Chocolate Chip Coconut Pecan Pie
Pecan pie is one of my all-time favorite desserts. It’s on my list of desserts that I can never seem to resist. I just love all that gooey filling and those crunchy pecans. I love it year-round, but I especially seem to crave it in the fall and during the holiday season.
Of course, I’m a recipe tinkerer, so I can’t resist changing things up a bit. This pie is a variation of the same classic pecan pie I’ve been making for years. For a little something different, I decided to add a little coconut and chocolate. And that, my friends, was a very good decision.
Pecan pie has such amazing flavor in its traditional form, but there’s so much more flavor from the added chocolate and toasted coconut. More flavor than I would have expected, really. The components all complement each other in such a way that makes the finished pie greater than the sum of their parts.
Toasting the coconut is theoretically optional, but I highly recommend it for the great flavor it adds. It only takes a few minutes of effort and a little bit of oven time. If you’re not already a pro at toasting coconut, be sure to see the note in the recipe for directions. Just remember to keep a close eye on the toasting process, as the coconut can go from toasted to burned fairly quickly.
If you, too, love pecan pie but are looking for something just a bit different, give this pie a try. It has all the gooey, nutty deliciousness of the classic, but it just takes things a bit further with sweet, toasty coconut and rich chocolate chips. It may well become your new favorite take on pecan pie!
Chocolate Chip Coconut Pecan Pie
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Prep Time:25 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour
Classic pecan pie gets even better and more flavorful in this Chocolate Chip Coconut Pecan Pie!
Ingredients:
For the crust:
- 1 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 to 4 tablespoons cold water
For the filling:
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanila extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cup pecan halves
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted and cooled*
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
To make the crust:
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the butter is the size of small peas.
- Add 1 tablespoon of water and continue mixing. Add more water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough forms.
- Shape the dough into a disc. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. If necessary, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly softened but still cold.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough into a circle about 1/8-inch thick.
- Transfer the dough to a 9-inch round pie pan. Trim and crimp the edges of the crust as desired. Place the pie pan in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
To make the filling:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Beat lightly.
- Add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. Stir until combined.
- Stir in the pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips.
- Transfer the filling to the crust. Place the pie plate on a lined, rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills.
- Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust has browned and the filling is set.
Notes:
*To toast the coconut, spread it in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the coconut is toasted.
