Louisville Triple Crown Pie

When I was in the fourth grade, we had to do a project about what we wanted to be when we grew up.

What did I want to be?

A jockey.

I wanted to be a jockey. Poor fourth grade me didn’t realize I had already far surpassed the height restriction (I’m 6 foot tall now, I probably was 5’7″ back then). I built this little horse track out of construction paper and molded horses out of clay. My project was going to be the best one out of all my classmates! I was convinced I would be the greatest jockey in the world and nothing would stop me!

Thankfully, I grew out of those dreams—but I’ve always kept an interest in the sport of horse racing. I typically watch the Kentucky Derby every year, and I was so blissfully happy when American Pharoah won the Triple Crown two years ago.

The horse racing junkie in me went to the Mecca of racing a few years ago. My family and I roadtripped through the Southeastern United States, and one of our stops was in Louisville, Kentucky, where we visited Churchill Downs. It was a really neat experience setting foot on the track where so many famous horses had run before.

Kentucky, and more importantly Louisville, is not just known for its famous horses and races. There are also a ton of foods that local Kentuckians claim are legendary. Hot browns, Kentucky fried chicken, and the sinfully sweet Derby Pie.

In keeping with the Meal Madness theme, I decided to make my own version of the famed pie. You can’t call it a Derby Pie, though, because that term is trademarked by a family restaurant that claims they invented it. Instead, I shall dub this a Triple Crown Pie.

It’s amazing how the pie filling forms a crispy, almost cookie-like crust on top—-and then a gooey chocolate layer on bottom. It’s like a cross between a lava cake, a pecan pie, and a warm chocolate chip cookie. Seriously, all three of those things are incredbile by themself, and when you put them together?

They make a winner.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place pie crust into a deep pie plate (if it didn’t already come with one). In a large bowl, combine butter, flour and sugar and beat with a wire whisk until smooth.

Add eggs and mix well.

Add walnuts, chocolate chips and bourbon. Mix well.

Pour chocolate chip mixture into thawed pie crust. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half.

Let pie cool completely before serving. Serve with whipped cream.