This Creamy Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie Recipe is silky, rich and a chocolate lover’s dream. it has a buttery, deep-dish pie crust that is filled with chocolate pudding, then topped with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings. An easy no-bake dessert!
Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie
This chocolate pie recipe has been a labor of love, and it’s all paid off. This is made with a rich dark chocolate pudding and topped with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings, it’s pure decadence.
The chocolate pudding melts in your mouth, and when you get a bite of crust, pudding and whipped cream together it’s simply the best. No special occasion is needed to enjoy this pie, but it does make a perfect addition to the Thanksgiving table or a summer BBQ.
You’ll Love This Pie
I’ve made quite a few homemade pudding recipes in the past, but this recipe is definitely one of the easiest I’ve made and a great recipe for beginner bakers. Plus the chocolate pudding is so amazing, it will satisfy even the most intense chocolate craving.
- It’s made without egg yolks and without gelatin, it’s super easy to work with.
- Only 7 basic ingredients for the pudding
- It’s cooked on the stovetop, then poured into a blind- baked pie crust.
- The chocolate pudding is silky, smooth and thick.
- Melted chocolate gives this pudding a deep, rich chocolate flavor
Basic Ingredients
You’ll need one 9-inch pie crust prepared and blind-baked– try my easy, no-fail crust recipe. It includes instructions for blind baking.
For the Pudding
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour– helps to thicken the pudding
- Cocoa powder
- Whole milk- whole milk is best to make a thick consistency.
- Dark chocolate bar- You’ll want to use high quality chocolate. I often use Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa as it’s readily available.
- Unsalted butter
- Pure vanilla extract
For the Topping
- Heavy whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
- Dark chocolate
- Crisco shortening
How to Make Chocolate Pie
Step 1: Prepare your pie crust.
You need a 9-inch pie crust, prepared and fully baked. Cool your pie crust completely before filling.
Step 2: Make the Chocolate Pudding
- Prepare your ingredients: Chop the chocolate ahead of time and have your sieve and bowl ready to go. Once the milk starts to bubble, things move very quickly.
- Heat the dry ingredients: In a medium saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, and cocoa powder and whisk together. Heat for 2 minutes on medium to medium-low heat, whisking occasionally.
- Add milk: Slowly whisk in the milk, pressing the whisk into the bottom edges of the saucepan to break up any clumps.
- Cook to a boil: Continue whisking the pudding until it starts to thicken and lightly bubble, approximately 10-15 minutes. The mixture will start to coat the outside of the pan as it thickens. Ensure it’s thicken before moving onto the next step, so you’re pudding will not properly set.
- Add chocolate: Slowly add the chocolate and continue whisking until the chocolate is completely melted. Cook for 2-5 minutes, ensuring the pudding is bubbling and thick, stirring occasionally.
- Add butter and vanilla: Remove the pudding from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and butter and whisk until the butter is melted and combined.
- Strain: Strain the pudding through a fine sieve, three times, rinsing the sieve in between each time. This will prevent your pudding from having a grainy texture. Don’t skip this step. Pour the pudding into a heat proof bowl and cover with clear plastic wrap (placing directly on the surface of the pudding), then poke a few holes in the plastic wrap with a toothpick.
- Cool: Allow the pudding to cool on the counter for at least 1 hour before refrigerating. Refrigerate 2-4 hours until the pudding has cooled and is firm. Pour in the prepared pie crust. Prepare the whipped cream prior to serving.
Step 3: Assemble the Pie
- Once the pudding is ready, pour it in your baked pie crust and refrigerate it until it sets and it’s completely cooled.
- Top with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Tips For Success
- Use a high-quality dark chocolate bar. Chocolate bars melt down so much smoother and are less oily than chocolate chips. You’ll want to use high quality chocolate.
- Strain the pudding. It’s important to catch the clumps of dry ingredients that did not dissolve. I strain the pudding 3 times, rinsing the sieve in between. Do not scrape the bottom of your saucepan, those clumps that are sticking to the bottom are no good.
