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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.
My father is one of those people for whom dessert is not really dessert unless it’s chocolate. When I was growing up, he used to keep a stash of Hershey’s kisses in the back corner of the freezer, where my sister and I couldn’t reach them. Every night after dinner, he would line exactly six of them up on the arm of the sofa and relish them, one by one, while he watched TV.
This chocolate cream pie is dad’s all-time favorite dessert, and every year before Father’s Day, he starts dropping not-so-subtle hints that I should make it. With a 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.
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Cream Pie
How To Make Chocolate Cream Pie
Begin by making the crust. Combine the chocolate wafers, sugar and butter in bowl of food processor fitted with the blade attachment.
Pulse until the cookies are finely crushed.
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; use a the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to even out, if you like). Bake for 10 minutes until crisp.
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
- 28 Nabisco Chocolate Wafers (or 1-1/2 cups finely crushed crumbs)*
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
For the Filling
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 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.
- Combine the chocolate wafers, sugar and butter in bowl of food processor fitted with the blade attachment and pulse until the cookies are finely crushed. 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; use a the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to even out, if you like). Bake for 10 minutes until crisp.
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.
- *Nabisco cookies available in the cookie aisle at most major supermarkets. Sometimes they can be hard to spot. At my local Giant, they’re on the top shelf near the Oreos.
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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Reviews & Comments
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Excited to try this recipe but all I have on hand is milk chocolate. My question is do you think I can just leave out the sugar and use the milk chocolate?
I wouldn’t recommend it, Kim — sorry!
AMAZING! I’d never made pudding from scratch before, but the instructions were very clear and it wasn’t difficult at all. The end result is spectacular.
Hi Jenn,
What can be used instead of eggs ? Is condensed milk also an option for it ?
Hi Neha, unfortunately, there’s no real substitute for the eggs in this. You could either buy a pudding mix at the store or use this egg-free pudding. Hope that helps!
Every single person who ate this for Thanksgiving dessert loved it. So, so good. I have leftover ingredients and my husband is asking me to make it again asap.
I have been making this pie once a year, every year, the day after Thanksgiving to celebrate the life of my father-in-law, who would have loved it. It’s seriously the greatest pie ever and something we all look forward to. It’s our once a year pie tradition! The only thing I change is that I don’t add the sugar to the crust because to me it’s a little too sweet that way. Otherwise it is absolute perfection. Thank you for the recipe!
This pie is absolutely AMAZING!! I made it for my husbands birthday and it came out PERFECT!! It didn’t take me long to make and was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend 🙂
Love this pie. It is so easy to make, tastes delicious, and every one loves it. If there is a gathering, there is never any left over.
What an amazing pie! It was as if I’d purchased this from my local French pattiserie. Amazing texture and flavour.
Hit!!!
Excited to try this pie! I’m wondering if I can use a pie shell instead of Oreos? Thanks!
Sure, Megan – just make sure it’s deep dish.
Delicious! Takes a little while for the cornstarch to activate and the pudding to thicken. Keep stirring and be patient! Couldn’t find Nabisco chocolate cookies, so pulled apart Oreos and discarded the filling. Will absolutely make again.
I usually don’t substitute but I was out of milk and cornstarch. I used 1/3 cup of flour and half and half for milk. I also used a double boiler to be safe. It was so creamy and decadent. Texture was perfect. Will make again and again.
Jenn….the chocolate pie was amazingly good. I made it exactly as the recipe stated and wouldn’t change a thing. 5 stars
Dear Jenn, I am already making this and discovered I have Ghiradelli semisweet chocolate and unsweetened instead of bittersweet. Would you be able to advise how I would adjust the sugar? Thank you!
Hi Janet, Semisweet is perfectly fine to use; you might just reduce the sugar in the whipped cream topping by a tablespoon or two.
Thank you Jenn! I had already subbed in more unsweetened chocolate by the time I saw your response. I also did not have whole milk so added some heavy whipping cream to skim milk and reduced the butter by half as I thought the cream would make it too rich. It was just fabulous. We had this as a creamy dessert for a meal with your tuna poke from the cookbook, carne asada and Caesar salad. All delicious! Thank you again.
So glad it turned out well, Janet – thanks for the follow-up! 🙂
This got very delicious! I made into individual tarts. Can I freeze some for another chocolate emergency?
