Kentucky Derby (Bourbon) Pie
Like a cross between a gooey chocolate chip cookie and a rich pecan pie, Kentucky Derby Pie is a chocolate lovers dream.
If my husband had described Kentucky Derby pie to me—rather than setting a slice in front of me—I’d have said, no thanks, too sweet.
Happily, a slice did appear in front of me after a local Chocolate Benefit Sale. And even among a large box of really good desserts, this pie stood out.
With the nuttiness of pecan pie, the irresistibility of a warm chocolate chip cookie, and a shot of bourbon for good measure, this pie is a winner.
It may even make to our Thanksgiving table this year. Don’t panic, there are around 6 pies, all different including new options, and classics like apple and pumpkin (yes, it’s a tough crowd).
What is Kentucky Derby Pie?
Derby Pie was created by the Kern family in their Kentucky restaurant in the 1950s and they still ship them nationwide today. Their recipe is secret but contains walnuts instead of pecans and doesn’t contain the bourbon that aligns this to the horse race.
Now if you search online for recipes, you will find two different but similar pies. The first is more like a pecan pie with added chocolate. And like pecan pie it uses corn syrup to get that classic layer of gelled nuttiness.
The pie I had at the chocolate event was more like a gooey chocolate chip cookie in a pie crust. So this is the version I went with. The bourbon is optional (I suggest a nice slug of vanilla if you omit it) but does add some flavor nuance. In fact this is actually similar to Toll House Pie.
Why You’ll Love This!
Flavorful. With the special flavor of a chocolate chip cookie plus the nutty taste of pecan pie, Kentucky Derby Pie is rich and flavorful.
Easy. Just mix up a few ingredients, pour into a pie crust and bake. Easy-peasy!
Unique. You’ll probably be the only one bringing this unusual pie to the potluck or holiday event!
Step by Step Overview
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Fit a pie dish with a pie crust (or use a commercial deep dish crust). Hold in the refrigerator or freezer until needed.
In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy.
Add flour, eggs and bourbon and mix until fully incorporated.
Fold in pecans and chocolate chips.
Pour mixture into your prepared pie crust. Place pie pan in the middle of a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 35-50 minutes, until the pie is set and the crust is light brown. After about 25 minutes, check the pie and cover the crust edges with foil if getting too dark.
Remove from oven, allow to cool, cut and serve.
Tips & FAQs
You know how it’s hard (despite the FDA warning not to taste raw egg) not to eat chocolate chip cookie batter. Well, with the bourbon, it’s even harder!
For an authentic southern touch, top with whipped cream spiked with bourbon. This can also be served plain or with ice cream.
I decided that I’ll be chopping my pecans a little finer next time because I liked taking small bites of this (sooo rich!) and the bigger pecan pieces sometimes fought me.
The top of the filling line is pretty low in a standard homemade crust but is probably perfect in a commercial frozen deep dish crust. I piped a ring of whipped cream to hide this.
I use 1/12 of a pie as the serving size. This is because it is so rich, I couldn’t actually eat a standard 1/8 pie size. My husband, however, had no problem. Just be awarae of this if you’re looking at the calories.
Or better yet, don’t look at the calories.
And for more tasty #SpringSweetsWeek treats:
- Orange Poppy Seed Muffins by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
- Pineapple Pistachio Cake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Deviled Egg Sugar Cookies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Carrot Cake Tamale by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Dubai Chocolate Easter Eggs by Magical Ingredients
- Easy Carrot Cake Crepes by The Spiffy Cookie
- Kentucky Derby Pie by Art of Natural Living
- Fresh Strawberry Snacking Cake with White Chocolate Chips by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Lemon Raspberry Pound Cake by Rave About Food
Kentucky Derby (Bourbon) Pie
Ingredients
- 1 deep dish pie crust
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup butter melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons bourbon or 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 1 cups pecans or walnuts
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels or your favorite chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Fit a pie dish with a pie crust (or use a commercial deep dish crust). Hold in the refrigerator or freezer until needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy.
- Add flour, eggs and bourbon and mix until fully incorporated.
- Fold in pecans and chocolate chips.
- Pour mixture into your prepared pie crust.
- Place pie pan in the middle of a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 35-50 minutes, until the pie is set and the crust is light brown. After about 25 minutes, check the pie and cover the crust edges with foil if getting too dark.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool, cut and serve.
I don’t know that I’ve ever had Derby pie but it looks incredible! I’ve been looking for a new pie to make and I think this is going to be the one!
A slice of this pie with whipped cream sounds comforting to me.
I’m going to have to break into dear husband’s maple bourbon stash for this one!
A cookie in a pie crust with bourbon! Wow! I’ve never had either version but yours sounds just perfect.
I’ve always enjoyed cooking with a little alcohol, but it was especially nice here!
From the top it looks like a super-large chocolate chip cookie with whipped cream! From the side, it just looks amazing — gooey goodness!
A perfect recipe for a Kentucky Derby-themed gathering or for Mother’s Day Brunch.