Marmalade Pecan Pie with coconut sugar, bourbon and a hint of chocolate

All year long, we bakers turn out a variety of layer cakes, brownies and cookies, not to mention sticky fruity crisps and cobblers, but come November our thoughts turn to pie.

Perhaps we are prompted by the lackluster weather and barren landscape, or maybe it is because November a slower month, and we are able to make time in our busy lives for rolling pie crust and dedicating ourselves to the art of pie.

Pie can’t be slapped together like a loaf of banana bread or a batch of chocolate chip cookies; it requires more effort, yet yields richly rewarding results.

Marmalade Pecan Pie with Coconut Sugar, Bourbon and a hint of Chocolate || Simple Bites

Yes, November is decidedly pie month and I’ve been developing a new flavour for about four weeks now. It all started with a shipment of organic coconut products from Canadian company, Grace. I couldn’t stop thinking about pairing their coconut sugar with pecans in a pie.

Generally, classic pecan pie is far too sweet for me, but coconut sugar is much less sweet than granulated sugar and, in addition, boasts a wonderful caramel flavour well suiting to pairing with nuts.

Well, one thing led to another, and by the end of my recipe testing I settled on today’s masterpiece: Marmalade Pecan Pie with Coconut Sugar, Bourbon and a hint of Chocolate. Stay with me now for the explanation – and recipe – behind this delicious fall pie.

Marmalade Pecan Pie with Coconut Sugar, Bourbon and a hint of Chocolate || Simple Bites

I wanted to build several levels of flavour in this pie that were so memorable to the tongue, a small slice would satisfy any appetite. I believe I accomplished my goal, as this marmalade pecan pie begs to be slowly savoured, ideally with a cup of coffee. Let’s look at the unique ingredients that make up today’s recipe for they are mighty.

Marmalade brings a familiar sticky element to the pie, along with a pleasant, slightly bitter taste that cuts the overall richness. I must give credit to the lovely Camilla Wynne for  introducing me to the marmalade + pecan pie combination.  She’s the Montrealer behind Preservation Society and her cookbook is not only packed with canning inspiration, but recipes for cooking and baking with those preserves.

Marmalade Pecan Pie with Coconut Sugar, Bourbon and a hint of Chocolate || Simple Bites

A dusting of dark cocoa powder marries happily with the citrus and deepens the flavour of the dessert. Chocolate is delightful with pecans, and heck, bourbon, too. Bourbon? Well, it’s not the holidays without a splash of spirits in our baking. Not only does it feel festive, but it rounds out the pie, much like a generous pour of vanilla would unify the flavours. Of course, if you prefer a pie without booze, you could substitute strong coffee in place of the bourbon and add a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, too.

Coconut sugar in all its dark caramel-like glory adds a real complexity to the pie. Since coconut sugar may be substituted one-for-one with white sugar, we can use it in this recipe knowing that the end result will still be just like the classic texture of a traditional pecan pie.

Coconut Sugar Pecan Pie with Grace Coconut || Simple Bites #Coconut4life

Pecans still take the lead in this dessert, but I sprinkled a handful of coconut chips in as well and they add a delicious chewy texture to the final result. It’s nice to have some pecan halves for the top of the pie, but don’t worry if you only have chopped pecans.

This pie feels festive. Its unique flavours blend instead of compete. You’ll just have to try it for yourself to understand what I mean, so why not bring to the holiday table this season and share with seven or so of your closest friends.

Don’t forget the whipped cream.

Marmalade Pecan Pie with Coconut Sugar, Bourbon and a hint of Chocolate || Simple Bites

