Brownie Pie {AKA Tar Heel Pie}
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Brownie Pie or Tar Heel Pie is a must-have recipe for the holiday season because it is two of the best decadent desserts in one! A buttery, flaky pie crust is parbaked and lined with pecans, then filled with brownie batter and baked to the perfect fudgy brownie consistency. Finish your pie with a drizzle of caramel sauce and a dollop of whipped cream and you have a fantastic chocolate pie to enjoy!
Tis pie season, hurrah! The world’s most valid excuse to overload on pie. And I’m sure I will be doing my fair share. I usually always take 2 or 3 small slices from the pies brought on Thanksgiving because I have such a hard time deciding from all the irresistible options sitting there. Then again I’m one of those people that sometimes sits there for 3 minutes trying to choose from a product at the grocery store, you know the one you’ll pass in the same spot twice.
Easy Brownie Pie Recipe
One thing I’ve noticed about Thanksgiving is that it’s not too often I find chocolate pie of some sort being served. I think that’s a tradition that should definitely be changed. Chocolate is after all one of the greatest foods on the planet so let’s not forget about it during the holidays.
This pie is frequently referred to as Tar Heel Pie but I thought it more fitting to label it as Brownie Pie because I hadn’t ever even heard of the first title until recently, but say “Brownie Pie” and I’m all in because I know just what to expect. It’s almost like a chocolate chess pie, but the brownie filling has more of the cake-like textures you’d expect from your favorite brownie recipe or boxed brownie mix. One thing that sets this pie apart is the nuts layered onto your pie dough—I used pecans, but walnuts are also brownie-friendly.
Do I need Pie Weights?
The short answer is no, but if you’re looking to make a lot of pies and really advance your pie skills they can be helpful. Pie weights are placed on the crust in your pie dish before and sometimes during baking to keep the crust level. Be sure to read your recipes carefully and decide if your particular pie pan needs the extra help with your crust.
I served this up with store-bought salted caramel sauce and whipped cream but really both aren’t necessary because this pie all on its own is incredibly decadent, so you may just want to go with one or the other. A hot fudge sauce would be amazing if you need even more chocolate flavor! But if you are really looking to splurge since it’s Thanksgiving add the caramel sauce and scoop of vanilla ice cream.
I like this pie best served warm so reheat as necessary. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!
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Brownie Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter , cold and dice into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 Tbsp shortening , cold and diced into pieces
- 2 - 4 Tbsp ice water
Filling
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips , divided
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter , diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
- 3 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- Sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (optional)
- Salted caramel sauce
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add cold butter and shortening, then using a long pronged fork, cut into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Drizzle ice water into mixture one tablespoon at a time, while tossing with a rubber spatula and adding water just until mixture starts to come together (it shouldn't fully come together while mixing, don't overwork it, but when pressed together it should hold).
- Drop mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap then press and shape into about a 4 to 5-inch round disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Dust a work surface with flour then unwrap chilled dough and place on floured surface. Dust top with flour and roll out into an even 12-inch round (pinch together areas that crack on edges as rolling).
- Carefully fold dough in half then fold in half once more, carefully transfer dough to pie a 9-inch pie plate (I used regular not deep dish) and place tip of the triangle in center of pie plate and unfold dough to fit plate. Trim uneven edges (while still leaving about 1-inch overhang) and tuck overhang underneath and flute as desired. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and transfer crust to freezer and chill 20 minutes.
- Cover chilled crust with two sheets of foil (one going each direction) and wrap around edges of crust. Fill pie with weights or about 2 lbs of dry beans. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, then remove from oven and carefully remove weights and foil. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes longer. Cool completely to room temperature.
- To make the filling:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter to a microwave safe bowl. Heat on HIGH power in 30 second increments, stirring between each interval, until melted and smooth.
- Stir in canola oil and cocoa powder, mixing until well blended. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Add chocolate mixture to sugar mixture and stir until combined. Stir in flour then stir in remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
- Spread pecans over bottom of pie crust into an even layer, the pour and spread filling evenly over pecans. Bake in preheated until toothpick inserted into center only comes out with a small amount of batter, about 40 minutes.
- Cool at room temperature about 1 1/2 hours until just warm, then slice and serve with sweetened whipped cream, ice cream or optional salted caramel sauce.
Notes
- Nutrition estimate does not include toppings.
- Recipe filling adapted from both allrecipes and Cooks Illustrated
