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Move over cake! This German Chocolate Pie is stealing the show! Inspired by a slice of pie I discovered in Amish country, it’s packed with rich chocolate, crunchy pecans, and sweet coconut. Every bite is pure melt-in-your-mouth decadence.
My Homemade German Chocolate Pie Story
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 Chocolate Cake, you will love this pie. Both have delicious flavors and texture of chocolate, pecans, and coconut.
Grab your pie plate and let’s get ready. These are all staple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. For a full list of ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below.
Unbaked pie crust: You can buy a frozen or refrigerated crust or make your own homemade pie crust. Just don’t use a graham cracker crust for this one, you want a nice pastry like baked pie shell. Don’t cook the pie crust, it will cook along with the German Chocolate filling.
Butter: Unsalted butter works best.
Chocolate Chips: Use semi-sweet for a rich chocolate base.
Flour: Helps thicken the pie.
Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: A mix of both adds depth and sweetness.
Eggs: Essential for binding the filling. One reader with an egg allergy used flaxseed as a substitute.
Vanilla Extract: Boosts flavor and balances the chocolate.
Pecans and Coconut: The classic German chocolate combo!
How to Make German Chocolate Pie
Set the oven to preheat to 350°F. Place a prepared pie crust in a pie tin (unbaked).
Melt butter in a microwaveable bowl, then stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips until they are melted and the mixture is smooth.
In another bowl, stir flour, sugar, and brown sugar together until well-blended.
Add the dry mixture with the melted chocolate/butter mixture until well combined. The mixture will be thick.
Stir the eggs in one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
Fold in the pecans, coconut, and the remaining chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the unbaked pie crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top of the pie is set. Don’t over bake.
A nice crust will form on top of the pie, similar to the top crust of a pan of brownies.
Substitutions and Variations
It’s not often I do this, but I really don’t recommend straying from this recipe as written. The only exception is for allergies.
Nut allergy – Omit the pecans.
Gluten allergy – Use a gluten-free pie crust and a gluten friendly flour substitute.
Egg allergy – Use flaxseed or another egg-substitute.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Can I make German Chocolate Pie ahead of time?
Yes! This is a great make ahead dessert. Bake it a day or two ahead, cool completely, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Can I freeze German Chocolate Pie?
Yes! After the pie has cooled to room temperature, cover it tightly with a layer of cellophane wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. To thaw, place it on the counter for a 3-4 hours before serving.
Should I use sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
Definitely use sweetened coconut for the best texture and sweetness in German Chocolate Pie.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Absolutely! Use a gluten-free pie crust and substitute the flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Double check labels for the other ingredients to ensure they are gluten-free.
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
More Pie Recipes
We love to have a wide variety of pies for Thanksgiving and other special occasions. Try some more of our favorites!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place uncooked pie crust in pie tin.
In small bowl, microwave butter until completely melted. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and stir until smooth.
In separate bowl, stir together flour and sugars.
Slowly add chocolate/butter mixture and stir until blended.
Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
Fold in pecans, coconut, and ¼ cup chocolate chips.
Pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake 35-40 minutes or until top is set. DON'T OVER BAKE!
Allow to cool before serving.
Optional: top with some whipped topping, toasted coconut, and chocolate shavings or dust with a little cocoa powder.
Notes
Storing Leftovers
Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap then in foil to prevent freezer burn. Keep frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
You can serve cold, bring to room temperature, or warm slightly in the microwave.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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?
This looks fantastic! I can’t wait to try it. Do you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
Sweetened!
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!
Use a 9″! Happy Baking and Merry Christmas!
Thank you!! I can’t wait to try it! 🙂 Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Would toasting the coconut and pecans improve the taste, or would that be a waste of time, since they are folded into the pie?
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!
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.
In this recipe it calls for 1/2 cup flour is this flour plain or selfrusing
It is all-purpose flour!
Does the German chic pie need to be refrigerated?
We usually do refrigerate it.
If you double it for deep dish , what would be the cooking time ?
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.
I love a recipe with a backstory like this and this one doesn’t disappoint! Such a sweet delicious pie.
Well this is DELICOUS! I’m making it again for Thanksgiving. Love it!
What a fabulous recipe. I substituted flaxseed meal as an egg substitute for my diet and it still worked out beautifully. Thank you!
Easy but it wasn’t really pourable. More like spoon
Can you make this with a graham cracker crust?
We haven’t tried it that way before, but let us know how it turns out!
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!!
Pie is extremely sugary. Needs something to balance the sugar. It’s delicious though.
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.
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.
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!
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!
This was excellent! The whole family enjoyed it. I will certainly make it again.
So glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thanks for the nice comment!
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?
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!
The flour in this recipe is it self rising or all purpose? Can’t wait to make it for Thanksgiving!
Hi Tammy, We use all-purpose flour in this recipe. You are going to LOVE this pie!