German Chocolate Pie

4.94 from 93 votes
87 Comments

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This German Chocolate Pie recipe idea comes straight from Amish country. The rich, gooey, chocolate filling is to die for!

Slice of German Chocolate Pie on a plate with a fork.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients for the Best German Chocolate Pie
  2. Start with the Crust
  3. Tips for Easy German Chocolate Pie
  4. Frequently Asked Questions
  5. How to Store Homemade German Chocolate Pie
  6. Rave Review
  7. More German Chocolate Recipes
  8. More Pie Recipes
  9. How to Make German Chocolate Pie
  10. German Chocolate Pie Recipe

While traveling through a small Amish town several years ago, we stopped at an authentic Amish restaurant that served German Chocolate Pie. It was so good, we ended up buying an entire pie to eat the next day. Ever since then, I have been dreaming about, drooling over, and seriously craving this pie.

After many attempts, I think I have finally perfected it! I knew I had it right when my family ate the entire pie out of the pan before it even had time to cool! If you are a fan of German pie, you will also love this German chocolate cake. Both have the best chocolate flavors and are perfect for celebrating those special days!

Overview of German Chocolate Pie next to a slice of pie on a plate.


Ingredients for the Best German Chocolate Pie

Grab your pie plate and let’s get ready to make the best coconut pecan german chocolate pie! Don’t let this list of ingredients scare you. These are all staple ingredients in your pantry, ready to make the world’s best pie!

  • Pie crust – Store bought or homemade pie crust works for this recipe. Make it easier or homemade, either way will be delicious.
  • Butter – Melt your butter in the microwave before adding to the chocolate chips. I like to use unsalted butter.
  • Chocolate chips – I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk or dark chocolate will work well too. The butter and chocolate chips will blend together and melt in unison in a small bowl. This works great to prevent lumps.
  • Flour – I used all-purpose flour for the pie. This holds the ingredients together and helps bind the wet ingredients.
  • Brown sugar and sugar – The sugars bring in the sweetness for the german pie and adds a bit of sugary texture. Mix sugar together with the flour to make a base for the chocolate mixture.
  • Eggs – Whisk together the eggs with either a fork or small whisk.
  • Vanilla extract – Adds an extra touch of flavor!
  • Pecans and coconut – It is traditional to have pecans and coconut over top and occasionally in the german chocolate. Together, they make the best combination! If you need to change the pecans to another type of nuts, that will work too.
  • Optional: top with some whipped topping, toasted coconut, and chocolate shavings or dust with a little cocoa powder.
Pie crust, pecans, chocolate chips, coconut, flour, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla and eggs to make German Chocolate Pie.

Start with the Crust

The pie crust is simply a basic pie crust. You can buy a frozen or refrigerated crust or make your own. Just don’t use a graham cracker crust for this one, you want a nice pastry like baked pie shell. For a perfectly flaky and tasty pie crust, see our Perfect Pie Crust Recipe. As good as the pie crust is, the chocolate pie filling is what makes this pie so incredible. Honestly the best chocolate pie recipe I’ve had.

Loaded with decadent flavors and textures, it is almost like eating a German chocolate brownie in a pie crust, only better. Just imagine moist, dense, rich chocolate, coconut, and pecan in every bite. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is!

Plate of German Chocolate Pie next to a fork holding a bite of pie.

Tips for Easy German Chocolate Pie

Luckily, this recipe is pretty straight forward, and the flavor combination is overwhelmingly the best! This classic pie is full of coconut, chocolate, and pecans. There are not too many tips or variations for chocolate german pie but make this pie your own and enjoy every bit of it!

  • Chocolate: The key to melting chocolate is going slow. Melt your butter first, then slowly stir the chocolate and the butter together. You can even use a saucepan instead of the microwave.
  • Pie pan: If you double this recipe, make sure to have a deep dish pie pan. This will hold all the contents inside the pie plate.
  • Toppings: Add extra toasted coconut, chopped pecans, and cool whip or heavy whipping cream on top!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is German chocolate pie made of?

German chocolate pie has all the pantry staples like sugar, vanilla, eggs, flour, plus the traditional german chocolate favorites like chocolate, pecans, and coconut. This pie has a caramel- coconut frosting that has a fudge and chocolatey filling.

Why is it called German chocolate?

Back in 1852, a man named Samuel German developed a type of dark baking chocolate for the chocolate company. He was known to be one of the best bakers back then. In honor of him, the company used his name for the Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate.

What is the difference between chocolate and German chocolate?

Chocolate is more semi-sweet chocolate and less fat compared German chocolate. German chocolate is known to be more sweet and has more flavorings with a mixture of chocolate liquor, sugar cocoa butter, and fat from egg yolks.

