Pumpkin Pie with Pecan-Chocolate Topping
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This dessert does double-duty on your Thanksgiving spread, combining pecan pie and pumpkin pie and topping the whole thing in gooey chocolate.
Ingredients
For the Pie:
- 1 (9-inch) pie shell, thawed or make a homemade dough
- 2 cups (480 ml) of canned pumpkin puree
- ⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature and lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) dark corn syrup (or unsulfured molasses)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) pumpkin pie spice**
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sweetened condensed milk
- ** If pumpkin pie spice is not available at your local supermarket, make your own by mixing together 4 tbsp ground cinnamon, 4 tsp ground nutmeg, 4 tsp ground ginger, and 3 tsp ground allspice. Store in a small sealed container and use 1 tbsp of this mix in our pumpkin pie.
For the Gooey Pecan-Chocolate Topping:
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) dark corn syrup (or unsulfured molasses)
- 5 tbsp (75 ml) heavy cream, divided
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (100 g) toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (85 g) dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted according to the package instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (about 177 degrees C).
- Using a fork, prick bottom of the thawed, plated pie and then line all of the pie crust on top with parchment paper, letting ends extend over edges. Fill with pie weights.
- Bake until lightly golden (approximately 15 minutes). Carefully remove pie weights and parchment paper. Let cool completely.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, lightly beaten eggs, melted butter, corn syrup or molasses, flour, vanilla, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and sweetened condensed milk. Pour mixture into cooled pie crust and cover pie loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning of crust. Bake for 30-40 minutes or just until center is set. Let cool on a wire rack. Meanwhile, make the topping.
- To make the Gooey Pecan-Chocolate Topping: In a small saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup or molasses over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture just starts to boil. Add 1 tbsp of heavy cream and vanilla, stirring constantly until incorporated. Stir in the chopped pecans and salt and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour hot gooey pecan topping over the pumpkin pie layer, spreading gently to cover edges of the pumpkin pie. Refrigerate pumpkin pie for at least 8 hours.
- Right before serving the pumpkin pie with gooey pecan topping, melt the chocolate with 4 tbsp of heavy cream and stir well until combined. Then, drizzle the warm chocolate sauce on top of the pumpkin pie and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 65 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 540
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the pie need to chill for 8 hours before the chocolate drizzle is added?
Step 5 says to refrigerate the pie for at least 8 hours after spreading the hot gooey pecan topping over the baked pumpkin layer. This long chill lets the pecan layer set firmly so it doesn’t slide when you add the warm chocolate sauce — and so the pie slices cleanly. The chocolate (4 tbsp heavy cream + 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips) is drizzled right before serving.
What can I substitute if I can’t find pumpkin pie spice?
The ingredient list includes a make-your-own blend: combine 4 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 4 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 4 teaspoons ground ginger, and 3 teaspoons ground allspice. Store in a sealed container and use 1 tablespoon of this mix for this recipe.
Why does the pie crust need to be blind-baked before adding the filling?
The instructions have you prick the crust bottom, line it with parchment and pie weights, and bake at 350°F for approximately 15 minutes until lightly golden, then cool completely before filling. This partial pre-bake prevents a raw, soggy bottom crust since the pumpkin filling is quite wet. 
