A decadent collision of buttery, flaky pie crust, a super-fudge brownie, and a shot of Irish whiskey, this Brownie Pie is a molten chocolate cake meets after-dinner drink, in glorious pie form.
Email Me the Recipe!
From time to time, we'll send you the best of Well Plated. Already registered? Log in here.
Choosing a dessert is always stressful for me because I can never narrow my sweet tooth craving to just one treat.
Will it be of the gooey fudgy variety (like these Brownie Bites)?
Or something with a tender, extra flaky crust (hello, Vegan Chocolate Pie)?
Brownie pie says yes and YES.
At least this once, you really can have it all.
5 Star Review
“Made this for some friends last night – it was a hit, of course.”
— Eric —
Fudge brownie pie is two-in-one dessert perfection:
- Chocolate. With a rich chocolate brownie filling that’s decadent and fudgy, this brownie pie is rich enough for a special occasion while remaining decidedly homey and unfussy (like these Brownie Cookies).
- Flaky. Made with a homemade coffee-infused pie crust (very different from this Oil Pie Crust), its buttery, flaky texture contrasts the gooey chocolate brownie filling like a dream.
And for the grown-ups in the room, this brownie pie has another festive quality:
- Boozy. Spiked with Irish whiskey (or bourbon, you choose), this is a next-level brownie pie to remember. (Bourbon Pecan Pie is also boozy and rich.)
Crackle-topped, whiskey-fudged, and espresso-crusted, this epic brownie pie makes the dessert decision is a piece of cake, er, pie.
How to Make Brownie Pie Recipe
My favorite brownies (these One Bowl Brownies) are crackly on top with a rich, fudgy center. They flirt with the edge of underbaked in the best way.
This brownie pie is equally decadent and offers an additional dimension in the crunch department.
The contrast of the crispy crust with the gooey brownie center is pure pleasure.
OVERNIGHT ALERT!
This brownie pie needs to be chilled in the refrigerator overnight to slice properly. Be sure to plan ahead. It’s worth the wait.
The Ingredients
- Chocolate x2. Cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate work in tandem to give the brownie filling an ultra-deep chocolate factor with just the right amount of chew (like these Avocado Brownies). No box brownie mix here!
- Espresso Powder. Espresso and chocolate are besties. I added it in both the crust and the brownie batter. Espresso powder gives the crust a subtle coffee flavor. In the filling, it intensifies the chocolate flavor of the brownies. (For another coffee-infused treat, try this Mocha Cake.)
- Butter. Gives both the flaky pie crust and rich brownie filling wonderful butter flavor and improves their texture.
- Flour. For our homemade brownie pie crust, I used half all purpose flour and half white whole wheat flour, and it was just as tender and flaky as the pie crusts I’ve made with 100% all purpose flour.
- Powdered Sugar. When used in pie crust, powdered sugar yields a smoother, less sticky pie dough that is easier to work with. Additionally, it also makes the pie crust more tender.
- Irish Whiskey. The whiskey works in two ways. Not only does it flavor the pie and pair well with the chocolate and coffee, but it also makes the crust even more flaky (it’s the same idea behind a vodka pie crust—the alcohol slows down the gluten formation, leaving you with a tender, extra flakey crust).
- Half-and-Half. Adds necessary fat for richness, tenderness, and moisture.
- Granulated Sugar. Sweetens the brownies to counter the bitterness of the cocoa while also making the brownies light, soft, and ultra-tender.
- Eggs. For richness and gives the brownies some structure.
- Vanilla. Balances and marries all the flavors together.
- Cornmeal. A trick I borrowed from chocolate chess pies: it improves the structure of the filling so that the brownie pie isn’t runny.
The Directions
- Pulse together the cold butter with the pie crust dry ingredients until it resembles a cobblestone street.
- Add the espresso powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon of the half and half and whiskey. Pulsing together, adding additional half-and-half until the dough starts to hold together.
- Shape the dough into a flat, 1-inch disk, wrap in plastic wrap, then chill.
- Roll the dough using a rolling pin and transfer to a pie pan. Trim and crimp the edges, then chill until ready to fill.
- Beat (or whisk) together the butter, sugar, and salt for the brownie pie filling.
- Add the eggs, then stir in the cocoa, whiskey, half and half, and vanilla.
- Grind together the espresso powder, cornmeal, and chocolate mixture, then fold it into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared crust then bake until the crust is golden and the filling reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees F.
- Remove, let cool, then refrigerate overnight before serving. ENJOY!
- Serve each slice topped with whipped cream (or a scoop of vanilla ice cream or caramel sauce), if desired.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Brownie pie may be stored at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Otherwise, it should be stored in the refrigerator. Wrapped tightly with plastic, brownie pie may be chilled for up to 4 days. Let come to room temperature or microwave for several seconds before serving.
- To Freeze. Brownie pie may be kept in the freezer, wrapped tightly in plastic and heavy-duty foil for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
What to Serve with Brownie Pie
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Food Processor. Makes pulsing together the pie crust ingredients easy-peasy.
- Stand Mixer. If you bake on the regular, a quality stand-mixer like this KitchenAid will be the best friend you’ve always wanted in your kitchen.
- Pie Plate. A pretty standard-size (not deep-dish) pie plate is all the decoration this humble brownie pie needs.
As one dessert dilemma is solved another begins. How big of a slice do I take?!
