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This Chocolate Pecan Pie comes together in no time and is complete with a salted caramel topping that really sets it apart! Indulgent chocolate, fragrant toasted pecans and a sprinkling of salt make for a phenomenal combination that will truly make you swoon.
This pie is extraordinary. A flaky, buttery crust filled with a thick, chocolate-pecan filling and if that wasn’t enough, it’s topped with toasted pecans and a smooth salted caramel sauce!? She’s rich and decadent – Southern cooking at her finest.
The hardest part about Thanksgiving will be deciding between this chocolate pecan pie, an easy chocolate pie, bourbon pecan pie, the best pecan pie or a bourbon chocolate pecan tart! I might go so far as to say that a slice of pie plus a scoop of vanilla ice cream is mandatory at my family gatherings, but this pie is perfect with or without additional accompaniment.
Why you will love this chocolate pecan pie recipe:
- The easiest assembly with the most extravagant taste. Just mix your filling ingredients, put them in a par baked crust, and your pie is ready to bake! Use pre-chopped pecans, a store-bought crust, and even pre-made caramel sauce, and this pie is almost ready before you’ve started!
- Thick, soft filling that I can guarantee won’t be runny. The thickening agents in this chocolate pecan pie are so powerful that you don’t have to pre-cook your filling or bake it for a very long time. The combination of flour, eggs, and a very small amount of corn syrup make for a gorgeous, sliceable pie.
- Developed personally by a professional pastry chef. Procrastinators, don’t worry! I tested, refined and fine-tuned this Southern heritage recipe to perfection.
Professional tips for success:
- Partially bake the pie crust. I know a lot of recipes say you don’t have to, but if you want to be guaranteed a flaky, crispy crust that stays that way after baking, you must par-bake the pie crust. Read more about how to par-bake pie crust in this tutorial.
- Toasted, chopped pecans. It is one more step but using lightly toasted pecans will round out the flavor of your chocolate pecan pie.
- Arrange the pecans on top. For a beautiful flower effect, arrange the pecans on top of the filling before baking.
- Use the press-test for doneness. Chocolate pecan pie is done when the filling looks set but yields like Jell-O when gently pressed with the back of the spoon or your fingers. The pie should not be jiggly in the center and might be puffed slightly.
Ingredients
- Butter: I use unsalted butter in pies to ensure the perfect balance of flavors.
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt will keep your chocolate pecan pie from tasting dull or flat and helps dampen the sweetness.
- Unsweetened Cocoa: For this recipe, I use Hershey’s 100% cacao unsweetened cocoa powder, as I find this balances the sweetness of the filling the best and highlights the pecans’ nuttiness.
- Light Corn Syrup: The corn syrup is here to thicken the pie filling. You can substitute the light corn syrup with glucose, golden syrup, or omit it completely. If you omit the corn syrup, you run a greater risk of the pecan pie filling being runny.
- All-Purpose Flour: The flour acts as an additional thickening agent in this pie filling, and is why there is so little corn syrup.
- Granulated Sugar: The granulated sugar is here for sweetness but also to aid in the thickening process.
- Whole Egg: The egg in a baked custard like sweet potato pie or chocolate pie is integral to thickening the custard.
- Pecans. I use toasted, chopped pecans. Toasting them heightens the nutty flavor and balances out the sweet filling, and chopping them (or buying them chopped) means you can slice the chocolate pecan pie easier and the pecans are more evenly distributed. Use any leftover for a batch of Mexican Wedding Cookies!
- Pie Dough. You will either need a store-bought pie crust or enough dough to make a single crust pie. I love the flavors of this all butter pie crust or my vodka pie crust with this pie. The soft filling contrasts with the flaky pie crust on the bottom and the toasted pecans on the top. Perfection.
- Heavy Cream: The heavy cream is here for flavor, texture and also to loosen the caramel into a sauce consistency.
- Lemon Juice
- Vanilla Extract
- Water
- Fleur de Sel for sprinkling
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Add Bourbon: You can add 2 tablespoons of whiskey to the recipe as written for a bourbon pecan pie for a fun take on a Kentucky Derby chocolate pie. The alcohol does bake out of pie, but there are always trace amounts that remain even after a prolonged bake.
- Light corn syrup: You can substitute glucose syrup or golden syrup for the light corn syrup in chocolate pecan pie. You can also omit the corn syrup entirely but your filling will be less smooth and silky.
- Fudge chocolate pecan pie. Commit to your chocolate craving and replace the caramel sauce topping with some of the world’s best Hot Fudge Sauce!
- Go mini. I halved this chocolate pecan pie recipe for a mini pie dish and baked it 5 minutes longer because the miniature dishes are deeper than a standard dish. Or, you could go bite-sized, grab a bag of chocolate chips, and make some Chocolate Pecan Tassies complete with a cream cheese crust!
