Texas Trash Pie is a dessert that perfectly balances sweet and salty flavors in every bite, making it a must-try treat for anyone with a sweet tooth. With its simple preparation and irresistible combination of textures, this pie will intrigue guests at any gathering or celebration.
Texas Trash Pie: Chewy and Crunchy
Texas Trash Pie offers the perfect blend of chewy and crunchy textures. Originating from a cozy cafe in Round Top, Texas, it has gained popularity for its rustic appearance and delicious taste. It is reminiscent of a classic pecan pie, yet has its own crunchy and gooey twist that makes it stand out.
This pie also has a unique name that has nothing to do with trash. Instead, the crust is like a trash can; throw your best dessert ingredients in it, and bake.
A Simple and Satisfying Dessert
One of the most appealing aspects of Texas Trash Pie is its simplicity. The “dump and bake” nature of the recipe allows for quick preparation without requiring intricate baking techniques or a long baking time. Each ingredient is measured in one-cup increments, making it easy to remember and assemble. The chewy and crunchy texture of the pie, courtesy of pecans, graham crackers, and pretzels, makes for a satisfying experience.
Texture and Flavor
The combination of ingredients creates a medley of textures, with a crunchy layer from the pretzels and graham crackers complemented by the gooey richness of caramel and sweetened condensed milk. The pie also has bits of chocolate and coconut, making it a treat for the taste buds. However, its rich composition allows for serving it in smaller slices, while still ensuring that even the sweetest cravings are thoroughly satisfied.
Texas Trash Pie: Ideal for Any Occasion
Texas Trash Pie is an excellent dessert choice for various gatherings, whether it be a family get-together, potluck, or festive celebration. It’s a hit with its sassy name, or when you want to offer something a little different than the usual desserts. Additionally, its rich and indulgent nature pairs well with whipped cream or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Substitutions for Customization
For those interested in adjusting the recipe to meet dietary preferences or taste buds, here are some substitution ideas:
- Pie Crust: If you prefer, you can use a homemade or deep-dish frozen pie crust instead of the refrigerated option.
- Coconut: If coconut isn’t your thing, consider substituting a one-cup combination of chopped pecans, pretzels, and graham crackers to maintain the dry ingredient balance. Alternatively, chopped hazelnuts can be substituted for the coconut.
- Caramels: While caramel bits are the most convenient for this recipe because they are the right size and don’t require unwrapping, classic Kraft caramel cubes or Werther’s Soft Caramels can be used as well. Just be sure to chop them into smaller pieces for easy chewing in the finished pie.
- Graham Crackers: Swap out regular graham crackers for chocolate ones to add a different flavor dimension to the pie.
- Chocolate Chips: If you want to switch it up, try using milk chocolate chips or other flavored chips to personalize your dessert. Just swap out by one-cup increments, limiting the total cups to six as written in the recipe.
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Texas Trash Pie: The Ultimate Sweet and Salty Dessert
Equipment
- 1 9-inch pie dish
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust
- 1 cup pretzels, chopped
- 1 cup graham crackers, chopped (regular or chocolate grahams)
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 cup shredded coconut, sweet or unsweet
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup caramel bits or chopped caramels
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the pie crust in the baking dish. Set aside.
- Use a knife to chop the pretzels, or place them in a resealable plastic bag and break them with a rolling pin. Do not entirely crush them; instead, chop them into pieces. Add them to a large mixing bowl.
- Chop the graham crackers and pecans into pieces. Add them to the mixing bowl.
- Add the coconut and chocolate chips to the mixing bowl.
- Add the caramel bits or regular caramel cubes, cut into smaller pieces. Stir to mix all of the dry ingredients.
- Add the condensed milk and melted butter. Stir to mix well.
- Add the mixture to the pie crust. Using the back of a spatula, pat the mixture until it is flattened on top.
- Place a pie shield or aluminum foil ring around the outer crust, then put the pie into the oven. Bake for 35 minutes.
- Let the pie cool for at least 30 minutes after removing it from the oven. This pie is best on the second day.
Notes
Substitutions
Pie Crust
You can substitute a homemade or deep-dish frozen pie crust for the refrigerated one listed in the recipe.Coconut
If you don’t like coconut, ideas for substitutions are listed below. It is better to substitute another item(s) for coconut rather than leave it out, to keep the ratio of dry ingredients to wet ones the same.- a mix of 1/3 cup chopped pecans, 1/3 cup chopped pretzels, and 1/3 cup of chopped graham crackers
- 1 cup of chopped hazelnuts
- 1 cup chopped pretzels
- 1 cup chopped graham crackers