Have you ever been challenged by someone? This recipe was a challenge by my husband to make a super tasty version of a pecan pie we had from our hometown. So I created this pecan pie recipe and then he suggested adding bourbon. After a couple tries, I had it down to this amazing recipe. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, this would be a delicious addition to your menu.

2 store bought ready-to-bake pie crusts
3 large eggs
1/2 c dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 c light brown sugar, packed
2/3 c light corn syrup
1/4 c butter, melted
1/8 c bourbon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lemon peel, finely grated
2 c pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350F. Press one of the pie crusts into a 9” deep dish pie pan. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Set aside.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add in sugars, corn syrup, butter, bourbon, salt, and lemon peel. Stir in the pecans; add mixture to the pie crust.

Bake until the filling is puffing and the center is set. At the point, the filling may be bing to crack. This can take about 55-60 minutes. Cool the pie completely.

To make this pie extra, extra special, take the second pie crust and cut out decorative pieces. Paint these pieces with an egg wash and dust with raw sugar before baking separately on a baking sheet, at 350F for about 12-13 minutes. Allow to cool while baking the pie. Place the decorative pieces on the cooled pie.

Pecan pie is best served room temperature.