This German Chocolate Pecan Pie combines the classic pecan pie recipe (made without corn syrup) with the amazing flavors of German chocolate! This German Chocolate Pecan Pie is made in a homemade graham cracker crust, and is rich, sweet, and the perfect Thanksgiving dessert (or Christmas dessert) addition!
Thanksgiving is in about a week, and I still feel like we’ve got weeks until the holidays.
Umm, I’ve got to get on next week’s menu.
Maybe it’s because of the insane heat wave we had in October, which made it feel like September, so in my mind, even though it’s November, it feels like only October? Did you get all that? 😂
Or, maybe it’s because my newest niece was born in early November, and we’ve all been fawning over the little bundle of joy, so the days have been passing by more quickly?
Whatever the reason, I’m still in a bit of denial that the holidays are approaching so fast. I adore Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the whole season, and I hate how fast it flies by.
Regardless, Thanksgiving will be here in a matter of days, and while I know a few traditional staples that will be on the table, we’ve got some fun additions to kind of mix things up this year:
Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie, Pepper Jack Cheese & Herb Biscuits, and this Cheesy Asparagus and Potato Tart.
Oh, and this German Chocolate Pecan Pie.
Like, whoa.
Can you believe that for many years, I declared pecan pie the worst dessert on the table?
And the worst part of it is that prior to this, I’ve probably only had one bite of pecan pie in my entire life. Max.
I guess the idea of a whole pie of nuts was never something I was nuts about, but, let me tell you, this German Chocolate Pecan Pie has me singing a different tune.
First of all, I didn’t actually realize pecan pie had this super gooey interior (aka filling) that, with the addition of the nuts, tastes like toffee and caramel rolled into one delicious bite.
Second of all, I’ve grown to really like nuts (cue these Pumpkin Spice Candied Nuts), so a whole pie of them doesn’t sound all the weird anymore.
Combine all of that goodness above with a graham cracker crust, chocolate, and coconut, and you’ve pretty much got a pie I can’t stop eating.
Of course, you could definitely use a traditional pie crust recipe (my favorite is this Cream Cheese Pie Crust recipe). I opted for a graham cracker crust, because I absolutely love graham cracker crusts, and I figured the graham cracker flavor would pair super well with the flavors in this German Chocolate Pecan Pie.
Next, this pecan pie doesn’t use any corn syrup (Karo syrup), and is strictly a brown sugar filling. It complements the coconut and chocolate perfectly! The brown sugar filling in combination with the coconut has a very similar texture to that of German Chocolate Cake frosting, and it’s amazing!
I know a classic pecan pie complaint is that the pie is too sweet, and I feel like the chocolate and graham cracker crust totally balances out the sweetness, making it absolutely perfect (at least to me, 😂.)
Maybe my new favorite pie. Ever.
- 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 1/2 cup chopped pecans divided
- 1 cup shredded coconut sweetened
- 1 cup chocolate chips I used semi-sweet
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract together until well combined. Press graham cracker crust into a 9" or 10" pie plate (I used a 9" 'deep' dish pie plate). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and melted butter. Add in eggs, heavy cream, flour, and vanilla extract, and whisk until combined. Add in 1 cup chopped pecans and coconut.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over the bottom of the crust, in an even layer.
- Pour the pecan pie filling on top of the chocolate chips. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of pecans over the top of the pie.
- Bake (with a pie shield over the crust) for 50-55 minutes, or until the center only slightly jiggles when the pie is moved.
- Allow to cool at least 1 hour before serving (pie can be served warm, room temperature, or cold--our favorite is at room temperature).
- Enjoy!
*You can use a regular pie crust in place of the graham cracker crust.
Here are some other recipes you might enjoy!
No Bake Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie
Pamela Kehoe says
This is a great dessert! I was glad I found it again. Many rave reviews from my buds and family! I especially liked how easy it was too.
Michelle says
I am so glad to hear that!! Thank you so much, Pamela! ❤️
Becca says
Delicious 😋
My husband was repulsed by the idea of chocolate in a pecan pie (I decided at the beginning of November that I was going to make this for Thanksgiving) he even mentioned it throughout the month trying to persuade me to change my mind! For me, your pie was love at first sight and I knew it HAD to be on the menu….
We had family over and a total of FIVE pies! This was the first one gone and everyone (ESPECIALLY MY HUSBAND) gave great reviews!!
My new favorite dessert for sure!!!
Making pies always intimidates me but this wasn’t scary at all! In fact it was really quick and even fun to bake!
Sara H says
Hi! Your recipe looks delicious! Curious if you used dark or light brown sugar though?
Michelle says
Hi Sara! I used dark brown sugar, but light would work as well. I prefer dark brown sugar (I like the more intense flavor) and use it almost exclusively in my baking recipes, but you are welcome to use light brown sugar. 🙂
Clint B says
Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
Michelle says
Hi Clint! I used unsalted butter. 🙂
Jkm says
Could you make this using a store-made graham cracker crust?
Michelle says
Yes, you can! The recipe is made for a deep dish pie crust so there might be a little extra filling leftover if you use a store bought crust.
Barbara says
Could this be made in a square pan as a dessert rather than a pie?
Michelle says
Yes, you could definitely make this in a square pan. The filling might be a little gooey, but it should still work.