This truly is the best chocolate chip pecan pie recipe you will ever try. Adapted from one of the world’s best pastry chefs, this gooey, fudgy pie with flaky butter crust hits all the marks: sweet, decadent, easy, and seasonal. (And did we mention the bourbon?).
Why This is the Best Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Recipe
This recipe is adapted from famed pastry chef and baker David Lebovitz’s classic pecan pie recipe. The combination of rich dark chocolate, caramel, and fragrant vanilla and nut flavors bakes into a perfectly gooey pie nestled within a flaky crust, all while remaining easy to make. I made the following adaptations:
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- Adjusted the baking time to ensure that the pie filling won’t ooze
- Used my own recipe for a single pie dough, or pâte brisée
- Slightly tweaked the bourbon, pecan, and brown sugar ingredient quantities
Whether you are baking for the holidays or just craving a decadent dessert, this classic chocolate chip pecan pie delivers every single time. Best of all, it can be made in advance and frozen.
Reasons You’ll Love This Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Recipe
This pie is one of the all-time greats, perfect for beginner bakers and experienced bakers alike. You’ll like it because it’s:
- Easy to make
- Can be prepared in advance and even frozen
- Has a perfectly set, gooey filling (never runny) with evenly-distributed chocolate chips
- Adds optional bourbon for a subtle flavor upgrade
How to Make This Bourbon Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Recipe
The recipe starts with a flaky, buttery pie crust base. Then, stir together a sweet, soft vanilla and sugar filling loaded with chopped toasted pecans, good chocolate, and a dose of bourbon for extra caramel notes. Pour into the pie dough shell, then bake in the oven until browned and set.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gather these ingredients together before you start. For the absolute best flavor, we recommend using high-quality butter and butter vanilla extract.
For the Perfect Flaky Pie Crust
We start this recipe with a flaky, all-butter pie dough recipe, but feel free to use your favorite store-bought crust for speed. Make one 9-inch pie crust or purchase a store-bought pie dough in the shell. Either way, it should be fully chilled. For a homemade crust, you will need:
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup cold water
For the Chocolate Pecan Filling
This filling is incredibly easy to make, and uses common ingredients. Toasting the pecans is essential if you want the deepest flavor and best aroma.
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cups brown sugar: light or dark brown; dark brown sugar will give the pecan pie a slightly stronger caramel flavor and deeper color
- 2/3 cups corn syrup: light or dark (I prefer light Karo)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons bourbon (optional): According to Lebovitz, bourbon cuts the sweetness of the pie and makes it a little less dense
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt: Diamond Crystal is the go-to brand. If using Morton’s, use half the amount
- 2 cups pecan halves and pieces
- 3/4 cups good-quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips (such as Ghirardelli or Guittard)
If you like dark chocolate, get the recipes for Chocolate-Covered Pretzels or Molten Lava Cakes.
And for more seasonal pies, definitely get this recipe for the Libby’s Pumpkin Pie recipe, but better thanks to a better pie dough technique.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Chocolate chip pecan pie with bourbon comes together easily: Make the pie dough and chill; mix the filling; pour the filling into the pie shell, and bake. There is no need to pre-bake the shell.
Step 1: Prepare the Pie Crust
If you are using a pre-made pie crust, skip right to the filling. Just make sure the pie dough is fully chilled. Otherwise, for homemade pie dough:
- Combine the flour, sugar, and salt with your fingers or a whisk in to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cold, diced butter and work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers until the butter is the texture of small peas.
- Add the water and stir with your fingers until it all holds together in a shaggy mass, and turn out onto a lightly flour-dusted countertop. Shape/press the dough into a thick, flat disc about 1/2” thick. Dust top and bottom with flour. Roll out the dough out with a rolling pin until the dough is about two inches wider than the pie pan and about 1/8″ thick.
- Transfer the pie dough into a 9″ pie plate. Press the dough into the plate, and trim the excess. Shape the rim with fork tines or by pinching with your fingers all the way around. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and chill for two hours or overnight.
Step 2: Make the Chocolate Pecan Filling
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Toast the pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool. Toasting the pecans adds more flavor.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, melted butter, bourbon, and salt. Stir in the nuts and chips with a spoon.
Step 3: Bake Until Done
- Pour the pecan chocolate chip filling mixture into the pie shell. Bake on the center rack for about 50 minutes, until the center is set.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least one hour. Serve plain or with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
An important tip: If the pie starts to look too dark toward the end of the baking time, you can use a sheet of foil loosely draped over the pie to prevent over-browning. But baking the pie in the center rack usually keeps this from happening.
Essential Baking Tips and Troubleshooting
Achieving the perfect pecan pie requires attention to temperature and technique. Here are the essential pro tips you’ll need to guarantee a flaky crust and a gooey center every time. (And be sure to check out Unpeeled Journal’s complete page of Baking + Pastry Pro Tips.)
How to Know When the Pie is Done
The chocolate pecan pie is done when it sets solid in the center (does not jiggle), and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The filling will also puff up slightly and look golden brown. The pie will take about 50 minutes to bake in the oven.
