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My mother-in-law, who we call GoGo, originally created this rich, chocolate-coffee pie with a nutty crust and a boozy whipped topping. GoGo’s Coffee Toffee Pie has since become a staple at family functions, and I hope y’all fall in love with it just as we did.
From the nutty chocolate crust to the mocha filling and Kahlúa-spiked whipped cream topping, there’s so much goodness going on in every slice of this pie. But what makes it even better is that it freezes beautifully, so it’s a great option when you want a make-ahead dessert for a future function.
This pie will satisfy everyone, including those relatives who insist that they don’t have a sweet tooth. Thanks to the combination of unsweetened and semi-sweet chocolate, it’s not excessively sweet or too rich. And the nutty walnut crust offers the perfect textural contrast to the creamy filling and whipped topping. Just talking about this pie is making me want to whip one up right now!
ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Very Finely Chopped Walnuts
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- Kosher Salt
- Unsalted Butter
- Large Eggs
- Light Brown Sugar
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Instant Coffee Granules
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Kahlúa
- Powdered Sugar
- Grated Chocolate
- Fresh Strawberries
step-by-step:
step one: make the crust
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, walnuts, ground chocolate, and salt. Cut in the butter and egg using a fork until a crumbly dough forms. Press the mixture evenly into a 9-inch pie pan. Carefully cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
step two: bake the crust
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Prick the crust all over with a fork and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let cool completely.
step three: prepare the filling
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and instant coffee, mixing until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated and fluffy. Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until set.
Note: At this stage, the pie can be covered tightly and frozen for later. It keeps beautifully in the freezer!
step four: whip the topping
In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with the Kahlúa and powdered sugar until soft peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes. Spoon or pipe over the chilled pie.
step five: garnish and serve
Garnish with grated chocolate and fresh strawberries, if desired.
recipe faqs:
For extra precaution, use high-quality, pasteurized eggs to reduce the risk of illness. Please note that consuming raw eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially for young children, pregnant individuals, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems.
To “cut in” means to break it into small pieces to form coarse crumbs with the flour, typically using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers. The small pieces of butter, in particular, create pockets that melt during baking and help create a flaky texture.
First things first: the crust and filling freeze great, but the whipped topping is best made and added just before you’re ready to serve it. Be sure to wrap the pie super tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, then add the whipped topping, slice, and serve!
I hope you all love GoGo’s Coffee Toffee Pie as much as my family does! Comment below and let me know what you think!
looking for more of my family’s favorite recipes? try these!
GoGo’s Coffee Toffee Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup very finely chopped walnuts
- 1 ounce semisweet chocolate finely grated
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 large egg
For the Filling:
- 1 stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 2 large eggs (see note)
For the Topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons Kahlúa
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- Grated chocolate for garnish
- Fresh strawberries for garnish, optional
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, walnuts, ground chocolate, and salt. Cut in the butter and egg using a fork until a crumbly dough forms. Press the mixture evenly into a 9-inch pie pan. Carefully cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Prick the crust all over with a fork and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let cool completely.
Prepare the Filling:
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooled melted chocolate and instant coffee, mixing until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated and fluffy. Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until set.
- Note: At this stage, the pie can be covered tightly and frozen for later. It keeps beautifully in the freezer!
Whip the Topping:
- In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with the Kahlúa and powdered sugar until soft peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes. Spoon or pipe over the chilled pie. Garnish with grated chocolate and fresh strawberries, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Food Photography and Styling by Eat Love Eats.
Alex girl I am obsessed with you. I’ve never had a recipe of yours miss, but this did. So disappointed :/ is Gogo hiding a crucial part of the recipe? It’s just not good??
I’m so sorry that you’re disappointed!
Hey Alex! Do you think it’s okay to leave the raw crust in the fridge overnight, before baking it, or does it need to be baked after 1-4 hours?
If you wrap/cover this super tightly and store in fridge, it should be okay! There is a small risk of it drying out slightly is the only thing I would want to flag to you but if within 24H you may be fine. I have not tried this so cannot fully confirm!
What kind of instant coffee granules do you use? Classic, Medium, or Dark roast?
Usually a medium roast, but whatever you can find will work!
Looks Incredible! is there something i could substitute for the raw eggs in the filling?
Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s a great substitute in this case!
I had high hopes for this recipe, however it was a miss from most angles. For starters, I think the recipe is missing more detailed steps for success – clarity around soft butter chunks, perhaps using weighted measurements instead of general cups, and more exact timing for fridge time to name a few. The crust was dry and dense, which didn’t compliment the filling as I thought it could and was missing salt (so a group of us decided). The light brown sugar was very grainy and I felt like I was biting on sugar crystals each bite. The whipped cream, however, was a huge success! Spoonfuls were being enjoyed by our Friendsgiving guests. Overall I hoped for more and this wasn’t for me; however, will still come back for more of Alex’s dishes in past and future recipes!
I’m so sorry to hear this!
How would you modify for dairy free??
You can just use your favorite dairy-free substitutes for butter and heavy cream!
can i make this crust gluten free ?
Yes, definitely! Just use your favorite gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose flour.
This looks amazing! Non alcoholic family members. Any sub for the Kahlua? Thank you!!
You could do a little bit of cooled, brewed coffee or just omit it altogether!
I’m not a fan of walnuts. Could I substitute pecans?
Yes, for sure!
Is there something that could be substituted for the walnuts? Could I do almonds instead? I’m allergic to walnuts. Thanks!
Yes, I think almonds, pecans, or even peanuts would work great!