4 Nutty Pie Delights from "PIE" 🌞

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Last edited Thu Dec 4, 2025, 12:41 PM - Edit history (1)

Fruits of the Forest Pie (Nut Version)

As I explained in the headnote to the fruit version of the same
title (see , fruits of the forest pies are more often made with fruit,
but nuts seem to me the more authentic way to do it. Here's my
favorite interpretation of the nut version, made with mixed nuts and
nut liqueurs. I recommend simply buying a bag of roasted mixed
nuts at a place like Trader Joe's. It's so much easier than buying the
separate nuts and toasting them first. I leave most of them whole, to
really show them off and whet the appetite. This crunchy, delicious
pie may well be the granddaddy of nut pies—big, bold, and with a rich,
nutty flavor accented by the liqueurs.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

**1 recipe Basic Flaky Pie Pastry, Single Crust ([>]), refrigerated

FILLING

4 large eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur
1 tablespoon almond liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
¼to½ teaspoon salt
2½ cups roasted mixed nuts (see Recipe for Success)

GARNISH

Fresh Whipped Cream

1. If you haven't already, prepare the pastry and refrigerate until firm
enough to roll, about 1 hour.

2. On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the pastry into a
13-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert the pastry over a 9½-
inch deep dish pie pan, center, and peel off the paper. Tuck the
pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and sculpt the edge into
an upstanding ridge. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes, then partially
prebake and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

3. Gently whisk the eggs in a large bowl until blended. Whisk in the
corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, liqueurs, and extracts. Add the salt,
using the lesser amount if the nuts are already salted. Set aside.

4. Spread the nuts in the cooled pie shell. Remove any that seem too
large for your taste—such as Brazil nuts—and chop them coarsely.
Scatter them back in the shell. Ladle the filling over the nuts. With the
back of a spoon, push the nuts down into the filling to coat them;
they'll pop back up right away.

5. Put the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 30 minutes, then
rotate the pie 180 degrees, so that the part that faced the back of the
oven now faces forward. Bake until the filling is set, 10 to 15 minutes.
To check, give the pie a little nudge. It shouldn't be soupy in the center.

6. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool thoroughly. Serve at
room temperature, with a dollop of whipped cream.

Recipe for Success

Look for a nut mixture without peanuts, as they tend to
overwhelm other nuts. My ideal combination would include
Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pecans, and maybe almonds.
I like having a little of the rain forest in my fruits of the forest pie.
If 2½ cups of nuts seems like a bit much once they're in the pie
shell, take out a few. But just remember, this is a pie for nut lovers.
You wouldn't want to make it otherwise, right?

Unlike for some of my nut pies, I don't chop the nuts here (for the
most part) because I love the way the pie looks with whole nuts and
large pieces. The big nuts may squeeze out some of the filling as you
cut the pie, but you can make cleaner cuts by slicing it when it is very
cold.

**Basic Flaky Pie Pastry

This pie pastry is used frequently throughout this collection because it
yields such excellent results. I sometimes call it a half-and-half pastry,
referring to the equal amounts of vegetable shortening and butter—
the former for flakiness, the latter for flavor. It can be made in a food
processor if you have a large-capacity machine. But I'll repeat my
usual advice, which is to make it by hand or with an electric mixer if
you don't. Both methods are quite easy. If you could have only one
pastry to work with, this would probably be it.

MAKES A SINGLE OR DOUBLE CRUST FOR A 9-INCH STANDARD
PIE OR 9 1/4-INCH DEEP-DISH PIE

FOR A SINGLE CRUST

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into %-inch pieces
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1/4 cup cold water

FOR A DOUBLE CRUST

3. cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into
1/2 cup cold water


1. TO MAKE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR

Put the flour, sugar, and salt in the food processor. Pulse several
times to mix. Scatter the butter over the dry ingredients and pulse
the machine 5 or 6 times to cut it in. Fluff the mixture with a fork,
lifting it up from the bottom of the bowl.

Scatter the shortening over the flour and pulse 5 or 6 times. Fluff
the mixture again. Drizzle half of the water over the flour mixture
and pulse 5 or 6 times. Fluff the mixture and sprinkle on the remaining
water. Pulse 5 or 6 times more, until the dough starts to form clumps.
Overall, it will look like coarse crumbs. Dump the contents of the
processor bowl into a large bowl. Test the pastry by squeezing some
of it between your fingers. If it seems a little dry and not quite
packable, drizzle a teaspoon or so of cold water over the pastry and
work it in with your fingertips.