So glad you enjoyed it, Dianne! Unfortunately, this pie doesn’t freeze very well – sorry!
Hi Jenn,
Perfect day to bake a pie here in Northern California. This chocolate cream pie is sooo good.
I added a ¼ tsp. of coffee granules to the chocolate mixture and 1 Tsp. of Irish Bailey cream.
No baking except for the crust, so perfect on a warm day.
Another marvelous treat, thanks to you.
Laurent-Paul
It’s too hot to bake but I needed a dessert. This pie fit the bill. It’s in the fridge cooling and setting but I left a little filling in the pot. The pudding is absolutely delicious! It’s going to be even better with the chocolate cookie crust and a little whipped cream. Thank you Jenn!
I followed the recipe exactly, but the pie never set. I took it to an event and even after freezing it to try to salvage it, I had to serve it in soup bowls. I also found it to be overwhelmingly sweet due to the amount of sugar.
Sorry you had a problem with this! Is there any chance you may have made a measuring error?
Surely people made pies like this before the invention of the food processor. I so wish recipes would include directions for those who don’t have one.
Hi Cindy, You can do this without a food processor. You can just melt the butter and mix everything by hand. Hope that helps!
Jenn, love all your recipes, you make me look like a gourmet cook! Made this pie and it was delicious. Do you think it would work in a tart pan with removable bottom or cheesecake pan so it looks more attractive when served?
I do think either would work well, Nancy. Glad you enjoyed it!
i followed your recipe, changing only 2 things. I added crushed pretzel sticks to the crust ingredients to add a slightly salty addition to the graham crackers, and i used 2 more ounces of unsweetened chocolate, and 2 less sweetened(because it’s what i had on hand).
this recipe is incredible. absolutely silky texture, deep chocolate flavor. i will always use your method in the future for making chocolate cream pie.
thanks so much for developing it.
i would give it more stars if i could!
I just have to post, I have not yet tried this pie, I am making it tonight for a family event tomorrow. The reason I have to post is because I have such confidence in your recipes and instructions, that I am happy to make this for an important family event, without trying it at home first. I know this pie will be excellent, and I know I will have no problem preparing it, because your instructions are easy to follow, and you think of all the little details that we have questions about right in the middle of the baking process! Just recently purchased your book, although we have been a fan for several years now. Your Grilled Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Herbs are a staple in our house! Thank you!
Awww…. thanks Doreen – so glad you like the recipes – hope you enjoy the pie just as much! xoxo
I usually love your recipes but this one really isn’t a keeper for our family. The filling was much stiffer than I was expecting and way too chocolaty if that is possible. I’m not sure if I made an error in measuring the milk or something else but I much prefer the fluffier chocolate pudding that is sweeter for chocolate cream pie.
Do you have any tips for knowing when the crust is ready? It was hard to tell because the cookies are so dark. I ended up baking a little longer, my oven runs a bit low, and took it out when it started to smell really good. It still looked a bit crumbly, but I didn’t want to risk burning it. Will find out how it turned out later after dinner today. Happy Easter! 🐣🐰🙂
Hi Amanda, You’re right that it’s a little hard to tell because of the dark color but I think your best bet is to go by smell. Don’t worry if the crust is a little crumbly — that’s just the nature of this type of crust. Hope everyone enjoyed!
Can this pie be made in a tart pan? What size would you think?
Would I need to 1.5x the recipe?
Sorry, i just saw you answered this question!
I added a little bit of coffee beans to give my chocolate cream pie a little kick !
I loved the recipe all together!
Hi Jenn, Thank you for another great recipe. We have enjoyed this pie several times and I have also served the pudding and whipped cream without the crust and in their own little dishes. All have gotten rave reviews! I have been wishing to double the pudding recipe and wondered if you think it would be okay to double it all in one bowl. It would be easier than making it twice! Thanks again.
Hi Katie, Glad you enjoy this! You can definitely double the pudding recipe. Not sure if you’re intending this (or just serving the pudding in bowls), but this wouldn’t all fit in one pie plate.
Thanks for this information, Jen. And yes, I will be putting this into bowls, so it should work out perfectly!
I accidentally discovered Once Upon a Chef a little over a month ago, and have made so many of the dishes. My daughter, however, is the master baker and she’s made this pie twice. It is decadent with a capital D and worth every last calorie.