Preventing a Soggy Bottom Crust
Technically, you could pre-bake the crust in the oven before adding the filling to ensure a crisp bottom. However, David Lebovitz says (and I agree) that here, having an unbaked pie dough when the filling is poured in actually makes a better, more gooey result. Don’t worry, the crust will still be fully baked and flaky.
Why did my pecan pie puff up?
That’s a good sign that the pecan pie is just about done! The pecan pie chocolate chips filling with puff slightly when the liquid content has mostly evaporated from the filling. The pie will then settle when it comes out of the oven.
Storing and Leftovers
Because of its egg-based filling, pecan pie should be refrigerated for the safest storage. You do not have to serve this pie cold, however. Chocolate pecan pie can be brought to room temperature by sitting it on the countertop for a couple of hours before serving, or warmed in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven until warm room temperature. This can also be frozen, and thawed overnight in the fridge. Bring to room temperature about an hour before serving.
Do I Have to Use Bourbon? Can I Leave It Out? Substitute It for Another Alcohol?
Bourbon, a corn-based whiskey with deep Kentucky roots, adds a layer of caramel and vanilla flavor notes to the pie. Some, but not all, of the alcohol content cooks off when baking the pie. With a fair percentage of the bourbon cooking off, you will not have an alcohol flavor, but rather caramel tasting notes of bourbon.
That said, you can completely leave the alcohol out. Dark brown sugar (vs. light brown) and dark corn syrup can help boost the caramel flavor and aroma instead.
If you don’t have bourbon, you can substitute another kind of whiskey, or other brown liquor such as brandy or cognac.
I think you’ll enjoy this decadent pie so much, whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving Day or Derby Day. And for more Thanksgiving Day meal and recipe inspiration, get this full Thanksgiving Day Sides list, Challah Bread Stuffing, and Autumn Charcuterie Board how-to.
Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie F.A.Q.s
Interesting history here. First, note that I did not write “Derby Pie,” in the heading above; “Derby Pie” (see also: “Derby-Pie”) is trademarked, meaning no one can use that official recipe title besides the trademark holder — in this case, Kern’s Kitchen, which has been making their chocolate nut pie since 1954.
Kentucky Derby-style pie often uses a combination of chocolate, bourbon, and walnuts in the filling. Pecans have taken a larger role in this pie, but walnuts are the more traditional style. Pecan pie uses, you guessed it, pecans.
As a general rule, to prevent chocolate chips from sinking, toss them lightly with 1 teaspoon of the flour before adding them to the filling mixture. This creates grip that helps the chips suspend in the filling. However, for this easy recipe, you can combine the chocolate chips into the general filling. The nuts help prop up the chocolate and prevent sinking.
The most common cause of a runny filling is under-baking. Pecan pie filling needs to reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees F to allow the proteins in the eggs to fully coagulate and set. If the edges are set but the center is still wobbly (like liquid), it needs more time.
Yes, you can easily make this pie ahead of time. It can be baked up to three days in advance. Once fully cooled, cover the pie loosely with foil or plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. Cold temperatures can cause a sugar-based filling like this to stiffen and sometimes crystallize, but the corn syrup prevents this. Bring the pie to room temperature before serving.
If you like this recipe, you’ll also like:
Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
Ingredients
Single 9" Pie Dough
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal; if using Morton's, do half)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, diced into small pieces
- 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup cold water
Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Filling
- 2 cups pecan halves, roughly chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup light brown or dark brown sugar, packed
- 2/3 cup corn syrup, light or dark
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons bourbon (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Pie Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt with your fingers or a whisk.
- Add the cold, diced butter and work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers until the butter is the texture of small peas. The butter does not have to be too combined – there should still be loose flour. Add the water and stir with your fingers until it all holds together in a shaggy mass, and turn out onto lightly-floured countertop.
- Shape/press the pie dough into a thick, flat disc about 1/2” thick. Dust top and bottom with flour. Roll out the dough out with a rolling pin until the dough is about two inches wider than the pie pan and about 1/8" thick. If the dough sticks as you roll it, dust with additional flour.
- Gently drape the pie dough into a 9" pie plate. Press the dough into the plate, and trim the excess. Shape the rim with fork tines or as you like all the way around. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and chill for two hours or overnight.
For the Chocolate Pecan Pie Filling and to Bake
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Toast the pecan pieces in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool. PRO TIP: You can skip toasting the pecan pieces, but don't. Roasting the pecans adds more flavor.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, melted butter, bourbon, and salt. Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips with a spoon.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the chilled pie dough. Pour the pecan chocolate chip pie filling mixture into the pie shell. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the center is set.PRO TIP: You can tell that the center is set by giving the pie a jiggle. If it stays solid in the middle, it's done.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour, or until room temperature. Serve plain, or with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.
This post was originally published in May 2024. It was updated in November 2025 for clarity and length.
4 comments
Mrs. Logan
Very successful last year and will make it again this Thanksgiving as well. Good balance of chocolate.
Janice
Echoing the other comments here. This was very good and the filling delicious. I recommend serving with whipped cream.
Amelia Short
5-star pie. This was wonderful.
Jillian Horner
Made this for Thanksgiving. It was a huge hit. Everyone was raving about it. The chocolate pecan filling was perfection and it was also a very uncomplicated recipe. Be sure to cut smaller slices because it is a little rich!