Easy Chocolate Pecan Pie Recipe (no corn syrup)
This deliciously gooey, fudgy Chocolate Pecan Pie has all the salty-sweetness of traditional pecan pie, but is made even better by the addition of chocolate! It is a classic recipe for this time of year.
It's like a classic pecan pie recipe, only much, much better. We've got a pecan pie filling (no corn syrup!) that has a gooey, fudgy flavor. My biggest turnoff for a regular pecan pie is the excessive amount of refined white sugar and dark corn syrup, but with this recipe we've cut the sugar WAY down and swapped the syrup for honey.
But wait, there's more (ha!). We are also sneaking in a layer of chocolate chips to give the crust a little somethin' extra.
Are you sold? Let's bake a chocolate pecan pie!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
First and foremost, pies can be intimidating. We all recognize this, but don't worry. Pecan pie is awesome because it is much more low-fuss than it's bffs cream pie, apple pie and pumpkin pie.
While other pies require special methods to keep from cracking, or intricate patterns on top of the pie, pecan pie just says, "I'm here and you're hungry. Let's do this." Yes, you can arrange the pecans in a pattern if you so choose, but no one expects you to.
This chocolate pecan pie recipe is standalone delicious. Maybe add a dollop of whipped cream if you're feeling extra fancy, but again, you don't have to. When you're bringing the best chocolate pecan pie to the party, no one is going to care about anything but snagging a slice.
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Ingredients
- A single pie crust: see the tip below for my suggestions.
- Eggs: Choose eggs that are room temperature, large and fresh.
- Honey: No corn syrup here! You could also use maple syrup.
- Brown sugar: It's dark and rich, just like this pie.
- Butter: I like to use the same bowl I'm planning on mixing the filling in for melting the butter. Less dishes!
- Cocoa powder: I'm using dark cacao powder.
- Semi sweet chocolate chips
- Vanilla: If you enjoy DIY recipes, you can make your own Homemade Bourbon Vanilla. It tastes better than store-bought and is really easy to make!
- Pecan halves or pieces.
Which Pie Crust to Use
You've got some options when it comes to choosing a pie shell for this chocolate pecan pie recipe. Make your chocolate pecan pie with a store bought pre-made crust, traditional homemade pie crust, gluten free crust, or a sourdough pie crust.
Here are links to my best pie crust recipes:
- Traditional pie crust: Lemon meringue recipe uses a traditional flaky pie crust that is what a pecan pie is typically made with.
- Gluten-Free pie crust: Chicken pot pie recipe is made with a cream cheese and almond flour crust that tastes sooo unbelievably good. You only need a single crust for this recipe, so either save one for later, or cut the recipe in half.
- Sourdough pie crust: An easy sourdough starter discard recipe can be made with either an active sourdough starter or sourdough discard. It's free from refined sugar, too! In addition to starter, you will need flour, honey, salt, butter. This sourdough pie crust recipe can be chilled for 30 minutes and baked immediately, or refrigerated up to 4 days for a tangier fermented crust.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Chocolate Pecan Pie
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare and roll out pie crust for pan size. I like to chill my pie crust for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.
If using a homemade crust, take your dough, shape it like a disc and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it get nice and cold, and I promise it will be so much easier to roll out and work with. Once you're ready, roll the crust to to the size that matches your pie plate.
I use a silicon pie mat with circles on it so that I don't have to guess, and it makes transferring the crust a breeze. Carefully put the crust in the pan, use a fork to make several holes, and crimp as desired.
2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, honey, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cocoa and mix well. Stir in pecan halves.
3. Layer the chocolate chips on the bottom of the pie crust and pour the filling over it. Smooth the filling and cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or a silicon cover.
Place the pie pan on a low rack in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the crust covering. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, checking often so that the crust doesn't over brown.