- Cool the pudding before pouring it in your pie crust: This prevent a soggy pie crust.
- Cover the top of the warm pudding with saran wrap: This prevents a skin from forming of of the pie. Use a toothpick to poke a few holes, allowing some of the air and condensation to escape.
How Long Does the Pudding Take to Set?
You’ll need a few hours. I let it sit on the counter for about an hour until it partially cooled then I refrigerate for 2-4 hours before pouring it in the pie shell.
TroubleShooting Tip: My Pudding Didn’t Set
I have received several comments or emails from people who have made this recipe and their pudding did not set, even after chilling overnight. If cooked properly, following the specified ingredients, this should not have an issue.
It’s important that the pudding is thickened at two stages, once when the dry ingredients are incorporated into the milk and again after the chocolate is added. Each time the mixture should be bubbling and thick. You’ll also notice in the first stage that the mixture is starting to coat the outside of your saucepan.
Your friends will be seriously impressed with your dessert, even if you have an ugly pie crust like mine. Pie crust is my arch-nemesis.
Can I Make This Ahead Of Time?
Yes! It keeps very well in the refrigerator, although I suggest adding the whipped cream right before serving.
You can make the pudding even the day before you make the crust and then pour the pudding into your crust when it’s ready. The pudding will be thick and set but it will still spread with a spatula.
Storing a Finished Pie
Once you’ve assembled the pie, it needs to be kept in the refrigerator. Ideally, it should be covered in an airtight container or with plastic wrap. This is best when served within 3 days of preparation.
Chocolate Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 8 slices
- Category: Pie
- Method: Refrigerator
- Cuisine: American
Description
This homemade Chocolate Pie Recipe is made completely from scratch using a homemade dark chocolate pudding and homemade whipped cream topping!
Ingredients
- 1 deep dish pie crust, prepared and blind baked
For the chocolate pudding:
- 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (31g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (7g) cocoa powder
- 3 1/2 cups (828ml) whole milk
- 12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon (14g) butter
- 1 teaspoon (5g) pure vanilla extract
For the whipped cream
- 1 1/2 cups (355ml) heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup (98g) powdered sugar
For the chocolate shavings (optional)
- 2 ounces dark chocolate
- 1/2 tablespoon (21g) Crisco shortening
Instructions
- Prepare your favorite 9-inch pie crust and blind bake it. Cool completely.
For the chocolate pudding:
- Prepare all the ingredients prior to starting. In a medium saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, and cocoa powder and whisk together. Heat for 2 minutes on medium to medium-low heat, whisking occasionally.
- Next, slowly whisk in the milk, pressing the whisk into the bottom edges of the saucepan to break up any clumps.
- Continue whisking the pudding until it starts to thicken and lightly bubble, approximately 10-15 minutes. The mixture will start to coat the outside of the pan as it thickens. Ensure it’s thicken before moving onto the next step.
- Then slowly add the chopped chocolate and continue whisking until the chocolate is completely incorporated. Cook for 2-5 minutes, ensuring the pudding is bubbling and thick, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pudding from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and butter and whisk until the butter is melted and combined.
- Strain the pudding through a fine sieve, three times, rinsing the sieve in between each time.
- Pour the pudding into a heat proof bowl and cover with clear plastic wrap (placing directly on the surface of the pudding), then poke a few holes in the plastic wrap with a toothpick.
- Allow the pudding to cool on the counter for at least 1 hour before refrigerating.
- Refrigerate 2-4 hours until the pudding has cooled and is firm. Pour in the prepared pie crust. Prepare the whipped cream prior to serving.
For the whipped cream:
- Prepare the whipped cream. Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Top with chocolate shavings (optional) or dust with cocoa powder.
For the chocolate shavings:
- Combine chocolate and shortening in a heat-proof bowl. Microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments until the chocolate is melted and stir until completely smooth.
- Using an offset spatula to thinly spread the chocolate over a flat surface, such as a cookie sheet. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm. Use a bench scraper or the offset spatula to scrape the chocolate off the sheet pan.