We’re having it tonight to honor Pi Day. I cannot wait!
Glad you accidentally discovered the blog and are enjoying the recipes — Happy Pi Day! 🙂
High compliments UNANIMOUSLY! Couldn’t find thin wafers, worked beautifully w/chocolate graham crackers.
Thank you again Jenn for another superb recipe!
I am going to make this pie however I only have 2% milk. Will this work just same?
The filling won’t be quite as creamy, but it should work. Hope you enjoy!
Hi! Would an 11 inch tart pan work for this recipe? Would any adjustments need to be made?
Thank you!
Hi KJ, a 9 or 10-inch pan is best for this, but I think it should work. It will just need to be spread a little wider so you won’t achieve quite as much height. Hope you enjoy!
Hi! Super yummy recipe just like all your others! I have a tree nut allergy, and it’s surprisingly difficult to find chocolate bars that don’t have the “may contain tree nuts” label on them. I ended up using Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips and unsweetened coccoa and butter as substitutes (3tbs coccoa/1tbs butter per oz of unsweetened chocolate bar)
The pie was super yummy, but the texture wasn’t “silky”. Any ideas to what may have went wrong? Was it the cocoa powder? Thanks!!
Hi Liz, so glad you like the recipes! I think you’re right and that the substitute you made for the chocolate had an impact on the texture and made it less silky. 🙁
I guess I’d consider myself an intermediate baker. If I have the time, I love to try different dessert recipes. For a while I’ve wanted to make a chocolate cream pie because it just sounded so delicious. I followed this recipe to a T and I think it was the most delicious dessert I’ve ever made.
I made it for Christmas (today), two days prior. I tasted the pudding right after I made it and worried that maybe the flavor was too rich, not sweet enough. Today I found that the flavor mellowed and wasn’t too sweet or bitter or even rich. It was a smooth, perfectly balanced chocolate pudding. The whipped cream and the cookie crust perfectly complimented it.
It was outstanding and I imagine the pudding alone, without the crust, would be absolutely lovely. Everyone who had room for dessert tried it and was blown away.
Thank you so much for the recipe!
Good morning Jen; decided To make this this morning for a dinner party I’m going to this evening. It appears I only have semi sweet and Unsweetened chocolate. How can I make that work or do we need to run out to the store real quick for bittersweet? Thanks
Semi-sweet is fine, Jenny – no need to run out. 🙂
The recipe sounds great and I am planning to make it. Would it be OK to prepare and freeze the crust and filling, then add the whipped cream just before serving?
Unfortunately, this pie doesn’t freeze very well – sorry!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope you can answer this really quick! Ha! I’m getting ready to make your Chocolate CreamPie. I bought the chocolates that you recommended but I did not realize that I needed 5oz bitter sweet chocolate, I only have 1-4oz bar. What can I use for 1 more oz? I have enough unsweetened left over or I do have semi sweet chips( for cookies).. I live out of town so it would be a drive to get to a store. Help!
Thank you I advance,
Susie
I love all of your recipes!
Hi Susie – It’s fine to use an additional ounce of unsweetened – won’t make a difference. 🙂
Thanks Jen for another great recipe…I followed your recipe with a few exceptions: I couldn’t find the chocolate wafers so I used Archway Dessert Thins, Fudge Brownies, oh my, so good. 4oz sweeten chocolate ( I only bought 1 bar instead of 2 and I made it before I got your response 😏)…. I made this for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner and it was a hit! A small slice goes a long way, very rich and creamy!
Thank you,
Susie
Hi! I cannot find the Nabisco chocolate wafers anywhere. Could I use the Nabisco Oreo thin crisps instead? There is no filling on the crisps, just an outer wafer.
Thanks!
I’ve been hearing that a lot this week – not sure what is going on with Nabisco! But yes you can definitely use the Oreo thin crisps. 🙂
This is delicious!! I used a plain crust and more whipped cream that the recipe calls for. Will definitely be making this again!
I made your chocolate cream pie for my/my husband’s birthday this past August. (We share the same birthday, August 15). While it was more time consuming than I am used to, it was worth every minute spent making it. He said it was by far the best chocolate cream pie he had ever eaten. But I think he grew up eating the Jell-O instant pie/pudding for filling, so take that into consideration! I grew up eating my grandmother’s homemade cream pies and yours was as good, sorry Granny, if not better. Next time, I’m going to make your filling recipe using her homemade pie crust instead of the cookie crust. Best of both worlds.
