puree, and spices and reduce heat to low. Taste butter for seasoning and sweetness and add additional spices as desired. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and the color darkens. Store the butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It lasts for up to three weeks.
Chocolate-Pecan Pie
This delicious, ooey-gooey chocolate-pecan pie will win raves at the dessert table. Just add whipped cream and enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 ready-made pie crust
3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
Whipped cream, for topping
Method:
Preheat your oven to 325 F. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until they are well-blended. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. After removing from the oven, allow the pie to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow filling to set. When serving, top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.
Brown-Butter Pecan Cakes
Everyone will root for these classic Texas cakes at your next tailgate. This recipe, adapted from Watts Grocery in Durham, N.C., makes 8 to 10 cupcakes.
Ingredients:
4 ounces unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the pan
¾ cup pecans, toasted, divided
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup cornmeal
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar to dust
Method:
To brown butter, slice it into pats and head in a medium skillet over medium-low until it melts, bubbles, and browns, about 10 to 15 minutes. Pour it into a bowl to cool.
Preheat oven to 325 F. Add pecans, sugar, flour, baking powder, cornmeal, and sea salt to a food processor and pulse to a fine powder.
Whisk egg whites and vanilla in a bowl using a mixer. Mix in dry ingredients, then add cooled brown butter and mix just until batter is uniform. Chill in the fridge for 3 hours.
Butter the sides and bottom of a muffin tin, or use paper baking cups. Pour batter into tin and bake for 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Top with reserved toasted pecans and a dusting of powdered sugar. Once fully cooled, refrigerate the cakes for 2 hours or up to overnight.
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