Description
A rich and decadent Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie featuring a homemade pie crust, toasted pecans, luscious dark chocolate chips, and a smooth, spiced filling made with dark corn syrup, brown sugar, and warm cinnamon. This pie bakes to a perfectly golden, gooey custard topped with flaky sea salt for a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- Homemade pie crust (recipe makes 2 crusts; use one or freeze the second)
Pie 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
- Coarse sea salt or flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Prepare the pie dough: Follow your homemade pie crust recipe through step 5 to prepare the dough. Chill the dough thoroughly to make it easier to handle and roll out in the next steps.
- Preheat and roll out crust: 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 keep the thickness even.
- Place crust in pie dish: Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Smooth it out and create a decorative edge by fluting or crimping the rim. Do not prebake the crust before adding the filling.
- Add nuts and chocolate: Evenly spread the pecans inside the pie crust. Sprinkle the dark chocolate chips over the pecans for an even distribution.
- Make filling and pour: 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 this filling mixture evenly over the pecans and chocolate chips within the crust.
- Bake the pie: Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the filling is set. After 20 minutes, cover the pie crust edges with a pie shield or tent the entire pie with foil to prevent over-browning.
- Cool and garnish: Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely so the filling can set properly. Once cooled, optionally sprinkle coarse or flaky sea salt over the top before slicing and serving. You may also top slices with whipped cream and chocolate shavings if desired.
- Store leftovers: Cover leftover pie and store at room temperature for 1-2 days, or refrigerate for 4-5 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Using room temperature eggs helps the filling whisk together smoothly.
- Do not prebake the pie crust as the filling needs to bake with the crust to set properly.
- Cover the edges with a pie shield after 20 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning.
- Let the pie cool completely before slicing to ensure the filling sets firmly.
- Dark chocolate chips provide a rich contrast to the sweetness of the filling.
- Coarse or flaky sea salt sprinkled on top enhances the flavor balance between sweet and salty.
- Leftover pie can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated; warm slightly before serving if chilled.