Outstanding! Everyone who tries it comments on the deep, dark, delicious chocolate flavor, loves that it is not “too sweet” and somehow, seems incredibly light. My husband has renamed it “Heaven on a Plate”! I make this all the time for guests and it never disappoints, simply delights–on every level. Thank you, Jenn!
could I make a graham cracker crust? If so, do you think the baking instructions are the same? Looking more for a S’mores pie, and your chocolate got rave reviews, so I’m hoping to use the filling.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Hanna, Do you have my cookbook? There’s a wonderful Indoor Smore’s bar recipe in there that would make a fabulous pie. But to answer your questions on this one — yes and yes.
Best chocolate cream pie ever! Not cloyingly sweet at all, so you can really taste the chocolate. I made it for our Father’s Day bbq and the whole family is still talking about it and asking for a second one. It’s a great dessert to make for kids and grown-ups both.
I had to sub the crust for an Oreo cookie crust due to an allergy, and it worked just fine (I left out the sugar in the crust though – Oreos don’t need any extra sugar!). Never made a pudding from scratch before, but it was very simple. Thanks!
Hi Jenn,
I made this recipe at the request of my son for his birthday, we all agreed that the chocolate wafer crust was much too rich and had a strange taste (like bitter, burnt dark chocolate). It seemed to ruin the good flavor of the creamy chocolate pie. We opted to eat the pie without the crust. I will try using an Oreo crust next time.
Instead of the cookie crust, can you use a regular pastry crust successfully??
Cathy, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure, but I think it would work. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
That’s what I do! Just love it.
I stumbled onto your webpage trying to find the perfect chocolate cream pie recipe. I’m so glad I did. I was tired of looking at recipes that in the comments everyone was changing to make it “perfect”. The pies ( I made two) set up beautifully. I followed your recipe to the “T”. Very clear instructions and easy to follow. The pie had a great flavor and just the right blend of chocolate. All the layers complemented each other. I loved the crust with the Nabisco wafers and definitely used the good quality chocolate. Tasted great and looked great as well. Will be making this again and trying out more of your recipes. This chocolate cream pie will be my go to desert to take to gatherings.
I have made this pie twice for my husband and every time he eats it, his eyes roll back in his head 🙂 He used to the make it for the kids his version with the graham cracker store bought pie crust and the box chocolate pudding. I followed the recipe exactly as is. This is one amazing recipe! I love all of your recipes and asked my husband for the cookbook as a birthday present! Thank you for sharing your amazing talent with us!
Second time I’m making this pie. Makes me look like an impressive dessert maker when baking is really not my deal. Everyone is going to love it!
This is my new “go-to” dessert when company is in town! It’s fairly easy to make but does take a little pre-planning. So worth it though when the dinner guests rave about the dessert. I’ve actually started to keep a few printed copies on hand because they always ask for the recipe!
This recipe reminds me so much of the chocolate cream pie my mother-in-law used to make that I enjoyed so much. I don’t know if she used all the same type of ingredients (unfortunately she passed away and I never got the recipe), but it sure tastes similar. Whenever I make this one, I think of her. Thanks, Jenn, for the delicious recipe and for something that brings back wonderful memories.
A perfect chocolate cream pie recipe. I followed the recipe and it was easy and very delicious. Thanks
Oh my goodness!!! This pie is GREAT. I love chocolate but I don’t like over-the-top chocolate desserts that are too sweet and strong. This is not that type of dessert. It’s smooth and silky and while fully chocolatey, it’s not too sweet. It will be both my and my son’s birthday dessert I suspect:)
This pie. THIS PIE. Smooth, rich, thick and perfect. Gosh, it sounds like I’m writing a love song! Thanks for sharing your recipe, I have made it many times and it’s a family favorite!
Have anyone tried this with oreos? I live in Denmark and We Don’t have the other cookies 🙁
Hi Theresa, It works!
The pics are cute and all but… There are no measurements for the ingredients!! There is a giant canister of I guess, sugar but how much do u put in??? Same with milk, flour ECT.
Hi Cindy, Sorry for the confusion! If you click on the “recipe” tab, you’ll find the quantities and instructions.