Frequently Asked Questions
No matter how decadent the dessert I am baking, I always make a point to incorporate whole wheat flour for a boost of fiber where I can. While I love the deep, nutty flavor of regular whole wheat flour in bread, I find it can be too harsh for some desserts. My solution? White whole wheat flour. It has the same fiber and nutrition as regular 100% whole wheat flour, but is milled from a lighter white wheat berry, giving it a mild flavor and light color that’s ideal for use in cakes, cookies, muffins, and yes pie.
In this brownie pie, I use a homemade flaky pie crust with the cheeky additions of whiskey and espresso. It’s my personal preference for the BEST brownie pie. However, I have seen recipes that use a graham cracker or chocolate cookie crust, or crust with nuts too. Feel free to experiment!
A few factors can impact the final texture of the brownies. Improperly measuring your ingredients (especially the flour) is a common culprit. Overmixing the batter can also cause brownies to be more cake-like as opposed to fudgy because too much air gets worked into the batter.
Brownie Pie
email me the recipe!
From time to time, we’ll send you the best of Well Plated. Already registered? Log in here.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter very cold
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup white whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 – 3 tablespoons half-and-half cold, or substitute heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey (or half-and-half)
For the Brownie Filling:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (4 tablespoons) at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup Dutch process cocoa
- 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey (or half-and-half)
- 1 tablespoon half and half or substitute heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal (yellow or white)
- ⅔ cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- Whipped cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- To prepare the crust, dice the butter, then place it in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade (or a medium mixing bowl), place the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, and salt, then pulse a few times to combine. (If not using a food processor, stir the ingredients together in a medium bowl). Add the butter pieces, then pulse just until the dough resembles a cobblestone street. Some pieces will be the size of peas. (Without a food processor work the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender.)
- Dissolve the espresso powder in 1 tablespoon of the half and half. Sprinkle over the crust mixture. Sprinkle on whiskey. Add up to 3 tablespoons (or more, if necessary) of the half-and-half to the dry ingredients, pulsing a little after each. Add only as much half and half as you need to for the dough to just hold together when you take a handful.
- On a lightly floured work surface, pat the dough into an even, flat, 1-inch disk, wrap in plastic, then refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Once the dough is properly chilled, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm at room temperature until it becomes flexible enough to roll, 15 to 30 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a regular (not deep-dish) 9" pie pan that's at least 1 ¼ inches deep. Trim and crimp the edges, then place the crust in the freezer to chill, while you prepare the filling.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer or a medium mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and salt until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating slowly but thoroughly after each addition. You want to ensure the eggs are well combined, without beating in a lot of air. Stir in the cocoa, whiskey, half and half, and vanilla.
- In a food processor (mini is easier), grind together the espresso powder, cornmeal, and chocolate. Gently stir it into the batter, then pour the batter into the prepared crust.
- Bake the pie for 45 minutes, adding a crust shield after 20 minutes (if you do not have a reusable crust shield, carefully fit the edges with pieces of tin foil). The middle will look very soft. The pie is done baking when the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F. Remove the pie from the oven, cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight before serving.
- Serve each slice topped with whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
- TO STORE: Brownie pie may be stored at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Otherwise, it should be stored in the refrigerator. Wrapped tightly with plastic, brownie pie may be chilled for up to 4 days. Let come to room temperature or microwave for several seconds before serving.
- TO FREEZE: Brownie pie may be kept in the freezer, wrapped tightly in plastic and heavy-duty foil for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Join today and start saving your favorite recipes
Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes and access FREE meal plans.
Sign Me UpRelated Recipes
Calling all chocolate lovers! Here are more chocolate recipes I know you’ll love.
If I win, I’ll be making another one of these pies, as I’ve just decided to make this for Pi Day tomorrow, instead of the pecan I was planning!
As promised, I made this today. It was delicious, and I would definitely make it again.
Patty you made good on that promise ASAP, WOW! I’m so excited that you tried the pie and enjoyed it. Thanks for taking time to share your review too. Have a wonderful weekend and a happy St. Paddy’s Day :)
Made this for some friends last night – it was a hit, of course. Followed the recipe exactly except for one thing – I didn’t have half & half so I subbed in Bailey’s Irish Creme – pretty tasty! Also used Jameson’s for the whiskey. Thanks!
Eric I’m so excited that you tried and loved this pie! Your friends are a lucky bunch :-) Also, awesome idea on the Bailey’s. I’m going to make it that way myself next time!
Can it be made in one day if I start in the morning, and serve after dinner in the evening? Your instructions say to refrigerate overnight?
Thank you in advance
Rosella, overnight is ideal, but I think that will still be fine! I hope you enjoy the recipe.
You indicate that the total time is 10 hours. I think you may have made a typo and it should be
1 hour. Is that correct?
Hi Nanci! This pie requires you to store in the refrigerator overnight which is why you are seeing 10 hours total time. Just want to make sure people know there is more time built into making this pie! Hope you enjoy it!
What is espresso powder? Is there instant espresso or do you grind up espresso coffee?
Hi Linda, espresso powder is “ground espresso beans that have been brewed, dried, and crushed into a find powdered form.” While I haven’t tried them, you can use either one as a substitute. Instant espresso is usually a 1:1 substitute but it doesn’t add as much richenss to the recipe. If you try to add more it can make the recipe taste bitter, so you’d have to be mindful of that. Ground espresso is a lot strong in flavor and texture so you’d have to use less. Let us know how it goes if you decide to try it out.