22 Quick and Easy Recipes in 30 Minutes (or less) + 5 Chef Secrets To Make You A Better Cook!

Home Recipes Dessert Cakes, Pies & Tarts

Chocolate Cream Pie

Jump to Recipe
By Jenn Segal
Save Recipe
Tested & Perfected Recipes
Chocolate Cream Pie

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

With a cookie crust, silky chocolate pudding center and pillowy whipped cream topping, this pie is a chocolate lover’s dream.

Chocolate Cream Pie

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).”

John M.

What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Cream Pie

Pie ingredients including egg, heavy cream, and vanilla.

Note: The crust was originally made with Nabisco chocolate wafers, but as of 2023, those cookies are no longer available.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.

Chocolate crumbs in 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.

Pie pan with a chocolate crust.

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Whisk gently until combined.

Sugar mixture in a saucepan.

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.

Milk mixture pouring into a sauce pan.

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.)

Whisk in a sauce pan with sugar, eggs, and milk mixture.

Turn off the heat, then immediately add the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla extract.

Chocolate melting into a saucepan.

Whisk until smooth.

Whisk in a sauce pan of chocolate mixture.

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.

Chocolate filling in a chocolate crust.

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.

Stand mixer of whipped cream.

Spoon the whipped cream over the filling.

Chocolate pie topped with a large pile of whipped cream.

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.

Chocolate Cream Pie
Photo by Our Salty Kitchen

You Might Also Like

Print

Chocolate Cream Pie

Metric Cup Measures
Adapted, with modifications, from Gourmet Magazine

With a cookie crust, silky chocolate pudding center and pillowy whipped cream topping, this pie is a chocolate lover’s dream.

Servings: 8-10

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

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. 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

  1. Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Whisk gently until combined.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  1. (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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

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.

See more recipes:

Comments

Load Previous

  • 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?

  • 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

    • — Denise Ksen -Smith
    • Reply

    • Also does the pie pan need to be buttered?

      • — Denise Ksen -Smith
      • Reply

      • 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

    • — Donna Davenport
    • Reply

    • 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:)

    • — Sarah Taylor-Green
    • Reply

  • 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.

      • Hi Jenn!
        Made this last night and it was wonderful! I had to make the crust gluten free so unfortunately the bottom part dissolved into the filling.

        I was thinking, could I temper chocolate and spread it on the bottom crust first and then put cooled filling in? I really want to make this pie again while keeping the yummy cookie like crust.

        • — Jennifer Patzer
        • Reply

        • Sorry you had a problem with the crust, but yes, I do think would be a good solution. Please LMK how it turns out!

  • 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.

Load More

Add a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.