Here's How Much Booze Ree Drummond Uses In Her Pecan Pie Filling

Pecan pie is a treat for the ages. The sticky-sweet, nutty, crunchy, festive delight has been an American classic since the late 19th century, according to Culture Trip. And over the past several generations, families across the nation have brought new life to traditional pecan pie with their own unique twists on the recipe. While chewy, hearty pecans are typically the star of the show in this iconic dessert, some folks prefer to shift the center of attention to other ingredients. 

Ree Drummond, for example, likes to bake her pecan pie with an extra special ingredient that offers a bold flavor in every single bite — bourbon. Bourbon is a style of barrel-aged, distilled whiskey made from corn, offering a robust, sweet flavor when consumed by itself, as part of a cocktail, or when infused into dishes, according to the American Bourbon Association. Like most of her scrumptious creations, The Pioneer Woman's boozy pecan pie is both simple to make and fun to eat. But just how much of an intoxicating kick does Drummond's pie have in it?

In a video shared by Food Network, Drummond gives a tutorial on how to bake the best boozy pecan pie. After mixing together the key components of a conventional pecan pie, including sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla extract, melted butter, and of course, chopped pecans, she adds roughly a quarter cup of bourbon straight into the filling.

For a pecan pie that has a truly spirited character (without ruining the overall texture and taste), the key is to use just enough alcohol. "Any more than [a quarter cup], and it would probably affect how the pie bakes. Any less than that, and you would be disappointed," Drummond jokes. "If someone tells me I'm going to take a bite of a boozy pecan pie, I most certainly want to taste that booze." She even marinated bourbon into her homemade pie crust as well as the whipped cream topping. Cheers to that!