Kahlua Pecan Pie
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Kahlua Pecan Pie - Crunchy pecans over a chocolaty Kahlua pie filling surrounded by a flaky, no-fuss homemade crust, this dessert is sure to get everyone asking for seconds this holiday season!
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Today is a special day, not just because a very special recipe is being shared, but because a very special person in my family is sharing it with you! Take it away, Sue!❤️
MEET MY COUSIN SUE
Hi everyone! My name is Sue… and Sara, the author of this blog, is my cousin. I asked to be a "guest blogger" as I have a fun story and fabulous recipe to share!
How many of you still buy a premade (refrigerated or frozen) pie crust? I want to see all of your hands in the air!
Hmmm, okay, don't be shy, I know we all do it to save time and some people (like me) hate the hassle of rolling out a pie crust.
What if I told you that you could make a to-die-for flaky, low-fat, pie crust by mixing the ingredients in your pie plate and then just pressing it into place?
No way, right? Well you can, and I'll tell you how. But first, a fun story about Sara's grandmother.
A STORY OF OUR GRANDMOTHERS
Sara's grandmother was my Great Aunt Catherine. My grandmother was an excellent baker, but she failed every attempt to make a pie crust.
Aunt Catherine lived about 45 minutes away by car, but if my grandmother needed a pie crust for a special pie, Aunt Catherine came to the rescue and my grandmother would pick up a "blind-baked" pie crust (or two), driving 90 minutes roundtrip.
Sadly, no one kept her recipe, or more likely she had it memorized!
My grandmother taught me to bake at age 5 and by age 9, I was flying solo. Along with those baking lessons, I learned to FEAR the pie crust. My grandmother told me it was one of the hardest things to master.
AND NOW FOR THE PIE. . .AND THE FUSS-FREE CRUST
About 25 years ago, I found a recipe for a no-roll, fat-free pie crust. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. And it's possible I did (just for a split second) because this crust is heavenly.
It's very light and flaky…. no one will know how EASY it is to make.
Today, I'm sharing a recipe for Chocolate Espresso Kahlua Pecan Pie which I created using the no-roll pie crust recipe. Keep in mind the pie crust can be used for any single crust recipe that you have, such as fruit (apple, blueberry, or cherry) pies with crumble topping or a hearty breakfast quiche.
And finally, I need to admit I am in the 1% of Americans that dislike pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. I've always made a traditional pecan pie, but now my Kahlua Pecan Pie is the favored pie on the dessert table come Thanksgiving Day.
HOW TO MAKE KAHLUA PECAN PIE
Before you get started, make sure you have the following ingredients:
For the Crust:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Canola oil
- Milk (non-fat)
For the Filling
- Unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
- Unsalted butter
- Large eggs
- Light corn syrup
- Sugar
- Kosher salt
- Instant espresso powder
- Kahlua liqueur
- Pecans, coarsely chopped
- "Perfect" pecan halves
Once you've gathered all your ingredients, follow the steps below to make this amazing pie!
PREPARING THE NO-ROLL PIE CRUST
- Mix the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl.
- Add oil & milk and continue to stir until well blended.
- Pat the dough into a 9 ½ inch deep dish pie pan and push the pastry up the sides.
- Level off the edges of the crust with your fingers before lightly pricking crust with a fork and par-baking for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit before adding the filling.
MAKING THE CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO KAHLUA FILLING
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl, stirring occasionally until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, corn syrup, sugar and salt.
- Dissolve the espresso powder in one tablespoon of hot water and add to the egg mixture along with Kahlua and the melted chocolate and butter. Whisk to thoroughly blend and make sure to have the filling ready when the par-baked crust comes out of the oven.
- Spread the chopped pecans evenly on the bottom of the pie plate.
FINISHING UP THE PIE
Go ahead and pour the filling over the pecan pieces; swirl to assure pecans are evenly distributed.
To form a decorative border, arrange the pecan halves in circles around the perimeter of the pie shell with pointy-tips of pecans facing inward.
Repeat with one or two smaller circles closer to the center of the pie.
How gorgeous does that look?
Now, bake the pie at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the filling puffs up, just starts to crack, and appears fairly set. This should take about 45-55 minutes.
When done, transfer the pie to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely (at least four hours).
Note: For best results, make the pie the day prior and refrigerate overnight. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream if you wish!
KAHLUA PECAN PIE TIPS
- Use fresh pecans for the best taste. Pecans that have been sitting for a while may be stale and unappetizing.
- Before cutting into the pie, be sure that it has been completely cooled. In fact, for best results, make the pie ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight.
- Pairing this pie with ice cream, caramel or chocolate drizzle, or flavored whipped cream can add great and unique flavors that spice up this recipe even more!
CAN I USE SOMETHING OTHER THAN PECANS IN THE PIE?
Yes! Roasted, unsalted macadamia nut halves or pieces are a delicious alternative.
Just substitute two cups of macadamia nuts for the pecans.
DO I NEED TO USE CORN SYRUP?
If you prefer to not use corn syrup, there are many other options to maintain the sweet taste of the pie. Some include maple syrup and honey.
Just remember that using substitutions like this will alter the flavor of the original, intended recipe.
CAN CHILDREN EAT KAHLUA PECAN PIE?
I'm going to leave that decision up to you.
During the baking process, the majority of the alcohol will evaporate out of the pie. If some alcohol does remain, it is likely not in any quantity that will cause harm to a child.
However, it is for you to decide whether or not you want to take that chance. For a no-risk option that kids are sure to love, try this Cookies and Cream Oreo Dessert. It is kid-tested and approved!
HOW DO I SERVE AND STORE KAHLUA PECAN PIE?
The day before you're ready to enjoy, remove it from the freezer, allow it to sit in the refrigerator overnight and then at room temperature for around 30 minutes.
MORE PIE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
- Crustless Pumpkin Pie
- Easy Grasshopper Pie
- Ultimate Ice Cream Sundae Pie
- Cheesecake Pumpkin Pie
- Milk & Cookies Pie
- No Bake Lemon Pie
Kahlua Pecan Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup canola oil
- 3 tablespoons milk (non-fat)
For the Filling
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (coarsely chopped)
- 4 tablespoons ½ stick unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 2 tablespoons Kahlua liqueur
- 2 cups pecans (coarsely chopped)
- 40-50 "perfect" pecan halves
Instructions
For the Crust
- Mix dry ingredients in a 9 ½ inch deep dish pie pan.
- Add oil & milk and continue to stir until well blended; pat into the pan, pushing the pastry up the sides.
- Level off the edges of the crust with your fingers.
- Lightly prick crust with a fork and par-bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees before adding the filling.
For the Filling
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl, stirring occasionally until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, corn syrup, sugar and salt.
- Dissolve the espresso powder in one tablespoon hot water; add to egg mixture along with Kahlua and the melted chocolate/butter. Whisk to thoroughly blend. Have filling ready when par-baked crust comes out of the oven.
- Spread the chopped pecans evenly in the bottom of the pie plate.
- Pour the filling over the pecan pieces; swirl to assure pecans are evenly distributed.
- To form a decorate border, arrange the pecan halves in circles around the perimeter of the pie shell with pointy-tips of pecans facing inward; repeat with one or two smaller circles closer to the center of the pie.
- Bake the pie at 350 degrees until the filling puffs up, just starts to crack, and appears fairly set, about 45-55 minutes.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely (at least four hours).
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
- For best results, make pie the day prior and refrigerate overnight.
- Be sure to use fresh pecans for the best taste.
- Let your pie cool completely before cutting into it.
- Leftovers can be stored on the fridge for up to four days in either an airtight container or properly wrapped.