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Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Butter Pecan Frosting.…pecan pie, but in cupcake form and so good. Extra chocolatey cupcakes made with warming bourbon and generously stuffed with gooey pecan pie “filling”. Each cake is frosted with the most delicious creamy brown sugar frosting and finished off with a sprinkling of cinnamon-spiced brown sugar pecans. Sooo much to love here! You can’t beat these cute little bite-size pecan pie cupcakes. They’ll be the hit of your Thanksgiving desserts!
Happy last Friday before Thanksgiving guys!! This week was a lot, and of course, took some unexpected turns. But the good news is that we have so much to look forward to in the coming days. And the best cupcakes to bake up this weekend.
I’m excited, and looking forward to a very low key holiday and a good amount of pie. Or pie cupcakes actually!
So…pecan pie? How do you guys feel about it? Do you love it or would you prefer pumpkin pie? With my family, any kind of chocolate pie is much preferred. We do have a few oddballs that love a pumpkin pie. But the majority of the fam always go for the chocolate.
Personally, I am a pecan pie lover all the way. It’s what I grew up on, and also what I look forward to every holiday season. My mom never did pumpkin pie, but I’ve always said that her chocolate bourbon pecan pie is one of my all-time favorites. It’s all about that gooey filling and sweet chocolate. Gets me every time.
And that brings me to these cupcakes. They’re everything I love about my mom’s pecan pie, but in the form of a cute chocolate cupcake.
The history on these cupcakes…
This is a recipe I shared a long, long time ago. It’s been a favorite ever since, but I hadn’t made them in a while. Actually, since 2013, so quite a longggg while.
With things being so crazy this holiday season, I wanted to make our Thanksgiving extra special and really pull out all the stops. Somehow that lead me back to these cupcakes. Once I had the idea to make these, I knew I needed to get the recipe perfect before sharing. I spent a few days testing and retesting and I’m pretty excited to share the final product with you guys.
These cupcakes are GOOD. The kind you’ll have a hard time not going back and grabbing a second. They’re made rich and flavorful with a good splash of bourbon, the pecan pie filling is gooey, and swirled with toasted pecans, and the brown sugar frosting? Well, it definitely seals the deal.
The details.
I’m going to get this out there, these cupcakes require some time to prepare and do have a few steps. But they’re no harder than baking up your own pie. So while the recipe is longer, don’t let that scare you. You can easily make these!
I like to start with the pecan pie filling. Basically, this is pecan pie filling, but instead of it being in pie crust, it’s in the cupcake. Making it is kind of like making pudding. Just mix eggs with cornstarch, add brown sugar and maple syrup, then thicken it up on the stove. Then stir in cinnamon-spiced bourbon pecans and now you have your pecan pie “filling”. Also known as pecan pie, cooked on the stove, and minus the pie crust.
Once you have the filling made, bake the cupcakes. And guys? These are extra special cupcakes. It’s all about the bourbon which really helps to highlight the rich, sweet chocolate. Originally, I used a full cup of bourbon, but I felt that it was just a smidge overpowering. So I took the bourbon down a bit and came out with the perfect chocolate cupcake that has subtle notes of bourbon. So delicious.
Each cupcake is incredibly moist, so soft, and perfectly sweetened. The flavor truly comes from the bourbon.
The bourbon pecan pie filling is so gooey and delicious. Over time the filling begins to seep into the cupcake and create the moistest, most flavorful chocolate cupcake with a pecan center. They’re roll your eyes back delicious!
On to the butter pecan frosting…
This frosting is everything and has to be one of my favorites. I drew inspiration from a few of my older recipes, but especially from these sweet brown sugar cookies, and also these butter pecan frosted fudge brownies. And more recently, my chai pumpkin cupcakes.
There are two simple secrets to this frosting…
One, use a mix of brown sugar and powdered sugar. Powdered sugar adds practically zero flavor. The brown sugar adds hints of warm molasses and really deepens the flavor to create a frosting that’s perfectly rich and sweet.
The second secret…vanilla, and sweet cinnamon bourbon spiced pecans swirled throughout. SO GOOD. Think creamy, buttery, and hinted with brown sugar, vanilla, and filled with nutty pecans. Honestly? you’ll want to slather on more than you think your cupcakes will actually need. You may even want to think about doubling that frosting.
Now, stuff, frost, decorate…and eat.
I didn’t do anything fancy here. I stuffed the pecan pie filling into the center of each cupcake. Then simply dolloped a generous swirl of the brown sugar frosting overtop. Then I finished with those yummy toasted pecans.
