Tasty Derby Pie Cookies

Here are my derby pie cookies, with a chewy brown sugar and bourbon base, loaded with toasted pecans and dark chocolate chunks, capturing all the flavors of the classic Kentucky dessert in cookie form.

These cookies are perfect for when you want that rich, nutty, chocolatey derby pie experience without turning on the oven for hours. Plus, they’re way easier to share at parties than slicing up a whole pie!

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

For these derby pie cookies, you’ll want to grab a good quality dark chocolate bar and chop it yourself rather than using chocolate chips. Chopped chocolate creates those irregular pieces that melt into gooey pockets throughout the cookie, giving you a better texture than uniform chips. Look for dark chocolate in the 60-70% cacao range – anything higher might be too bitter when combined with the bourbon and brown sugar. If you’re not a fan of dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate works just fine too, though you’ll lose a bit of that rich, grown-up flavor that makes these cookies special.

Options for Substitutions

These cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Bourbon: If you don’t have bourbon or prefer to skip the alcohol, you can use 2 tablespoons of milk or water mixed with ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. The cookies will still taste great, just without that signature bourbon flavor.
• Pecans: Walnuts are a natural swap for pecans and work perfectly in these cookies. You can also use chopped almonds or skip the nuts entirely if you have allergies.
• Dark chocolate: Semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks work just as well. Milk chocolate is fine too if you prefer sweeter cookies, or try a mix of dark and semi-sweet for balance.
• Light brown sugar: You can use all dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor, or substitute with white sugar plus 1 tablespoon of molasses per cup if that’s what you have on hand.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter works fine – just reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe to avoid over-salting your cookies.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with these cookies is not letting the melted butter cool enough before mixing it with the sugars and egg, which can scramble the egg and create a greasy, flat cookie instead of a thick, chewy one.

Another common error is skipping the chilling step when the dough feels soft – warm dough spreads too much in the oven, resulting in thin, crispy cookies rather than the thick, fudgy texture you’re after.

Overbaking is easy to do since these cookies look underdone when they’re actually perfect, so pull them out as soon as you see cracks forming on top even if the centers look slightly wet.

For even better results, use a kitchen scale to portion your dough balls so they bake evenly, and don’t skip the final sprinkle of flaky salt, which balances the sweetness and brings out the bourbon and chocolate flavors.

What to Serve With Derby Pie Cookies?

These bourbon-spiked cookies are rich and indulgent, so they pair perfectly with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee to balance out all that chocolate and pecan goodness. If you’re serving them at a party or gathering, they go great alongside vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an extra special dessert. For a true Kentucky Derby experience, serve them with a mint julep or sweet iced tea, which complements the bourbon flavor in the cookies. They’re also wonderful on their own as an afternoon snack with your favorite hot beverage.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They actually get a little chewier after a day or two, which I think makes them even better! Just make sure they’re completely cooled before storing so they don’t get sticky.

Freeze: Derby pie cookies freeze really well for up to 3 months. You can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers, or freeze the dough as individual balls on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. That way you can bake fresh cookies whenever you want!

Enjoy: If you’re eating frozen cookies, just let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes. For frozen dough, you can bake straight from the freezer – just add an extra minute or two to the baking time. They taste amazing with a glass of cold milk or your afternoon coffee.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3500-3700
• Protein: 35-40 g
• Fat: 190-210 g
• Carbohydrates: 420-440 g

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 1/2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 4.5 oz dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace and Mise en Place

• 4.5 oz dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
• 3/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Chop the dark chocolate into chunks and chop the toasted pecans into bite-sized pieces.

Having everything ready before you start mixing will keep the process smooth and prevent the dough from overworking while you gather ingredients.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars

• 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Melt the 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then let it cool for 5 minutes—this slight cooling prevents the egg from cooking when you add it later.

Pour the cooled butter into a medium bowl and add the packed brown sugar and granulated sugar.

Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes until the mixture becomes light and slightly fluffy.

I find that creaming the butter and sugar thoroughly helps develop a slightly tender crumb in these cookies, which works perfectly with the bourbon and chocolate.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients

• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 1/2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Add the room-temperature egg to the butter-sugar mixture and beat well for about 30 seconds until fully incorporated.

Pour in the bourbon and vanilla extract, stirring until everything is smooth and combined.

The room-temperature egg ensures it blends seamlessly without any lumps.

Step 4: Mix and Incorporate Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and ground cinnamon.

This whisking combines the leavening agents evenly throughout the flour, which helps the cookies rise and crack slightly on top as they bake.

Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until no streaks of flour remain—don’t overmix, as this keeps the cookies tender.

Step 5: Fold in Pecans and Chocolate

• dough mixture from Steps 2-4
• 3/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 4.5 oz dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Gently fold the chopped pecans and dark chocolate chunks into the dough using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until evenly distributed.

If the dough feels very soft and sticky, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm it up slightly—this makes scooping easier.

I prefer to chill when needed rather than always, as it keeps the dough tender and prevents overdevelopment of gluten.

Step 6: Scoop and Bake the Cookies

• dough from Step 5

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure, portion the dough into approximately 3-tablespoon balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.

Bake for 12 minutes, until the tops appear cracked and set but the centers still feel slightly soft when gently pressed—they’ll continue to cook on the hot pan as they cool.

The cookies should look just barely underdone when you pull them from the oven for the best chewy-tender texture.

Step 7: Cool and Finish

Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes to set slightly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sprinkle a light pinch of fleur de sel or flake sea salt on each warm cookie if desired—this enhances the chocolate and bourbon flavors beautifully.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Tasty Derby Pie Cookies

Delicious Tasty Derby Pie Cookies recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 24 cookies

Calories: 3600

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 1/2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 4.5 oz dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Chop the dark chocolate into chunks and chop the toasted pecans into bite-sized pieces. Having everything ready before you start mixing will keep the process smooth and prevent the dough from overworking while you gather ingredients.
2. Melt the 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then let it cool for 5 minutes—this slight cooling prevents the egg from cooking when you add it later. Pour the cooled butter into a medium bowl and add the packed brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes until the mixture becomes light and slightly fluffy. I find that creaming the butter and sugar thoroughly helps develop a slightly tender crumb in these cookies, which works perfectly with the bourbon and chocolate.
3. Add the room-temperature egg to the butter-sugar mixture and beat well for about 30 seconds until fully incorporated. Pour in the bourbon and vanilla extract, stirring until everything is smooth and combined. The room-temperature egg ensures it blends seamlessly without any lumps.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and ground cinnamon. This whisking combines the leavening agents evenly throughout the flour, which helps the cookies rise and crack slightly on top as they bake. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until no streaks of flour remain—don't overmix, as this keeps the cookies tender.
5. Gently fold the chopped pecans and dark chocolate chunks into the dough using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until evenly distributed. If the dough feels very soft and sticky, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm it up slightly—this makes scooping easier. I prefer to chill when needed rather than always, as it keeps the dough tender and prevents overdevelopment of gluten.
6. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure, portion the dough into approximately 3-tablespoon balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake for 12 minutes, until the tops appear cracked and set but the centers still feel slightly soft when gently pressed—they'll continue to cook on the hot pan as they cool. The cookies should look just barely underdone when you pull them from the oven for the best chewy-tender texture.
7. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes to set slightly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle a light pinch of fleur de sel or flake sea salt on each warm cookie if desired—this enhances the chocolate and bourbon flavors beautifully. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.