This luscious and decadent no-bake chocolate caramel pecan pie will please the crowd and simply is perfect for your Holiday entertaining.
Why I like this recipe
1. No-bake pie crust
I like graham crackers and love to use them as a pie crust too. They don’t need to be baked. You can other similar crackers or biscuits of your choice too. I think Oreo or Lotus Biscoff will be good ones too
2. It’s a no-bake pie
Despite being a no-bake pie, this pie is absolutely decadent and well, quite sinful ha..ha..but it’s a holiday treat and nobody’s counting calories
3. Taste amazing
This is one of our family’s favorite pies, especially my husband’s. He loves pecan pie. But most store-bought pecan pies are insanely sweet. Not with this recipe. It has the right amount of sweetness without overdoing it. There are so many layers of decadents here, the buttery crust, the caramel pecans, the bitter-sweet chocolate ganache, the marshmallowy toasted meringue…you get the idea!!!
4. Stable Swiss meringue
Because this is a no-bake recipe, and the meringue uses raw egg whites and so Swiss meringue is suitable for this recipe because the egg whites won’t be raw anymore as they are heated in a water bath first. The Swiss meringue also creates a very stable meringue and I love the fluffy marshmallowy texture of it
How to make no-bake chocolate caramel pecan pie with meringue
1. The recipe can fit into 8-inch round tart pan. I only have a rectangle 14 x 4.5 inch tart pan and it works too. Grease the pan with some softened butter. Break the graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or simply put them in a zipper bag and gently crush and roll them with a rolling pin into fine crumbs. Combine with melted butter and cinnamon to resemble a wet sand texture. Press this mixture onto the base of the pie plate or pan. Make sure you pack them in tight. Chill in the fridge while you work on the rest
2. Toast the pecans on a dry pan over medium heat until they are aromatic. Let them cool down completely and then cut them into small chunks. Whisk the egg yolks with 50 grams of sugar with a balloon whisk until they are pale and creamy
3. Add 100 grams of sugar to a non-stick pan along with water. Let the sugar slowly melts over medium-low heat until it reaches light honey color. 
4. Add the butter and stir until it melts. 
5. Add the yolk mixture to combine everything. Stir in the salt and vanilla extract. Add the pecans and continue to cook and stir until the mixture just started to thicken up. Remove from the heat. Don’t cook for too long as the mixture will continue to harden
6. Pour this over the prepared crust. Spread them out evenly. Let it cool down a bit and then put it back into the fridge while you prepare the ganache
7. Bring a small pot of water to a gentle simmer. Place a heat-proof bowl on top of the pot. Put the chocolate and whipping cream in the bowl and let the chocolate melts but you still see some visible chocolate. Remove from the heat and keep stirring until all the chocolate melts
8. Pour and spread this evenly over the pie. Refrigerate again
9. You can use the same pot of water you use to melt the chocolate. Put the egg whites, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a grease-free bowl. Whisk over simmering water for about 4 minutes or until all sugar dissolves. You can rub the mixture in between your fingers. You shouldn’t feel any grains of sugar, if you do, whisk a bit longer over the simmering water
10. Once all the sugar melts, remove it from the water bath and use a mixer to whip over medium speed, add the vanilla extract halfway and continue to whip until you get a stiff peak that will droop slightly when you lift up the whisk
11. Pile the meringue on top of the tart decoratively. You can use an offset spatula to create some attractive peaks. There is no hard and fast rule here. Let your inner artist out
12. If you have a blow torch, you can torch the meringue slightly (sooo good!! when you do that!). If you don’t have one, not a big deal, it’s still a very tasty pie! 
13. Serve the pie on the same day it is made if possible. Simply keep it in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days max. The meringue won’t be as airy as it was the longer you keep it, but it should be just fine
Did you make this no-bake chocolate caramel pecan pie with meringue recipe?
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This recipe is adapted from Home Cooking Adventure.
No-Bake Chocolate Caramel Pecan Pie with Meringue
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 200 gr graham crackers
- 80 gr unsalted butter melted
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Pecan caramel filling:
- 100 gr pecans
- 100 gr granulated sugar
- 30 ml water
- 100 gr unsalted butter
- 3 egg yolks
- 50 gr granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
Chocolate ganache:
- 100 gr heavy whipping cream
- 100 gr semi-sweet chocolate at least 50% cocoa
Swiss meringue:
- 3 egg whites
- 100 gr granulated sugar
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- The recipe can fit into 8-inch round tart pan. I only have a rectangle 14 x 4.5 inch tart pan and it works too. Grease the pan with some softened butter
Prepare the crust:
- Break the graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or simply put them in a zipper bag and gently crush and roll them with a rolling pin into fine crumbs
- Combine with melted butter and cinnamon to resemble a wet sand texture. Press this mixture onto the base of the pie plate or pan. Make sure you pack them in tight. Chill in the fridge while you work on the rest
Prepare the pecan caramel filling:
- Toast the pecans on a dry pan over medium heat until they are aromatic. Let them cool down completely and then cut them into small chunks
- Whisk the egg yolks with 50 grams of sugar with a balloon whisk until they are pale and creamy
- Add 100 grams of sugar on a non-stick pan along with water. Let the sugar slowly melts over medium-low heat until it reaches light honey color. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Add the yolk mixture to combine everything. Stir in the salt and vanilla extract. Add the pecans and continue to cook and stir until the mixture just started to thicken up. Remove from the heat. Don't cook for too long as the mixture will continue to harden
- Pour this over the prepared crust. Spread them out evenly. Let it cool down a bit and then put it back into the fridge while you prepare the ganache
Prepare the ganache:
- Bring a small pot of water to a gentle simmer. Place a heat-proof bowl on top of the pot. Put the chocolate and whipping cream in the bowl and let the chocolate melts but you still see some visible chocolate. Remove from the heat and keep stirring until all the chocolate melts
- Pour and spread this evenly over the pie. Refrigerate again
On the day you plan to serve the pie, prepare the meringue:
- The meringue is prepared using Swiss method, which creates a very stable fluffy marshmallowy meringue. You can use the same pot of water you use to melt the chocolate. Put the egg whites, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a grease-free bowl. Whisk over simmering water for about 4 minutes or until all sugar dissolves. You can rub the mixture in between your fingers. You shouldn't feel any grains of sugar, if you do, whisk a bit longer over the simmering water
- Once all the sugar melts, remove it from the water bath and use a mixer to whip over medium speed, add the vanilla extract halfway and continue to whip until you get a stiff peak that will droop slightly when you lift up the whisk
- Pile the meringue on top of the tart decoratively. You can use an offset spatula to create some attractive peaks. There is no hard and fast rule here. Let your inner artist out 😉
- If you have a blow torch, you can torch the meringue slightly (sooo good!! when you do that!). If you don't have one, not a big deal, it's still a very tasty pie!
- Serve the pie on the same day it is made if possible
How to store leftovers:
- Simply keep it in air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days max. The meringue won't be as airy as it was the longer you keep, but it should be just fine.
