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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1/4 cup cornstarch is correct?
Yep 🙂
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).