I first made this No-Bake German Chocolate Pie during a sweltering heatwave when the very thought of turning on the oven felt impossible, but my craving for something decadent was undeniable. In my kitchen, the simple act of melting chocolate and butter together filled the air with a rich, intoxicating scent. Whisking in the sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks felt like stirring pure indulgence. As the coconut-pecan frosting bubbled on the stove, its sweet, nutty aroma promised the classic flavor I was after. Pouring the velvety chocolate filling into the crumb crust and letting it chill felt like a cool, sweet promise. That first slice, with its fudgy base and gooey topping, was pure, blissful relief—a showstopping pie without breaking a sweat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You are going to adore this recipe because it delivers every single iconic flavor of a traditional German chocolate cake—the rich chocolate, the sweet, sticky coconut-pecan frosting—in a cool, creamy, sliceable pie that requires zero baking. It’s the ultimate solution for satisfying a deep chocolate craving on a hot day or when you need an impressively easy dessert for a gathering. The texture is pure luxury: a firm, fudgy chocolate layer topped with a chewy, crunchy frosting. It’s foolproof, incredibly delicious, and proves that sometimes the best desserts come together on the stovetop and in the fridge, not in the oven.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Filling:
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 4 oz German sweet chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the Coconut-Pecan Frosting:
- ⅔ cup evaporated milk
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 1 ⅓ cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups chocolate wafer or graham cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
Let’s talk ingredients, as quality matters here. Using a combination of semi-sweet and German sweet chocolate is key. German chocolate is milder and sweeter, and together they create the perfect authentic flavor base. Don’t substitute with all semi-sweet or it will be too bitter. The egg yolks in the filling are cooked with the chocolate and milk on the stove, so they are safe to eat. Toasting the pecans for the frosting is a non-negotiable step I’ll cover—it transforms them from bland to richly nutty. For the crust, chocolate wafer crumbs (like Nabisco Famous Wafers) make for an intensely chocolatey base, but graham crackers work beautifully too. The sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk are pantry staples that create the signature creamy, rich textures.(See the next page below to continue…)