I don’t have a food processor, can I just crush the cookies and then combine butter, sugar, and crumbs with my mixer?
Sure Bonnie – that will work well (and you can just melt the butter and mix everything by hand). Enjoy!
This pie was absolutely delicious! We had 5 choices of pies for Thanksgiving and this chocolate cream pie was the only one that was completely gone after dessert! The filling is a decadent, rich chocolate flavor and so silky smooth. I followed the recipe exactly as Jenn presented it and it was perfection. Highly recommend it for any special occasion or anytime you want to wow your guests!
1/4 cup cornstarch is correct?
Yep 🙂
Hello! Making this on Thanksgiving for those who don’t like pumpkin, at what temp do you bake the crust?
Hi Sara, The crust should be baked at 375 degrees. Hope everyone enjoys!
I do not remember who shared with me about this website, but I am SO very grateful! I have tried several different chocolate cream pie recipes to recreate the pie I always order at my favorite restaurant. THIS RECIPE!!!! Even better than the one I order! It is easy-honestly!- to put together and SO VERY DELICIOUS!
For this chocolate cream pie, is there anything I use in replace of the egg yolks? I want to make this pie for my daughter but she has severe egg allergy. Please help. Thank you
Hi Janis, there’s no real substitute for the egg in this. You could either buy a pudding mix at the store or use this egg-free version. Hope that helps!.
I followed the instructions to the letter and extremely pleased with the outcome. Waiting the full 8 hours to let it setup is key. Thanks for sharing another 5 star recipe…
I’ve made this pie several times now and always had rave reviews. Once I brought one to my dad and told him he could just eat a piece and maybe freeze individual slices for later. He called me late that night demanding that I NEVER bring him another one of those pies because he ate the whole thing. It’s rich, thick, and absolutely yummy. Thank you!
I made the pie yesterday and cut a piece today, did not set up, was runny. Looked over recipe again and only put in 4oz bittersweet. Could that have been the reason?? I did everything else correctly.
Hi Pam, Sorry you had a problem with this! I don’t think using 4 instead of 5 ounces would make that much of a difference; I’m assuming you used the 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate called for in the recipe? If not, that’s likely to be the problem. If you did use the unsweetened chocolate, the runniness may have meant that the pie was a little undercooked. Keep in mind, that when sliced, this is not firm like cheesecake, but softer like pudding (but it shouldn’t be runny).
I am going to try this recipe again tomorrow, even though it didn’t set, the filling was delicious!! Should the pie shell be cooled before adding the filling? Thanks ! Pam
Hi Pam, No need to cool the pie shell before adding the filling. Hope it turns out this time!
I made the chocolate cream pie for the first time this last weekend for my son-in-laws birthday. Chocolate Cream pie is one of his favorites. I was so nervous because I have NEVER made any type of cream pie or the chocolate crust. I followed your recipe to a tee and it turned out PERFECT! It held together and looked amazing. Thank you thank you for this wonderful recipe. I have used many of your recipes and each one has been fail proof! Keep up the good work!!!
Hello Jenn,
I will be making this to take for Easter at my boyfriend’s parents house. I have made several of your recipes so far (e.g, banana ice cream, ceasar salad..etc) and they have been consistently so amazing that I have full confidence that this will be a hit too (typically I never try a recipe for the first time when I’m taking it to a gathering and if I do, I always have a “backup” dessert made).
I wanted to ask whether it would be okay to substitute the bitter sweet and unsweetened chocolate in the pudding cream for semi-sweet chocolate that I have at hand? I suppose I would have to eliminate a T or two of sugar if I did that but not sure whether that would affect the final outcome (would I have to add cocoa powder too if I make this sub?)
Thank you !!
Malak
Hi Malak, so glad you’ve enjoyed the recipes you’ve made! I think if you want to go the route of the semi-sweet chocolate that, yes, you’d need to reduce the sugar by a few tablespoons. No other modifications would be necessary. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi Jenn,
Happy Easter !! I ended up buying bitter-sweet and unsweetened chocolate and following your recipe to the t. This was a huge hit and the recipe is now in my True-and-tried recipe book. It was not too sweet although very very rich and my boyfriend even suggested that I make him chocolate pudding (his favourite dessert) using the recipe for the filling (which I will be doing). The crust cut perfectly and it did not crumble, which I was worried it might in my case. I would not change a single thing in this pie. Thank you so much, Chef for another amazing recipe!
