This is the best German Chocolate Pie recipe made from thick layers of gooey coconut pecan filling, rich homemade chocolate pudding, and chocolate whipped cream set in a flaky pie crust.
If you love this recipe, give my Chocolate Pie or No-Bake Oreo Chocolate Mousse Pie a try, too!
Homemade German Chocolate Pie
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to need a bigger fork. Today, I’m sharing my recipe for the creamiest, most incredible triple-layer German chocolate pie. Get a load of those layers. You can’t HANDLE the layers!
This German Chocolate Pie is made from a sweet and gooey coconut pecan filling, topped with homemade German chocolate pudding, and finished off with a layer of Chocolate Whipped Cream, set inside a buttery, flaky pie crust. It’s honestly heaven on a fork.
Why You’ll Love It
This German chocolate pudding pie is fast becoming one of my new favorite (almost) no-bake desserts. Here’s why:
- Almost no-bake. You only need to par-bake the crust, that’s it! This chocolate pie is the best dessert for any time of the year. It’s refreshing in the summer and comforting in the colder months. Winning all around.
- Filling made from scratch. For the longest time, I was intimidated by the thought of making my own chocolate pudding (tempering egg yolks, the horror). As it turns out, it’s so easy, and I’m here to walk you through it.
- Super chocolatey. This pudding pie is filled with chocolate flavor from top to toe. Paired with a buttery coconut-pecan filling? H-e-a-v-e-n.
- Easy to make. This is honestly the most rewarding pie. It’s really not complicated to make, however, it does take a bit of time. As soon as this creamy chocolate pudding pie hits your tastebuds, it’s more than worth it.
Ingredient Notes
Below, I’ve outlined the key ingredients for this German chocolate pie and what they bring to the recipe. Make sure to refer to the full ingredients list and recipe instructions in the recipe card below the post.
- Pie Crust – You’ll need to prep and blind-bake a deep-dish flaky pie crust. I have an easy recipe for Homemade Pie Crust that you can use
- Heavy Whipping Cream – You’ll need it for the coconut filling, the chocolate pudding, and the whipped cream. I recommend using full-fat heavy whipping cream for the smoothest results.
- Corn Syrup – Corn syrup sweetens the filling and also prevents large sugar crystals from forming, for a glossy look and velvety mouthfeel.
- Coconut – I use sweetened shredded coconut. The flavor plays off of the richness of the pecans perfectly.
- Pecans – Chop up your pecans before you start.
- Egg Yolks – Egg yolks are key to adding richness to puddings and custards.
- German Chocolate – This is a type of sweet dark baking chocolate used to make the chocolate pudding layer. You can find it in many major grocery stores. German chocolate is a bit different than other kinds of baker’s chocolate (see below).
- Chocolate Whipped Cream – I’ve included my favorite homemade Chocolate Whipped Cream recipe with this pie. It’s easy to make using heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder (any kind you’d like), and vanilla.
What’s Different About German Chocolate?
So, what sets German chocolate apart from regular chocolate? German’s Sweet Chocolate is named after Samuel German, who invented a type of dark, sweet baking chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Company in the 1850s. German chocolate is sweeter than semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate. You could also make this with an alternative type of chocolate.
How to Make German Chocolate Pie
There are a few steps involved in making this fun spin on chocolate pudding pie. I’ll often prepare the crust a day ahead, along with the coconut pecan filling, and store them in the fridge to get a headstart.
Step 1: Prepare the Pie Crust
First things first, we’re going to prepare and blind-bake a flaky pie crust. I have a full tutorial for blind-baking including lots of tips and notes.
- Prepare and chill the pie crust as directed.
- Roll it out. This recipe for my crust makes one 9-inch pie crust.
- Use pie weights. Line your crust with parchment paper, and add your pie weights. Dry beans, like pinto beans, will also work. Weighting down the crust helps to keep it from shrinking while it bakes.
- Bake. Bake the crust in an oven preheated to 375°F just until it’s browned at the edges, about 15 minutes. After, remove the pie weights and use a fork to prick the holes in the bottom of the crust, then return it to the oven for another 15-20 minutes.
Step 2: Make the Coconut Pecan Filling
Once your flaky pie crust is cooked and cooled, it’s time to prepare the filling. This coconut pecan filling is the same one that I use in my No-Bake German Chocolate Cheesecake recipe. Here’s how to make it:
- Combine and heat. Add the filling ingredients to a saucepan on the stovetop and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often.
- Add pecans and coconut. After several minutes, when the liquid is bubbling and thickened, stir in the shredded coconut and pecans.
- Cool. Leave the filling to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. During this time, it will thicken up even more, and that’s fine. After, spread the filling into the bottom of your pie crust and place it into the fridge to cool completely. This is also where you can store the crust and pie filling separately, in airtight containers, if you’re making this pie ahead of time.
