Chocolate Cream Pie
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With a cookie crust, silky pudding center and pillowy whipped cream topping, this chocolate cream pie is a chocolate lover’s dream.
My son, Zach, is a serious chocoholic and has requested this chocolate cream pie for his birthday every year since he was a little boy. Naturally, the dessert has become a much-loved tradition and shows up in many of our family photos! With its Oreo cookie crust, silky chocolate pudding center, and pillowy whipped cream topping, the pie is truly a chocolate lover’s dream. Be sure to plan ahead because the filling needs at least eight hours 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: Provide a rich, chocolatey base for the pie.
- Butter: Binds the cookie crumbs together for the crust and also adds richness and a smooth texture to the filling.
- Sugar: Sweetens the filling and is also added to the whipped cream topping.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the filling and gives it a creamy consistency.
- Egg Yolks: Add richness and help thicken the filling.
- Whole Milk: Creates a smooth, creamy texture for the filling.
- Bittersweet Chocolate: Adds deep, complex chocolate flavor to the filling and a decorative garnish to the top of the pie. Make sure to use best quality such as Ghirardelli.
- Unsweetened Chocolate: Intensifies the chocolate taste. Make sure to use best quality such as Ghirardelli.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the filling.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Whips into a light, fluffy topping. Make sure the whipping cream is very cold.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F. 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-inch pie pan, starting by lining the sides to create a crust about 1/4-inch thick, then press the remaining mixture onto the bottom to form the base. Bake the crust for 5 to 6 minutes, or until slightly crisp, then allow it to cool completely before filling.
Step 2: Make the Filling
Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Whisk gently until combined.
In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the egg yolks and milk.
Add the milk mixture to the saucepan in a slow and steady stream.
Whisk 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.
Step 3: Make the Topping
Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the crust was originally made with Nabisco chocolate wafers, but as of 2023, those cookies are no longer available. I’ve tweaked the crust a bit to use Oreos, which also work beautifully.
Sure! The pie can be assembled, without the whipped topping, up to 1 day ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. Wait until 3 hours prior to serving the pie to make the whipped cream.
If it’s grainy, that means it’s over-whipped and you’ll need to start over. When making whipped cream, the key is to avoid over-whipping it—whipped cream can go from perfectly silky and voluminous to grainy and curdled in an instant. You’re aiming for soft to medium peaks when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl. To avoid over-whipping, keep a close eye on it the whole time.
Video Tutorial
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Chocolate Cream Pie
With a cookie crust, silky pudding center and pillowy whipped cream topping, this chocolate cream pie is a chocolate lover’s dream.
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
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, best quality
- 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 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-inch pie pan, starting by lining the sides to create a crust about ¼-inch 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.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The pie can be assembled, without the whipped topping, up to 1 day ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 541
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Sugar: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 274 mg
- Cholesterol: 129 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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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 🙂
Thanks Jenn for another amazing recipe. I’m a pie Baker but have avoided making chocolate cream pies because I didn’t want a runny flop! I just knew this pie would be perfect! Your step by step recipe was so easy to follow and the combination of the two chocolates is spot on! The texture is so delicate and creamy. No problem finding the chocolate wafers. I took this to a friend’s house for dinner and everyone raved about it saying it was the best chocolate pie ever! They couldn’t believe it when I said it was a first try!
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!