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This Texas Trash Pie is loaded with chocolate chips, gooey caramel, crunchy pretzels, sweet coconut, and pecans all baked into one rich and decadent pie. It’s sweet, salty, chewy, crunchy, and completely irresistible in every single bite.
For more crowd-pleasing pie recipes, try my Oreo Pie or this decadent Chocolate Cream Pie!
Why you’ll love this Texas trash pie recipe!
Even if you’re a big fan of pie, Texas Trash Pie might be a new one for you. It’s something totally different from your standard Banana Cream Pie or Cherry Pie, but it’s different in the best kind of way!
The pie gets its name because it has so many exciting ingredients mixed together. Just put all the “trash” into one pie crust and call it a day! But, in reality, all the mix-ins go so well together and create the perfect sweet and salty pie. It may just become your favorite pie ever.
- Easy to Make: Just mix everything together, pour it into a pie crust, and bake.
- Sweet + Salty Perfection: Chocolate, caramel, pretzels, and pecans create the ultimate flavor combination.
- Great Pantry Dessert: Most of the ingredients are simple pantry staples you may already have on hand.
- Perfect for Parties: This pie is always a crowd favorite at holidays, potlucks, and family gatherings.
(For another Southern favorite, try this Kentucky Derby Pie!)
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Frozen pie crust – Use a store-bought or homemade pie crust. A plain pie crust is perfect. However, if you can find a chocolate pie crust, that will be delicious as well!
- Dark chocolate chips – Dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, or even white chocolate chips will work.
- Soft caramels – I like to use Werther’s Original soft caramels. They have a lot of flavor and can be found in most grocery stores.
- Graham cracker crumbs – Find these pre-made, or crush graham crackers yourself.
- Shredded coconut – Unsweetened coconut can be used to make a less sweet Texas trash pie.
- Pecans – Buy pre-chopped pecans to save yourself a little time.
- Pretzels – Either broken pretzel sticks or twists can be used.
- Butter – Melt butter before getting started.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warm flavor.
- Sweetened condensed milk – Holds everything together and makes the filling rich and creamy.
Variations
- Use chocolate graham cracker crumbs to make the pie even more decadent.
- Swap the pecans for salted peanuts.
- Use chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups in place of chocolate chips.
- Add ½ cup of rainbow sprinkles to make the Texas trash pie perfect for a birthday celebration.
- Place the pie crust in a greased 9×13 pan, and bake the Texas pie into bars. Texas trash bars are just as good and even easier to eat!
How to Make Texas Trash Pie
- Start the filling: Add all of the ingredients for the pie filling to a large bowl.
- Combine: Make sure everything is well-blended and coated with the sweetened condensed milk and melted butter. The filling will be very thick.
- Fill the pie: Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and spread it evenly.
- Bake: Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is mostly set.
How to Store
- Room temperature/refrigerator: Once your Texas pie is baked and cooled, you can wrap it with plastic wrap, and store it at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also keep the pie well-wrapped in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezer: Double-wrap the pie and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the pie thaw at room temperature. Then, slice, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
The Royer’s Roundtop Cafe created Texas trash pie. The Royer family created this pie as a delicious dessert that simply used everything in the kitchen. The pie has since been featured on TV shows and in magazines and remains popular in kitchens and restaurants alike.
Yes. You can use a par-baked pie crust in place of a frozen crust. You may want to gently lay a piece of foil over the pie halfway through baking to prevent the crust from getting too dark.
I like to serve the pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream on top, and maybe with some chocolate chips, caramel bits, or chopped nuts for garnish. I also think the pie tastes best when slightly warm. All that melted chocolate and gooey caramel is amazing when it is nice and soft.
Pecan pie is the most popular pie in Texas. While Texas trash pie may be absolutely delicious, no one can turn down a classic piece of Southern pecan pie! The people of Texas agree. My chocolate pecan pie is especially incredible.
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Texas Trash Pie
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 15 soft caramels, cut into quarters
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup chopped pretzels
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (9-inch) frozen pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl. Make sure everything is well blended.1 cup dark chocolate chips, 15 soft caramels, cut into quarters, 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1 cup chopped pretzels, ½ cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- Pour the filling into the frozen pie crust and spread it flat inside the crust.1 (9-inch) frozen pie crust
- Bake the pie for 45 minutes. The pie should be a dark brown and be set in the center. Let it cool for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- I like to use Werther’s Original soft caramels which are easy to cut and can be found in most grocery stores.
- No need to thaw the pie crust for this recipe; you can fill the crust straight out of the freezer.
- If the top of the pie starts to become too dark as it bakes, gently lay a piece of foil over the top of the pie and continue baking. The foil will block the direct heat from the oven, preventing the top from burning but still letting the filling continue to cook.
The worst pie I have ever tasted in my life! Don’t waste your time or money. The receipe says it all – trash!
Kinda like Hello Dollies … yummmmm!
If I use graham crust I still bake pie at 360 for allotted time?
We recommend starting with 10-15 minutes, and adjusting as needed until the center is set!
Quick question. Is the pie still just as good without the coconut? I’m just not a fan of coconut but love all the other ingredients. Thank you!
The coconut adds a slightly chewy consistency that elevates the dish, but it would still probably be super tasty without it!