Step 3: Make the Chocolate Pudding
Now, you’ll prepare the German chocolate pudding layer. The first secret is to get everything prepped and ready to go before you even start your pudding. Gather your ingredients and have it all ready to go, Whisk together the egg yolks in a separate bowl and chop the chocolate.
- Combine the ingredients. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and wet ingredients in a saucepan. Stir the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly.
- Temper the eggs. Once the mixture is warm (but not boiling), scoop out a quarter cup of the hot liquid. Stream this into the egg yolks while whisking continuously, so that the yolks don’t scramble in the heat. Transfer the tempered yolks back to the saucepan with the rest of the pudding. Keep whisking!
- Add the chocolate. Finally, when the contents just begin to bubble, stir your chocolate into the pudding, continuing to cook as it melts.
- Strain. The last and most important step is to strain the pudding through a sieve while it’s still warm. You can strain it right into the pie crust over the coconut filling. Straining removes any lumps and makes your pudding pie silky-smooth.
- Chill. Afterward, cover the pie with plastic wrap and press it directly onto the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming), and place your pie into the fridge for a couple of hours, until the pudding is fully set.
Step 4: Add Chocolate Whipped Cream
Once the pie is fully chilled, you can add the topping. I recommend doing this before serving for best results.
- Chill the bowl. Place the bowl you’re using into your freezer for 10-15 minutes beforehand to get it nice and cold.
- Whip the ingredients. Next, add the heavy whipping cream to the cold bowl, and beat until it begins to thicken. Gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla. Keep beating the whipped cream until you get stiff peaks.
- Top the pie. Finally, spread the chocolate whipped cream all over the top of the chilled pie.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Use a pie shield. While blind-baking your crust, once you remove the pie weights and before returning the pie crust back to the oven, consider adding a silicone pie shield. This helps to prevent the edges from browning too quickly.
- Whisk constantly. Continuous whisking is key to a smooth, creamy chocolate pudding. Make sure that you can give the pudding your full attention while it heats.
- How do I know when the pudding is done? After adding the eggs, and while you’re whisking over medium-low heat, the pudding will start to bubble. At this point, you’ll add the chocolate. Stir until it’s incorporated, and cook it another minute longer, until large bubbles begin to break the surface. Those bubbles indicate your pudding is ready.
- Strain the pudding. Pass the finished pudding through a fine mesh sieve to remove any remaining lumps. Don’t skip this step!
- Chill the pie long enough. Give your pudding pie enough time in the fridge so that it sets up completely before you add the whipped topping. Aim for at least 2-4 hours, but you can even leave it overnight
Variations and Topping Ideas
At its heart, this pie recipe is quite simple! That means there are loads of ways to make it your own. From the pie to the toppings, here are some easy variations to try:
- Toasted Coconut – Lightly toast the shredded coconut in a dry pan on the stovetop first, for a deeper flavor. Here’s a quick tutorial.
- Different Whipped Cream – Top your pie with regular Homemade Whipped Cream, or if you love the subtle taste of mascarpone, this is one of my favorite stabilized whipped cream recipes.
- Chocolate Syrup – Give your pie slices a drizzle with hot fudge sauce or chocolate syrup. You can also melt peanut butter in the microwave to drizzle over top.
- Chocolate Shavings – I love garnishing this pie with a generous sprinkle of shaved dark chocolate.
- Different Crust – Technically, you can make this recipe in just about any kind of pie crust, baked or no-bake. Try my Oreo Pie Crust or this homemade Graham Cracker Crust.
How to Store German Chocolate Pie
This pie needs to be kept refrigerated. Once the pie is completely cool and the whipped cream has been added, store the pie covered airtight in the fridge. This German chocolate pudding pie is best to consume within 1-2 days (after that, the crust becomes a bit soft).
Can I Freeze This Chocolate Pie?
I don’t recommend freezing this reccipe.
Print
German Chocolate Pie
- Prep Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 8 slices
- Category: Pie
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
A silky German Chocolate Pie recipe made from thick layers of gooey coconut pecan filling, rich chocolate pudding, and chocolate whipped cream set in a flaky pie crust.
Ingredients
- 1 deep dish pie crust, prepared and blind baked
For the coconut pecan filling
- ½ cup (118ml) Heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup (95g) Granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (14g) Light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons (56g) Unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) Corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) Pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (80g) Shredded sweetened coconut
- ½ cup Pecans, chopped
For the chocolate pudding
- 3 tablespoons (7.5g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (63g) granulated sugar
- Dash of salt
- 1 cup (236ml) Whole milk
- ½ cup (118ml) Heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large egg yolks
- 4 ounces (113g) German chocolate, chopped
For the whipped cream topping
- 1 ¼ cup (296ml) Heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup (65g) Powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (10g) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare the Crust
- Prepare your favorite pie crust and blind-bake it. Cool completely.
