Grant Crilly is the Executive Director and cofounder of ChefSteps. Grant is a classically trained chef and, prior to ChefSteps, he worked on the award-winning cookbook series Modernist Cuisine and cooked at various restaurants, including L’Astrance in Paris, Busaba in Mumbai, and Mistral Kitchen in Seattle.

Grant Crilly

One 9" springform pie (8 large servings); or two 9.5" pie pans (16 smaller servings)

When it comes to building deep, delicious flavor, pecan pie has it all. The molten, molasses goodness of brown sugar, the aroma of real vanilla that permeates every room of your house and reminds you that a vanilla pod really is the fruit of a flower, and, of course, the pecans themselves. Here, in our version of this southern classic, they range from crispy and candied on top to soft and nut-buttery inside.Combined, these ingredients make for a pie filling that clearly demonstrates why the phrase “ooey-gooey goodness” was invented. (We even check the temperature toward the end of baking to make sure it hits the perfect ooey-gooey goodness we’re after.)Along with a double handful of pecans, we tip our hat to the pie’s southern roots by adding a shot of bourbon to the filling, which lends its own complex nutty, woodsy, and brown-sugary notes while amping up every other flavor in the mix. Do we stop there? No, we do not. That amazing filling goes in our shatteringly crisp <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/buttery-flaky-all-purpose-pie-crust-pate-brisee">pâte brisée, aka Buttery, Flaky, All-Purpose Pie Crust</a>, sealing the deal. Our recommendation? When the desserts hit the table, reach for this one first. It’s got a way of going fast.

Deep Dish Pecan Pie