As a kid, I was about as shy as they come.  Family gatherings like Thanksgiving and Christmas were actually introvert heaven for my younger self because I would sit around the table with the adults for hours, quietly listening and observing as their glasses clinked, they scraped plates of mocha pecan pie, and they shared well-loved stories with punch lines and innuendos that were just one step above my little blonde head.

That time spent around the table after a meal, laughing, sharing, and scraping crumbs off sticky plates actually has a name in Spanish – la sobremesa.   I love the idea of that time around the table so much that I named my blog after it (you can read about that here)! And Thanksgiving around my Aunt Bess’s table will always be what comes to mind when I think of that image of la sobremesa.

One of the best recipes I inherited from family and those childhood holidays is this mocha pecan pie by my Aunt Weeze (aka Aunt Louise).  Although I’ve modified the recipe a bit to have my own twist, this gooey, rich pie full of pecan, chocolate, and coffee flavors is on the top of my list for best holiday dessert recipes EVER.

If you really want to go crazy, serve it with some Bailey’s whipped cream by adding a tablespoon of Bailey’s to your homemade whipped cream.  Or serve it with vanilla ice cream.  Or just eat it standing over the stove by the mouthful like I did when it came out of the oven!

Mocha Pecan Pie

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
3 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
3 tablespoons coffee (I use whatever’s leftover from that morning!)
1 1/4 cups pecan halves
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell (I just use frozen ones from the store)
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cover a cookie sheet with foil and spread the pecan halves on it.  Toast for 5 minutes or until they start to be fragrant and look a little more golden!
3. While those are cooking, beat the eggs in a medium bowl.  Stir in the vanilla extract, corn syrup, and coffee until blended.  Stir in brown sugar, espresso powder, and flour, and then add the melted butter.
4. Pour in the pecans and chocolate chips.  Mix it all together and pour it right into the pie shell.
5. Place the pie on that same foil-covered cookie sheet you used for the pecans (less dishes, right?) and bake for 50-55 minutes until the edges are golden and you can see the filling starting to firm up a little.  If the edges start to brown too early, remove the pie, wrap a little bit of tinfoil around the outer edge of the pie, and continue baking that way until done.
6. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!

P.S.  You could definitely arrange the pecans and chocolate chips in a pretty pattern on the top, but no judgment here if you’re like me and you’d rather just pour it all in and be 2 minutes closer to eating it instead!

This recipe is one of my favorites and is so good for both Thanksgiving or Christmas.  What are some of your favorite holiday recipes? Feel free to share links in the comments below so I can check them out!