German Chocolate Pie

What Makes This German Chocolate Pie Different

There are a few different styles of German chocolate pie. Some are made with a chocolate pudding or ganache layer and a separate coconut-pecan topping. This version is much simpler. The chocolate, pecans, and coconut are folded into one thick filling and baked together in a flaky pastry crust. 

The texture is somewhere between a fudgy brownie and a pecan pie filling. It is rich, dense, and a little gooey in the center, with a thin crackly crust on top. It is especially good for Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, or anytime you need a chocolate dessert that can be made ahead.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Pie crust – Use one regular 9-inch unbaked pastry crust, either store-bought or homemade pie crust. A deep-dish crust is not needed.
• Butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips – Melted butter and most of the chocolate chips make the rich chocolate base, while the remaining chips are folded into the filling.
• All-purpose flour – Gives the filling structure and helps it set as the pie bakes.
• Brown sugar and granulated sugar – Using both gives the filling sweetness and a deeper caramel-like flavor.
• Eggs and vanilla extract – Eggs bind and set the filling, while vanilla rounds out the chocolate flavor.
• Pecans and sweetened flaked coconut – These give the pie the nutty, chewy flavors associated with German chocolate desserts. 

Ingredient Additions and Substitutions

I recommend making this German Chocolate Pie as written the first time because changes to the sugar, eggs, and chocolate can affect how the filling sets. If you need to make a substitution, these are the ones I would consider:

• Nut-free – Leave out the pecans. The pie will have less crunch, but you don’t need to replace them with another ingredient.
• Gluten-free – Use a gluten-free pie crust and replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
• Egg substitute – One reader reported having good results with flaxseed meal as an egg substitute. I haven’t tested that variation myself, so the texture may be different. 
• Different chocolate – I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips because they balance the sweet coconut and sugars. German’s sweet chocolate or milk chocolate will make the filling sweeter, so I recommend sticking with semi-sweet for the recipe as written.
• Optional toppings – Add whipped cream, toasted coconut, chopped pecans, chocolate shavings, or a light dusting of cocoa powder just before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Use a regular 9-inch pie crust. An 8-inch or 8 1/2-inch crust may be too small for the filling, and you do not need a deep-dish crust. This was one of the most common questions in the comments. 
• Don’t prebake the crust. The pastry crust and chocolate filling bake together.
• Don’t worry if the batter is thick. It should be much thicker than a pudding-style pie filling and may need to be spooned or spread into the crust. Several readers have asked about this, and the thick batter is normal. 
• Start checking at 35 minutes. Oven temperatures and pie plates vary. Look for a set, slightly puffed top and a center that has only a small jiggle.
• Don’t overbake. The filling continues to set as the pie cools. Baking until the center is completely firm can give you a drier, more fudge-like texture.
• Protect the crust if needed. If the edges are getting too brown before the filling is ready, loosely cover the crust edge with foil or a pie shield. 
• Let it cool before cutting. The slices hold together much better once the filling has had time to set.
• Toast the pecans if you like extra nutty flavor. Let them cool before folding them into the filling. You can also lightly toast coconut for garnish. 

Make Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: This is a great pie to make a day or two before serving. Bake it, let it cool completely, cover it, and refrigerate. For a softer, fudgier texture, let it sit at room temperature for a short time before serving.

Refrigerator: Cover leftover pie tightly with plastic wrap or place slices in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Once completely cool, wrap the pie or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Serving leftovers: You can serve the pie chilled, at room temperature, or warm an individual slice in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds for a softer, gooier center. 

Pairing Ideas

German Chocolate Pie is especially good at the end of a holiday meal, so I love serving it after classics like Roasted Turkey and Homemade Mashed Potatoes. For the pie itself, add a small scoop of Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. The cold vanilla ice cream is so good with a slightly warm slice of rich chocolate pie.