Chocolate Cream Pie
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With a cookie crust, silky chocolate pudding center and pillowy whipped cream topping, this pie is a chocolate lover’s dream.
My dad was a serious chocoholic, and this chocolate cream pie was his all-time favorite dessert. My son, Zach, took after my dad in the dessert department, and he has requested this pie every year for his birthday since he was a little boy. Needless to say, the pie is a family favorite and shows up in a lot of our family photos! With its chocolate cookie crust, silky chocolate pudding center, and pillowy whipped cream topping, it is truly a chocolate lover’s dream. Be sure to plan ahead because the filling needs at least eight hours to set up before serving.
Table of Contents
“This was far and away the best chocolate pie that I’ve ever tasted (much less made).”
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Cream Pie
Note: The crust was originally made with Nabisco chocolate wafers, but as of 2023, those cookies are no longer available. Oreo thins make a great substitute (and there’s no need to remove the filling).
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a medium bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter until evenly combined. Pour the crumbs into a pie pan.
Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan (spread some of the crumbs up the sides first, making the crust just shy of 1/4-inch thick, then press the remaining crumbs onto the bottom; using the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to even out, if you like). Bake for 10 minutes until crisp. Let cool while you make the filling.
Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Whisk gently until combined.
In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk and egg yolks. Add the mixture to the saucepan in a slow and steady stream, whisking until the mixture is smooth.
Cook over medium-high heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, 6-8 minutes. Immediately turn the heat down to a simmer and cook — whisking constantly, especially around the edges — for one more minute until thick. (The constant stirring and low heat prevents the eggs from scrambling. Be sure to scrape the whisk against the bottom and edges of the pan where the mixture is more likely to overheat.)
Turn off the heat, then immediately add the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla extract.
Whisk until smooth.
Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top. Press a piece of saran wrap directly over surface of the filling to prevent a film from forming; chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Up to three hours before serving, place the heavy cream in chilled mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip on medium-low speed until the whisk or beaters begin to leave tracks in the cream. Add the sugar and whip until the cream holds medium, silky peaks. Go slowly towards the end; if it gets grainy or curdled, you’ve gone too far.
Spoon the whipped cream over the filling.
Spread the whipped cream, leaving some of the chocolate filling showing around the edges. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Photo by Our Salty Kitchen
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Chocolate Cream Pie
With a cookie crust, silky chocolate pudding center and pillowy whipped cream topping, this pie is a chocolate lover’s dream.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1½ cups cookie crumbs from Oreo baking crumbs, Dewey’s Brownie Crisp Cookies, Oreo Thins (no need to remove the cream), or Nabisco Chocolate Wafers
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
For the Filling
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 cups whole milk
- 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghirardelli
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, best quality such as Ghirardelli
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping
- 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, grated or shaved
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter until evenly combined. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan (spread some of the crumbs up the sides first, making the crust just shy of ¼-inch thick, then press the remaining crumbs onto the bottom; use a the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to even out, if you like). Bake for 10 minutes until crisp. Let cool while you make the filling.
For the Filling
- Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Whisk gently until combined.
- In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk and egg yolks. Add the milk mixture to the saucepan in a slow and steady stream, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, 6-8 minutes. Immediately turn the heat down to a simmer and cook -- whisking constantly, especially around the edges -- for one more minute until thick. (The constant stirring and low heat prevents the eggs from scrambling. Be sure to scrape the whisk against the bottom and edges of the pan where the mixture is more likely to overheat.) Off the heat, immediately add the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla extract; whisk until evenly combined.
- Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top. Press a piece of saran wrap directly over surface of the filling to prevent a film from forming; chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.
For the Topping
- (Up to 3 hours before serving) Place the heavy cream in chilled mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip on medium-low speed until the whisk or beaters begin to leave tracks in the cream. Add sugar and whip until the cream holds medium, silky peaks. Go slowly towards the end; if it gets grainy or curdled, you’ve gone too far. Spread the whipped cream over the filling, leaving some of the chocolate filling showing around the edges. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 663
- Fat: 43 g
- Saturated fat: 24 g
- Carbohydrates: 67 g
- Sugar: 49 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 367 mg
- Cholesterol: 172 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Is there any way to make the chocolate filling the day before and chill in the fridge over night?