Can I substitute semi-sweet chocolate for German chocolate?

That will work too! It may be more work, but you can take one ounce of bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate plus ½ tablespoon sugar for each ounce of German chocolate in the recipe. You can also use baking chips for the amount of chocolate in this substitution too.

What should I do with leftovers?

Keep any leftover pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze German chocolate pie?

Yes! You can either freeze the pie cooked or uncooked. You can freeze and bake, or freeze and thaw to bake. There are a few options when it comes to dessert pies.

How to Store Homemade German Chocolate Pie

Making pies is the fun part! Pies are simple to make, feed many, and can be frozen or baked. There are so many options to take care of a pie compared to other desserts. Pick which way is best for you!

Frozen or refrigerated, either way, you do need to place the pies in an airtight container and/or plastic wrap the whole pie or individual slices. Once the pie is baked, place it in an air tight container for 5 to 7 days.

If you are making ahead of time and want to store it in the freezer, wrap it tightly and place in the freezer. When ready to thaw, place on the counter overnight or bake a little longer for a frozen pie.

Baked German Chocolate Pie in a clear glass pie plate.

Rave Review

“Well…I made this pie without the substitution and used the ingredients called for in the recipe and, OMG, this pie is totally awesome and had to come directly from a bakery off the golden streets in heaven…most likely the Pearly Gates bakery!! You are correct it is a very dense pie and so very rich. We could only eat a sliver at a time. We tried it room temp and straight from the fridge, but we found we like to microwave it for about 15 seconds, eat, or add a small scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. This will be a must have holiday pie from now on. I also plan to make some as gifts for the coming holidays. Thank you so much for sharing this, God Bless.”

– Scott

Read More:33+ Easy Dessert Recipes

More German Chocolate Recipes

We are crazy about German chocolate recipes, and have a bunch on Favorite Family Recipes. Try one of these delicious choices with the main ingredient, German chocolate. You know you can’t go wrong with that!

More Pie Recipes

We love to have a wide variety of pies for Thanksgiving and other special occasions. Some of our other favorite pies are listed below:

How to Make German Chocolate Pie

German Chocolate Pie slice on a plate topped with whipped cream, toasted coconut and chocolate.

German Chocolate Pie

4.94 from 93 votes
This German Chocolate Pie recipe idea comes straight from Amish country. The rich, gooey, chocolate filling is to die for!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, German
Servings 8 servings

Video

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place uncooked pie crust in pie tin.
    Homemade Pie shell for German Chocolate Pie filling.
  • In small bowl, microwave butter until completely melted. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and stir until smooth.
    Bowl of melted butter and chocolate for German Chocolate Pie filling. Wooden spoon on the side.
  • In separate bowl, stir together flour and sugars. 
    Bowl of dry ingredients for German Chocolate Pie filling.
  • Slowly add chocolate/butter mixture and stir until blended.
    Bowl of chocolate mixture combined with dry ingredients for German Chocolate Pie filling.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
    Bowl of German Chocolate Pie filling mixture.
  • Fold in pecans, coconut, and ¼ cup chocolate chips.
    Bowl of pecans, coconut and chocolate chips on German Chocolate Pie filling mixture.
  • Pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake 35-40 minutes or until top is set. DON'T OVER BAKE!
    Unbaked German Chocolate Pie in a glass pie plate.
  • Allow to cool before serving.
    Baked German Chocolate Pie in a clear glass pie plate.
  • Optional: top with some whipped topping, toasted coconut, and chocolate shavings or dust with a little cocoa powder.
    Plate of German Chocolate Pie next to a fork holding a bite of pie.

Notes

How to Store German Chocolate Pie

  • Frozen or refrigerated, either way, you do need to place the pies in an airtight container and/or plastic wrap the whole pie or individual slices. Once the pie is baked, place it in an air tight container on the counter for 3 to 5 days.
  • If you are making ahead of time and want to store it in the freezer, wrap it tightly and place in the freezer. When ready to thaw, place on the counter overnight or bake a little longer for a frozen pie.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 629kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 7gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 212mgPotassium: 304mgFiber: 5gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 435IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 3.5mg

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About the author

Echo Blickenstaff

Echo lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah with her husband, Todd, who works in advertising, and her four kids: two girls and two boys. She deploys her accounting degree as the blog’s resident problem solver. In her time outside the kitchen, Echo loves to get away from the phones and busy schedules and spend quality time with the family. Anywhere’s great – but getting out into nature in the mountains or on the beach – is the best kind of getaway.

