I tried Ina Garten's new pecan pie recipe and it was the easiest Thanksgiving dessert I've ever made

Whether it's her delicious brown-butter skillet corn bread or creamy potato gratin, Garten has never let me down on Christmas and Thanksgiving. But I've never tried making one of Garten's desserts for the holidays. So when I saw a recipe for bourbon chocolate pecan pie in her new cookbook To-Go Dinners, which came out in October, I knew it'd be the perfect addition to my Thanksgiving menu. Garten recently told The New York Times that she is completely tired of cooking. So she created a classic Thanksgiving feast with store-bought ingredients to help exhausted home cooks. My goal was that you didn't know that store-bought thing was in there, Garten told the Times. I want to make store-bought taste homemade. Garten opted to use a store-bought crust for her pecan pie, and told the Times she thought it tasted even better than one made from scratch. Since the frozen crust is less buttery, it doesn't distract or compete with the rich bourbon-chocolate filling. I loved trying Garten's trick to elevate store-bought mashed potatoes, so I had high hopes for her pecan pie. Here's how it all went down.To make Garten's bourbon chocolate pecan pie, which serves 6-8, you'll need: 1 9-inch store-bought frozen pie crust2 extra-large eggs 1 cup whole pecans, large-diced 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled 1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips (Garten recommends Nestlé)½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed ½ cup granulated sugar½ cup all-purpose flour2 ½ tablespoons good bourbon (Garten recommends Maker's Mark)1 teaspoon pure vanilla extractGood vanilla ice cream for serving (Garten recommends Häagen-Dazs)Pro tip: Make sure you defrost your pie crust the night before baking. Garten's recipe calls for whole pecans that are large-diced, meaning they've been cut to ¾ inches per side. To save some time, I bought pecans that had already been halved and gave the nuts a quick rough chop to get them down to size. I threw in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and flour, along with one teaspoon of salt. I used a fork to combine everything. I threw in the eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and bourbon. My pie filling was nearly finished! I stirred everything together with a rubber spatula until they were combined. And just like that, my filling was done. Garten recommends crimping the edges of your store-bought crust with a floured fork. Since my crust already had a design, I decided to skip this step for fear it could end up looking messy.I smoothed the top of my pie and placed it on the center rack of the oven, which was set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.Garten recommends baking the chocolate bourbon pie for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is evenly golden brown on top and as firm in the middle as it is at the edges. Every oven is different, and my pie needed 44 minutes total to firm up more in the middle. Once I was confident my pie was ready, I transferred it to a wire rack and let it cool completely. I'd never made a pecan pie before, so I was really excited when it came out of the oven. The top had turned a pretty caramel color, and the store-bought crust made the pie look clean and professional. I'm still a novice when it comes to making desserts, but this is a pie I would've been proud to present at the Thanksgiving table. There's so much texture and flavor in Garten's bourbon chocolate pecan pie. The pecans gave each bite a delightful crunch, while the filling had an ooey-gooey creaminess from the chocolate chips that was so satisfying. And the store-bought crust was flaky and subtle, allowing the rich flavors to take center stage. My dad said the pie reminded him of a brownie, and he loved the burst of flavor it got from the bourbon. Prue would love this! he exclaimed, referring to The Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith, who has a penchant for boozy desserts. Garten recommends serving her pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and the two paired beautifully together. The vanilla helped cut through the denseness of the pie and lightened all that chocolate flavor. Garten's bourbon chocolate pecan pie couldn't have been easier. There was barely any prep, and I didn't even need to break out the stand mixer. Just a chop here, a whisk there, and everything was ready for the oven. And since it needs time to cool, this pie is a great dessert to make on Thanksgiving morning before you have to throw in the turkey. For those guests who don't love pumpkin pie or just want some sweet variety, Garten's new pie will definitely make everyone happy.

I tried Ina Garten's new pecan pie recipe and it was the easiest Thanksgiving dessert I've ever made

I love making Ina Garten's recipes, especially during the holidays.

Garten's bourbon chocolate pecan pie is among her new Thanksgiving recipes that feature store-bought items.

Garten's pecan pie includes a store-bought crust, chocolate chips, and bourbon.

First I prepped my pecans.

Then I added all my dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl.

I gave my dry ingredients a quick mix.

In a separate bowl, I added my wet ingredients.

Then I whisked everything together.

I poured my wet ingredients into the bowl with my dry ingredients.

Then I stirred in my chocolate chips and pecans.

I placed my pie crust on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and poured in the filling.

It was time to bake.

My bourbon chocolate pecan pie looked stunning.

Garten's bourbon chocolate pecan pie tasted like a decadent dream.

Garten's bourbon chocolate pecan pie is so quick and simple to make, it's sure to please everyone at Thanksgiving.