TO MAKE BY HAND

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Toss well,
by hand, to mix. Scatter the butter over the dry ingredients
and toss to mix. Using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your
fingertips, cut or rub the butter into the flour until it is broken
into pieces the size of small peas. Add the shortening and
continue to cut until all of the fat is cut into small pieces.
Sprinkle half of the water over the mixture.

Toss well with a fork to dampen the mixture. Add the remaining
water, 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons at a time, and continue to toss and
mix, pulling the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl on the
upstroke and gently pressing down on the downstroke. Dough
made by hand often needs a bit more water. If necessary, add
water 1 or 2 teaspoons at a time until the pastry can be packed.

TO MAKE WITH AN ELECTRIC MIXER

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter,
tossing it with the flour. With the mixer on low speed, blend the
butter into the flour until you have what looks like coarse, damp
meal, with both large and small clumps.

Add the shortening and repeat. Turning the mixer on and off,
add half of the water. Mix briefly on low speed. Add the remaining
water, mixing slowly until the dough starts to form large clumps.
If you're using a stand mixer, stop periodically to stir the mixture up
from the bottom of the bowl, do not overmix.

When using a food processor, after you've added the shortening,
pulse 3 or 4 times. Add 1 cup (1/2 cup for single crust) finely
shredded sharp cheddar cheese and pulse 3 or 4 times more.
Add the water and proceed as directed above. When making the
dough by hand or with an electric mixer, add the cheese after you
have cut or mixed in all of the fat. Toss with your hands to mix, then
add the water as instructed for each method.

Recipe for Success

I use this pastry so often that I tend to make it in large batches.
More than half of the time required to make pastry is spent
getting out the ingredients, putting them away, and washing the
utensils. That said, I may make a double batch of crust, 3 or 4 times
over, then freeze it for up to a month. I wrap each disk in plastic,
then in aluminum foil. I take the dough out of the freezer the day
before I plan to use it and let it thaw in the fridge. It works like a charm.

And You Thought You Had Pastry Problems!

"T have had a number of small horrors ... mostly
involving pie crust, something I haven't quite
gotten the knack of. One of my pies fell apart. One
was so odd-looking my husband took a picture of
it, and one had the texture and resilience of old
parchment."
—Laurie Colwin, Home Cooking (Knopf, 1992)

*******************************************************************


Macadamia-Chocolate Chunk Pie

On a recent trip to Hawaii, my wife, Bev, and I ran into a number of
pies like this: macadamia nuts, chunks of chocolate, and a lingering
whisper of coconut flavor. Back home, I put together our own version
of this Hawaiian favorite using, of course, genuine island macadamia
nuts. Throw a luau and serve this for dessert. Or make it to celebrate a
friend's impending departure for the islands. Either way, it's fabulous
with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

1 recipe Basic Flaky Pie Pastry, Single Crust (see above) or **Basic Shortening Pie Pastry, Single Crust, refrigerated

FILLING

3 large eggs
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup dark corn syrup
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups chopped salted dry-roasted macadamia nuts (see Recipe for Success)
⅓ cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

1. If you haven't already, prepare the pastry and refrigerate until firm
enough to roll, about 1 hour.

2. On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the pastry into a
12-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert the pastry over a
9-inch standard pie pan, center, and peel off the paper. Tuck the
pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and sculpt the edge into
an upstanding ridge. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes, then
partially prebake and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to
350°F.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Whisk in the brown
sugar and corn syrup. Add the butter and vanilla and whisk again.
Stir in the macadamia nuts and coconut. Scatter the chocolate
chunks evenly over the bottom of the cooled pie shell. Slowly pour
the filling into the shell. Using a fork, gently rake the filling to
distribute the solid pieces more or less evenly.

4. Place on the center oven rack and bake 30 minutes, then rotate
the pie 180 degrees, so the part that faced the back of the oven now
faces forward. Continue to bake until the filling is set and the top a
rich golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. To check for doneness, give the
pie a quick nudge. The filling should be stable and show no signs of
movement. Also, it will likely have puffed slightly, but not so much
that there are large cracks.

5. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool thoroughly. Cover with
loosely tented aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or
overnight before serving. If the pie is very cold, slice and let sit at
room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe for Success

Don't leave the macadamia nuts in large pieces, or they'll squeeze
the filling out of the pie when you cut it. Chop them small, by
hand, though not overly fine.

I like salted macadamias for this pie because a little saltiness
makes for a good contrast in a sweet pie. If you find only unsalted
nuts, by all means use them.

**Basic Shortening Pie Pastry

This is a fairly standard shortening pastry, the one that I grew up
with and that my dad made so deftly. It produces a flaky, tender
crust that's suitable for most of the pies you'll make. It's particularly
wonderful with double-crust fruit pies. Unlike butter, solid vegetable
shortening is soft and easy to combine with the dry ingredients. I
don't even bother to give food processor directions for mixing the
dough, since it is almost as fast to make it by hand. (I do, however,
give electric mixer directions.) Once you've mastered this recipe,
you'll feel a boost of confidence about your pie-making skills.

MAKES A SINGLE OR DOUBLE CRUST FOR A 9-INCH STANDARD PIE
OR 9 1/4-INCH DEEP-DISH PIE

FOR A SINGLE CRUST

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1/4 cup cold water

FOR A DOUBLE-CRUST

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
6 to 8 tablespoons cold water

TO MAKE BY HAND

Put the flour in a large, wide bowl that you'll have no trouble
getting both hands into as you mix the dough. Add the sugar
and salt. Mix well, tossing with your hands. Add the shortening
here and there. Using your fingertips, a pastry blender, or 2 knives,
rub or cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture
resembles coarse, damp meal. You want to end up with both large
and small clumps in the mixture. With a fork in one hand and your
cold water in the other, add half of the water to the pastry. You
needn't measure it; you can just pour. Mix the dough with the fork,
pulling up the dry ingredients from the bottom of the bowl and
pushing down to mix everything well. Add the remaining water in 2
stages, mixing until the dough coheres. The dough should feel
dampish but not wet. Don't add more water than you need.

TO MAKE WITH AN ELECTRIC MIXER

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the
shortening, breaking it into smaller pieces anening into the flour
until you have what looks like coarse, damp meal, with both
large and small clumps. Sprinkle on half of the water.

Turning the machine on and off, mix briefly on low speed. Add
the remaining water in 2 stages, mixing slowly until the dough
starts to form large clumps. If you're using a stand mixer, stop
periodically to stir the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl.
Do not overmix. Dust your work surface with flour and turn the
dough out onto it. If you're making a double crust, divide the
dough into 2 pieces, one—the piece you'll use for the bottom pastry—
somewhat larger than the other. Place each piece on a sheet of
plastic wrap. Flatten the dough, with floured hands, into disks about
1/2 inch thick. Wrap them in plastic and refrigerate for at least an
hour or overnight before rolling.

FRIED PIE PASTRY

The pastry we use to make fried pies is essentially this one, with
a bit less fat and 1 egg added—both of which make the dough a
little sturdier. Make the following changes to the double-crust
recipe:
Reduce the shortening to % cup. Place 1 large egg in a 1-cup
glass measure and beat, then add enough water to make 4 cup
liquid. Use as much of the liquid as necessary to make the dough.

Recipe for Success

+ To make the dough easy to handle, I like to cut my shortening (I
use the easy-to-measure-and-cut sticks) and put it on a plate before
I do anything else. This goes in the freezer for about 10 minutes
while I'm preparing the rest of my ingredients.

+ Shortening really sticks to your hands when you're rubbing it to
make pastry. For the easiest cleanup, wipe off the excess with
paper towels before running your hands under hot water.

+ The dough may be frozen for up to a month.



***********************************************************************


Like Virginia Diner's Peanut Pie

I had been hearing that a restaurant called the Virginia Diner,
in Wakefield, Virginia, made the best peanut pie around, so I
contacted one of the owners, who was quick to point out that
the diner's peanut pie is indeed deliciously world famous. She
described it as "like a pecan pie, only better," and, of course, she
said, it is always made with great homegrown Virginia peanuts.
Having learned that there's an inverse relationship between the
level of self-hoopla and one's chances of securing a recipe, I
held my breath when I finally got around to asking her whether
she would be willing to share the recipe with me and my readers.
Alas, she would not, but she was kind enough to direct me
to a Web site, www.aboutpeanuts.com, which has a recipe for
peanut pie that is "pretty similar." Would she care to enumerate
the differences? "Sorry." Turns out the recipe at that Web site,
reprinted here with permission, is so good that I've forgiven the
Virginia Diner for not sharing theirs. This pie is superlative: a
golden layer of roasted peanuts on top of a soft and yummy filling.
I always serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and Warm
Mocha Sauce.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

