Kentucky Derby Chocolate Pecan (Printable)

A decadent tart with chocolate filling, crisp pecans, and a flaky crust, perfect for special celebrations.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Cut in cold cubed butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water while stirring until dough comes together. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 20 minutes.
03 - Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press dough evenly into pan, trim excess overhang, and chill while preparing filling.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, bourbon if using, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and well combined.
05 - Fold chocolate chips and pecan pieces into the filling mixture until evenly distributed.
06 - Pour filling into chilled tart shell, spreading evenly. Bake for 35–40 minutes until center is just set and top is golden brown.
07 - Allow tart to cool completely before slicing. Serve plain or with whipped cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The filling is impossibly fudgy with pockets of chocolate and pecan that make every bite feel indulgent without being fussy.
  • You get a crispy, buttery crust that actually holds together when you slice it, which is harder than it sounds but worth the care.
  • Bourbon adds a whisper of sophistication that nobody can quite name, but everyone notices.
02 -
  • Overbaking is the biggest mistake—the filling will be cake-like instead of that fudgy, almost gooey texture that makes this tart special, so pull it out when it's still slightly jiggly in the center.
  • Chilling the crust shell before baking prevents it from shrinking down the sides of the pan, a lesson I learned the hard way with a sad, sunken tart years ago.
03 -
  • If your pecans are raw, toast them in a dry skillet for just two minutes to wake up their flavor before folding them into the filling.
  • Save a few whole pecans to press gently into the top of the filling right before baking for visual appeal and an extra nutty bite.
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