This isn’t a “diet” pie or a sugar-free pie. It’s a pie. It’s naughty. Just not as much as usual.

Less than half the sugar of the typical pecan pie, no butter. Nothing particularly righteous about 2/3 of a cup of sugar, but it’s better than two cups. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway.

How could I mess with the classic southern karo pecan pie? Moxie. Pure moxie. That, and as much as I adore the original, I wanted to be able to eat more than one bite without going into pancreatic shock. Plus, it puts the spotlight on the pecans.

Moderately Sinful Chocolate Pecan Pie

1/3 cup brown or demerara cane sugar
1/3 cup honey
3 eggs
2 T. brandy or 2 tsp. vanilla
pinch salt
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, minis, regular, or chunks
2 cups pecan halves

1 single-crust pie shell, unbaked (I halve this recipe).

Blend the first 5 ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Add the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into the pie crust.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes, until crust and top of pie are nicely golden.

I also make this without the chocolate chips.

(Note: the crust in the photo is 1/2 all-purpose, 1/2 whole wheat, so it looks extra browned).