When our recipe testers tasted Texas Trash Pie, one of them called it the best dessert they'd had that year. We agree. It's an ooey-gooey combination of salty-sweet flavors and an irresistible chewy texture. In fact, several of our tasters commented that the pie reminded them of seven-layer bars—but better. Learn how to make Texas Trash Pie at home including the combination of ingredients that make up the decadent filling.
What Is Texas Trash Pie?
Texas Trash Pie is a sweet-meets-salty dessert that's filled with chocolate chips, caramel baking bits, pretzels, crushed graham crackers, coconut, and pecan. The filling is held together with a sticky sweetened condensed milk sauce and piled into a flaky single-crust pie. As the name suggests, the pie was created in Texas, by the Royer family who own the Royers Round Top Café. It's so popular, they even ship their famous pie nationwide. At the restaurant, it's served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Texas Trash Pie Ingredients
While the combination may seem unexpected, it results in a rich, chewy pie that's the perfect balance of salty and sweet flavors. Here are the components you'll need to make homemade Texas Trash Pie. For the best results, bake the filling in a deep dish pie plate.
Crust: Our trash pie recipe starts with a classic single crust pie dough. Our Test Kitchen prefers to use a combination of shortening and butter in the crust for the flakiest texture.
Filling: There's no need to cook the filling before adding it to the pan. Simply mix and pour! Head to the baking aisle and pick up semisweet chocolate chips, sweetened flaked coconut, pecan pieces, caramel baking bits, and sweetened condensed milk. In the snack aisle, grab pretzels and a box of graham crackers. Have leftover graham crackers? Whip up a homemade graham cracker crust pie.
Whipped Cream: Our recipe testers preferred the slices served with homemade whipped cream but you could also serve it on its own or with vanilla ice cream.
How to Store Texas Trash Pie
Cover and store any leftover pie at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze Texas Trash Pie for up to one month.
Ingredients
Pastry for Single Crust Pie
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1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/4 cup shortening
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2 tablespoons butter
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1/4 to 1/3 cup ice water
Filling
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1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
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1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels (2.5 oz.)
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1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers (2.5 oz., 1 sleeve graham crackers)
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1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
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1 cup chopped pecans
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1 cup caramel baking bits
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14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
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1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
Sweetened Whipped Cream
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1 cup heavy cream
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1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Directions
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Prepare single crust pastry. In a large bowl stir together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender cut in 1/4 cup shortening and 2 tablespoons butter until pea size. Sprinkle 1/4 to 1/3 cup ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened flour mixture to side of bowl. Repeat moistening flour, gradually adding ice water until flour mixture begins to come together. Gather flour mixture, kneading gently until it holds together. Shape into a ball; flatten slightly.
Test Kitchen Tip: You can use a purchased pastry (1 refrigerated unbaked piecrust or 1/2 of a 14.1-ounce package) in place of preparing the single crust pastry.
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On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Trim and flute edge. (Or if using purchased pastry, let the pie crust stand according to package directions; unroll. Place in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Flute edge as desired.) Preheat oven to 350°F.
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In a large mixing bowl combine chocolate chips, pretzels, graham crackers, coconut, pecans, caramel baking bits, sweetened condensed milk and melted butter. Stir until well mixed.
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Transfer filling to pastry-lined pie plate. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie loosely with foil. Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes more or until filling is puffed and appears set. Cool on a wire rack. Let cool at least 1 hour before serving. Cover and chill pie within 2 hours.
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Serve with Sweetened Whipped Cream. In a chilled small bowl beat 1 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon powdered sugar with a mixer on medium until soft peaks form (tips curl).
