Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

From the kitchen of Carly

Classic Southern pecan pie with dark chocolate chips folded into the maple-and-brown-sugar filling. The chocolate makes it a show-off dessert; the buttery pastry keeps it grounded. Make a day ahead. Toast the pecans in a dry pan for 5 minutes before using. Untoasted pecans taste flat next to the rest of the filling.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

Pecan pie needs a reason to exist, and chocolate chips are it. Cream cheese in the crust gives you a tender, almost shortbread crumb that holds up to the wet, glossy filling without sogginess. Two sugars and maple syrup make it deeper than the standard, and toasted pecans anchor all that sweetness. Bake low and slow so the filling sets custardy, not rubbery.

Prep
45 min
Cook
1 hr 15 min
Total
3 hr
Servings
12
Difficulty
hard

Ingredients

12 servings

  • 11 oz(300 g)all-purpose flour (for pastry)
  • 2 1/2 oz(75 g)cold unsalted butter, cubed (for pastry)
  • 3 1/2 oz(100 g)cream cheese, cubed (for pastry)
  • 1 tbsppowdered sugar (for pastry)
  • 5 oz(150 g)unsalted butter (for filling)
  • 3/4 cup(200 ml)maple syrup
  • 9 oz(250 g)light brown sugar
  • 3 1/2 oz(100 g)dark brown sugar
  • 4large eggs
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • 14 oz(400 g)pecans, lightly toasted
  • 7 oz(200 g)dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Make the pastry. In a food processor, pulse the flour, cold butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt until the mix looks like coarse breadcrumbs.

  2. With the blade running, drizzle 2 to 3 tsp of cold water through the funnel. Stop when the dough starts to clump.

  3. Tip the dough onto a clean surface and press it together into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.

  4. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

  5. Roll the chilled dough out on a floured surface to a circle about 1/4 inch thick. Drape over a 9-inch deep tart pan with a removable bottom. Press into the corners and up the sides, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang.

  6. Line with parchment paper and fill with baking beans or dried rice.

  7. Blind-bake for 18 minutes, until the edges are set. Remove the parchment and beans and bake for 5 more minutes until the base looks golden.

  8. Trim the overhang flush with the rim using a serrated knife. Patch any cracks with extra dough scraps if needed.

  9. Make the filling. In a saucepan, combine the 150g butter, maple syrup, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Heat over medium-low until the butter melts and sugars dissolve, stirring until smooth.

  10. Pull off the heat and let cool 10 minutes (otherwise the eggs will scramble).

  11. Reduce the oven to 325°F (160°C).

  12. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Slowly stream in the cooled syrup mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in the vanilla and toasted pecans.

  13. Pour half the filling into the tart shell. Scatter half the chocolate chips. Top with the remaining filling, then the rest of the chips.

  14. Bake on the middle rack for 50 to 55 minutes. The top should be set with only a slight wobble at the very center.

  15. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing. Best the next day.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Blind-baking the crust matters here, it's not a step to skip. The filling goes in hot enough to start setting the bottom, so a pre-cooked base keeps the pastry from turning to mush.
  • Cool the syrup mixture completely before whisking it into the eggs. Hot liquid scrambles eggs, and you'll have flecks instead of a smooth custard.
  • Tap the pan gently on the oven rack halfway through baking. A gentle jiggle tells you if the center is still loose (good) or set all the way (overbaked). The pie will set more as it cools.

Variations

  • Skip the chocolate if you're a purist, the pecan-maple core is rich enough.
  • Swap in walnut halves or a mix of pecans and walnuts for a lighter, less buttery flavor.
  • Use bourbon instead of vanilla and add a pinch of black pepper to the filling for an adults-only version.
  • Make it in a standard 9-inch pie plate instead of a tart pan, seal the rim with egg wash before baking to prevent edge burn.

Make ahead and storage

Keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezer wraps well for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge overnight before serving or rewarm gently in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes.

Substitutions
  • cream cheese pastry to store-bought pie crust. No shame in the shortcut. Skip the first three steps and blind-bake straight from the package directions.
  • maple syrup to dark corn syrup. Corn syrup is the traditional Southern choice. Maple gives the modern take more depth.
  • dark chocolate chips to chopped dark chocolate or bourbon-soaked raisins. Bourbon raisins are an old-school move. 1/2 cup raisins soaked in 2 tbsp bourbon for an hour.

Pairs well with: A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, Lightly sweetened whipped cream with a splash of bourbon, Strong black coffee or a small glass of port