This decadent dessert is everything you love about German chocolate cake in one easy-to-make pie! Layers of chocolate custard, perfectly sweet shredded coconut, and salted pecans all in a golden, flaky crust. It’s the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table! With the holidays just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about what desserts you want to serve alongside your meals! You really can’t go wrong with a delicious homemade pie. A few more incredible recipes to try are this banana cream pie, pistachio cream pie, and coconut cream key lime pie. They’re all creamy, delicious, and so easy to make!
Coconut Pecan German Chocolate Pie Recipe
German chocolate is one of my absolute favorite cake flavors. There’s just something about the combination of milky chocolate and sweet, shredded coconut that is to die for! When I first tried this pie I was blown away. It’s everything you love about German chocolate cake but in creamy, decadent pie form! (To be honest, I never thought that anything could be better than traditional German chocolate cake, but I think this pie has it beat.) Honestly, this German chocolate pie is everything you could want from a dessert. It’s rich and chocolatey while still being light and fluffy! You’re going to absolutely love the custard filling! And did I mention that the topping is made with shredded coconut, butter, brown sugar, and condensed milk? It’s every dessert lover’s dream and the perfect remedy for a sweet tooth.
German Chocolate Pie Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to put this insanely good pie together! German chocolate pie uses a lot of standard baking ingredients to make your life a little easier! Note: exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Cooked Pie Crust: You can use a premade crust or make your own from scratch using my recipe here. Note: since this is a cream pie and there’s no baking involved, you’ll want to make sure your crust is blind-baked and not raw.9-Inch Pie Pan: A deep pan is best for this recipe!
Filling
Milk Chocolate Chips: Give the custard its perfect chocolatey flavor. You can also use dark chocolate chips if you’d like!Butter: Adds richness and makes the texture of the filling extra creamy!Sugar: Granulated sugar makes the filling nice and sweet.Cornstarch: Helps the filling solidify.Whole Milk: Adds creaminess and makes the chocolate filling nice and smooth.Egg Yolks: Bind all of the ingredients together and make the filling smooth and silky!Vanilla Extract: Vanilla makes everything better! Add some in for a deeper, sweeter flavor.
Topping
Brown Sugar: For smoky, sweet flavor.Heavy Whipping Cream: Coats the flaked coconut in creamy, fluffy goodness!Sweetened Condensed Milk: You know the dessert is good if condensed milk is an ingredient. This adds flavor and a creamy texture to the topping!Butter: Adds richness and flavor.Large Egg Yolks: Help all of the topping ingredients to bind together.Sweetened Coconut Flakes: A must-add for that classic German chocolate flavor!Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract if you can for the best flavor.Salted Pecans: Chopped pecans add a boost of flavor and texture. You can also use chopped walnuts if you’d like!
How to Make German Chocolate Pie
This German chocolate pie is so easy to make! It’s also perfect for making ahead – this gives it plenty of time to chill and set so you can cut it into nice, uniform pieces!
To Make the Filling:
To Make the Topping:
Melt Chocolate Slowly: When melting the chocolate and butter together, be sure to do so in small increments, only 10-15 seconds at a time, stirring each time. Melting it too quickly can burn your chocolate.Let the Filling and Topping Chill: Allow your filling to cool in the fridge while preparing the topping so it can set up before you put the topping on. Remember to cool the topping for about ten minutes before putting it on your pie.Add Flaked Salt: If you want a salted caramel effect, add some salt to your topping, to taste.Use a Deep Pie Pan: Using a deeper pie pan is best for this recipe, if you want to use a shallower pan cut the filling recipe in half.Make a Homemade Crust: If you really want to take this recipe to the next level, try using my grandma’s perfect pie crust recipe! I also have a post on how to blind-bake a pie crust, which is a necessity for any cream-based pies you’ll make this season!Switch Out Chocolate Chips: This recipe uses milk chocolate chips, if you want a less sweet filling you can substitute for semi-sweet or even dark chocolate, depending on your preferences.
In the Refrigerator: Your German chocolate pie will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. Store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap.
Awesome German Chocolate Cake
German Chocolate Cookies
German Chocolate Fudge
German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.