Sure, that’s fine.
Jenn….you are the BEST cook! I love your blog and have been thrilled with every recipe I have tried. This was the ultimate Father’s Day pie! My husband and Father in Law went nuts over it:o) A keeper and I will be making this again and again! Thank you!
So glad you all enjoyed the pie, Janet! It’s a favorite in my house as well. My son requests it every year for his birthday 🙂
Think I can freeze one of these? If so, should I freeze it with or without the whipped cream?
Hi Sarah, Unfortunately, this pie does not freeze well. Sorry!
I made this pir this Thanksgiving and froze it the night before for the long car drive then next day. It did wonderfully.
5 stars! I followed the recipe exactly and this pie turned out perfectly. I cooked the filling for the full 8 minutes while whisking constantly and it set up nicely in the timeframe laid out in the recipe. I chose not to top it with the whipped cream all at once because I planned for us to enjoy it over 2 days. So, I cut the pie and topped it as my family ate it. I didn’t have to do that, though, because my two teenage boys and husband ate the whole thing in less than a day. AND – drum roll – my mother-in-law said it was, “to die for!” YAY! Thank you, Jenn!
Pudding tasted great but I would probably add another 1-2 TBSP of cornstarch for a little firmer set if using in an pie. If u just want to make chocolate pudding then leave as is. Overall very tasty!
You must make this pie!!! I couldn’t find the wafers for the crust so I just bought an Oreo cookie pre-made crust, it was perfect with the filling! You won’t be disappointed with the end result!!
DELICIOUS! I made this for our Valentine’s dessert and we loved it.
5 Stars!!! I left a review of your chocolate cream pie 2 years ago, but just wanted you to know it’s still a winner! When my nephew got married, his fiance’ wanted to skip the cake and have rhubarb pies and chocolate cream pies instead. This was the recipe we used for the chocolate cream and it was a huge hit! Thanks!!!
Hello Jenn,
I am a neighbour to the north. This pie looks scrumptious. Before I make it I would like to ask a question. I see that you use ghirardelli chocolate. You say the recipe requires unsweetened and bitter chocolate… Which chocolate do you use… Is it 60 percent chocolate for unsweetened and bitter or do you use different cocoa content bars such as 60 for bitter and 70 for unsweetened?
Diana
Hi Diana, The unsweetened is 100% cocoa. The bittersweet is 60%. Hope that helps!
I made this pie last night and after 12 hours in the fridge it’s no closer to setting up. the filling took 10 min to reach the bubble point while I whisked it constantly over med heat.
What did I do wrong, can in be fixed or is it headed for the trash?
Hi Kelly, The filling should have a thick pudding consistency but it won’t be firm. You should be able to slice it but it will still wobble a bit. Does that sound like what yours looks like?
I just made this and it set well I made one following the recipe exactly and a second one for adults with rum. Both were superb thanks for posting.
OMG! This was a huge hit at Thanksgiving this year. I made it with my 8 year old daughter – that in itself made it a hit for me.
I worked with large chunks of chocolate that just melted right in. My girl loved watching the cream swirl from vanilla to chocolate.
My one question is that the filling was more like a pudding – it didn’t hold up as well as in your photos. Thought I did everything right there. But it’s definitely a pie I’ll make again!
Hi David, So glad you enjoyed the pie! The center is definitely pudding-like but it should set up just enough to be sliced. Did you let it sit for the full 6 hours before cutting it?
I put the crust in @ 375 for 10 minutes and it still seems really crumbly. I’m not sure that it was cooked long enough. How will I know it is actually done? I’ve never made a crust like this before.
Hi Jen, It should look dry and set. That said, it’s a crumbly crust by nature and will still crumble a bit if you touch it — kind of like a graham cracker crust. Once you put the filling in and refrigerate, it should bind with the crust and hold it together.
