15 Shares

Happy Derby week, y’all! To be honest, I don’t know much about the Kentucky Derby aside from a little internet reading and what I’ve seen on social media: horse races, mint juleps, fancy hats, and the general fanfare. I would love to experience it myself sometime and learn about the history in person! And I am excited for those who weren’t able to celebrate it or attend last year because of the pandemic. I think this year is (hopefully!) a sign that some of our usual traditions and holidays can return thanks to vaccines and Covid-safety measures. I’m ecstatic to be fully vaccinated and just waiting for the two week marker that means my second dose is fully in effect!

But we’re not here for that, we’re here for Kentucky Derby Pie, and hooooo boy is it good. This recipe is from my cookbook, which features all kinds of fun Southern desserts. Derby Pie is similar to a cookie pie with lots of pecans and, you know, it has some bourbon in it. Because Kentucky. I flavored it with a little maple syrup as well and topped it with a dreamy Maple Bourbon Whipped Cream. This is totally the way to celebrate things opening back up this year! With chocolate and bourbon and pecans. I’m all for it.

Feel free to use store-bought pie crust and whipped cream if you’d like! The homemade versions are totally worth it in my opinion, though.

Go horses and happy baking!

print this recipe pin on pinterest ·

Kentucky Derby Pie

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 45

Chill time: 30

Total Time: 2

Ingredients

Pie Crust

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
6 tbsp cold butter
6 tbsp cold water
1 large egg
1 tbsp milk

Kentucky Derby Pie Filling

½ cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp bourbon
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups pecan halves

Bourbon Maple Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp bourbon
2 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

To make the pie crust, combine flour and sugar in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until crumbly. With processor running, add water one tablespoon at a time until dough comes together and forms a ball. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a disc. Chill for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, turn out dough and roll into a 12-inch circle. Lift dough using a rolling pin (if dough is hard to work with, return to the refrigerator to help it firm up a bit) and lay over a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Gently press into pie plate and flute the edges. Beat egg and milk with a fork until pale and frothy. Brush egg wash over edges of pie crust.
For the pie filling, preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and bourbon. Mix well. Add flour and salt; mix until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans. Pour pie filling into the prepared crust and arrange pecans halves over the top. Bake 45-50 minutes (tent with foil if crust begins to brown too quickly), or until pie is set around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center. Let pie cool 1-2 hours before serving.
To make the whipped cream, combine all ingredients and mix on high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Serve with pie.