How do you make chocolate pecan pie?
Use these instructions to make easy chocolate pecan pie perfectly every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Toast your Pecans:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F conventional.
Step 2: Spread your pecan halves on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 5-10 minutes, or until you can smell a nutty pecan fragrance. The outsides of the nuts should be a darker brown.
After 5 minutes watch them very carefully because they can burn in a matter of seconds!
Par-Bake your pie crust:
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350°F (use convection if you have it!). If using homemade pie dough, roll out one portion of pie dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8th inch thick. Chill 30 minutes flat on a baking sheet.
Step 4: Place chilled dough on top of a 9-inch pie dish or tin. Allow to warm up just enough to be workable. Lift up the edges and allow it to settle on the bottom. Gently press the sides to fit the dish allowing the edges to overhang the dish. Start on one side and roll the edges under towards the dish. Roll until you reach the dish, then gently press it down on the dish to seal. Repeat with the rest of the crust.
Step 5: Flute the edges by pressing one knuckle on the outside and two knuckles around it from the inside of the crust. Chill for 10-30 minutes depending on how warm it got.
I always crumple my parchment paper into a tight ball and then unroll it before lining my pie crusts for par baking. This softens the paper and allows it to form to the shape of the crust without poking it or allowing huge gaps.
Step 6: Line the inside of the chilled crust with parchment. Fill with pie weights, beans or rice. I find beans work best. Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes and then remove the weights and parchment. I remove the parchment and weights when the crust has just begun to brown and doesn’t look raw anymore.
If you remove your weights too soon, the crust will still slide down the sides of the dish particularly if you are using a ceramic dish.
Make & bake the pie:
Step 7: Stir together sugar, melted butter, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add eggs, stirring until well-blended. Fold in chopped pecans.
Step 8: Pour mixture into a warm pie shell, and bake in a preheated oven (350°F conventional) for 35 minutes. The chocolate pecan pie filling will be loose but will set as it cools.
If you notice the crust has gotten too golden before the pie’s center has a jell-o consistency, prevent the crust from over-browning with strips of foil.
Step 9: Let the pie cool on a wire rack.
Prepare the topping:
Step 10: In a small pot bring sugar, lemon, and water to a boil. Stir only until sugar dissolves. Boil, stirring occasionally and watching carefully, until the sugar changes color to a dark amber.
Step 11: Once dark amber in color, remove immediately from heat and add cream and butter, stirring or whisking constantly until completely incorporated and caramel is glossy. Stir in salt.
Assemble:
Step 12: Arrange the pecans on top of the chocolate pecan pie and then pour caramel over the top. Cool for 15 minutes; and finish with a sprinkling of sea salt or fleur de sel.
Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. This will make the perfect slice!
Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip
In order to make a decorative topping with your pecans, start at the outside and work your way in. Gently place your pecans on top in a layered circle, and it’ll look just as beautiful as the pictures!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store pecan pie wrapped well for up to 5 days at room temperature, 10 days in the refrigerator or 3 months frozen. It tastes delicious at room temperature, refrigerated or even frozen!
Absolutely! Prepare the par-baked pie crust up to a week in advance. I usually wrap and store these in the freezer. You can prepare and bake the pie up to one week in advance. The salted caramel topping is best added prior to serving.
This recipe makes 1 regular 9” pie. If you have a deep-dish pie pan or a slightly larger pie dish, I would make 1.5 times this recipe. You will need to bake the pie for closer to 45 minutes.
If you tried this recipe and loved it please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you; your comments make my day!
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 1 all-butter pie crust par-baked. Store-bought will also be delicious!
For the Chocolate Filling:
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ¾ cups unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup 100% cacao unsweetened cocoa I used Hershey’s
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup chopped pecans toasted
For the Salted Caramel Topping:
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups pecan halves toasted
- Fleur de Sel for sprinkling
Instructions
Toast your Pecans:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F conventional.
- Spread your pecan halves on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 5-10 minutes, or until you can smell a nutty pecan fragrance. The outsides of the nuts should be a darker brown.
Par-Bake your pie crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (use convection if you have it!). If using homemade pie dough, roll out one portion of pie dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8th inch thick. Chill 30 minutes flat on a baking sheet.
- Place chilled dough on top of a 9-inch pie dish or tin. Allow to warm up just enough to be workable. Lift up the edges and allow it to settle on the bottom. Gently press the sides to fit the dish allowing the edges to overhang the dish. Start on one side and roll the edges under towards the dish. Roll until you reach the dish, then gently press it down on the dish to seal. Repeat with the rest of the crust.
- Flute the edges by pressing one knuckle on the outside and two knuckles around it from the inside of the crust. Chill for 10-30 minutes depending on how warm it got.
