Perfect Chocolate Pecan Pie with Rum

Here is my favorite chocolate pecan pie recipe, with a rich, gooey filling loaded with toasted pecans, smooth chocolate, and a splash of rum for extra warmth.

This chocolate pecan pie is always a hit at our holiday gatherings. My kids love the chocolate twist on the classic pecan pie, and the adults appreciate that little kick from the rum. I always end up making extras because everyone asks for seconds!

What Kind of Pecans Should I Use?

You can use either pecan halves or pieces for this pie, and both will taste great. Pecan halves give you that classic, pretty look on top of your pie, while pieces are usually more budget-friendly and still deliver all that rich, buttery pecan flavor. If you’re mixing pecans with walnuts like the recipe suggests, pieces work really well since they distribute more evenly throughout the filling. Just make sure your pecans are fresh – give them a quick taste before using them, as pecans can go rancid pretty quickly due to their high oil content.

Options for Substitutions

This rich pie is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Dark corn syrup: If you don’t have dark corn syrup, you can use light corn syrup mixed with 1 tablespoon of molasses, or substitute with maple syrup for a different flavor profile.
• Dark brown sugar: Light brown sugar works fine, or you can make your own by mixing 1 cup white sugar with 2 tablespoons molasses.
• Molasses, sorghum, or honey: These are pretty interchangeable in this recipe. If you don’t have any of these, you can use an extra 1/4 cup of corn syrup instead.
• Dark rum: No rum on hand? Try bourbon, whiskey, or even vanilla extract (use just 1/2 teaspoon). You can also skip the alcohol entirely and add an extra teaspoon of vanilla.
• Pecans and walnuts: Feel free to use all pecans or all walnuts – whatever you prefer or have available. Other nuts like hazelnuts or almonds work too, though they’ll change the traditional flavor.
• Chocolate pieces: Mini chocolate chips, chopped chocolate bar, or even cocoa powder (2 tablespoons) will work. Dark, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate all taste great here.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making chocolate pecan pie is overbaking, which turns your smooth, gooey filling into a tough, rubbery disaster – 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 shell for 10-15 minutes before adding the filling, which can result in a soggy bottom crust that nobody wants.

To prevent your nuts from floating to the top and creating an uneven layer, gently press them down into the filling after pouring it into the crust, and make sure your oven temperature is accurate with a thermometer since even 25 degrees too high can cause the filling to puff up and crack.

Finally, resist the urge to cut into the pie right away – letting it cool for at least 2 hours allows the filling to set properly and makes for cleaner slices.

What to Serve With Chocolate Pecan Pie?

This rich, boozy pie is pretty decadent on its own, but a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side really helps balance out all that sweetness. You could also go with some lightly sweetened whipped cream if you want something a bit lighter, or even a dollop of crème fraîche for a tangy contrast. Since the pie is so rich with the chocolate, pecans, and rum, I like to serve it with a hot cup of coffee or espresso to cut through the sweetness. For special occasions, a small glass of bourbon or whiskey makes a nice pairing with the rum flavors in the pie.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Your chocolate pecan pie with rum will stay delicious covered loosely with foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, pop it in the fridge where it’ll keep for up to a week. The filling might firm up a bit when chilled, but that just makes it easier to slice cleanly!

Freeze: This pie freezes really well for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, or store individual slices in freezer bags. I like to freeze slices separately so I can grab just what I need for a quick dessert.

Serve: Let frozen pie thaw in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for a few hours. If you want to warm it up, pop it in a 300°F oven for about 10-15 minutes. The rum flavor actually gets better after a day or two, so don’t worry if you made it ahead!

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 3500-3800
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 210-230 g
• Carbohydrates: 410-450 g

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 prepared pie shell

For the filling:

• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses, honey, or sorghum
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cups pecans and/or walnuts, halves or pieces
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp dark rum
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp salt

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Pie Shell

• 1 prepared pie shell

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Place the prepared pie shell into a glass pie pan, ensuring it is properly fitted with no overhangs or tears.

Set aside while you prepare the filling.

Step 2: Prepare the Egg Mixture

• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs using a fork, whisk, or mixer, just until the yolks and whites are combined.

This will help the filling bake up smoothly.

Step 3: Mix the Filling

• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/4 cup molasses, honey, or sorghum
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp dark rum
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten (from Step 2)

To the beaten eggs in the bowl, add the dark corn syrup, your choice of molasses, honey, or sorghum, the dark brown sugar, melted butter, salt, dark rum, and vanilla extract.

Mix well until all ingredients are fully blended and the mixture is smooth.

I like to use a whisk here to make sure everything incorporates evenly and there are no lumps of sugar.

Step 4: Assemble the Pie Shell

• 1 3/4 cups pecans and/or walnuts, halves or pieces
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 prepared pie shell (from Step 1)

Evenly spread the pecans and/or walnuts over the bottom of the prepared pie shell.

Next, sprinkle the chocolate chips or chunks evenly over the nuts, making sure there are bits of chocolate throughout the pie.

Step 5: Fill the Shell and Bake the Pie

• filling mixture from Step 3
• pie shell with nuts and chocolate (from Step 4)

Carefully pour the filling mixture from Step 3 over the nuts and chocolate in the pie shell.

Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

If you have any leftover filling that can’t fit in the shell, pour it into a small oven-safe dish and bake it alongside the pie for a shorter time, until set.

For an extra shiny top, I sometimes brush the crust edge with a little melted butter before baking.

Step 6: Cool and Serve the Pie

Once the pie is baked through and the center is just set, remove it from the oven.

Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

This helps the filling firm up for perfectly neat slices.

Perfect Chocolate Pecan Pie with Rum

Delicious Perfect Chocolate Pecan Pie with Rum recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 27 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 22 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3650 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the crust:

• 1 prepared pie shell

For the filling:

• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses, honey, or sorghum
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cups pecans and/or walnuts, halves or pieces
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp dark rum
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the prepared pie shell into a glass pie pan, ensuring it is properly fitted with no overhangs or tears. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
• In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs using a fork, whisk, or mixer, just until the yolks and whites are combined. This will help the filling bake up smoothly.
• To the beaten eggs in the bowl, add the dark corn syrup, your choice of molasses, honey, or sorghum, the dark brown sugar, melted butter, salt, dark rum, and vanilla extract. Mix well until all ingredients are fully blended and the mixture is smooth. I like to use a whisk here to make sure everything incorporates evenly and there are no lumps of sugar.
• Evenly spread the pecans and/or walnuts over the bottom of the prepared pie shell. Next, sprinkle the chocolate chips or chunks evenly over the nuts, making sure there are bits of chocolate throughout the pie.
• Carefully pour the filling mixture from Step 3 over the nuts and chocolate in the pie shell. Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If you have any leftover filling that can't fit in the shell, pour it into a small oven-safe dish and bake it alongside the pie for a shorter time, until set. For an extra shiny top, I sometimes brush the crust edge with a little melted butter before baking.
• Once the pie is baked through and the center is just set, remove it from the oven. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving. This helps the filling firm up for perfectly neat slices.