P.S: given your sanctuary expertise on French baking, I would absolutely appreciate if you could share your recipe for (strawberry?) French macaroons… this is one of the things I have always wanted to make but so far been too intimidated to give a try. I know I would be confident making those in the presence of your recipe !!
So glad you enjoyed the pie! And, unfortunately, I don’t have a proven recipe for French macaroons, but I will add it to my list of recipes to potentially develop. Thanks for the suggestion as I’m always looking for new inspiration!
Hello Jenn,
Was curious to know how many chocolate bars do you use for the chocolate cream pie? More specifically, how many bars(squares) for the unsweetened chocolate and how many bars for the bittersweet?
Thanks, Diana
Ghirardelli bars are 4 oz each – so you’d need 2 bars bittersweet and 1 bar unsweetened (but you’d have leftover of both).
What an amazing recipe! This is my husband’s favorite type of pie. I surprised him with it and he was in heaven. He used to make it with the store bought crust and pudding and everyone loved it. I followed the recipe as is but I used the organic chocolate graham crackers and measured it out. The only other two minor changes I made were adding another tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar to the topping and adding a teaspoon of peppermint extract instead of vanilla. I can’t wait to make this again. We waited for six hours for it to chill and it came out wobbly but firm. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
This pie is amazing! I love that the flavors get even better by letting it sit overnight, making it a great make ahead dessert. Thank you for sharing your recipes Jenn! You are such a talented chef!
Have you tried making the pudding with non-dairy alternatives, such as almond, soy or rice milk? I sometimes find that puddings and custards don’t set properly with these, but need to use them do to lactose intolerances.
Hi Mary, I haven’t tried this with a non-dairy alternative. There’s a lot of milk in the recipe, so I’d be a little concerned about the results. I would suggest looking for a tried and true chocolate pudding recipe made with a non-dairy alternative. You can use that as the filling.
It was delicious. My whole family and friends enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing;-)
This pie is to die for. I am not allowed to make only one as it disappears too quickly. I always have to make two. Thanks, Jen
Hi! Can I make this two days in advance before an event?
Hi Mikaela, Yes it keeps very well. Enjoy!
I made this pie for Thanksgiving this year instead of your fab pumpkin pie. I was amazed at the response – everyone loved it. The chocolate filling was so creamy, the chocolate flavor was right on target – This will now be my go to “can you bring a pie” pie. Thanks for having this recipe on your site.
Was a bit nervous making this for a group of foodies…..Would it set? Would the crust be crumbly? Sliced into it nervously, but I should have known – your recipes are always perfection! It was the perfect consisitancy, smooth and creamy, and together with the slightly crunchy crust, it made the perfect bite. This one is a keeper!
I am a huge fan of yours! Ive made at least 25 recipes of yours and they are all awesome! However, this pie flopped on me. I made exactly as written however forgot the 2 ounces of chocolate in filling. My filling seemed like it was thickened when cooked but Thanksgiving day when cutting it, it just looked like pudding.?! Not sure what happened The crust also didnt cut nicely it was more crumbly. Any ideas?
Hi Denise, So sorry you had trouble with the pie. The cream filling is much like chocolate pudding but thicker — you should definitely be able to slice it into clean, albeit “wobbly” slices. The crust is a cookie crust (much like a graham cracker crust) so it does crumble a bit but it should still hold together for the most part. Did you allow the pie to cool for the entire recommended time (at least 8 hours or overnight) in the fridge?
Hi. I was wondering if whipping cream is the same as heavy whipping cream. I bought whipping cream for this recipe. Is that the same? I also saw heavy cream in the store, but could not find heavy whipping cream. Please let me know. I’d like to, make this for Thanksgiving.
Denise
Also does the pie pan need to be buttered?
No, it’s not necessary for this recipe.
Yes, Denise – they are basically the same. Enjoy!
This recipe sounds great. I only have semi-sweet chocolate on hand. Do you think that would work?
Hi Lori, I think it’d be a bit too sweet with only semi-sweet chocolate. I’d probably reduce the sugar by a few tablespoons if you want to try it. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
As I was making this pie for the first time today I was wondering if you can skip the pudding in the bowl and go directly into the cool pie crust?