Loved the simplicity of the recipe and it was done in under 20 minutes. However, I will say if you prefer a darker chocolate tasting pie(as I do), reduce the sugar by half. I regret adding 2/3rd cup sugar cause it did get sweet per my preference.
I used your recipe the other night for one of our Thanksgiving Desserts! Aside from my burning of the crust (my error in not paying attention to the clock) – the dessert was a hit! My hubby loves chocolate cream pie, and he said that was the best one he’s ever had.
I say, that it was easy to make – just keep whisking – I had no problems whatsoever with the filling working out properly. I subbed 3oz callebaut milk chocolate and 3oz bittersweet because it’s what I had on hand. Either way – everyone loved it and I wanted to come back here and let you know that!
So glad it turned out, Ayla. Thanks for letting me know!
Best tasting choc pie I have ever had. Made it for Easter dinner and everybody couldn’t get enough!
I couldn’t get my filling to thicken. I cooked it longer than required. I used all the ingredients listed in the recipe. I am afraid to try it again. Any suggestions?
Hi Patty, Happy to help you troubleshoot. Did your filling thicken at all?
I replaced the 2/3 cup of sugar with 2/3 cup of liquid fruit concentrate (Wax Orchards Fruit Sweet). I reduced the milk an equivalent amount. I also replaced the sugar in the topping with Fruit Sweet. Works fine. The kids have a hard time waiting for this pie to set up!
making it now for my hubby who is very non materialistic. Will probably be his best Christmas present- I do not ever add as much sugar as these recipes call for. The sugar is sometimes overwhelming- why add sugar to cookie crumbs? My goal is to make great desserts wo too much sugar. The recipe looks like it will be a hit. TY
I made this pie for my wife on her birthday. She has had many chocolate cream pies in her life and said this one was the best she ever had. Absolutely a great recipe! I did use Jumbo yolks instead of large though… 🙂
So glad your wife loved the pie, Randy. This is one of my family’s favorite recipes. My son requests it every year on his birthday 🙂
This recipe is so amazingly simple and delicious. I have to double it for everyone 🙂
hey it is really great recepie..do tell me wat wud b the replacment for cornstarch??i dnt want to put it in the recepie
Hi Ummatul, you could try flour…u definitely need something to thicken it up.
My family loved this,even my husband who is not a pie eater
The best chocolate I had eating since I was a kid many years ago.
Thanks for this recipe. I was first attracted to your story because my dad loved chocolate pie. He has been gone for several years, but I know he would have howled at the moon over your recipe. I made it for Thanksgiving with my in-laws and plan to make it for tomorrow’s Christmas dinner with my family. It’s super yummy! Thanks for sharing!!!
Delicious! I made this gorgeous pie for Thanksgiving Day. I loved the chocolate cookie crust and the pudding was the best pudding I have ever made (even though it could have cooked another minute or two), and using whipped cream. I added banana slices on top of the pudding. My husband and daughter loved it. Thanks for sharing this recipe! I think this may become a holiday tradition!
I just made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! It disappeared so quickly that I wish I had made two – I used Oreos because I couldn’t find the Nabisco cookies and it was delicious.
This is scrumptious. Yet, I did cheat last time and bought a pre-made oreo pie crust. I couldn’t find the cookies. I wiped the crust with egg whites, cooked for 10 minutes, then transferred the crust to a real pie plate to finish.
I have only made this once. But, it is a big deal for me to make. I’m not that great in the kitchen. But, it was AWESOME! I’m going to try to do it again.
Make this if you haven’t. Unreal how good.
This is one of the best pies I have ever tried! Not too difficult to make, either.
Loved the sweet pic of your happy father. This chocolate pie looks so good. It is going on “the list” of must-makes!
Chocolate decadence at its best.
The first time I served this pie it was gone in 5 minutes! I had to make another one the next week so my daughter could experience the wonderful flavors!
I made this for my anniversary feb 26. It was SOOOO good and perfect. I added mini chocolate chips. My hubby loves mini chocolate chips in his chocolate cream pie. I also served it with fresh raspberries. DELICIOUS. TY for this recipe.
