Candied Yams Pecan Crust (Printable Version)

Silky candied yams paired with a crisp, nutty pecan crust for a warm, inviting dessert experience.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pecan Crust

01 - 1.5 cups pecan halves
02 - 0.5 cup old-fashioned oats
03 - 0.33 cup brown sugar
04 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
05 - 0.33 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Candied Yams Filling

06 - 2 cups cooked, mashed yams
07 - 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
08 - 0.5 cup evaporated milk
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 0.25 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 - 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
15 - 0.25 teaspoon ground ginger
16 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

→ Topping

17 - 0.5 cup pecan halves
18 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar

# Directions:

01 - Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
02 - In a food processor, pulse pecans, oats, brown sugar, and salt until finely ground. Add melted butter and pulse until mixture resembles wet sand.
03 - Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
04 - In a large bowl, combine mashed yams, brown sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Mix until smooth and well-blended.
05 - Pour filling into the pre-baked pecan crust and smooth the top surface evenly.
06 - Toss pecan halves with brown sugar and arrange over the filling surface.
07 - Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the center is set and a knife inserted comes out clean. If edges brown too quickly, cover crust with foil during final baking stages.
08 - Cool completely before slicing. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pecan crust is buttery and toasted, nothing like a soggy pie bottom you might be dreading.
  • One filling does all the heavy lifting—spiced perfectly without tasting like dessert overstep into pumpkin pie territory.
  • It actually tastes better the next day, so you can make it ahead and steal a slice for breakfast without judgment.
02 -
  • Don't skip the pre-baking of the crust—raw crust under a long-baked filling tastes doughy and disappoints in ways you can't fix later.
  • The filling will look slightly underdone when you pull it out; it sets as it cools, and overbaking it makes it crack and weep.
03 -
  • Toast your pecans in a dry skillet for three minutes before pulsing them into the crust mixture—this unlocks their flavor and makes the finished crust taste sophisticated.
  • Add a tablespoon of bourbon or dark rum to the filling if you're serving this to adults; nobody will taste it directly, but everyone will wonder why yours tastes better.
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