This easy German chocolate pie with pecans and coconut topping is a shortcut recipe made with chocolate pudding mix and German's sweet chocolate. It can be a no-bake chocolate pie with a graham cracker crust or made with a simple pie crust.
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Thank you to my friends at Whaley Pecan Company for sponsoring this post.
If you like German chocolate layer cake but don't have all day to make it, you will LOVE this recipe for Easy German Chocolate Pie!
For this quick and easy chocolate pie recipe, it's all about the filling and the pecan-coconut topping!
I did test the recipe with both a baked crust made with refrigerated pie crust dough (Pillsbury) and a store-bought graham cracker crust for a no-bake version. (See my Pro Tip on how to gussy up a store-bought pie crust.) You can also make it with my Pecan Crust For Pie recipe.
Although the chocolate filling starts with pudding mix it's the special flavor of German's sweet chocolate bars stirred in that sets it apart from other easy chocolate pie recipes.
And my FAVORITE part of the whole pie is the nutty, crunchy, chewy, creamy topping made with toasted pecans and shredded coconut.
It's no secret that I'm NUTS about easy pecan pie recipes. Two of my favorites that I know you will also love are Best Pecan Cream Pie and Cast Iron Skillet Pecan Pie. You can't go wrong with any of these shortcut recipes for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any potluck family gathering.
If you want to use the same pecans I use in my easy pecan recipes, you can order straight from Whaley's Pecan Company's website and they will ship them to you! They are a family-owned, small business in Troy, Alabama.
Don't miss "the history of German's chocolate" in my Pro Tips section further down!
Shortcuts
- A 5 ounce can of evaporated milk is the exact amount needed! But if you only have the larger can, then using what you have is the shortcut. (Just measure out ⅔ of a cup and rock on!)
- Pudding mix! This may surprise you, but I used Jello Cook 'n Serve chocolate pudding instead of the instant pudding mix so I could melt the German's chocolate right in the pan. It only takes 3 minutes to cook! (I also tell you how to use instant pudding if that is what you have.)
Let's dive right in and get to making this German chocolate chocolate pie!
Ingredients
What you will need to make this recipe for German chocolate pie
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
Easy German chocolate pie filling
- German's Chocolate- It USED to be called German sweet chocolate but it's not German at all. (Read my Pro Tip about the history of it's name.) It's slightly sweeter than dark chocolate but not quite as sweet as semi-sweet chocolate.
- Pudding mix - Believe it or not, it only takes 3 minutes to cook the Cook & Serve chocolate pudding mix! You can absolutely use the larger 6 ounce size package if you want a taller pie. (Scroll down for my tip on using the Jello instant pudding mix.
Homemade Pecan Coconut topping
- Pre-chopped pecans- Whaley Pecan Company has pecan pieces in EVERY size you could want. From almost-ground pecans (pecan meal) to small, medium, large, and mammoth-size pieces. I know they are always going to be fresh and tasty.
- Evaporated milk- You can buy this cute little 5 ounce can for the exact amount or I'll share a little secret with you. There is ⅔ cup milk in that can, so if you only have the larger can, just measuring it out! It is important to use evaporated milk, though. It helps prevent the topping mixture from curdling.
How to make German chocolate pecan coconut pie
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
Filling directions
- Buy or make a 9-inch (6 ounce) graham cracker crust OR prepare a store-bought or homemade pie crust according to package directions for a no-bake pie filling.
- Cook the pudding according to my special directions in the printable recipe below. I add butter to the mix and reduce the amount of milk so it will slice like a pie, not spoon like pudding. Ha!
- As soon as it has thickened, push the German's chocolate bars down into the hot mixture with the spoon. Stir gently when the chocolate melts.
Pro Tips
The History of German's Chocolate: Why is it called German's sweet chocolate instead of German sweet chocolate. Come to find out, Sam German, an American, created this sweetened chocolate bar in 1852 while working at Walter Baker & Company in Massachusetts. It was a SHORTCUT because it came to the home baker already sweetened. It has nothing to do with Germany!
- Pour the chocolate pie filling into the prepared crust.
- Cover with plastic wrap, touching the filling, to prevent a "skin" from forming while making the topping.
Topping directions
- Whisk the egg yolk briskly in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Wash that same saucepan and add the evaporated milk, sugar and remaining butter. Cook until mixture starts to bubble.
- Slowly pour about ½ cup of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolk, while whisking the egg yolk again.
- THEN SWITCH. Pour the warmed egg yolk mixture slowly back into the remaining hot mixture in the saucepan.
- Place the saucepan back on the heat and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened.
- Stir in pecans and coconut until well coated.