Thank you,
Donna Davenport
I think that would probably work Donna!
how do u make enough chocolate pie filling for 2 pies
Hi Peggy, Just double all the ingredients necessary for the filling. Enjoy!
Chocolate lovers heaven!! Doesn’t get any better than this. First time ever made a pie and don’t believe will ever top this one.
I’ve made it the last few Thanksgivings and a few other occasions… always a huge hit. I can’t bring myself to waste my time on apple pie anymore. The chocolate custard is very rich and chocolatey and perfect
This was out-of-this-world delicious!! I love that it needs to be made a day ahead; makes the day of the party easier. I was going to make a regular pie crust but am so glad I followed the recipe and made the chocolate wafer crust. I wouldn’t change a thing . . . Another winning recipe Jenn. Thanks so much!!
Delicious! I was asked to make a chocolate cream pie for a gathering and I luckily found your recipe. It’s a winner.
***** My daughter made this at Thanksgiving and it was fantastic. She gave me the recipe and I made 4 over the holidays. The last pie, I substituted peppermint extract for vanilla extract. Very good. Thanks for a great dessert!
SO good. I don’t cook or bake much, but made this very easily. It was a wonderful treat after Christmas dinner! 🙂
I’ve been making this for months now and everybody loves it! It’s not too sweet and it’s creamy.
I made the chocolate cream pie and it came out perfect! It is absolutely delicious. Thank you for the wonderful recipe and the easy directions with pictures.
Amazing pie recipe!!! This was a huge hit at my Thanksgiving table this year.
Thanks so much for posting!
I accidentally misread your recipe and used egg whites instead of egg yolks and it still turned out really well. I plan to make it again for Christmas and will do it the right way 🙂
Happy holidays!
Thank you for such a delicious pie recipe. I especially enjoyed the smooth and silky chocolate taste. Since I am gluten free, I used one box of Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Jo Jo’s chocolate sandwich cookies. Since they tend to be crispier and more dry, I used two tablespoons more of butter when I made the crust. I look forward to trying more of your recipes:)
Love, love, loved this pie. It’s insanely rich – but worth every gosh darn calorie filled bite. I modified the crust recipe because I wasn’t able to find plain chocolate wafers, but I think it worked out pretty well. I used 3 parts chocolate/mint cookies and 1 part chocolate graham cracker. It was so good. It was a major hit at Thanksgiving.
Hi. I was wondering if it would be ok to substitute lactose-free milk and egg substitute. I’m trying to work within my families’ health concerns, often a big challenge in baking.
I wouldn’t suggest using egg substitute for the pudding. You could either buy a pudding mix at the store or try this egg-free version: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/chocolate-pudding-sundaes.html. The end result won’t be as firm so a little harder to slice, but still delicious.
Can this pie (whipped cream and all) be made a day early? Would you recommend stabilizing the whipped cream and adding it to the pie just before serving? Trying to prep for tomorrow and this pie looks like it should really be on our dessert table!
Hi Lauren, It can definitely be made a day ahead — and, yes, good idea with the whipped cream, although you can add it a few hours before serving if you like.
How do you stabilize the whipped cream? I’ve made the chocolate part and will whip the cream before serving tonight…but now I’m thinking will the leftovers get weird over the next day or two?
Hi Evelyn, There’s no need to stabilize the whipped cream. It will keep nicely for a few days in the fridge. 🙂
I used a graham cracker crust for your Chocolate Cream Pie, and loved the contrast between the cookie crust and the chocolate filling!
Has anyone ever folded some of the whip cream into the pie just before putting into the pie crust.
I am making one for the first time this thsnksgiving
Hi Carrie, The pudding filling is already pretty soft as is and I worry it would be difficult to slice. Hope everyone enjoys it on Thanksgiving!
I went a little heavy on the chocolate and was forced to use a pastry crust. However it was still amazing. It’s now my husband’s favorite thing I make. I made it last Thanksgiving. I’m making it again this year and it’s already been brought up a ton. Thank you! 🙂
What kind of chocolate can you add to the top of chocolate cream pie
Hi Ginger, I use bittersweet — but anything would work.
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!
Hello.
Here is my owl cake using your chocolate cream — mmm, delicious! Enjoy!
http://happyhangaround.com/2012/02/29/leap-day-a-tradition-and-an-owl/
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.
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 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 😉