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Comments

  1. I would like to make this for Christmas dinner dessert at a friend’s house but I have one question. What size pie plate do I use? 8″ or 9″?
    Can’t wait to try this recipe….I love coconut and my friend is a chocoholic! 🙂 Thanks!

  2. Would toasting the coconut and pecans improve the taste, or would that be a waste of time, since they are folded into the pie?

    1. Good question, since I’ve never tried toasting them I can’t tell you for sure, but I think it would give the coconut more texture in the pie and the pecans more of a crunch. If you want a smoother texture, don’t toast. Thanks for asking!

  3. Try this: 2.25 cup white sugar + .25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    Add: 1 cup evaporate milk, 3 eggs, half stick of real butter melted, 1.5 tsp vanilla, .25 tsp salt. Mix but don’t beat.
    Stir in: .5 cup chopped pecans + .5 cup coconut
    Pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, cover with foil bake 15 min more. The middle will be jiggly but will firm when cooled.

    1. I haven’t tried it that way, so I’m not sure. If I were trying it, I would start with the suggested 35-40 minutes and then just check it every 5-10 minutes after that until the top is set.

  4. 5 stars
    What a fabulous recipe. I substituted flaxseed meal as an egg substitute for my diet and it still worked out beautifully. Thank you!

  5. 5 stars
    How anyone can make a negative comment about this recipe is beyond me! This pie is everything you would want in a pie…and its completely simple to make and it knocks everyone who tastes it off their feet!!

    Thank you for sharing. I make it often!!

  6. 5 stars
    Made it for Father’s day. This pie was a hit! I eliminated the 1/2 C white sugar. Cooked it at 325F in conventional oven. After it cooled, I put it in the fridge. Got it out 1 hr before serving. My family loved it. Will definitely do it again.

  7. 4 stars
    I had to lower my stars because of the comments I received. I made this last night for a nursing home activity. I added homemade German Chocolate frosting so it would taste like German Chocolate. Here are the comments I received:

    – Really good
    – Less coconut
    – Pretty good
    – Tastes like fudge

    The way the batter came out was kinda thick like you said, but I knew it looked like fudge instead of pie filling. Will not make again.

  8. I wish I had everything on hand now because I would seriously make this right now. It looks so delicious and we even have ice cream to go with it, just not all of the pie ingredients. Perfect too because we have coconut ice cream in the freezer, I am sure they would pair well – guess who is probably running to the store haha!

  9. I would probably refrigerate it but I am guessing it doesn’t NEED to be refrigerated. I can’t tell you for sure. If you want to play it safe I would say refrigerate it. Hope this helps!

  10. This pie looks amazing! I am going to make it for a family Christmas party this weekend. However, the party is 3 hours away so I will need to make the pie ahead of time. I would like to serve it warm. What is the best way to reheat it? In the oven or the microwave?

    1. Our recipe is best served cooled, so I haven’t tried reheating it. I would be nervous that it would end up over-baking the pie. Hope this helps!

  11. I love coconut but my family does not. Can this be made without coconut and if so, should I adjust some of the other ingredients?

    1. Hi Cathe, No problem! You can leave the coconut out. You don’t need to adjust any other ingredients unless you want to add more pecans.

    2. 5 stars
      I just made finished up making this pie. It was so fun and easy to make. I baked it a little less than 30 minutes and it came out great. I added homemade German Chocolate frosting on top once it cooled and then I’m going to drizzle a little chocolate on top. Wish I could send a picture.

  12. I made one tonight and used all the same ingredients like it said and mine over flowed and broke the crust. I don’t know if it makes any difference or not but I used a frozen traditional pie crust. I also wanted to know if there was a way of making a sugar free version so I could make one for my family members who are diabetes. Thanks

    1. Cammie, did you use a 9″ pie crust? If it was an 8″ or 8 1/2″ it wouldn’t hold all of the filling. This is a tough one for sugar free, but it is possible. You can get sugar free chocolate chips like these on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fWnFPj. You can also use sugar substitutes for the brown sugar and white sugar in the recipe. I like using “Swerve” sugar replacement because you use the exact measurement in recipes as you would use for sugar. Here is a link to see what it looks like: http://amzn.to/2gitPNM

      I hope this helps!

  13. Is there a way to make one sugar free for diabetes. If so I would love to know so I can make one for my grandparents.

  14. 5 stars
    This pie was extra rich & perfectly gooey like your photo. (Baked 30 min as per “until top is set”)
    My major mistake was already having all the ingredients in the cupboard and jonesing on making it asap, horrors! we didn’t have any vanilla ice cream!!