Notes
- Pudding consistency: Be sure that the milk & dry ingredients have thickened and are bubbling prior to adding the chocolate. After adding the chocolate, it should be stirred & melted, and continue cooking for another few minutes until it’s bubbling and thick.
- Properly cooling: After the pudding has cooled on the counter for 1 hour, it can be transferred to the refrigerator to cool completely or poured into the cooled, baked pie crust and then refrigerate another 2-4 hours until the pudding is firm. Do not pour the hot filling directly in the pie crust.
- When to add the topping: Add the topping before serving, and only once the pudding has cooled completely.
- Types of chocolate to use: I’ve also tested this recipe with Baker’s Chocolate Semi Sweet baking bar, a standard Hershey’s Bar and Chocolate Chips. If you prefer a less strong chocolate taste, I’d recommend using a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar
- Storing: This needs to stay in the refrigerator, ideally in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap. It’s best served within 3 days of preparation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 50.8g
- Sodium: 177.3mg
- Fat: 41.3g
- Saturated Fat: 24.8g
- Carbohydrates: 75.4g
- Fiber: 4.2g
- Protein: 12.9g
- Cholesterol: 75.1 mg
This pie was SOOO smooth, I am so so happy with how thick and smooth it is. I am not a fan of dark chocolate, so for me it is very very dark. But even my dark chocolate loving mom said it tasted like it was missing sweetness. Im not sure if we’re just accustomed to a sweeter box flavored pudding or what, but I even did semi sweet chocolate and not dark. I definitely want to make this again, maybe using just milk chocolate, or adding more sugar? I’m not sure. Any thoughts are appreciated.
Hi Jeri, milk chocolate would be the sweetest option for sure. You can try adding 1/4 more sugar for sure.
Our teenage son made this twice and it turned out great.
We used what we had in the pantry— which was a 90% dark chocolate bar and mixed in some semi-sweet chocolate chips. He enjoyed the second pie better (no dark chocolate, just chocolate chips), but the aunties all enjoyed the first!
The second time we made it, we skipped heating the dry ingredients because it didn’t work well for us the first time haha (there must have been some moisture in the pot or on the whisk)! We also skipped running the pudding through a sieve and found the finished product to be just fine 😊
Excellent recipe, it got rave reviews! Thanks!
That’s awesome!! I am so happy to hear that!!
I made this today for the first time. My friends loved it so much they asked to take a piece home with them. I’ll definitely be making this again!
I love when that happens! So glad you gave this a try April!
I followed the directions exactly, I will never make this again and it’s going in the trash!!!! Now I have to make another pie, different recioe!!!!
Hi Betty, without more information as to what happened, I can’t help. This is a well tested recipe, and I’ve provided lots of helpful tips for troubleshooting. However, if the pudding is not cooked for long enough, it will not firm up, and that seems to be the most common issue.
Not at all helpful without stating what you don’t like about it 🙄
I’m going to make this for hubby’s birthday on November 22….can I use a marshmallow meringue instead of the whipping cream, browned in the oven? If so, do I do it before it is chilled?
Hi Gloria, I am so sorry, this got caught up in my spam folder and I am just now seeing it. I have not tried this with a meringue topping
I’ve made this every year for Thanksgiving since 2020 and it continues to be a hit!!! I’m making two this year so I can bring one to my in laws house as well! Do you think I could double the batch and make 2 in one pot and then just divide the filling between each pie crust? Thank you for this recipe!!!
Yeees Meghan! Thank you!! Yes I think you can but I would just be sure to cook it longer so it’s properly thickened (and since you’ve made it before you know what to expect!). I am so excited to be a part of your Thanksgiving dessert spread!
I made this once and am in the process of maki g again today. My husband loves it. This is a really rich pie but delicious. I used Ghirardelli dark chocolate bars.
Yes Robin! I love that! Thank you. I make this with Ghirardelli as well!
Looks delicious, only change I’d make would be to use coconut oil instead of Crisco in the chocolate shavings.
Could you use 60% cocos bittersweet chocolate in this recipe
yes any type of chocolate you’d prefer