Brown Sugar, Dried Apple, and Pecan Pie from our November 2020 Tasting article "Feast Day." Photograph by Douglas Merriam.

Johnny Vee's Brown Sugar, Dried Apple, and Pecan Pie

Makes 1 pie

I like this recipe because you do not need the light and dark corn syrups called for in traditional pecan pies.

2 ounces dried red delicious apples (about 1½ cups), from Montoya Orchard, in Velarde
1½ cups apple cider 
1 9-inch piecrust, from a box or homemade
1 cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup CLC pecans, from Hobbs

  1. Preheat oven to 400°.

  2. Place apples in small saucepan and cover with cider. Simmer over medium heat until apples soften and cider is starting to look like maple syrup, about 12 minutes. Drain apples and set aside. Reserve syrup.

  3. Place piecrust in pie pan and crimp edges as desired. Chill until ready to fill.

  4. Whisk together both sugars, melted butter, eggs, salt, flour, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in pecans and apples and pour into prepared crust.

  5. Cover edges of piecrust with foil or a piecrust shield. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°. Bake an additional 30–40 minutes, or until the middle and the edges are set. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes of baking. Pour reserved syrup over the surface. Cool pie completely before slicing.