1 recipe **Basic Flaky Pie Pastry, Single Crust, refrigerated (see above)

FILLING

3 large eggs
½ cup sugar
1½ cups dark corn syrup
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts

1. If you haven't already, prepare the pastry and refrigerate until firm
enough to roll, about 1 hour.

2. On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the pastry into a
13-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert the pastry over a
9½-inch deep dish pie pan, center, and peel off the paper. Tuck the
pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and sculpt the edge so it
is even with the rim. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes, then
partially prebake and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together just until
frothy. Whisk in the corn syrup, butter, salt, and vanilla until well
blended. Stir in the peanuts. Slowly pour the filling into the cooled
pie shell. Using a fork, gently rake the peanuts to distribute them
evenly.

4. Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 30 minutes,
then rotate the pie 180 degrees, so that the part that faced the back
of the oven now faces forward. Continue to bake until the filling is
set and does not move in waves, about 20 minutes. To check, give
the pie a quick nudge.

5. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool thoroughly. Serve at
room temperature, or cover with loosely tented aluminum foil
and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Recipe for Success

Be sure not to use unroasted peanuts here. The roasting really
brings out the nut flavor. By the same token, do not use honey
roasted or other sweetened nuts or the pie may be too sweet.


*********************************************************************


Butterscotch Pecan Pie

I think this is the quintessential pecan pie. There's no big secret to it—
just a large handful of butterscotch chips. But when you taste it, you'll
think butterscotch chips were invented to fulfill this purpose, adding
yet another layer of caramel flavor to the already gooey, candy-like
filling. This one is heavy on the pecans, incorporating a full two cups.
You can use slightly less, if you like. Time was I toasted the pecans
before making a pie with them. I don't do that anymore, because I've
found that since they float to the surface anyway, they essentially
toast as they bake. It is mandatory, as far as I'm concerned, to serve
this with vanilla ice cream.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

1 recipe Basic Flaky Pie Pastry, Single Crust ([>]), refrigerated

FILLING

1 cup light corn syrup
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¾ cup butterscotch chips
Generous pinch of salt
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

1. If you haven't already, prepare the pastry and refrigerate until firm
enough to roll, about 1 hour.

2. On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the pastry into a
13-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert the pastry over a 9½-
inch deep dish pie pan, center, and peel off the paper. Tuck the
pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and sculpt the edge until
it is even with the rim. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes, then
partially prebake and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature
to 350°F.

3. Gently warm the corn syrup, brown sugar, and butter together
in a medium-size saucepan until the butter melts. Turn off the
heat and add the butterscotch chips. Scatter them around rather
than dumping them in one spot. Set the pan aside for 5 minutes,
shaking it once or twice to move hot liquid over the chips. After
5 minutes, add the salt and whisk to smooth. Pour the mixture
into a large bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.

4. In a medium-size bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together
just until frothy. Whisk in the vanilla. Whisk a little less than half
of the hot liquid into the eggs until smooth. Add the rest of the
hot liquid and whisk until smooth. Add the pecans and stir well.
Turn the filling into the cooled pie shell. Using a fork, gently rake
the filling to distribute the pecans evenly.

5. Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake until the
perimeter of the filling has puffed up and perhaps cracked
slightly, 40 to 45 minutes. Rotate the pie 180 degrees halfway
through the baking, so that the part that faced the back of the
oven now faces forward. When done, the center may wobble a
little, but it shouldn't seem soupy.

6. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool. Serve slightly
warm or at room temperature. Or let cool thoroughly, cover
with loosely tented aluminum foil, and refrigerate for several
hours before serving.

Recipe for Success

Pecan pies look very attractive when made with pecan halves,
but they present something of a problem when you cut them.
When your knife hits a pecan, it tends to push down on the filling,
rather than cut cleanly, leaving you with something of a botched job.

Chopping the pecans coarsely results in neater cuts.


Don't worry if the top of this pie bakes up a little darker than the
tops of other pecan pies. The dark brown sugar and butterscotch
chips make it so.

All the above from "Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pies"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/390288.Pie

Nuts to you!