Buttery Derby Pie Bars

Finding the perfect dessert that captures the rich, boozy flavors of classic Derby Pie but actually makes sense for feeding a crowd can feel impossible. After all, slicing perfect pie pieces gets messy, and nobody wants to deal with a soggy bottom crust when you’re trying to serve dessert at a party or potluck.

That’s where these Derby pie bars come in handy: they’ve got all the chocolate-walnut-bourbon goodness of the original, they’re way easier to cut into neat squares, and you can make them ahead of time without any stress.

What Kind of Chocolate Chips Should I Use?

For derby pie bars, you can use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate chips depending on your preference. Semi-sweet is the traditional choice and gives you that classic balance of sweetness and chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with the bourbon and walnuts. If you like things a bit less sweet, dark chocolate chips (around 60-70% cacao) will give you a more grown-up, sophisticated taste. You can even mix half semi-sweet and half dark chocolate if you want the best of both worlds. Just avoid using chocolate chips that are too high in cacao percentage, as they might make the bars taste a bit bitter.

Options for Substitutions

These bars are pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make:

• Bourbon or whiskey: If you’re avoiding alcohol or just don’t have bourbon on hand, you can use 3 tablespoons of strong brewed coffee or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. The flavor will be different but still tasty.
• Walnuts: Pecans are actually the traditional choice for Derby pie and work great here. You can also use a mix of both, or try toasted almonds if that’s what you have.
• Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chips are standard, but feel free to use dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate, or even a combination. You could also chop up a chocolate bar instead of using chips.
• Butter: For the crust, the cold butter is important for getting that crumbly texture, so don’t substitute that part. But for the filling, you could use margarine in a pinch, though butter gives better flavor.
• All-purpose flour: Stick with all-purpose flour for this recipe – it’s really needed for the right texture in both the crust and filling.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making derby pie bars is overbaking the filling, which can turn your gooey, fudgy center into a dry, cake-like texture – pull them from the oven when the center still has a slight jiggle, as they’ll continue to firm up while cooling.

Another common error is skipping the cooling time, but cutting into these bars too early will cause them to fall apart, so resist the temptation and let them cool for the full 30 minutes (or even longer if you can wait).

For the crust, make sure your butter is truly cold and cubed, not softened, since this creates that perfect crumbly shortbread base – if your butter is too warm, the crust will be tough instead of tender.

Finally, don’t be shy with the bourbon since the alcohol flavor mellows during baking, and if you want an extra boost of flavor, try adding a splash to your vanilla ice cream when serving.

What to Serve With Derby Pie Bars?

These bars are pretty rich and decadent on their own, so a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is really all you need to make them perfect. The cold ice cream melting into the warm, gooey chocolate and walnut filling is absolutely delicious. If you want to get fancy, you could drizzle a little extra bourbon over the ice cream or add a dollop of fresh whipped cream. A hot cup of coffee or a glass of cold milk also pairs nicely with these bars, especially if you’re serving them as an afternoon treat or after-dinner dessert.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your derby pie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. I actually prefer them cold from the fridge because the chocolate gets a little firmer and they’re easier to cut into clean squares.

Freeze: These bars freeze really well for up to 3 months. Just cut them into individual portions, wrap each one in plastic wrap, then store them all together in a freezer bag. That way you can grab one whenever you need a quick dessert fix.

Serve: Let frozen bars thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. They’re delicious at room temp, chilled, or even slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top for that classic derby pie experience.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 4200-4500
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 260-280 g
• Carbohydrates: 470-500 g

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

For the filling:

• 12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup quality bourbon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

For serving:

• Vanilla bean ice cream

Step 1: Prepare the Shortbread Crust

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, flour, and salt.

Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible—this texture is crucial for a tender, flaky crust.

Press this mixture firmly and evenly into a 9×13 inch baking dish, working it up slightly along the sides.

Bake for 20-23 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn light golden brown.

The crust should be set but not fully browned since it will bake again with the filling.

Step 2: Create the Derby Pie Filling

• 12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup quality bourbon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

While the crust bakes, whisk together the melted and cooled butter with the granulated sugar in a large bowl until well combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition to create a smooth base.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

Fold the dry mixture into the butter mixture gently until just combined.

Stir in the bourbon and vanilla extract—I love using quality bourbon here as it adds an authentic Kentucky character to these bars.

Finally, fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts, being careful not to overmix.

Step 3: Assemble and Bake the Bars

• Pre-baked crust from Step 1
• Filling mixture from Step 2

Remove the pre-baked crust from the oven and let it cool for just 2-3 minutes.

Pour the filling from Step 2 evenly over the warm crust, spreading it gently to the edges.

Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the filling is set but still slightly jiggly in the very center—it should not be completely firm.

I find that slightly underbaking these bars keeps them fudgy and rich, which is exactly what you want for a Derby Pie.

Step 4: Cool and Cut into Squares

Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

This cooling time allows the filling to set properly so the bars will cut cleanly without falling apart.

Once cooled, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water (and wiped dry between cuts) to cut the bars into uniform squares.

Step 5: Serve with Ice Cream

• Vanilla bean ice cream

Serve the Derby Pie bars warm or at room temperature with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top.

The melting ice cream creates a luxurious contrast with the warm, fudgy bars.

Buttery Derby Pie Bars

Delicious Buttery Derby Pie Bars recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Servings: 24 pieces

Calories: 4350

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the crust

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

For the filling

• 12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup quality bourbon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

For serving

• Vanilla bean ice cream

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, flour, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible—this texture is crucial for a tender, flaky crust. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into a 9x13 inch baking dish, working it up slightly along the sides. Bake for 20-23 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn light golden brown. The crust should be set but not fully browned since it will bake again with the filling.
2. While the crust bakes, whisk together the melted and cooled butter with the granulated sugar in a large bowl until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition to create a smooth base. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Fold the dry mixture into the butter mixture gently until just combined. Stir in the bourbon and vanilla extract—I love using quality bourbon here as it adds an authentic Kentucky character to these bars. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts, being careful not to overmix.
3. Remove the pre-baked crust from the oven and let it cool for just 2-3 minutes. Pour the filling from Step 2 evenly over the warm crust, spreading it gently to the edges. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the filling is set but still slightly jiggly in the very center—it should not be completely firm. I find that slightly underbaking these bars keeps them fudgy and rich, which is exactly what you want for a Derby Pie.
4. Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. This cooling time allows the filling to set properly so the bars will cut cleanly without falling apart. Once cooled, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water (and wiped dry between cuts) to cut the bars into uniform squares.
5. Serve the Derby Pie bars warm or at room temperature with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. The melting ice cream creates a luxurious contrast with the warm, fudgy bars.