Chocolate Cream Pie
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With an Oreo crust and creamy chocolate filling, this chocolate cream pie recipe is tried and true—a longtime family favorite.
There aren’t many recipes in my family that are more of a tradition than this chocolate cream pie. My son, Zach—who’s now 22—has asked for it on his birthday every year since he was little, and at this point, we don’t even bother with cake—this pie is the main event. You can spot it in more family photos than I can count! With its Oreo cookie crust, silky chocolate pudding filling, and cloud of whipped cream on top, it’s the kind of dessert everyone looks forward to. Just be sure to plan ahead; the filling needs at least 8 hours in the fridge to set before serving.
“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
- Oreo cookies – Crushed to form the crust, they provide a rich, chocolatey base.
- Butter – Binds the crust and adds richness to both the crust and the filling.
- Sugar – Sweetens the filling and the whipped cream topping.
- Cornstarch – Thickens the filling and gives it a silky, pudding-like texture.
- Egg yolks & Whole Milk – The creamy, rich base of the chocolate filling.
- Bittersweet & unsweetened chocolate – For deep, complex chocolate flavor. Use good-quality chocolate (like Ghirardelli) for best results.
- Vanilla extract – Rounds out and enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Heavy whipping cream – Whips into a light, fluffy topping. Be sure it’s very cold for best volume.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step1: Make the crust. In a food processor, pulse the Oreos and melted butter until the mixture is finely ground and evenly moistened. Press the crumbs into a deep 9-inch pie pan—start with the sides so you get a nice, even edge (about ¼ inch thick), then press the rest into the bottom. Bake at 350°F for 5 to 6 minutes, just until the crust is slightly crisp. Let it cool completely before adding the filling.
Step 2: Make the chocolate filling. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the egg yolks and milk, then slowly pour it into the saucepan while whisking. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking often (and scraping the bottom and sides), until it starts to bubble and thicken, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 1 minute more. Off the heat, whisk in the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla until smooth.
Step 3: Fill and chill. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Step 4: Finish the pie. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream on medium-low until it starts to thicken and the beaters leave tracks. Add the sugar and continue whipping until soft, silky peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the chilled filling, leaving a bit of the chocolate showing around the edges. Sprinkle with grated chocolate and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can make the pie (without the whipped cream) up to a day ahead. Just wait until a few hours before serving to whip and top. Store covered in the fridge.
Video Tutorial
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Chocolate Cream Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 24 Oreo cookies
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
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 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, blend the Oreos and butter until the mixture is finely chopped and evenly moistened. Firmly press the crumbs into a deep-dish 9-in (23-cm) pie pan, starting by lining the sides to create a crust about ¼-in (6-mm) thick, then press the remaining mixture onto the bottom to form the base. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass not only to flatten and even out the surface of the base but also to press against the sides, ensuring they are compact and uniform. To refine the top edge of your crust, position the side of your thumb or the edge of a measuring cup inside the crust's side wall, and with the index finger of your other hand, gently press down on the top edge. Gradually rotate the pie pan, maintaining this motion, to ensure a consistently neat and smooth edge around the entire perimeter. Bake the crust for 5 to 6 minutes, or until slightly crisp, then allow it to cool completely before 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 egg yolks and milk. 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 to 8 minutes. Immediately turn the heat down to a simmer and cook -- whisking constantly, especially around the edges -- for one minute more, until thick. (The constant stirring and low heat prevent 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 the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is evenly combined.
- Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top. Press a piece of saran wrap directly over the 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 a 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. 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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Comments
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Hi Jenn
This is my second time making this pie and it was incredible. The texture of the filling is PERFECT. I was wondering if I could take the custard part of the recipe and make it butterscotch? Do you think I could use butterscotch chips and decrease the sugar? Thoughts and thanks again!
Jennifer
Glad you liked it! Unfortunately, I don’t think it will translate well to a butterscotch pudding without a lot of tweaks. I’d suggest looking specifically for a butterscotch pudding recipe.
Hi Jenn, how are you?
I use many of your recipes and they are always perfect. I have made this pie before and as always, it is excellent!
I want to make it again today but realize I only have unsweetened cocoa bars and unsweetened cocoa powder. Is it possible to use only unsweetened cocoa and add more sugar?
Thank you for your time. Hope all is well.
Stay safe, Kelly
Hi Kelly, So glad you like the recipes! I wouldn’t recommend the changes you’re suggesting for this one — sorry!
Can you make this with a regular crust?
Sure, Pam. I think a regular pre-baked pie shell would be delicious here.
I made this pie for my fiancée’s birthday and it was amazing! He is a super chocolate lover. I couldn’t find the Nabisco wafers (tried three stores! haha) so I had to substitute for 28 oreos, but that was the only change. I’m sure I’ll be getting requests for this one again!
We all loved this pie! I used a nut crust and sugar substitute in the whipped cream and made the custard exactly as printed. I was wondering if using a sugar sub like powdered Swerve or xilytol in the custard would destroy the taste or texture. We have to watch our sugars here but would love to enjoy this pie more often.
Wow! Perfect chocolate cream pie…..ditto to all the previous comments, not to sweet, the blend of chocolate is just right. Thank you!
Making this tomorrow and wondered if I use Oreos instead how many cookies do I use (top and bottom parts w/out the cream)? I see 28 cookies are required but didn’t know if that was a total of 28 parts or 56 parts using both top and bottom of the Oreo cookie. Thanks!
Hi Kevan, You’ll need 28 parts. Hope that clarifies and you enjoy!
This is some excellent chocolate cream pie. Good quality and delicious! I’ve made it several times and it always comes out terrific. I’ve tried different kinds of chocolate, but the bittersweet is a must. Not too sweet and very good. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this last night for a family dinner and it was a huge hit! I could not find the 100% Cacao chocolate, so I bought 2 bars of the Ghirardelli 72% Cacao. The instructions for the filling and whipped cream were very good – I normally don’t make deserts and was afraid that I would screw up the filling, but it turned out perfectly! Thank you so much for this recipe – it’s a keeper!
I have 2% milk. Will that work here?
I don’t recommend it, Sarah. Sorry!
I made this on Saturday for Valentine’s day on Sunday and it was wonderful. My husband still is talking about the pie.
I followed the directions but had to add some additional wafers and butter to make a little more crust. I think my pie pan may have been a little larger.
How many days can you keep the pie in the refrigerator?
So glad it was a hit! It should keep nicely in the fridge for up to about 4 days.