Maple Bacon Pecan Pie

Just a little bacon crunch makes
everything better!

Every year my husband asks for one thing for holiday meals: Pecan pie. And over the years I've made a variety of different fillings using essentially the same ingredients as a traditional pecan pie. Well, this year will be different (2024). This year I'm going to create a pie using his three favorite things: Maple, Pecans and BACON!!! 

• 1 cup brown sugar (I use a mix of 1/2 cup light and 1/2 cup dark)
• 1 cup pure, robust maple syrup
• 1/2 stick melted, cooled butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups roughly chopped pecans (or more, you'll be mixing it up)
• 1/2-1 lb bacon (cooked crispy, drained and crumbled)

1. Whisk the eggs well.
2. Mix in with the sugar and whisk.
3. Add the cooled butter, syrup, vanilla, salt, and mix well.
4. Fold in the pecans and 1/2 of your bacon, reserving the rest for the top towards the end of the bake.
5. Pour gently into the prepared pie shell.
6. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes
7. Reduce to 350 and bake another 30 minutes, top with the remaining bacon and bake another 10 minutes. 
8. Remove, cool to room temperature.

You can also turn these into tartlets!