Thanksgiving is synonymous with pie. But for a long time, this presented an issue because I wasn’t a pie person. Then, on a random November day, I resolved to master the all-butter pie crust (don’t be scared!), and the game totally changed. As they say, the taste of victory is sweet (and buttery and flakey). And since that fateful day, I’ve been working on perfecting the Thanksgiving pie. Thus, this Chocolate Slab Pecan Pie was born.
Most years, I try to be a little out-of-the-box with my recipes—classics with a twist, if you will. I’ve made No-Bake Pumpkin Mascarpone, Rosemary and Salted Caramel Apple, and I even once made an Old-Fashioned Vinegar Pie after finding inspiration in an antique cookbook. (It was actually really delicious!)
But this year, Thanksgiving completely snuck up on me. I can’t believe it’s almost here! So last weekend, with a Friendsgiving just hours away, I found myself brainstorming a last-minute dessert plan. I needed a recipe that was relatively easy and could feed a party. The solution? Chocolate Slab Pecan Pie.
To feed a crowd with this always-delicious classic, I doubled my favorite recipe and baked it in a jelly roll pan instead of a classic pie tin. Cut into squares instead of sliced in triangles, it’s similar to a pecan bar, but doesn’t skimp on the gooey pecan filling.
What I love most about this particular Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe is that it doesn’t use a drop of corn syrup. Instead, using melted butter and a generous amount of dark brown sugar results in a richer, deeper caramel flavor. The crust also uses buttermilk instead of water, playing off the Southern roots of pecan pie and adding just a touch of tang to this buttery crust.
Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
This post was originally published on November 22, 2016, and has since been updated.