4. Remove the pie from the oven and set the pie plate on a wire rack at room temperature to cool.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead
Recipe
Chocolate Pecan Pie Recipe
Equipment
- pie pan
- Rolling Pin
- large mixing bowl
- measuring cups and spoons
- pie crust shield
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup honey
- â…“ cup melted butter
- â…“ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cup pecan pieces or halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Prepare and roll out pie crust for pan size. I like to chill my pie crust for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.  Take your dough, shape it like a disc and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it get nice and cold, and I promise it will be so much easier to roll out and work with. Once you're ready, roll the crust to to the size that matches your pie plate.  I use a silicon pie mat with circles on it so that I don't have to guess, and it makes transferring the crust a breeze.  Carefully put the crust in the pan and crimp as desired.
- In a medium bowl, combine eggs, honey, sugar, butter, vanilla, cocoa and mix well. Stir in pecan halves.
- Layer the chocolate chips on the bottom of the pie crust and pour the filling over it. Â Smooth the filling and cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or a silicon cover. Place the pie pan on a low rack in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the crust covering. Â Bake an additional 10 minutes, checking often so that the crust doesn't over brown.Â
- Remove the pie from the oven and set the pie plate on a wire rack at room temperature to cool. Â
Notes
- Pie dish- I used a 9-inch pie plate, but you can certainly use a 10-inch as well.
- Measuring cups & measuring spoons
- Rolling pin
- Pie crust shield- optional, but will help give you the result of a golden brown crust and a perfect pecan pie. I'm using a reusable silicon pie crust shield, but tinfoil would also work well.
- Silicon pie mat- This is also optional, but I struggle to visualize the size of pastry circle I need to roll it out to.
- If the center of your pie appears to have a gooey filling, make sure to bake it for longer. The center of the pie should not jiggle much at all when you wiggle the pie. Continue to bake it, checking it every 5 minute for doneness.Â
- If you pie comes out runny, there is a chance that there aren't enough eggs in it or the eggs are old or too small. Eggs are a binding agent and provide a solidified pie.Â
- If you would like a crispier pie crust on the bottom of the pie, you should prebake your crust.Â
- Bake the pie on the lowest rack and cover the edges of the crust with a shield to prevent over browning.
Nutrition
Helpful Equipment
- Pie dish- I used a 9-inch pie plate, but you can certainly use a 10-inch as well.
- Measuring cups & measuring spoons
- Rolling pin
- Pie crust shield- optional, but will help give you the result of a golden brown crust and a perfect pecan pie. I'm using a reusable silicon pie crust shield, but tinfoil would also work well.
- Silicon pie mat- This is also optional, but I struggle to visualize the size of pastry circle I need to roll it out to.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- If the center of your pie appears to have a gooey filling, make sure to bake it for longer. The center of the pie should not jiggle much at all when you wiggle the pie. Continue to bake it, checking it every 5 minute for doneness.
- If you pie comes out runny, there is a chance that there aren't enough eggs in it or the eggs are old or too small. Eggs are a binding agent and provide a solidified pie.
- If you would like a crispier pie crust on the bottom of the pie, you should prebake your crust.
- Bake the pie on the lowest rack and cover the edges of the crust with a shield to prevent over browning.
Serving Suggestions
This decadent chocolate pecan pie recipe has a rich chocolate filling with crispy pecans and pairs very well with a glass of dry red wine. It is one of our holiday season classic desserts.
You can also serve this pie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. mhm-mmhhmm-gooodd We love topping this pie with our raw milk homemade ice cream.
How to store chocolate pecan pie
This pie will store in the refrigerator for up to four days. Make sure to wrap it in plastic wrap, but not too tightly, prior to storing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chocolate pecan pie is done baking when the internal temperature reads 200F.
You can avoid having a crack in the top of your pie by not overcooking the pecan pie. If you overcook it, it will result in a dry pie that will generally crack.Â
The idea of the pecan pie originated from French after they settled in New Orleans and were gifted pecans from the Native American Culture.
The next time you are invited to holiday parties or game night, think of this flaky chocolate pecan pie. Is it hard to make? Nope. But everyone will be super impressed with your skill!
If you make this pie, please leave a comment and rating to let me know what you think! Happy baking!
Happy baking!
-Meg
Related
Looking for other sweet treats like this pie? Try these!
We had this pie for dessert last night! It was so delicious! There's wasn't a slice left.