Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe

Chocolate Cream Pie has a sweet Oreo crust, rich homemade chocolate pudding, and is topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls.

Easy Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe

Chocolate Cookie Crust

These tips help ensure a perfect Oreo* cookie crust every single time!

• Keep the cookies whole. No need to separate the cookies from the creme, since we rely on both for the crust structure and flavor. Because the cookies are so sweet, we don’t need to add any extra sugar.
• Blend cookies thoroughly. We don’t want any large cookie chunks in the crust, because that will affect how nicely the slices cut. Be sure to thoroughly blend the cookies until they are fine crumbs. Add any cookie that didn’t blend completely back into the blender and blend again.
• Let the melted butter cool. Once the butter is melted, it needs to cool back to room temperature. If the butter is hot, it will melt the cookie crumbs and cause a greasy crust.

What Is Chocolate Cream Pie Made Of?

This pie starts with an Oreo cookie crust and is filled with homemade chocolate pudding. Sweetened whipped cream and chocolate curls finish off the pie.

We discussed the crust above; below we’ll break down the pudding layer. I kept quantities pretty consistent with my beloved Coconut Cream Pie, but replaced coconut milk with whole milk and, of course, added in chocolate!

• Sugar. I use a little less sugar than in the coconut cream pie since the chocolate cookie crust adds sweetness.
• Cornstarch and egg yolks. These both will thicken the pudding nicely. Use leftover egg whites in these delicious Meringue Cookies!
• Whole milk and heavy cream. The combo of these two delivers the perfect thickness. Avoid lower fat milk or the pudding may not set up properly.
• Butter. The butter delivers a nice smooth texture and rich mouthfeel.
• Semi-sweet baking bars. Chocolate chips/baking morsels have stabilizers that keep them from melting completely smooth. (This is good when you want them to keep their chip shape for cookies, but not so much when you want a smooth pudding.) We recommend good-quality baking bars made for melting (such as Baker®, Lindt®, or Ghirardelli®).
• Salt and vanilla. These two ingredients add flavor and nuance. Why salt? It helps intensify and balance all the ingredients in this pie — a little goes a long way!

How To Make Chocolate Cream Pie

1. Prepare the Crust: Preheat your oven and grease a pie pan. Combine melted butter with crushed Oreos and a pinch of salt. Press into the pan and bake until set. Let cool.
2. Make the Filling: Mix sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a pot. Stir in egg yolks, milk, and cream. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Off heat, add chopped chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth, then vanilla.
3. Assemble the Pie: Pour filling into the crust, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until firm.
4. Whipped Cream Topping: Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until peaks form. Spread over the filling.
5. Garnish and Serve: Shave chocolate over the top. For neat slices, warm a knife under hot water and dry before cutting.

FAQs

Why Is My Chocolate Cream Pie Runny?

The most likely culprit here is that the pudding wasn’t cooked long enough to thicken. Prevent that by popping a candy thermometer in the pudding as it cooks. It needs to reach 160-170 degrees F to properly thicken.

How Do I Get A Smooth Filling?

Make sure the egg and milk custard cool down enough before stirring in the chocolate. When you add in the chocolate, whisk briskly and constantly so it will melt evenly.

Is Boston Cream Pie The Same As Chocolate Cream Pie?

Not quite. A Boston Cream Pie is actually a cake with a cream filling and a chocolate ganache topping.

Some versions feature a pie with a standard pastry pie crust, a vanilla custard/pudding filling, and chocolate ganache topping.

Can I Freeze Chocolate Cream Pie?

Yes, you can freeze Chocolate Cream Pie. For best results, freeze it before adding whipped cream topping. Wrap the pie well to prevent freezer burn and thaw in the refrigerator. Add fresh whipped cream before serving.

More Chocolate Desserts

• Chocolate Covered Strawberries with a white chocolate drizzle
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with a chocolate cookie crust
• Bakery Style Chocolate Cookies with chocolate chips
• Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding “secretly” fiber-filled pudding
• Chocolate Frozen Yogurt with a sweet-tart flavor

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5 from 7 votes

Chocolate Cream Pie

By Chelsea Lords

This Chocolate Cream Pie has a sweet Oreo crust filled with rich homemade chocolate pudding, topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls!

Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 10 hours hours

Total Time: 10 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

• Pie pan 9-inch
• Hand mixer

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

Oreo Crust

• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• ▢ 24 Oreos or chocolate sandwich cookie
• ▢ 1/16 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Filling

• ▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 cup cornstarch
• ▢ 2 cups whole milk
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 4 large egg yolks
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 (4-ounce) packets semi-sweet baking bars see note 1
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping

• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 chocolate bar optional

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch pie pan. Melt 4 tablespoons butter and let cool for 5 minutes. Crush cookies into fine crumbs using a blender or food processor; measure 1-3/4 cups. Mix crumbs, salt, and melted butter until combined.
• Transfer crumb mixture to the prepared pan. Press crumbs into the sides and bottom of the pan with your fingers, then compress with a flat measuring cup. Bake for 9 minutes and let cool completely.
• Chop the chocolate bars and set aside. Off heat, combine sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a pot and whisk together. Add egg yolks, then slowly whisk in milk and cream until smooth. Place pot on medium-low heat, whisking occasionally and scraping the sides and bottom with a spatula to prevent sticking. Heat gradually.
• When mixture starts to thicken, whisk constantly. Once large bubbles form, reduce heat slightly and whisk for one minute until it thickens into pudding. Remove from heat, whisk for another minute, then add butter and whisk until melted. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth, then stir in vanilla.
• Scrape filling into cooled crust and smooth top with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or until set.
• Pour heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla into a mixing bowl. Start with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and increase to sweetness preference. Use a hand mixer to begin mixing on low speed, then increase to high until medium-to-stiff peaks form, which should take about 2–4 minutes. Be careful not to over-beat. Spread the whipped cream over the pie and garnish with chocolate shavings using a vegetable peeler. For clean slices, warm a sharp knife under hot water, dry it, and slice the pie. Repeat this for each cut.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Use chocolate baking bars instead of chocolate chips or morsels, as they melt smoother. Chips and morsels contain stabilizers that prevent complete melting. Choose high-quality bars like Baker’s, Lindt, or Ghirardelli for smooth puddings.

Storage: This pie can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-4 days, but it won't freeze well due to the high dairy content.

You can freeze Chocolate Cream Pie. For best results, freeze it before adding whipped cream topping.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.9g | Protein: 5.1g | Fat: 21.6g | Cholesterol: 100.4mg | Sodium: 193mg | Fiber: 1.8g | Sugar: 31.8g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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