Description
A decadent Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie featuring a flaky homemade crust filled with toasted pecans, rich dark chocolate chips, and a luscious, spiced sweet filling made with dark corn syrup and brown sugar. This pie bakes to a perfectly set custard with a hint of cinnamon and sea salt, offering a delightful balance of sweet, salty, and nutty flavors perfect for any dessert occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- Homemade pie crust (recipe makes 2 crusts; use one or freeze the second)
Filling
- 2 and 1/2 cups (250g) shelled pecans
- 1 cup (180g) dark chocolate chips
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) dark corn syrup
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed dark brown sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
To Finish
- Coarse sea salt or flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Prepare Pie Crust: Follow your homemade pie crust recipe through step 5 to prepare the dough. Chill the dough thoroughly before proceeding to ensure it is easy to handle and roll out smoothly.
- Preheat Oven and Roll Dough: Adjust your oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). On a floured surface, roll out one disc of the chilled dough into a 12-inch diameter circle, turning it about a quarter turn every few rolls to maintain even thickness.
- Fit Dough Into Pie Dish: Carefully transfer the rolled dough to a 9-inch pie dish. Use your fingers to tuck in and smooth out the dough, then create a flanged edge by fluting or crimping. There is no need to prebake the crust.
- Assemble Filling: Evenly spread the shelled pecans inside the pie crust. Sprinkle the dark chocolate chips evenly over the pecans. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, dark corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and ground cinnamon until fully combined and slightly thickened.
- Pour and Bake: Pour the prepared filling mixture evenly over the pecans and chocolate chips in the pie crust. Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. After 20 minutes of baking, cover the edges of the crust with a pie crust shield or tent with foil if the top is browning too quickly to prevent burning.
- Cool and Finish: Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. As it cools, the filling will set to a perfect custard consistency. Once cooled, sprinkle coarse or flaky sea salt on top if desired to enhance the flavor.
- Serve and Store: Slice and serve the pie as is or topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for extra indulgence. Cover any leftover pie and store it at room temperature for 1-2 days or refrigerate for up to 4-5 days for best freshness.
Notes
- The homemade pie crust recipe yields two crusts; freeze or refrigerate the second crust for a future pie.
- Allow the eggs to come to room temperature before mixing to help the filling bind smoothly.
- Use a pie crust shield or foil tenting during baking to avoid over-browning the edges.
- Dark corn syrup is key to achieving the signature texture and sweetness of this pie filling.
- Sprinkling flaky sea salt on top at the end adds a delightful contrast to the sweetness.
- Leftover pie can be warmed slightly before serving or enjoyed cold.
