virginia peanut pie

Virginia Peanut Pie

The contrasting flavors and textures of this Virginia Diner specialty are easy to love. The pie is simultaneously sweet and salty, with a creamy filling tucked beneath a crunchy top. It's a lot like pecan pie but easier to make. The recipes we tried turned out pies that were too busy with added flavors and spices, were too sweet, or had nuts that didn't feel integrated with the filling. For our version, we settled on a mix of light corn syrup and brown sugar as the sweetener, limited our flavorings to just vanilla and salt, and doubled the amount of peanuts called for in most recipes. We also found a way around precooking the filling and prebaking the crust. And when it came to choosing the peanuts, we found that any type EXCEPT Spanish red skin peanuts will work. 

GATHER YOUR INGREDIENTS

Crust

Filling

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Salted dry-roasted, cocktail, or honey-roasted peanuts can be used in this recipe. Do not use Spanish red skin peanuts. Inspect the peanut packaging to be sure the ingredient list includes only peanuts, salt, and oil (plus sweetener if using honey-roasted peanuts). You can use light or dark brown sugar in the filling. Crush the peanuts in a zipper-lock bag using a rolling pin or meat pounder; you want peanut pieces, not dust.
1

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE CRUST: Process flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. Scatter butter over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle ice water over mixture. Using rubber spatula, stir and press dough until it sticks together.
2
Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter, form into 6-inch disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let chilled dough sit on counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes, before rolling. (Wrapped dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, let dough thaw completely on counter before rolling.)
3
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into 12-inch circle on lightly floured counter. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto 9-inch pie plate, letting excess dough hang over edge. Ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into plate bottom with your other hand.
4
Trim overhang to ½ inch beyond lip of plate. Tuck overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of plate. Crimp dough evenly around edge of plate using your fingers. Push protruding crimped edge so it slightly hangs over edge of plate. Wrap dough‑lined plate loosely in plastic and freeze until dough is firm, about 15 minutes.
5
FOR THE FILLING: Whisk corn syrup, sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and salt in large bowl until fully combined. Stir in peanuts until incorporated.
6
Place chilled pie shell on rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into shell. Bake until filling is puffed and set but still jiggles slightly when pie is shaken, 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer pie to wire rack and let cool completely, at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve.

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