    1. So glad you liked it.. but no vanilla ice cream?! NoooOOOoooo! haha well it gives you an excuse to make again, right? 😉

  15. 5 stars
    I made this the other evening and served it last night at my Bunco group. It was really, really good! But like some of the other comments, I noticed that mine wasn’t really gooey either, and it was difficult to cut because it was so dense (it had been refrigerated) . I really think the problem is that it just over baked. I only baked it for 35 minutes but next time I think I’ll only bake it for 30 minutes and try it that way. Since all ovens are different, it’s hard to judge what works best for everyone. Other than that, it was a wonderful recipe! Thanks for sharing! I will definitely make it again.

    1. Thank you for sharing and letting us know– it can be so tricky with ovens sometimes! Sorry it turned out so dense. Let us know how it turns out next time!

  16. 5 stars
    Tried this recipe. Went over well for a holiday treat. Wondering if it would be less dense if the eggs were beaten longer ( like meringue ). Any thoughts ? ( I’m not the most experienced baker ????)

    1. You could definitely try it! We haven’t done it that way before so if you do it, let us know how it turns out!

  17. Looks absolutely delish! Question: Would the consistency of the pie change if I used less sugar? Say 1/4 cup brown and 1/4 cup white?

    1. I’m not sure how it would affect the consistency… It would affect the taste by having less sugar but we usually at the full amount so I can’t say for sure.

      1. What are you thoughts on using white chocolate chips and also adding some dried cranberries in the mix. Would we need to use all white sugar..instead of half white half brown. I have a son who does not like chocolate..chocolate but will eat white chocolate. Certainly there is a white chocolate version of this pie somewhere??

        1. We haven’t tried it that way before but it sounds delicious! Let us know how it goes if you do try it!

    1. I don’t know if it needs to be, but we usually do refrigerate it (that is, if we don’t polish it off before it needs to be refrigerated. Usually it is gone before we have to worry about storing).

  18. 5 stars
    I’ve been making a version of this pie for over 30 years and it’s always loved. I’ve always used Bakers German Chocolate, am looking forward to trying it with the semi-sweet chips.

    Sometimes I add Kaluha instead of vanilla to the pie and to the homemade whipped cream. If you add it to the whipping cream then you probably won’t need much (if any) sugar since the pie is plenty sweet.

      1. Can you substitute splenda white and brown sugar for the sugars in the recipe. I am asking because something sometimes the sugars helps the consistency!

        1. We haven’t tried it that way, so I can’t definitively say how it would affect the recipe. Let me know how it turns out if you do try it!

          1. 5 stars
            Well…I made this pie without the substitution and used the ingredients called for in the recipe….and …OMG… this pie is totally awesome and had to come directly from a bakery off the golden streets in heaven…most likely the Pearly Gates bakery!! You are correct it is a very dense pie and so very rich….we could only eat a sliver at a time. We tried it room temp and straight from the fridge….but we found we like to microwave it for about 15 sec..eat …or at a small scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. This will be a must have holiday pie from now on,..I also plan to make some as gifts for the coming holidays. Thank you so much for sharing this,…God Bless

  19. 5 stars
    Found this on pinterest and made it today. To.Die.For. I baked it 35 minutes and 40 probably would have been better but still yummy. Chilled it in fridge and just had a slice with some vanilla ice cream! Thank you!

  20. Hi!! I made this pie for thanksgiving and all though it was delicious, it was near impossible to cut, it was so thick and dense. I was really looking forward to something gooier like the picture. You say “DO NOT OVERBAKE” but how do I know if I did? And should I have refrigerated? I really want to try again for Christmas–any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

    1. How long did you bake it for the first time? It sounds like it may have been overbaked… it should have the consistency of a thick, gooey brownie.

  21. Tried this pie last night and it turned out very thick (had to spread in pan). Then after it baked it was like fudge. Is this normal?

      1. Tasted wonderful, but the pic shows it much more gooey and less fudge like. I want it more gooey. Should I add some milk or another egg. Just doesn’t seem like it’s wet enough.

          1. Y’all had one recipe on one of your Baker’s German chocolate baking bars, can I use that chocolate instead of chocolate chips.

          2. I’m not sure what you are referring to, but you can email us and we can try to help you find the answer!

  22. 5 stars
    ok, i made this last night and it was really amazing!! so much yummy chocolate.
    it took me more than 40 minutes to bake mine though.
    (AND i was right, my mother in law loved it!)
    Thanks!

  23. Hi I’m loving your blog and the not overly intricate recipes. This recipe sounds like a chocolate lovers heaven. I am new to blogging and also feature good tasty family recipes at Fabfood4all.co.uk here in England.