I made this gloriously rich and decadent pie for the first time last Thanksgiving and it was such a hit that I brought it back this year!
I’m a sucker for pecans (as I’ve stated my love for nuts here before) and who doesn’t love chocolate?!
Wait, don’t answer that.
I don’t think I want to know :)
Anyway, the combo of toasted pecans and rich dark chocolate is scrumptious enough, but add the depth of flavor from the bourbon and this pie is a home run!
Best of all, it’s not super holiday themed so you could whip this bad boy up anytime of year and it’ll be the showstopper dessert for sure.
Now that I’ve got the homemade pie crust nailed down, this pie is even better. But if you’re pressed for time or just don’t feel like making your own crust, you could certainly fill any pie crust with this glorious filling and people would not be any wiser!
I mean who wouldn’t want to sink their teeth into this beauty?!
Thanksgiving is obviously behind us, but there’s plenty of time to plan your Christmas dessert menu. Consider adding this pie to your repertoire along with some fluffy whipped cream or creamy vanilla ice cream. My favorite way to enjoy the nuances of all the flavors is to eat it straight up, so be sure to try it on its own too.
Without further ado…the recipe!!
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1½ cups pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 cup corn syrup (light or dark, I used light)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark, I used light)
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (not imitation vanilla!)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup bourbon (I used plain old Jim Beam)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 refrigerated or homemade pie crust, uncooked
- Preheat oven to 325*.
- Grease a 9" pie plate. Drape the pie crust dough into the pie plate, letting it hang over the edges if necessary. Crimp the edges of the dough with your fingers, removing or tucking in any excess dough as you work around the entire edge of the pie.
- Scatter the roughly chopped pecans and semisweet chocolate chips over the bottom of the pie dough and set aside.
- In a small pot over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, brown sugar and bourbon. Bring to a boil, stir well, then remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- In a bowl, mix together the eggs, *cooled* melted butter, vanilla and salt. VERY SLOWLY drizzle the hot syrup into the eggs, stirring continuously with a whisk while you drizzle. You don't want to rush this step or you'll end up with scrambled eggs! Keep drizzling and whisking until the last of the syrup has been poured into the eggs and everything is fully combined.
- Pour this mixture over the pecans and chocolate in the pie, making sure to cover everything evenly.
- Carefully place pie in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
- When it's done, the top should be puffy and the crust should be golden. If the crust gets too dark too fast, you can cover the crust portion only with foil part way through the cook time. You shouldn't have an issue in an hour at 325 though.
- Let cool for 1 hour before serving so the pie can fully set.
- If making ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap AFTER PIE HAS FULLY COOLED and leave on the counter overnight. Covering a hot pie will with plastic wrap will result in condensation that can make your crust soggy.
