Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

You know that I’m a chocoholic, right? I don’t care if the Paleo Police kick down my door—I love dark chocolate. Just a tiny square of my favorite dark chocolate bar can usually satisfy my cravings for something sweet, which in turn keeps me from compulsively making “Paleofied” desserts on a regular basis. But on those occasions when I want a grain-free treat, it has to be ridiculously great. And made of chocolate, too. (Is that redundant?)

Time for Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust!

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

I thank my lucky stars for Kelly Brozyna. Super-mom, blogger, and author of numerous cookbooks, Kelly adopted a gluten-, dairy-, and refined-sugar-free diet almost a decade ago to deal with a multitude of serious health issues in her family. Later, when she took her family one step further—from gluten-free to grain-free—their health went from pretty good to awesome.

I’ve long been a fan of Kelly’s blog, The Spunky Coconut. Her recipes—and especially her dairy-free frozen treats—are incredible. But what I admire most about Kelly is that she puts family and fun first. I loved tagging along on social media as her family drove from Denver to their new home in Southern California. And I’m excited to “meat up” with Kelly and her clan when she’s in the San Francisco Bay Area next month.

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

She’ll be in town to promote her beautiful new tome, The Paleo Chocolate Lovers’ Cookbook. Filled with page after page of inventive and gorgeously photographed chocolate recipes, this is the definitive guide for real food enthusiasts with a cacao fixation. In other words: me.

Concocting Paleo desserts isn’t my strength, but clearly, Kelly’s been perfecting her craft for many years. Her Paleo dessert pantry includes a few new-to-me ingredients like liquid stevia, hemp milk, walnut flour, and chia meal—all of which I’m eager to play with as this holiday baking season approaches.

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

But I wanted to make something from Kelly’s book now, and because I didn’t have all of these ingredients on hand, I chose a eye-popping recipe that I could whip up with items already in my pantry: Paleo Chocolate Pie with Raw Graham Cracker Crust.

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

I loved that it was so simple to make—just a little chopping, melting, and blitzing—but admittedly, I was a bit skeptical about how this dessert would turn out. After all, the only ingredients are walnuts, Medjool dates, cinnamon, coconut cream, coconut oil, dark chocolate, vanilla, and salt. Hmm…no honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar?

But my fears evaporated as soon as I dipped my finger in the pie filling and gave it a taste. Wowza.

I quickly hollered for the boys (and a pal who was over for a playdate) to sample it. They all went nuts, even though Big-O isn’t normally a fan of coconut or dates. (I conveniently failed to disclose the ingredients to them, but I have a feeling all three would have raved just as excitedly after tasting the filling.)

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

In fact, I was able to crank out two mini pies in no time at all, and the results were deliciously decadent. It was like eating a chocolate truffle in a nutty graham cracker crust. If you’re cool with using a microwave (which I am), this recipe is even simpler ’cause it means the chocolate, coconut oil, and coconut cream can be melted/heated in a jiffy.

After I posted a picture of my finished Chocolate Pie on Facebook and Instagram, I was deluged with requests for the recipe. But because it’s not mine to share, I wanted to first ask for Kelly’s permission. Lucky for you, she said yes. You’re welcome!

Ready for the recipe?

Paleo Chocolate Pie with Raw Graham Cracker Crust

Serves 8

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

Crust Ingredients

  • 1 cup (100 g) walnut halves and pieces
  • ¼ cup (about 4) soft, pitted Medjool dates
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of sea salt

Filling Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut cream*
  • ½ cup (about 8) soft, pitted Medjool dates
  • 3 ounces dark chocolate, melted
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

*For the filling, use the cream at the top of a can of separated full-fat coconut milk. To get it to separate, refrigerate a couple of cans overnight.

1. To make the crust, in a food processor with an “S” blade, purée the walnuts, dates, cinnamon, and salt for about 20 seconds or until very fine.

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

2. Transfer the crust mixture to a glass pie dish*, and press it across the bottom and halfway up the sides.

(*As you can see, I actually divided mine into two 4.5 inch mini spring-form pans.)

