Monument Cafe lives up to its name: It’s a pillar of the Georgetown community and a tribute to all the Texas roadside eateries that have vanished over the years. After it opened in 1995, the restaurant became known for its Monument Chocolate Pie, a recipe passed down to owner Rusty Winkstern from a friend. Rusty credits its popularity to the balance of flavors: bitter from the chocolate mousse, sweet from the whipped cream and salty from the toasted pecan crust. There’s something crave-worthy about it,” he says. The recipe remains a closely guarded secret, but Rusty shared a version for us to try at home. Put on some Hank Williams and it’ll feel almost like you’re sitting at the diner, eating the real thing.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 5 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, grated
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Shaved unsweetened chocolate, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the crust: Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake, stirring once, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the brown sugar and toasted pecans. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
- Make the filling: Bring 1 cup heavy cream to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate and salt. Let sit 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool.
- Beat the remaining 2 cups heavy cream, the granulated sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Spread the filling in the crust and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
- Make the topping: Beat the heavy cream, granulated sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over the pie and top with chocolate shavings.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 920 |
| Total Fat | 82 g |
| Saturated Fat | 43 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 7 g |
| Sugar | 35 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Cholesterol | 179 mg |
| Sodium | 119 mg |
Reviews
I moved away from Georgetown 12 years ago and I really really miss the Monument!! (And also Dos Salsas!). Very excited to find the Chocolate Pie recipe on this website. Plan to make it this week! I just told my daughter-in-law about the pie and she found the recipe…..I never thought of looking here for it.
We love this pie!! I’m not a big dessert person but I really enjoy this pie. Definitely a go to recipe in our home. It’s not your traditional pudding like chocolate pie. Love the pecan crust.
To reduce the bitterness others experienced, we used 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate and 8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips and we thought it tasted just right. Since my family loves the pecan crust we made a second batch of the crust and put it on top of the chocolate layer and chilled it before adding the whipped cream topping layer. We love having pecans in every bite! We have enjoyed this pie at Monument Cafe many times and this recipe brings back many delicious memories!
This is my favorite pie maybe ever. Don’t mean to oversell it, but I always bring this to family events because it’s a crowd pleaser. Also highly recommend the Monument Cafe if you’re ever in the area!
Looooooved this pie! Tasted like very good dark chocolate. The “crust” didn’t really hold together when slicing, but I just added it to the top so as not to miss out
I was very disappointed in the texture and overall bitterness of this pie. I used all quality ingredients and mixed everything according to recipe, but it still came out dry and bitter. Perhaps if the bittersweet chocolate was exchanged for semi-sweet it might be more palatable.
This has to be the worse chocolate pie I have ever had. The ratio of unsweetened chocolate to semi-sweet was very off-putting. Even the gorgeous pure vanilla I use for baking could not save it. Additionally, it was way too thick and not at all silky smooth like I would expect. I ended up throwing it in the trash. I gave it one star, because I liked the topping.
The best chocolate pie is made at Monument Cafe and El Monumento in Georgetown, TX and this recipe is the exact one they use, outstanding! Be sure to use “Heavy Cream” not “Heavy Whipping Cream”, it makes a huge difference! And don’t use imitation vanilla, use the real deal!