And that’s it. Not the simplest, but worth every bit of extra effort. And so very good. Each bite is filled with sweet chocolate cupcake, gooey pecan pie filling, light, fluffy frosting, and bourbon-glazed pecans.
Oh my gooosssh, SO amazing.
These will make the perfect Thanksgiving cupcakes! My best advice is to bake these up this weekend. You’ll need to test out the recipe before Thanksgiving Day. Then take the extras to neighbors to share and make again for Thanksgiving next week. By the second round, you’ll have the process perfected and plenty of delicious cupcakes to enjoy!
Looking for other Thanksgiving desserts?? Here are my favorites:
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Brown Sugar Maple Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Lastly, if you make these Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Butter Pecan Frosting, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Butter Pecan Frosting.
Servings: 20
Calories Per Serving: 487 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Pecan Pie Filling
- 3 cups raw pecans
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup real maple syrup
Bourbon Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup bourbon (see notes)
- 1/2 cup strong black coffee or water
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup plain greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Butter Pecan Frosting:
- 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- 1. To make the pecan pie filling. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On the baking sheet, combine the pecans, 2 tablespoons bourbon, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and the cinnamon. Bake 8-10 minutes, until toasted. Sprinkle with sea salt. Roughly chop the pecans, reserving 22 whole pecans for topping.2. In a large pot, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water until fully combined. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar, the maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a heat proof bowl. Stir in about 1 cup of the chopped pecans and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill in the fridge until set, about 1 hour. 3. Meanwhile, make the cupcakes. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 20-22 cupcake molds with paper liners.4. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer) beat together the coconut oil, bourbon, coffee/water, eggs, yogurt, and sugar until combined. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until smooth and no lumps remain in the batter.4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pan. Transfer to the oven and bake 18-22 minutes, until the tops are just set, and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool.5. To make the frosting, melt together 4 tablespoons butter, the cream, and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute or until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl in the freezer (or fridge for longer) for 15-20 minutes or until cool to touch.6. Grab the cooled butter mixture from the freezer and add the remaining 12 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and the powdered sugar to the bowl. Beat together until well combined. Stir in 1/2-1 cup of the finely chopped toasted pecans. 7. Using a paring knife, cut a cone-shaped piece from the center of each cupcake. Fill the hole with the cooled pecan pie filling. Frost each cupcake and sprinkle with the remaining pecans. Top each with the reserved whole pecans.
Notes
For an Intense Bourbon Flavor: If you want a cupcake that really tastes like a good shot of bourbon, use 1 cup bourbon and omit the coffee. This is an especially delicious cupcake with strong hints of bourbon.
For a Mild Bourbon Flavor: For less bourbon, use 1/4 cup bourbon and 3/4 cup coffee/water.
Can You Serve These To Kids? Yes the alcohol cooks out while baking. Asher loves these! If baking with 1 cup of bourbon, however, I would not serve to kids as they will taste the bourbon.
Hi! I plan on making these this weekend and am wondering if I can do any of the steps a day or 2 ahead of time? Thanks!
Hey Gianna,
Sure you can totally make the cupcakes ahead of time:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These look great! I think I’ll make them in a couple of days for my birthday 🙂
Question though, would dark rum be a reasonable replacement for bourbon? We have a bottle of rum already from eggnog season…
Hey Ross,
I’ve never tried these with rum, but I think it could work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
The Cupcakes and frosting turned out amazing but my filling is a bit grainy after being in the fridge overnight. Any suggestions?
Hey Rebecca,
I would go ahead and bake the cupcakes! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Outstanding flavors! This recipe is a definite keeper. I made them for my daughter (who loves to bake) and the whole loved them. Thank you for sharing your food adventures.
Hey Lisa,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I’ve made these twice in the last 4 days… I put them with my Christmas baked goods I gifted folks this year (aka I wanted to eat them but didn’t want 20 cupcakes just for me and hubs alone in our house ?). These are absolutely the BEST.
I almost had enough frosting left from the first batch to completely ice the second batch… but I’m 5 cupcakes short so fortunately/unfortunately I will have to make another batch of frosting today ?, and I think the leftover icing will go on my Christmas morning cinnamon rolls. The leftover filling may also get wrapped up in my cinnamon rolls because that also sounds like a sensible idea.
I’ve also made your molten chocolate pie last week and my entire Thanksgiving meal was comprised of recipes from your blog. Thank you for such great recipes with such clear directions. Your blog is one of the only food blogs I actually visit regularly.
