Everyone has a favorite holiday pie. Mine happens to be pumpkin. To be honest, I often find pecan pie to be too cloying, too one-note. Until this version, that is. See, this version has a few special additions that balance it out beautifully. Thanks to some salty pretzels and pecans (and some chocolate), it’s a pie that’s the epitome of the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
Is it any more trouble to make than a ‘regular’ pecan pie? No. Is it much better in every way? If you’re asking me, yes. It’s just so much more interesting! Every bite has a combination of crunchy-chocolatey-salty-sweetness that keeps you wanting more. It’s layered with flavor and it’ll have you wondering why you haven’t been making it this way for years.
I mean… just look at that!
It still has that signature pecan pie gooeyness, but it just has a lot more good stuff to back it up. You might be thinking, “Pretzels in a pie?” But I promise you, it works. It works oh so well.
You can use a pre-made pie crust here or your favorite recipe for pie dough – either way, the dough is not the star in this dessert. The star is the combination of flavors in the filling. That filling takes only a few moments to mix up – a quick stir of a handful of ingredients and you’re ready to pour it into the pie shell.
It might seem like an odd combo at first glance, but there’s not a lot of mystery here. While there’s a bit of bourbon to cut through the richness, it’s otherwise a classic exercise in contrast, where chocolate lingers on the tongue and a salty crunch balances the sweet. It’s a beautiful, unique pie.
Chocolate Pretzel Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust, unbaked
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cups pecans
- 3/4 cup mini pretzels
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9-inch pie pan with pie crust, folding under the excess and fluting, if necessary. Chill in refrigerator while you make the filling.
- To a large bowl, add the eggs, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, brown sugar, bourbon, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk together until well combined, then stir in the pecans, pretzels, and chocolate chips.
- Spoon mixture into prepared pie crust. Bake for 30 minutes, then cover with foil and bake until the center is set and the filling is puffy, 15-20 minutes more.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Recipe adapted from Rabbit and Wolves.