- When the pecans and coconut are cooled about 5 minutes, spoon the topping mixture on top of the chocolate pie filling and gently spread to the edges of the pastry shell.
- Cover and refrigerate about 4 hours or until firm enough to slice.
Pro Tips
To make a store-bought graham cracker pie crust that's in an aluminum pan look it's best on the dessert bar, place it inside a ceramic pie plate. At a glance, it's had to tell it wasn't made right in the fancy dish!
Why toast or roast pecans first?
Be sure to toast your pecans ahead of time before adding them to the topping. Toasting and roasting pecans enhances their nutty flavor releasing the caramel, buttery tones, not to mention giving them an even richer color.
Substitutions & Variations
Trade "this" for "that" in this German chocolate pie recipe.
- Instant chocolate pudding - Make this German chocolate pie easy-er! You can use instant chocolate pudding mix instead of the Cook & Serve package. Just remember to reduce the milk by about ⅓ cup so the pie will slice nicely. You can melt the German chocolate bars in the microwave about 45 seconds on high, then stir it into the finished pudding.
- Easy Chocolate Pudding Pie- Use the larger 6 ounce package of chocolate pudding mix to fill the pie shell and leave off the pecan coconut topping. Dollop whipped cream or Cool Whip on top and chill until firm enough to slice.
How to store
- To Store: Store in the refrigerator, covered or in an air tight container.
- To Freeze: You can freeze this pie but it does change the texture of the chocolate filling a little when it thaws. Always thaw in the refrigerator.
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Want more shortcut dessert recipes?
Easy German Chocolate Pie
SAVE THIS RECIPE
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
- 9 inch pie plate (optional)
Ingredients
- 9 inch prepared pie crust Graham cracker pie crust, a baked pastry crust, or my Pecan Pie Crust
Chocolate Filling:
- 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1 ⅔ cups whole milk*
- 1 3.4 ounce package Cook & Serve Jello chocolate pudding (NOT instant pudding mix) (See NOTES to substitute instant pudding)
- 3 ounces German’s sweet chocolate bar or ⅓ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Pecan Coconut Topping:
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 5 ounce can evaporated milk (⅔ cup)
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ cup butter cut into 4 pieces
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Get your pie crust ready. If using a purchased graham cracker crust, remove the plastic lid. If baking a purchased, unbaked pie crust or making a homemade one, go ahead and bake it and let it be cooling while you prepare the filling and topping.
- Chocolate Filling:
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in cold milk. Whisk in the Cook & Serve chocolate pudding mix. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Break the German’s chocolate into bars and add to the pudding. Push the chocolate pieces into the hot pudding and wait a couple of minutes for the chocolate to melt, then stir in the melted chocolate.
- Pour the chocolate filling into the prepared pie crust and cover with plastic wrap, touching the pudding so it won’t form a “skin” on the top. Let cool while making the topping.
- Pecan and Coconut Topping:
- Whisk the egg yolk in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Wash that same saucepan and add evaporated milk, sugar, and ¼ cup butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture starts to bubble. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Important step!
- Pour a small amount of the hot mixture (about ½ cup) into the beaten egg yolk, while whisking the egg yolk. THEN, slowly pour that egg yolk mixture back into the hot mixture in the saucepan, whisking briskly.
- This is called tempering the egg yolk and it prevents you from scrambling the egg, resulting in a smooth, creamy mixture.
- Bring the mixture back up to a simmer, stirring constantly, and simmer about 2 minutes or until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in pecans and coconut until everything is coated with the creamy mixture. Let cool 5 minutes.
- Yield: almost 2 cups Pecan Coconut Topping
- Spoon the pecan-coconut topping onto the chocolate pie filling and gently spread to the edges. Cool completely. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or until firm enough to slice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
Sabrina
If using instant pudding, what do you do with the egg since you don’t have hot pudding to put into it?
Kathleen
The egg yolk is used only in the coconut topping, so you would still use it for the topping and just make the chocolate filling with instant pudding. Be sure to see the note that says to reduce the milk by 1/3 cup so it firms up enough to slice.
elizabeth vandergrift
Do you tell us which crust was better with this? The graham cracker or regular? I am curious which one you preferred.
Kathleen
I like them both! It is a personal preference because they both work well. A store bought graham cracker crust is super quick and convenient. Pillsbury pie crust dough, pre-baked is good but takes a little time. Frozen, pie crust shells are not my favorite, but the Marie Callendar's frozen pie shells are not bad at all. I also like using my Pecan Pie Crust recipe for this pie. So many options!
Scott Phillips
This was so delicious
Kathleen
And so easy if you don't have time to make the 3 layer cake, right?!