For the coconut pecan filling:
- In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the heavy whipping cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the mixture is bubbly and thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in coconut and pecans. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and refrigerate while you’re preparing the pudding.
For the chocolate pudding:
- Prepare all the ingredients prior to starting. Place the egg yolks in a separate bowl, whisk, and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and whisk together.
- Next, add the milk, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract to the saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly.
- Once the mixture is warm (but not boiling) pour about ¼ cup of it into the bowl with the egg yolks and whisk vigorously to temper the yolks.
- Immediately pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and continue whisking over medium-low heat to prevent the eggs from cooking.
- Whisk the pudding until it starts to lightly bubble, then add the chopped chocolate and continue whisking until the chocolate is completely incorporated. Cook for 60 more seconds.
- Strain the pudding through a fine sieve once or twice, rinsing the sieve in between.
- Pour the pudding over the cooled coconut pecan filling and cover it with clear plastic wrap (placing directly on the surface of the pudding), then poke a few holes in the plastic wrap with a toothpick.
- Allow the pudding to cool on the counter for at least 1 hour before refrigerating. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until the pudding has cooled and is firm.
For the whipped cream topping:
- Chill a mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream at medium-high speed until the cream starts to thicken.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Finally, spread the whipped cream over the top of the pie crust.
Notes
- There are multiple steps to make this pie. It’s best to prepare the crust the day before filling. You can also prepare the coconut pecan filling in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Allow enough time for your pudding to set and cool before adding the whipped cream topping.
- If you want to ensure the sides of the pie are nice and tall, I recommend doubling the pie crust recipe.
- If you can’t find German chocolate, try using dark chocolate instead.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 786
- Sugar: 48.6 g
- Sodium: 232.5 mg
- Fat: 53.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 71.6 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 9.1 g
- Cholesterol: 185.6 mg
I am super bummed that the pecan filling immediately separated into the chocolate pudding, creating one big soupy mess… All of that hard work for naught. I even refrigerated the pecan filling and crust for longer than the instructions state.
Hi Kelly, I am not sure what would have caused that to happen unless it was so hot it melted the filling? When the filling was cooled, it should have been very thick but spreadable.
I made this pie October 2020 and it was DELICIOUS!! I plan to make it again this year for Christmas. SO yummy!! Thanks for the recipe.
Yea! That is so amazing to hear, thank you. I am honored to be a part of your holiday celebration
Can you tell us about your pie plate? What brand and size? Do you love it? Thank you!
The maroon one? It’s a ceramic one from pampered chef and it’s a deep dish. I don’t use it often, I have a couple other ones I use more frequently.
I made this pie yesterday. I thought it turned out wonderful and I plan on making it again. The things that I did differently were: I used plain whipped cream on top which I think was the right move. The chocolate whipped cream would have been too much chocolate for me. The other thing, I didn’t see the need for was straining. The chocolate pudding for me was very smooth and perfect and so I skipped that step altogether. Thanks for the lovely recipes. It’s a gem.
Hi Mary- thank you for sharing! I am so glad you enjoyed this. I am happy your pudding was smooth- but it’s not always the case, so I do recommend straining the pudding to ensure it’s not grainy.
Delicious 😋 I added fresh fruit on top and it was truly heavenly, will definitely be making this again. Does anyone know how long it can last in the fridge?
Thank you so much Tara! I’d say it’s best within 3 days
I made this for my husband’s birthday. He has a German chocolate pie that is is favorite. He said this one is even better!! I was nervous that it would be hard, but it really wasn’t. I am still intimidated to make my own pie crust, so I used a store bought crust from the freezer section. Before I added the chocolate pudding, I spread the coconut pecan up the sides of the crust. It turned out perfect!! We will add this to our Thanksgiving pie list!
OMG Karisa, that is AMAZING!! Thank you so much for sharing! I love that this was a part of your husbands birthday!
Made this for Thanksgiving last night and it was a hit! Four pie options and this one was devoured. That coconut pecan filling could be eaten all by itself, it was SO good! I thought the recipe was daunting but it was easy; made the coconut pecan filling the day before and the rest the day of. It was perfect. The only thing I may do different next time (cause I’m def making this again) is make the whip cream topping less chocolately or not chocolate at all, it was to chocolate for me but that’s a personal preference 🙂 thank you Julianne!
Hillary thank you SO much!! I am glad to hear this was such a hit for your Thanksgiving! Happy holidays.
Assuming you don’t eat the whole pie in one sitting, do you store the pie in the fridge?
Yes! And I like your thinking LOL
I just start dreaming about this pie! Come on, I have to read the recipe again and start buying ingredients!
Woohoo! That’s awesome!
German Chocolate is my favorite taste . Thank you for the great recipe.
You’re welcome! Thank you Marsha!