Coconut Caramel Pie

This Pie has 2 versions....Both of which we will be voting on.  Since the recipe makes 2 pies and half of my family likes coconut while the other won't touch it I did 2 slightly different versions.

1 PIE has Coconut

1 PIE has None

Recipe is exactly the same (as it is for 2 pies) until the very end.

Crust
1 1/2 Cups Flour ( I used All-Purpose)
1 Stick Butter (melted)
1 Cup Finely Chopped Pecans ( I put them in my Cuisinart Chopper and Ground them to very small pieces)

Mix and Press into 2 pie pans
Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees

Filling
1 can eagle brand milk
8 oz Cream Cheese
16 oz Cool Whip

Mix together and pour into crust - half in each pie pan

Topping

7 oz coconut (I used about half of this since I only put it on 1 pie)
1 cup chopped nuts (again I ground them up in the Cuisinart)
1/2 stick melted butter

The first pie got the coconut, nuts, butter mixture
Pie # 2 got nuts and butter

So mix the ingredients together as you wish.  Make sure if you are making 2 different pies like I did not to cross contaminate mixing bowls or spoons.

After mixing, put on a cookie sheet and toast at 350 degrees.  Very important to stir often while toasting.  The coconut will burn quickly with all that butter.  You basically toast until it turns a lovely brown color...not burnt looking

Spread over the pies.

Take a 12 oz jar of caramel sauce and pour over the top (half a jar on each pie) 

Freeze for a bit before serving.

Results are as follows:

Everyone LOVES the pie.  It is definately a keeper recipe.  It taste just like Pecan Pie.  So Yummy.  Most people can't talk about how good it is because they are shoving in the next bite before they have swallowed the first.

Try it and let me know how your friends and family react. 

This is the pie with coconut.  It turned out much prettier than the pie without coconut.  The coconut, nuts, and butter make up a thicker topping and don't soak through the cool whip mixture.

This is the pie without the coconut.  It pie taste great, but the nuts soak into the cool whip and make it look a little crazy.