🌶️🥧 Z’Tejas Ancho Fudge Pie

A chocolate-lover’s dream with a subtle ancho Chile kick, just like Memaw likes it.

By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | November 2025

The beloved Z’Tejas Ancho Fudge Pie recipe, perfect for honoring the Austin favorite that served its last slice on June 30, 2025. For decades, Z’Tejas was more than a Southwestern-inspired restaurant; it was a gathering place. The spot where UT students celebrated birthdays on the deck overlooking West 6th. Where couples lingered over cornbread and margaritas before heading off to ACL Fest. Where countless locals fell in love with the warm spice, bold flavors, and that unmistakable Austin charm.

When the doors closed for good, longtime fans mourned the loss of its cast-iron cornbread, its smoky-chile warmth, and, of course, its famous Ancho Fudge Pie. Rich, chocolatey, and kissed with a subtle Texas heat, it was the dessert people ordered on first dates, graduation dinners, and anniversaries. It became a taste memory.

Now, baking it at home is more than making dessert, it’s a way to keep a little piece of Z’Tejas alive, to fill your kitchen with the same aromas that once drifted across West 6th Street, and to share a bit of Austin history with the next generation.

Course: Dessert
Servings: 6 slices

---

Ingredients

• ½ lb unsalted butter
• 2 oz pecan halves, chopped
• 2 oz walnuts, chopped
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp + 2 tsp brown sugar
• 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp ancho chile paste or ancho chile powder
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 store-bought pie crust (or homemade)

---

Instructions

Prepare the Pie Crust

1. Use a store-bought crust or your favorite homemade dough.
2. Line a 9-inch pie plate and fill with pie weights.
3. Bake at 425°F for 10–15 minutes, until the edges begin turning golden.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Make the Filling

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Spread the chopped pecans and walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs on low for 1 minute.
5. Add the flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until smooth.
6. Add the chocolate chips, ancho chile paste or powder, and the hot toasted nuts (the heat helps soften the chocolate).
7. With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the hot melted butter. Continue mixing until the chocolate is completely melted and the batter is fully combined.

Assemble & Bake

1. Brush the edge of the prepared pie crust with the beaten egg white.
2. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet.
3. Pour the chocolate-nut filling into the crust.
4. Bake at 300°F for 30 minutes, or until the center is just slightly firm.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Serve

Top with freshly whipped cream and maybe raise a fork to Z’Tejas and all the sweet memories.

---

Recipe courtesy of Z’Tejas, Austin.