Heavenly Kahlua Pecan Pie and I go way back. In the late ‘80s, my little PR agency represented Kahlua as a client. Before spirits were OK to advertise on TV, and before stupid corporate changes decimated the brand (ouch, I’m still bitter), Kahlua was on TOP. The brand made piles of money and spent it well via its longtime ad agency, EJL, longtime sales promotion agency, Flair, and… me! Whenever my dear friend from the ad agency and I meet up, we still laugh about how well we spent their money. Life Was Sweet.
The majority of my Kahlua work was convincing consumers to make something yummy. Our goal was to remind people how MMMMM and OOOOH Kahlua tasted in practically anything – booze, coffee, milk, ice cream, cakes, barbecue sauce, ham glaze, and of course PIE.
Back then, the ad agency produced a now-legendary little Kahlua recipe book, and bazillions were distributed free via snail mail or at events (write a comment below and tell me if you have one!). One of the classics: the incredible Kahlua Pecan Pie.
If you love pecan pie, you will LOVE LOVE LOVE Kahlua Pecan Pie. Always garners rave reviews. It is a handy recipe, and one that I made often for Kahlua activities. I’ve even carried one on a flight from LA to a meeting in CT. Larry has completely mastered this recipe, he is the pie maker now, and we get requests for it during the holidays. Larry is known for PIE.
Original Classic Kahlua Pecan Pie
- Pastry crust
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3/4 granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup Kahlua
- 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup whole or chopped pecans
- Optional: whipped cream and pecan halves
Line 9 in. pie pan with your favorite pastry recipe; chill. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cream together butter, sugar, vanilla and flour. Mix well, beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in Kahlua, corn syrup, evaporated milk and pecans. Mix well, pour into pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F. and bake until firm (about 40 minutes). Chill. Garnish, if desired. Serves 8 – 10.
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I have the recipe book too, and yes, the pecan pie is fantastic! But my very favorite part of the booklet is the Kahlúa poem:
Look what Kahlúa can do
this endless delight can treat you to
tastes so delicious, whatever your wishes
Kahlúa can easily do!
Look what Kahlúa can make
from cocktails through dinner to cake.
Enchanting, entrancing, uniquely enhancing
Only Kahlúa can do!
Look what Kahlúa can be
it’s a holiday feast or iced tea!
Whatever your pleasure, it starts with this treasure
of versatility!
Just wanted to say I have one the Kailua cookbooks. I didn’t know they were rare. Now I know I have a keepsake.
Loreen, when my pie cooled, it set beautifully. I’m not a fan of pecan pies — too sweet — but this one is delicious. Definately a keeper!
Anne, well the company is wrong about the recipes being lost. I have them all, more than 500!
I still have my book, and it’s the one recipe I’ve been making consistently through the years! In fact, it ended up becoming a staple at a B&B where I worked back in the early 90s. I contacted Kahlua a few months ago about posting the recipe on my blog, and I was surprised to learn that all those recipes had been lost when the company was sold!
I have the exact little book and LOVE it; have had it for years and always make the Kahlua pecan and sometimes Kahlua pumpkin pies. Thank heavens for Google. I left the book at my beach home, where I usually spend Thanksgiving but not this year. Thanks for posting the recipe.
Loreen, yes I believe they will set. Hot sugar is syrupy.
Have my pies in right now, but they are sort of soupy…..smell great. I hope they will set as they chill as I have to move onto other cooking..
What a great post re the recipt book. I have had it for years and it has become my holiday pie. Friends and family always ask me to bring the Kuluha pecan, which I will do again this year. I just though I would see if it was on here before I run to the store tonight again without the receipt and buy the wrong stuff !!
dk
I feel so “special”! I have my little book of AWSOME kahula recipes. It is very loved. Didn’t realize what I had. Think I will laminate!
Thanks all for sharing!
I loved that cookbook, and would make the Kahlua Pecan Pie every Thanksgiving! Back in the day (when that came out) I did a lot of “archaeological vacations” in Mexico, and would always make sure to change out my remaining Pesos for (very, very cheap) Kahlua at the airport’s duty-free store on my way back home, so I always had a supply for trying recipes out of that. The other thing I really liked from the book was a sweet potato bake … yum!
Thanks for the recipe. Yes, I had the cookbook but lost it in June when my home burned to the ground in a wildfire. Now I can get on with what is expected of me for the holidays.
I actually do have a copy of the wonderful little Kahlua cookbook. I think it came to me from my mother and now my daughter just emailed me asking that I bring the pie recipe with me when we gather for Thanksgiving. Isn’t it nice to hand down delicious recipes and customs from generation to generation.. Happy day.
I am a recipe junkie. I have boxes of recipe pamphlets going back to the late 30′s that I inherited from my grandmothers. Many are for brands that no longer exist.
I just happen to have the Kahlua pamphlet and I love it. I am going to have to build another room soon to hold my collection.
Awwww, Tony, you made my heart sing! Luckily, 6 or 7 little booklets only takes up 1/2 inch width on the cookbook shelf.
Hi Patti!
Two things!
Number !: Your blog is absoluty the BEST!!! I Love it when I receive an email containing the next addition of your blog because I know there is going to be a tasty treat inside waiting for my attempt at perfection. And that’s not to mention the pleaseure I recieve from hearing about yours and Larry’s latest globe trotting adventures.
Number 2: No one needs 6 or 7 “little Kahlua receipe books”…. do they?….and somehow despite my almost lifelong romance with this delicious liquid gold, I have negelected to acquire one…. if you can’t tell me where I can get one of these little jems…. may I have one of yours?
From a dedicated fan….. Please keep the posts coming!
