Brown Butter Cashew Pie

This Brown Butter Cashew Pie recipe is a sponsored post by Challenge Butter, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee’s Kitchen possible! 

Cashew Pies – Where is the Love?

I’m not entirely sure why pecan pie became the most popular nut pie. As someone whose snacking habits resemble those of a woodland creature, I eat a lot of nuts. And while I like pecans, I think cashews are far superior. Yet, I have never encountered a cashew pie. So I wanted to change that with this Brown Butter Cashew Pie! 

Cashews are softer and a little sweeter than pecans. They taste almost buttery–all characteristics that would be tasty in a pie. When developing a recipe, I ask myself what flavor profile I want to achieve. For this pie, I wanted something complex and toasty with notes of caramel. Here’s what I did to achieve that.

First, I toasted my cashews. Always, always toast nuts before using them in a recipe. A little heat “blooms” the nuts, allowing them to release essential oils that make them taste (for lack of a better term) nuttier. It also caramelizes the surface of the nuts, which means more flavor.

Brown Butter Cashew Pie – The Importance of Brown Butter

Second, if we toast the nuts, we should also brown the butter. Brown butter is butter cooked past the melting point so the milk solids caramelize. This results in a nutty, caramel-like flavor. You can make brown butter by melting butter on the stove. The butter will sizzle, bubble, and foam, and then you’ll see amber-colored flecks on the bottom. Start with a good quality butter for the best flavor. I always use Challenge unsalted butter. Challenge butter is made with 100% real pasteurized sweet cream. That’s it. Nothing artificial or synthetic. 

Corn Syrup – Dark vs Light

Third, there are two types of corn syrup: dark corn syrup and light corn syrup. Using the two interchangeably won’t affect the structure of the recipe, but it will affect the flavor profile. Light corn syrup tastes mild with hints of vanilla. Dark corn syrup contains molasses and has a more robust, deeper sweetness. That’s why I use dark corn syrup in this recipe.

Add a Dash of Fun – Bourbon (the alcohol cooks off)

There is one more ingredient that will contribute to the flavor profile we’re trying to achieve: bourbon. The alcohol in bourbon cooks out during baking, resulting in a rich, nutty flavor that really enhances the other flavors.

Once you toast the nuts and brown the butter, the filling for this pie quickly comes together!

Pie Dough Tips

A quick word on pie dough: You can make pie dough and store it in the refrigerator 2-3 days in advance. Or you can store it in the freezer 3 months in advance. Just make sure to pull it out of the freezer 24 hours before trying to roll it out. If you choose to buy pie dough, I recommend using one make with all butter. In my opinion, the Trader Joe’s pie crust is the only pie crust worth buying.

I made this recipe on Fox59 – check out the video link here! Check out my other pie recipes here.

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