Jennifer, Since I saw the original post of this recipe, I believe I have made this dessert every month, and in December I made it 8 times for different parties and as take alongs to others homes. It’s silky smooth and delicious. I also always think of your Dad and the love that went into this dish for him. Maybe that’s why it is so wonderful!
i am loving this recipe! i must try it
This is absolutely AWESOME!
I’ve been cooking for over 12 years now, but deserts always scare me. I bit the bullet and made this recipe. I’m so happy I did! I think it’s a great beginners desert because it was so easy to make. And the cool creamy chocolate was just what I needed to curb my pregnancy cravings. Thanks for sharing your recipes with us!
Thanks for your help! 🙂
I use all butter in my crust to, i have heard of people putting Vodka and cold water in to make a flakier crust any tips for flakiness?
Sherri, Ice cold water, keep it dry and crumbly, don’t overwork the dough and always let it rest. Never tried Vodka but heard it works.
Jenn, please delete the review from the person named Anka above. I clicked on the link because I wanted to see their owl cake (Owls remind me of my mother who passed away in Jan.). That link may have been legit in 2012 but it’s DISGUSTING now!!
I have been looking at a few chocolate pie recipes since last week. I think I found the one I want to make. I’ll be back to let you know how it turns out…
Oh my gosh – I never clicked on that link (I assumed it was a pic of an owl cake)!! I just removed it – thanks for pointing that out!!
I know this is over a year later but you’re welcome. Thanks for removing it. Just yesterday I left a comment with a question but I can’t seem to find it (there’s A LOT of reviews/comments for this yummy pie, lol). Just wondering if it went through or not? Please reply as soon as possible. Thanks Jenn
I don’t see it, Tammy – could you try again?
I was wondering, when you make a traditional pie crust do you use all butter or part butter,part shortening?
Hi Sherri, I prefer all butter. Shortening gives you a little insurance that it will be tender and flaky, but as far as taste, butter is the way to go 🙂
I made this for friends this weekend. Had to use oreos (minus the filling) for the crust and it worked out fine. All I can say was that my guests were speechless, except for the moaning…they were pretty close to heaven. They are still dreaming about it.
I made this for my chocolate cream pie loving husband, the father of our four children! Very yummy and pretty simple. Yes, be careful with the eggs, but the way she instructs avoids issues. I did use a pre-made Oreo crust, so we got to enjoy the leftover filling!
Thank you for such a great recipe as always!
I purchased the cookbook tonight and I can’t wait to find my next amazing meal!
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for your support with the cookbook! 🙂
I made a chocolate cream pie over the 4th weekend.. I used the recipe from Cook’s Illustrated which called for an Oreo cookie crust as well, but my family prefers a good old fashioned pie crust.. light and flaky. I haven’t made one in years.. and the Ghirardelli Chocolate just can’t be beat for the price range!
My dad would have loved this pie! I think I’ll make it and eat every bite — just for him, of course. 🙂 Major droolability on this one.
Jennifer,
I’ve enjoyed several of your recipes and thought I’d tell you about a work-around I’ve used for the chocolate pie crust when I’ve been unable to find the chocolate icebox cookies. I take Oreo Double Stuf cookies and put them in the food processor, processing until they are crumbled. If the mixture needs a little more moisture, I add a tablespoon or 2 of melted butter. The filling compensates for the sugar and most of the liquid and the cookies are readily available.
Dad is looking good! So’s the pie…
Yummm! I might need to pass this on to my daughters to make this for me for Father’s Day!! I might eat the whole pie.
A tip for the mixture to help eliminate the eggs from cooking is called tempering, which simply calls for some of the hot mixture to be added to the beaten egg yolks slowly while whisking until the mixture gains temperature that is close to hot liquid-check the side of the bowl for temperature.
Stirring the mixture is still wise as Jenn points out, but this will help stabalize the eggs quite a bit.
Thanks for sharing these beautiful times with us!
you described MY father who is now in heaven…but he would say there is NO better than hershey kisses 😉