Chocolate and bourbon: two things that are rarely, if ever, lacking from our family home. When I ran across a recipe for Bourbon and Chocolate Pecan Pie many years back, I knew it would be a hit. It is now a staple at family holidays and a favorite among many.
I personally never loved pecan pie. I was a pumpkin girl, or no pie at all. But it all changed for this one.
Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie
Ingredients:
1 deep-dish pie crust (store bought or make your own!)
2 cups pecan halves
¼ cup butter
2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
3 eggs
1cup sugar
¾ cup dark corn syrup
1teaspoon vanilla extract (the good stuff!)
3 tablespoons Maker’s Mark bourbon
¼ teaspoon salt
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place your pecans in a frying pan and toast on medium high until they get warm. This will let the natural oils out of the nut and really add a dimension to the pie.
Place butter and chocolate in a microwavable bowl. Heat for 30 seconds and stir. Continue until butter and chocolate is fully melted and combined, being careful to not burn the chocolate.
Beat the eggs in an electric mixer on high for about 3 minutes, until very frothy. Mix in sugar. Add corn syrup (I recommend spraying your measuring cup with cooking spray to counteract stickiness), vanilla, bourbon, salt, and the melted chocolate mixture.
Prep your pie crust by poking holes in the dough with a fork and place on a cookie sheet to avoid messes in the oven. Place pecans in the crust. Pour batter over the pecans, being very cautious to not overfill. You may not have to use all of the batter, and that is ok!
Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, or until the filling is pretty set up. The top should look puffy and the crust golden.
Cool pie and serve with a nice dollop of whipped cream (or ice cream)!