Tony
Rhonda, I would bet you can find a copy of the Kahlua recipe booklet on Amazon or ebay!
I am so sad! I lost my book over the years in moving. Where can I get another?!
Help!
Paul, we just moved, too. And guess what, we unearthed our last six of these treasured booklets.
I actually had one of the recipe booklets, lost it in one of several moves and then found another about 8 years ago on eBay! The pie was wonderful but I really loved the Cornish game hens and the Chinese chicken salad.
Paul
Denise, I actually have 500+ Kahlua recipes. This one still tops the list of all time classics.
OMG! I remember that book!!! My dad owned a liquor store and brought that booklet home. I decided to make it. Mind you I was under 21 at the time, but my Dad said go ahead and make it. I wish I still had that book. So glad I found it on your site!!
Jan, I agree with you, it DOES get better with each bite.
I tried the kahlua pecan pie at a church potluck luncheon and it got better with each taste! I’m glad I found this recipe and will be making it for Christmas this year! WIsh I’d known about the recipe booklet, I would love to have one!
Thank you so much for the glaze recipe..I really appreciate it. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
Linda, here is that ham recipe!
Kahlúa Baked Ham
10 lb. precooked ham
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons Kahlúa
1/2 cup Kahlúa
2 tablespoons dry mustard
Whole cloves
Place ham with rind on a rack in roasting pan, fat side up. Roast in 300 degrees F oven, 18 minutes per pound. During last hour, trim rind, score fat (criss-cross) and stud with whole cloves. Sprinkle top with brown sugar, then 3 tablespoons Kahlúa. Pour 1/2 cup Kahlúa mixed with mustard into pan. Baste frequently with pan syrup.
I haven’t ever heard of the recipe book…wish I had one. Sounds great. I saw your recipe for the pecan pie and now have a copy..thank you. I believe I must have had that pecan pie recipe years ago, because I know I have made it. What I really need is the recipe for the ham glaze. Used to make it for my Christmas hams but have misplaced mine. Enjoyed reading everything and all the posts.
Thank you,
lindalobo
I have a copy of the book and LOVE it! My pecan pie always gets eaten first at any gathering I take it too. The apple pie is delicious too.
I first made this pie when I but a young thing, newly married, and beginning to contribute to the feasts. It always got rave reviews. I pulled the recipe out of a magazine and have guarded it with my life, but the recipe binder is not accessible at the moment.
My husband just did an internet search for it, and asked “Does your recipe have chocolate chips in it?”
“Yikes! No get off that site!”
Thanks for having the recipe available, and for the reassurance that I’ve got the right one. I’ll add it to my Epicurious box so that I always have it wherever I am.
I used to have one of the cookbooks – but I purged over 50 books from my collection a decade or more ago, and sadly, that one was given away. I’ll be keeping an eye out for it at the used books stores.
Hello all, so funny to run across this web site…we have one of the kahula Recipe books and have a sister-in-law thats keeps claiming its hers…ha ha…would be glad to scan and send it to you? Richard
Happy to oblige, Kathryn. Here is the Kahlua Pecan Pie recipe — Larry makes it often, and beautifully!
I had one of the recipe books for 30yrs. Everyone loves my Kahlua fudge. BUT I went to get the book to make the Kahlua pecan pie and having moved a yr ago, I couldn’t find it. I am beyond sad. Can you help me.
Glad to find pecan pie receipe. Lost my booklet I had for years; Would like the pumpkin pie receipe too. Connie
Trang, Cathy and Joanne — that little booklet is a treasure! I’ll be making more of its contents in the coming year.
My dad got the book over 15+ years ago and started the tradition of kahlua pecan pie and kahlua pumpkin pie for the holidays! To this day I still make the pies every Christmas and thanksgiving, family and friends joke you’ll need a designated driver if you eat a slice (ok I tend to add an extra splash or two of Kahlua) lol!
I have this book somewhere and make the kahlua pie but I didn’t want to hunt for my book. Had no idea it was an “item”.
Somewhere in my boxes of collected recipes I have your booklet. How fun ! This Christmas I am going to try the yummy looking pecan pie ! Thanks for the posting.
Valerie, I worked for the Kahlua company for years, have at least 500 Kahlua recipes in my collection, but never encountered a Kahlua Marshmallow Pie. Do share!!
I have had that little recipe book since it came out and have used this recipe many times over the years. Sometimes I even add dark chocolate pieces to the mix which everyone loves.
I do NOT have the book – and I am IN! This recipe looks fantastic. Of course, I use Kahlua in my Tiramisu, and I also have another deadly pie recipe that I have transformed into a truffle – and the filling is great in coffee. Maybe it was in the book? Kahlua Marshmallow Pie? It has chocolate cookie crust and the filling is a cup (yup) of Kahlua, a jar of marshmallow cream and I cannot remember – but more than a fair amount of whipping cream whipped… It is STILL a favourite.
Valerie
This sounds like something worth trying!
Happy to oblige, Theresa. I find those booklets all over the place here, and the newer version which I actually produced. Will feature things from that one, too.
Thank you for posting the recipe! I have that little Kalhua book somewhere, & have made this pie for several Thanksgivings. I must have tucked it into a larger cookbook or magazine and haven’t seen it in a while. This pie was requested for this year’s celebration and I’m thrilled to have found the original recipe, thanks!
Yum. That pie looks so tasty as did the Croque Monsieur in your last post, though I am more of a Croque Madame girl myself.
Dorothy, I know you are the Blue Ribbon Pie Winning Blogger out there. Make one. Total yum.
Miss American Pie (moi!) thinks she needs to make this!