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

3. Rinse the food processor.

4. In a small saucepan*, heat the coconut cream just slightly.

(*Being lazy, I microwaved it for 45 seconds in a glass measuring cup.)

5. Add the heated coconut cream, dates, chocolate, coconut oil, and vanilla extract to the food processor, and purée for 1 minute or until the filling is dark and completely smooth.

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

5. Pour the filling over the crust…

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

…and chill to set.

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

6. When you’re ready to serve the pie, top it with whipped coconut cream.

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

7. Store any uneaten pie in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. (As if you’d actually have any left!)

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

Trust me: If you love chocolate, you’ll dig Kelly’s book. A lot.

Kelly Brozyna’s Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Kelly Brozyna's Paleo Chocolate Pie + Raw Graham Cracker Crust

4.50 from 16 votes
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Looking for a delicious grain-free Paleo Chocolate Pie with a Raw Graham Cracker Crust? Kelly Brozyna's recipe is absolutely perfect for chocolate lovers and it's a cinch to throw together!

Ingredients  

Crust Ingredients

  • 1 cup 100 g walnut halves and pieces
  • ¼ cup about 4 soft, pitted Medjool dates
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of sea salt

Filling Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut cream
  • ½ cup about 8 soft, pitted Medjool dates
  • 3 ounces dark chocolate melted
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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Instructions 

  • To make the crust, in a food processor with an “S” blade, purée the walnuts, dates, cinnamon, and salt for about 20 seconds or until very fine.
  • Transfer the crust mixture to a glass pie dish*, and press it across the bottom and halfway up the sides.
  • Rinse the food processor.
  • In a small saucepan*, heat the coconut cream just slightly. (*Being lazy, I microwaved it for 45 seconds in a glass measuring cup.)
  • Add the heated coconut cream, dates, chocolate, coconut oil, and vanilla extract to the food processor, and purée for 1 minute or until the filling is dark and completely smooth. 
  • Pour the filling over the crust and chill to set.
  • When you’re ready to serve the pie, top it with whipped coconut cream.
  • Store any uneaten pie in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. (As if you’d actually have any left!)

Notes

For the filling, use the cream at the top of a can of separated full-fat coconut milk. To get it to separate, refrigerate a couple of cans overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 31g | Fiber: 4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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13 Comments

  1. Hello, I live in Italy. I will not be able to find coconut cream.
    I have bought coconut and rice milk, together in a carton. No fatty cream on top.

    Any substitute?

    Thank you.

    1. Do you have access to canned full fat coconut milk? That should yield thickened coconut cream when you refrigerate it.

  2. Would you dare substitute Cacao powder for the dark chocolate? If yes, I’d love to hear your thoughts on how I might attempt that. If no, what percentage was your dark chocolate? 72, 85, 90? THANKS!

    1. I haven’t tried using cacao powder in place of dark chocolate. If I’m serving this cake to my pals, I normally use 70% cacao chocolate. If I’m eating it myself, I use 85 or 90%.

      1. I have always used cocoa powder in this recipe and it turns out great. Especially if you love dark chocolate.

        9 Tbs cocoa powder + 3 Tbs melted coconut oil to substitute 3 Oz of dark chocolate.
        Add 2 extra dates in the filling to compensate for the sugar in the dark chocolate.

  3. 5 stars
    I just made this recipe and it was easy and tasty. I feel like there is a step missing in the directions between steps 4 & 5. It said to heat the coconut cream, then step 5 said to add it all to the food processor. I assumed it all gets heated together in the saucepan? I don’t have a microwave so I boiled water and then placed a glass dish inside to melt the chocolate without burning it. I also boiled some water and soaked the dates for 20 minutes to get them soft. I think next time I might double the recipe for the crust.

    1. Nope, you just need to add the heated coconut cream to the food processor with all the other listed ingredients.

      Glad you liked the recipe!

  4. 5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe many times since 2013, and it never fails me. It is my favorite dessert to make. It’s easy, crowd-pleasing, most people can eat it, and it’s not heavy or overly sweet or too rich. Can’t go wrong with this one!