Kentucky Derby Chocolate Pecan (Printable Version)

A rich chocolate filling with crunchy pecans on a buttery crust, inspired by Southern traditions.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pastry Crust

01 - 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 3–4 tablespoons ice water

→ Chocolate Pecan Filling

06 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
07 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 3 large eggs
10 - 2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - ½ teaspoon salt
13 - 1 cup pecan halves or pieces

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F and allow to fully preheat.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Cut cold butter into small cubes and incorporate into dry ingredients using fingertips or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Gradually add ice water while stirring until dough just comes together without overmixing.
03 - Shape dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to rest and firm the butter.
04 - On a lightly floured work surface, roll chilled dough to approximately ⅛-inch thickness. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan, pressing firmly into bottom and sides. Trim any overhanging edges with a knife. Return lined pan to refrigerator while preparing filling.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, bourbon if using, vanilla extract, and salt until completely smooth and well incorporated.
06 - Fold chocolate chips and pecan pieces into the wet mixture, distributing evenly throughout.
07 - Pour filling mixture into chilled tart shell, spreading level with a spatula. Bake for 35–40 minutes until center is just set with slight firmness and top develops golden-brown coloration.
08 - Remove from oven and allow tart to cool completely to room temperature before removing from pan and slicing. Serve plain or accompanied with whipped cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The chocolate and pecans create this perfect balance where neither one overpowers the other—they're like old friends who know exactly how much space to take up.
  • It actually gets better the next day when the flavors have settled, so there's zero pressure to eat the whole thing warm.
  • The buttery crust is forgiving enough for beginners but impressive enough that people assume you went to culinary school.
02 -
  • That slight jiggle in the center isn't a mistake—it's the sign that the filling is going to set to a perfect fudgy texture as it cools, and overbaking it until it looks completely firm will leave you with something dry and cake-like instead.
  • Room temperature or slightly warm eggs mix into the butter without curdling, but if you forget and use cold eggs straight from the fridge, add them one at a time and whisk after each one so they have time to incorporate.
03 -
  • Use a tart pan with a removable bottom—it looks more professional when you can actually remove the tart from the pan without it breaking, and it's honestly easier than fighting with a regular pie dish.
  • If you're nervous about pastry, using a food processor to cut the butter into the flour works beautifully and takes the guesswork out of when the mixture looks right.
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