Marmalade Pecan Pie

An unforgettable twist on pecan pie, with coconut sugar contributing a wonderful caramel flavour and coconut chips adding a bit of crunch to the topping.
4.63 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 381kcal
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • 1 9-inch blind-baked pie shell
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup marmalade
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 3 Tablespoons bourbon
  • 3 Tablespoons coconut oil or unsalted butter
  • 1 3/4 cups pecans partially chopped
  • 1/2 cup coconut chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl and add the coconut sugar. Whisk for about 2 minutes, until frothy. Whisk in the flour and the salt. Finally add the marmalade and beat until the preserve is incorporated.
  • In another smaller mixing bowl, combine the cocoa powder with the boiling water. Whisk until smooth with no lumps. Pour in the melted coconut oil, followed by the bourbon. Stir to combine.
  • Pour the chocolate mixture into the beaten eggs. Add both the pecans and the coconut chips to the pie filling. Mix well to combine.
  • Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell. Scrape the bowl to ensure all that sticky goodness goes into the pie.
  • Place the pie on the middle rack of the oven and bake for approximately 45-50 minutes, rotating pie pan 180 degrees once during the baking time.
  • Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Coconut sugar may be substituted one-for-one with white sugar, so you could certainly swap it into your favourite pecan pie recipe if you desire.
For a pie without booze, substitute strong coffee in place of the bourbon and add a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

This post was sponsored by Grace. All opinions are my own. Grace products may be found in the international or organic section of major grocery stores and at walmart.ca.

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32 Comments

  1. Gorgeous pie and talk about a winning flavour combination! I’m team coconut sugar — I add it in my oatmeal every morning, I love the deep caramel notes it adds and I can imagine it’s just the same in this pie. 🙂

  2. I’ve nerve tried coconut sugar or chips, but this pie sounds sublime. I love the idea of bourbon, chocolate, pecans and coconut together. Some kind of outrageously special team for the holidays. Beautiful photos as well.

  3. I would never in a million years think to add marmalade to a pie, but you know what? It makes sense! I’ll definitely be trying this. This looks incredible.

  4. Gorgeous pie Aimée and wonderful combination too! I’m drooling over here. I can’t wait to try it.
    I know it looks better to have pecan halves…but it does slice a lot nicer with pieces! Ah, the life of a food blogger!

  5. My mom was the pie baker in our family. Her pastry was perfect. Thankfully, last year I learned from her how to make pastry. She died earlier this summer. She was “sitting on my shoulder” at Thanksgiving when I made pies. Mom made her pie shells ahead – would make up 5 or 6 pie shells at once, wrap them well and freeze them. With that work done, making a pie becomes much simpler and something you can pull off pretty quickly. Let’s face it, pulling out a pie for dessert looks pretty darn impressive. I’m eating way more pie than I used to (in memory of my Mom, of course!)

    1. While I am sorry for the loss of your mom, Carolyn, I an delighted you are filling her shoes. That is beautiful. And a big yes to do-ahead crusts.

  6. Mmm pie season is the best season. While it’s always a bit of an undertaking, it does yield the best results. Plus, non-bakers always get so excited when they find out you made a pie, as if you’re the first person ever to attempt such a difficult task. (Maybe I’ve been hanging out with fellow young 20-somethings too much…)

    This looks delicious and the combination of marmalade, coconut and pecan is such a unique mix. Thanks for sharing, Aimee!

  7. This looks amazing and I can’t wait to make it! I apologize if I’m asking the obvious (pie newbie here) but for step 4, are you adding the pecans and coconut chips to the pie filling of cocoa powder and water (step 3) or step 2 ingredients? Do you mix the ingredients from step 2 in with the ingredients from step 4 before placing into the pie shell or are they poured in separately? Thank you!! P.S. I recently received your book and love it! Can’t wait to try out the recipes 🙂

  8. 5 stars
    This looks like the EXACT recipe I needed for Thanksgiving. Being a vegetarian, turkey is definitely a no-go for me – but instead I like to experiment with dessert for my guests 🙂

    How can I substitute the eggs without altering the end result the least as possible? So many options out there but curious to see how you would do it.

    Thank you again for the amazing recipe, looking forward to making it!

  9. I’m totally supposed to be doing work right now, but instead I’m getting lost in your beautiful blog posts Aimee. This pie looks amazing! I love all things coconut, and pecan pie is one of my favourite desserts (but you’re right, sometimes they are too sweet). Then you went and added bourbon, and now I need to figure out when I’m going to try making this. There goes the work day 😛

  10. 4 stars
    Marmalade on a pie—I would never have thought of that in a million years, but guess what? It makes perfect sense! I’m going to give it a try. This looks amazing.

    1. 4 stars
      As I’m reading your beautiful blog posts, instead of getting work done, I can’t help but lose myself in them. Those pies look amazing! I am a huge fan of anything coconut, and pecan pie is one of my favorite desserts (although sometimes they can be a little too sweet).