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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This was a fantastic recipe to make, my question is does it need to chill for 8 hours? Will it (be soupy, if you will) if you cut the pie earlier?
Hi Jen, It does need 8 hours to set up; it will be difficult to slice if you rush it. Sorry!!
I let the pie sit in the freezer for 90 mins and then 3 hours in the fridge and the pie came out perfect!
So glad it worked out — thanks for reporting back!
Hi Jenn – I made this at thanksgiving and it was a HIT! However, I made it today with 1% milk and it’s a disaster. It looks like hot chocolate. I still poured it in the cookie shell & am hoping it thickens. I checked all the other ingredients and I included all of them. Any idea if this will thicken by tonight? I doubt you can respond since it’s Christmas Eve but – thought I’d try! Love ❤️ all your recipes!
Hi Karen, The filling should firm up somewhat in the fridge but, unfortunately, low fat milk may cause it to be a bit runny. If it’s too difficult to slice, you could scoop it into pretty glasses and call it something else…it should still taste delicious!
Thanks! Great idea!!
I have an 11” Emile Henry ceramic tart pan with a fluted edge. The pan is solid (i.e., the bottom does not release like a springform pan). Could I use this pan for this pie recipe? Would I need to double the recipe to have enough crust/ filling? Many thanks!
Hi Maureen, Yes, you can use it but I think you’d only need to make 1.5 times the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
How did it turn out? I’m in this exact situation-I think my “whole” milk was extremely thin!
Can you use almond milk instead of milk?
Hi Cathy, I haven’t tried this with almond milk. There’s a lot of milk in the recipe, so I’d be a little concerned about the results. Sorry!
How far in advance can I prepare this prior to serving? Can I refrigerate it (without the whip cream topping) for 2 days?
Sure, Andi, it keeps nicely, so 2 days ahead will work. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn, what percent chocolate do you recommend for the bittersweet chocolate? 60%? 70%? And what is your favorite brand to use?
Hi Lynn, I use 60% for the bittersweet and my favorite brand is Ghiradelli. Hope you enjoy!
Absolutely delicious and so easy. What I love about Jenn’s recipes is that I’m not nervous trying them for the first time if having someone over. It gets expensive testing recipes all the time! I trust her instincts and her recipes never disappoint.
Really want to make this pie. But don’t use cornstarch. Can I substitute tapioca for it.
Hi Carol, I’ve never used tapioca, but from what I read online, it looks like it’s doable but the quantity is a little different. You can read more here. Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried it myself. Hope that helps!
Arrowroot is generally a good substitute for cornstarch.
This pie was yummy. My only complaint is that the chocolate crust came out a bit too thick but still tasted good.
I agree, but otherwise the best chocolate cream pie EVER
I cooked the milk and egg mixture about 10 minutes because it was not at all thickening, but then I got nervous and decided to stop and add the chocolate. I realized it was still too runny and cooked it a few minutes more. I hope I didn’t ruin the pie. It’s in the fridge chilling. Will it still be edible? I don’t want to make my family sick. I’ve had a lot of success with your recipes!
Hi Anna, sorry you struggled with this a bit. While the mixture won’t get really thick on the stove, it should thicken up just a bit (enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon if you stick it in there). It does most of the thickening in the fridge. If it didn’t thicken in the fridge, is there a chance you forgot to add the cornstarch? (Regardless, it should not make your family sick.)
The filling did thicken in the fridge. Even though my technique was off, the pie turned out good. I’m not a huge fan of chocolate pie but my daughter says she loves it. We will make again. Thank you!
Glad it turned out well!
I normally never make desserts but I decided to try this as I have a lot of leftover chocolate. I modified it slightly in that I added bananas to the bottom of the pie shell before adding the chocolate over it. It was delicious, the chocolate was light not at all sweet and the addition of whipped cream just before serving added the right touch.
Oooh, you just gave me an idea. I want to use Biscoff cookies for the crust but I also want to add the spread into the pie as well. I thought about doing a few swirls but I can’t remember how quickly this begins to set. I think I’ll add a layer of Biscoff spread after pouring half of the pie filling in then add the rest. I know this pie isn’t as rich as it seems it’s going to be so adding the Biscoff layers will give it a nice balance. At least I’m hoping it will, lol. Thanks for sharing your idea… 👍🏻