Hey Ashley,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I’m confused. Are these MINI cupcakes or regular size? If they are mini, is 18-22 minutes the correct baking time? Thanks! I really want to try these!
Hey Linda,
These are regular sized cupcakes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this for my husbands birthday and turned it into a cake. It was delicious. I use lan oven thermometer so I know my temp is accurate. I cooked it about 25 minutes but I should have stuck with 20-22 minutes or used slightly smaller than 9” pans for it to be more moist. I used the filling between the two layers. It turned out fine and since the house is fairly cool I don’t think I really didn’t need to refrigerate it. I needed to warm it up to room temperature for ease of spreading. Though I am not a big fan of maple flavor it didn’t matter in the cake. Because it looked like plenty spread out. I only used about 1/3 but I definitely could have used a lot more. My last change was to make an Italian Buttercream since I don’t like using a lot of powdered sugar. I used half brown sugar and half white since this was my first attempt to use any brown sugar. I will try more next time. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Hey Kate,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! xTieghan
Hi! I made these a few weeks ago and the were a huge hit!!
I’ve received a request to make as a cake. Any tips would be appreciated. I was think 2 round 8 inch cake pan but not sure what would be best or if I’d need more batter?. Also oven temp and time?
Thanks!!
Hey Liz,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! I have never tested as a cake, but I have had other followers bake as a sheet cake, I would try this! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Would Cup4Cup flour work well if I wanted to make these gluten free? Also do you think it would change the texture if I made them gluten free? Thank you!
Hey Christina,
Yes, Cup4cup GF flour will work, unfortunately using GF flour will always slightly change the texture. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made those ! What an amazing recipe, everyone loved these cupcakes. So beautiful and tasty.
Thank you so much Anissa! xTieghan
These look so good!! Have you tried putting the pecan pie layer in the middle before cooking? Just thinking to make it a little less time-intensive.
Hey Ella,
I haven’t tried this, not sure how well it would work. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Is there a way you could turn this into a cake? How would you adjust baking time and temperature?
Thanks!
Hey Kayla,
I haven’t tested this as a cake but I would keep the baking temp the same and start checking for doneness at 30 minutes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
How long will the assembled cupcakes last? Room temp or fridge?
Hey Jamie,
The cupcakes will be good for 4-5 days. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Tieghan, We made these for Thanksgiving and they were truly the best part of the meal. The chocolate cake is bourbony and deep dark chocolate. The cinnamon toasted bourbon vanilla pecans could be eaten as is by the handful. But that filling was better than any pecan pie I’ve ever had. Really a perfect recipe!
Thank You,
Terri
Thank you so much Terri! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
These were a lot to make, but very delicious. However I could not get the filling into the cupcakes without the entire cake falling apart. I ended up putting the filling on the side as a dip. I’m not sure what i did wrong. I also only put 2c of powdered sugar for the frosting and it was still extremely sweet., so I would definitely pull back here. Otherwise, I would make again! Thank you.
Thank you so much T! I am glad this one turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Holy wow, these are amazing and we’re perfect for my husband’s birthday. Any thoughts on storing? I still have individual components seperate (filling, icing, cupcakes).
Hey Isabel,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! I would store in an airtight container on the counter. xTieghan
These look amazing and I’m going to make them for some birthdays this week! I am baking them tomorrow (Tuesday) for a tomorrow birthday, but will need them to last until Saturday night. I’ve frozen cupcakes before (unfrosted) and think they come out even moister after thawing. I wouldn’t frost them, but what about the filling? Will it, and the frosting keep in the fridge for 5 days?
Hey Shelby,
I think this would be fine to do! I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions and Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I shared these cupcakes and some mini mascarpone cheesecakes (Giada DeLaurentiis) with my neighbor and she said it best: “the cheesecake was good but the cupcakes are SPECIAL.” I made them according to the recipe with 1/2c bourbon and
they didn’t scream bourbon but they had a lingering warmth in the back of your throat that was magical. I can’t wait to see what happens with more bourbon. I did struggle with the pecan filling, it clumped up. I had to run it through a sieve to smooth it out and in the end it wasn’t as loose as it showed in the pictures but it tasted amazing. My adult daughter (and your biggest fan Tieghan) said the frosting was the best part. Caramelizing at the beginning imparted such flavor that was enhanced by the toasted/spiced pecans. This recipe is a keeper. I can’t wait to make them again and hear from other people who made them.
I am so happy these turned out so well for you, Karen! And I love that you shared with your neighbor! Thank you so much for trying these! xTieghan