Classic Chocolate Pecan Pie with Condensed Milk

Finding the perfect dessert that feels fancy enough for special occasions but simple enough for a regular Tuesday night can be tricky. You want something that’ll make your family think you spent hours in the kitchen, but you also don’t want to actually spend your entire evening wrestling with complicated techniques or hunting down obscure ingredients.

That’s where this chocolate pecan pie with condensed milk comes in. It gives you all the rich, indulgent flavors of a classic pecan pie with an extra layer of chocolate goodness, and the condensed milk makes the filling incredibly smooth and easy to work with.

What Kind of Pecans Should I Use?

For chocolate pecan pie, you can use either pecan halves or pieces, though halves tend to look more impressive when you slice the pie. Fresh pecans will always taste better than older ones, so give them a quick taste test before using – they should be sweet and buttery, not bitter or rancid. If you only have access to pecan pieces, that’s totally fine and will taste just as good. You can even lightly toast your pecans in a dry skillet for a few minutes before adding them to the pie if you want to bring out their nutty flavor even more.

Options for Substitutions

This chocolate pecan pie is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Pie crust: Store-bought works great, but you can also use a graham cracker crust for a different twist. If making homemade, any basic pastry recipe will do the job.
• Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar will work fine and give you a slightly richer molasses flavor. In a pinch, you can use regular white sugar plus 1 tablespoon of molasses.
• Cocoa powder: Make sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder – Dutch-processed or natural both work. If you only have sweetened cocoa mix, reduce the brown sugar by half.
• Sweetened condensed milk: This is pretty essential for the texture and sweetness, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting it. The condensed milk is what makes this pie so creamy and helps it set properly.
• Pecans: Walnuts are the closest substitute and work really well. You could also try a mix of nuts like almonds and pecans, or even add some chocolate chips along with fewer nuts.
• Vanilla extract: Almond extract works nicely too – just use half the amount since it’s stronger. You could also try bourbon or rum extract for a grown-up flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with chocolate pecan pie is overbaking, which can turn your smooth, fudgy filling into a cracked, rubbery mess – the center should still have a slight jiggle when you remove it from the oven since it will continue cooking from residual heat.

Another common error is not pre-baking your pie crust for 10-15 minutes before adding the filling, which can result in a soggy bottom that never gets crispy.

To prevent your pecans from floating to the top and creating an uneven layer, gently press them into the chocolate filling with a spoon after pouring, and make sure to arrange them in a single layer for the best appearance.

Finally, resist the urge to slice into your pie right away – letting it cool completely for at least 3 hours allows the filling to set properly and makes clean slicing much easier.

What to Serve With Chocolate Pecan Pie?

This rich chocolate pecan pie is pretty indulgent on its own, but a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it even better. The cool, creamy texture is the perfect contrast to the sweet, nutty filling and helps balance out all that chocolatey goodness. I also love serving it with a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk, especially if you’re having it as an after-dinner treat. For special occasions, try drizzling a little caramel sauce over each slice or adding a sprinkle of sea salt to bring out the chocolate flavors even more.

Storage Instructions

Store: This chocolate pecan pie keeps beautifully covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to cover it with plastic wrap or foil once it’s completely cooled. The filling actually gets even better after a day or two as all the flavors meld together!

Freeze: You can freeze this pie for up to 3 months if you want to make it way ahead for the holidays. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or pop it in a freezer-safe container. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge before serving.

Serve: This pie is delicious straight from the fridge, but if you prefer it at room temperature, just let it sit out for about 30 minutes before slicing. The chocolate filling will be perfectly set and easy to cut into clean slices.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	50-60 minutes
Total Time	65-80 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3700-4000
• Protein: 50-60 g
• Fat: 240-260 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-380 g

Ingredients

• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 pastry shell for pie (thawed if frozen, or homemade)
• 3 large eggs (room temperature for better mixing)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla preferred)
• 2 cups pecan halves (roughly chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli for rich flavor)

Step 1: Prepare the Pie Crust

• 1 pastry shell for pie

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Place the thawed pastry shell into a 9-inch pie pan and prick the bottom with a fork to prevent air bubbles during baking.

Line the shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans to keep the crust from puffing up.

Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment and weights.

This partial bake (called blind baking) ensures a crispy crust that won’t get soggy from the filling.

Step 2: Prepare the Dry Ingredients and Toast the Pecans

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups pecan halves

While the crust is baking, whisk together the brown sugar and cocoa powder in a medium bowl, breaking up any lumps in the cocoa powder—this ensures even chocolate flavor throughout the pie.

Meanwhile, spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 3-5 minutes while the crust finishes.

I find toasting the pecans brings out their natural richness and adds depth to the final pie, though this step is optional.

Set the toasted pecans aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Create the Chocolate Filling Base

• brown sugar and cocoa powder mixture from Step 2
• 3 large eggs
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Add the room-temperature eggs to the brown sugar and cocoa powder mixture, stirring vigorously until the mixture is smooth and well combined with no visible streaks of cocoa.

The room-temperature eggs mix more smoothly with the dry ingredients and create a better texture in the final pie.

Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract, stirring until completely incorporated and the filling is homogeneous and glossy.

Step 4: Fold in Pecans and Assemble the Pie

• toasted pecans from Step 2
• chocolate filling mixture from Step 3
• pre-baked pie crust from Step 1

Gently stir the toasted pecans from Step 2 into the chocolate filling until evenly distributed throughout.

Pour the entire filling mixture into the pre-baked pie crust, spreading it in an even layer.

The filling should come close to the rim of the crust, so don’t worry if it looks full—it won’t rise much during baking.

Step 5: Bake the Pie in Two Stages with Crust Protection

• pie from Step 4

Place the pie in the oven at 350°F and bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, carefully cover just the crust edges with strips of aluminum foil to prevent them from over-browning.

Return the pie to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

The pie is done when the filling is set around the edges but still has a slight jiggle in the very center when you gently shake the pan—this residual carryover cooking will finish setting as it cools, keeping the texture moist rather than dry.

Step 6: Cool and Set the Pie

Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on the counter for at least 2 hours before slicing.

I like to refrigerate mine for a few hours or even overnight because it makes slicing cleaner and the flavors meld beautifully when the pie is chilled.

The pie will continue to set as it cools, achieving its final rich, fudgy texture.