The Best Chocolate Pecan Pie
This is the Best Chocolate Pecan Pie you will ever eat! The rich chocolate filling, buttery pecans, and flaky crust will make this pie the star of your dessert table. It’s won pie baking contests and has been perfected by our family over the years. It’s a showstopper during the holidays!
Pecan Pie is a classic dessert for the holidays, but if you’ve never had chocolate pecan pie, I urge you to drop whatever you’re doing and make it right now!
This recipe has been in my family for many years and is a staple at Thanksgiving and Christmas. My mom has tweaked it here and there from my Grandma’s original recipe, and this version is the BEST. I’ve won two pie baking contests with this recipe; it’s that good!
How to Make Chocolate Pecan Pie – Step by Step
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a double boiler (If you don’t own a double boiler, see notes below for how to make one from items already in your kitchen): fill the bottom saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a boil. Nestle the topmost saucepan on top and add 3 Tablespoons of butter and the chocolate. Stir constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.
- In a separate small saucepan, combine the remaining 4 Tablespoons of butter, corn syrup, and sugar, and stir together over low heat until butter is melted and ingredients are blended. Add to the melted chocolate, then stir in the beaten eggs and vanilla.
- Pour the chopped pecans into the pie shell. Pour the filling over the top and spread evenly across the pecans.
- Lightly cover the edges of the pie crust with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. The filling will be slightly jiggly and the top should spring back lightly when tapped in the center. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. Serve with whipped cream on top.
What can I use if I don’t have a double boiler?
If you don’t have a double boiler, no worries! All you need is a sauce pan and a metal mixing bowl. Make sure you use a mixing bowl that DOES NOT have a nonslip rubber bottom. That kind of bowl will not work. Fill the saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a boil, place the bowl on top and carry on with melting the butter and chocolate together.
Tips for making Chocolate Pecan Pie
- If you don’t own a double boiler, check out my tip above on what to use instead.
- Using half light corn syrup and half dark corn syrup is one of my favorite tips. The dark corn syrup adds a beautiful color to the pie and gives a hint of rich caramel flavor. If you only have one kind, I would use the light corn syrup.
- My family prefers chopped pecans over halved pecans in this recipe. Halved pecans make for a pretty presentation, and that’s what we used for many years. However, we’ve found that chopped pecans create the optimal texture and “eating experience.” It just tastes better, haha!
- Place the nuts into the crust and then pour the chocolate filling over the top. Do this instead of mixing the pecans into the filling first.
- Make sure to cover the edges of your crust with foil before baking to prevent them from browning too quickly. Also, if you notice your pie itself is browning too quickly, you can tent some foil loosely over the top.
More amazing Holiday desserts
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Recipe: The Best Chocolate Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 1 (9 inch) deep dish pie shell, (frozen, homemade, or refrigerated roll-out dough is fine)
- 1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, (2 small squares)
- 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare a double boiler (If you don't own a double boiler, see notes below for how to make one from items already in your kitchen): fill the bottom saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a boil. Nestle the topmost saucepan on top and add 3 Tablespoons of butter and the chocolate. Stir constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.
- In a separate small saucepan, combine the remaining 4 Tablespoons of butter, corn syrup, and sugar, and stir together over low heat until butter is melted and ingredients are blended. Add to the melted chocolate, then stir in the beaten eggs and vanilla.
- Pour the chopped pecans into the pie shell. Spread them evenly in the shell. Pour the filling over the top and spread evenly across the pecans. Lightly cover the edges of the pie crust with foil and bake in the center of the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. The pie will be very slightly jiggly, and the top should spring back lightly when tapped in the center. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. Serve with whipped cream on top.
Notes
- If you don't have a double boiler, no worries! All you need is sauce pan and a metal mixing bowl. Make sure you use a mixing bowl that DOES NOT have a nonslip rubber bottom. That kind of bowl will not work. Fill the saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a boil, place the bowl on top and carry on with melting the butter and chocolate together.
If you like this recipe, then you might also like:
Caramel Pecan Slab Pie
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
This chocolate pecan pie is so good, rich, and delicious. It’s wonderful for the holidays.
I’ve always loved Pecan Pies but never tried to make them, I was afraid to ruin it, it’s so beautiful! lol I think it’s time to give this a try!
Oh my gosh, yes, I would LOVE this so much. I am all about chocolate pecan pie. I haven’t had it in ages.
Could I use all dark corn syrup?
I recommend using both light and dark for best results.
This pie is so delicious and such a huge hit every time. My hubby loves chocolate and pecans, and together they taste so good! I’ll definitely be making this again!
This pie is so rich and delicious! Definitely going to make it again for the holidays.
I love making this Chocolate Pecan Pie for our dessert! My family will surely love it!
Who can resist this pecan pie?! It looks amazingly delicious!
OH my goodness, this Chocolate Pecan Pie looks incredibly delicious!! I can’t wait to give it a try!
I would love a slice of this amazing pecan pie!! I love the chocolate flavor! YUM!
Oh you’re not kidding, are you! This is amazing – loving the chocolate that’s included in this classic. Delicious!
It truly is the best pecan chocolate pie! So easy, too!
This pie is the BEST!
However, I think I overheated the syrup/butter mixture, as the filling came out thick and fudge-like. I was expecting a chocolatey, gooey filling that wasn’t as thick and dense.
I’m definitely making this again soon… maybe for Christmas! 😉
What is the finished consistency of the center supposed to be like? Mine came out quite syrupy, though the flavor is delicious! Thanks for the recipe, and in advance for the help. And Happy Thanksgiving!
I made the regular pie and it was a crowd favorite. I am wondering if you can you make these as mini pies in a muffin tin? If so, how long would you bake them?
I’m glad to hear that y’all enjoyed it! I think they would make delicious mini pies. I haven’t tried them like that, but I would start checking around 20 minutes.
Would I be able to purchase just light or just dark syrup instead of both? I realize both are written fkr a reason I just don’t feel like buying both if I don’t have to lol . Thanks in advance!
Hi Andi, if you just want to purchase one I’d recommend using the light corn syrup.
If I bake the pie the day before Thanksgiving, should I refrigerate or leave at room temp until the next day?
Leave out at room temp!