Texas Trash Pie
A legendary Southern dessert from Round Top, Texas. This salty-sweet pie is packed with chocolate chips, crunchy pretzels, pecans, coconut, and gooey caramel, all bound together in a rich, buttery filling.
Equipment
- 9 or 10-inch deep dish pie shell
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 frozen deep dish pie crust (9 or 10-inch)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels
- 1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup pecan pieces
- 1 cup Kraft caramel bits
- 1/2 cup (8 tbsp.) butter, melted
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
Prep the Oven and Butter
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Position the oven rack at the lowest or second-to-lowest level to ensure the bottom crust becomes firm and crisp.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and continue cooking it until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
Build the Filling
- Coarsely crush the pretzels and graham crackers into bite-sized pieces. Measure them after crushing to ensure the correct volume.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the browned butter, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, crushed pretzels, crushed graham crackers, shredded coconut, pecans, and caramel bits. Stir until everything is thoroughly coated and evenly distributed.
Fill and Bake
- Pour the mixture into the frozen pie crust and spread it evenly to the edges.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. If the coconut or pecans begin to brown too quickly around the 25-minute mark, loosely tent the pie with aluminum foil.
Cool Before Slicing
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it rest on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. This allows the caramel and chocolate to set for cleaner slicing while remaining gooey in the center.
Notes
Crushed Volume Rule: Always crush your pretzels and graham crackers before measuring. One cup of whole pretzels is much less than one cup of crushed pretzels, and measuring whole will result in a runny, overly sweet filling.
The Jiggle Test: To ensure the perfect texture, look for golden, puffed edges and a center that has a stable jiggle rather than a liquid wave when the pan is nudged.
Frozen Shell Strategy: Do not thaw your pie crust before filling. Starting with a frozen deep-dish shell allows the pastry to hold its structure and crisp up against the heavy, moist filling.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.
Nutrition
Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 6gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 460mgPotassium: 190mgFiber: 3gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 2IUCalcium: 10mgIron: 8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!