- Line the inside of the chilled crust with parchment. Fill with pie weights, beans or rice. I find beans work best. Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes and then remove the weights and parchment. I remove the parchment and weights when the crust has just begun to brown and doesn’t look raw anymore.
Make & bake the pie:
- Stir together sugar, melted butter, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add eggs, stirring until well-blended. Fold in chopped pecans.
- Pour mixture into a warm pie shell, and bake in a preheated oven (350°F conventional) for 35 minutes. The filling will be loose but will set as it cools.
- Let the pie cool on a wire rack.
Prepare the topping:
- In a small pot bring sugar, lemon, and water to a boil. Stir only until sugar dissolves. Boil, stirring occasionally and watching carefully, until the sugar changes color to a dark amber.
- Once dark amber in color, remove immediately from heat and add cream and butter, stirring or whisking constantly until completely incorporated and caramel is glossy. Stir in salt.
Assemble:
- Arrange the pecans on top of the chocolate pecan pie and then pour caramel over the top. Cool for 15 minutes; and finish with a sprinkling of sea salt or fleur de sel.
Notes
Nutrition
Before You Go!
Check out our other delicious, chef-developed pie recipes or gather inspiration for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu!
My pie didn’t set. I baked it for 35 min but it fell to a runny consistency almost the same as before it was cooked.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Kelli. I felt this pie definitely benefitted from some time in the refrigerator but I wouldn’t describe it as runny before refrigeration. To ensure a more set pie, I like to use the press-test, which is when you press the middle of the pecan pie it should feel like Jell-o. Southern Living’s baking instructions worked for me but I’ll update it based on your feedback! Thanks so much for stopping by!
I was fearful of making Southern Living’s recipe after reading the mixed reviews. Then I found you and your recipe. I followed yours and got rave reviews:) Thanks for sharing. Are you going to do Southern Living’ s Red Velvet Cheesecake? I hope so. Happy holidays.
Hi Debbie! I’m so glad it was a crowd pleaser! I’ll have to add the Southern Living’s Red Velvet Cheesecake to my list! I want to make their Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Honey Swiss Meringue!! So many delicious recipes to choose from.
Pecan Pie is my husbands favorite and he’s obsessed with everything Salted Caramel. When I saw this on Pinterest this morning and told him he insisted that I make it today. Off to the store I went first thing this morning. It’s cooking in the oven now and we can’t wait to have it this evening when celebrating with family.
Nothing like a last minute pecan pie!! I wouldn’t have gone to the store today if someone paid me! I hope you and your husband enjoyed it!
I’ve never liked Pecan Pie because I detest corn syrup and most recipes have so much of it! But my husband loves it so last year we used golden syrup in place of corn syrup and it was a lot better (I thought). This year my husband made one using cane syrup to see if that would be good. I think this recipe looks delicious and would definitely like to give it a try, I love chocolate and salted caramel! Of course, the husband doesn’t like chocolate, but I think I’ll make it anyways!
I am not a huge fan of corn syrup either but the pecan pies that I have tried without it don’t set up as nicely as those with it. How was the cane syrup?
I hope you make it and enjoy each and every indulgent bite! I made a more traditional pecan pie today and it was delicious! I’ll have to share it soon!
The cane syrup definitely did not set up as well! I also didn’t really love the flavor, although it wasn’t bad. The golden syrup last year was much better, but I don’t remember how that one set up. I’ll have to make it again and see! I will say, it didn’t help that the recipe only called for 1 cup of pecans and my husband added an entire 4 cup bag! He seems to have zero concept of ingredients being in balance when baking. Trying to tell him was like talking to a wall…although I did get a “maybe you’re right” after the fact! lol We both love pecans but it was way too much.
I am glad I’m not the only one who has a stubborn husband! Not that I can complain because I’m stubborn in the kitchen too! 4 cup is definitely excessive in my book. 2 1/2 is really my limit in pecan pie. I’ll definitely need to try the cane syrup. I also found some pecan pie recipes in my heritage books that do not include corn syrup that I want to try!
WOW – I was just debating if I should make a Pecan Pie this year or not… I don’t think I have a choice anymore!
LOL! Inconceivable that pecan pie could be optional!!! I hope you do make it – you won’t be disappointed!
I love what that arrangement of the pecans would do for the texture of the pie, not to mention the dramatic appearance. Bookmarked!
Thanks! It was the perfect amount of pecans. I was worried to would be too much with then in the filling and on top, but it was delish!
so PRETTYY and so yummmehhhhh!
Thanks, Kayle!!!
omygosh this looks amazing. No one in my family likes pecan pie except for me 🙁 So I never get it on Thanksgiving! But we have two different pumpkin pies?? I think Im going to have to step in this year…
How do you endure a Thanksgiving with no pecan pie?! You poor thing! You could always rip a page out of my book and make a mini one!