This is the Best Chocolate Cream Pie I’ve tasted—decadently rich, ultra-creamy, and layered with two kinds of chocolate for real depth of flavor.
Welcome back to Pie Week!
I have several pie and pie-inspired recipes lined up this week, but this chocolate cream pie had to take center stage. It’s simply divine.
Growing up, I visited a nearby Marie Callender’s often. My all-time favorite was their Dutch apple, but I sampled many other slices—fresh strawberry, banana cream, and especially their chocolate cream pie. I thought theirs was unbeatable until I made my own version.
Some chocolate cream pies lack chocolate intensity or present a flat, one-note taste. To avoid that, this recipe uses two chocolate components: unsweetened cocoa powder in the base and chopped bittersweet chocolate added at the end. Together they create a deep, multi-layered chocolate filling.
Traditionally, cream pies are baked in a pastry crust, and this recipe follows suit. Use a frozen deep-dish pie crust and blind-bake it according to the package instructions. To blind-bake, prick semi-thawed crust with a fork, bake until golden and cooked through, then cool while you make the filling.
The filling gets its luscious texture from half-and-half, which gives more richness than milk. In a saucepan you’ll whisk together granulated sugar, a bit of flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. Separately, whisk egg yolks with half-and-half, then combine with the dry ingredients in the saucepan. Cook gently, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Finish by whisking in butter, vanilla, and chopped bittersweet chocolate for that second layer of chocolate flavor.
Pour the warm chocolate cream into the cooled crust, smooth the top, and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least six hours or overnight to fully set. Just before serving, whip heavy cream with confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks form, then spread or pipe the whipped cream over the set pie. Garnish with chocolate curls or chips.
This is the easiest and Best Chocolate Cream Pie—rich, silky, and very satisfying.
Best Ever Chocolate Cream Pie
Ingredients
- One 9″ frozen deep dish pie crust baked
- 1¼ cups granulated white sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 cups half-and-half
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
- Chocolate curls or chocolate chips for garnish
Instructions
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Blind-bake a 9″ deep-dish frozen pie crust according to package directions, then set aside to cool.
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In a medium saucepan off the heat, whisk together granulated sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with the half-and-half until smooth. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and stir to combine.
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Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches a slow boil and thickens to a pudding-like consistency (about 7–10 minutes depending on your stove). Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, and chopped bittersweet chocolate until smooth.
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Pour the filling into the baked crust and smooth the surface. Press plastic wrap onto the filling and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight to set. Just before serving, beat the heavy cream with confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks form (about 5–7 minutes). Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the pie and garnish with chocolate curls or chips.
Notes
Richly chocolaty, ultra-creamy, and utterly delicious—this pie is a chocolate lover’s dream.
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley