Home > Desserts > Pies > Chocolate Cream Pie Chocolate Cream Pie November 2, 2022 | 4 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. My take on Chocolate Cream Pie starts with a sweet Oreo cookie crust and is filled with a rich and creamy homemade chocolate pudding. Sweetened whipped cream and chocolate curls finish the pie beautifully! Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe The two pies I make most frequently are this Apple Pie (my husband’s favorite dessert) and this Coconut Cream Pie. The Coconut Cream Pie is my personal favorite pie, and lately, I’ve been on a mission to create the perfect chocolate version of that pie. And this Chocolate Cream Pie delivers! It’s deeply chocolaty, very rich and indulgent tasting, and has the perfect creamy center with a nice crisp cookie crust. And now that this recipe is just right, I’m certain it will be joining the roster of most-made pies in my home! QUICK TIP Heads-up: This recipe requires a long chilling time. It’s best made in two days! We like to prepare the crust and creamy pudding filling on day one and then chill the pie overnight. The next day, the custard is set and the pie is ready to be finished. The custard/pudding filling needs a good 10+ hours to fully firm up and there really isn’t any way to rush this. 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. *Note: Oreo® is a trademarked brand of chocolate sandwich cookies. You can use any similar type of cookie. 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. Ingredients, Continued 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! What Is The Difference Between French Silk and Chocolate Cream? Silk pie has a soft, smooth, and airy texture (like chocolate mousse). There is a higher ratio of butter in a silk pie’s filling when compared to a cream pie. This pie is typically made with a pastry pie crust instead of a cookie crust. Chocolate cream pie is made with a chocolate cookie crust and the filling has a dense, more pudding-like consistency. 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. Trouble Shooting 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. STORAGE How Long Does Chocolate Cream Pie Last? Chocolate Cream Pie will keep for 2-4 days, covered in the fridge. The crust continues to soften every day that it is stored and the filling can begin to weep at 4 days. (Weeping is when liquid forms around the edges.) Unfortunately, this pie doesn’t freeze well; the filling tends to separate. Do Chocolate Cream Pies Need To Be Refrigerated? Once the pie has cooled to room temperature, it needs to chill to fully set up. And once the pie is fully set up, it needs to stay refrigerated, except for when it is being served. 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” healthy pudding Chocolate Frozen Yogurt with a sweet-tart flavor FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Chocolate Cream Pie 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe My take on Chocolate Cream Pie starts with a sweet Oreo cookie crust and is filled with a rich and creamy homemade chocolate pudding. Sweetened whipped cream and chocolate curls finish off the pie beautifully! Heads-up: This recipe requires a long chilling time. It's best made over two days! We like to prepare the crust and creamy pudding filling on day one and then chill the pie overnight. The next day the custard is set and the pie is ready to be finished. The custard/pudding filling needs a good 10+ hours to fully firm up and there really isn't any way to rush this. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Chocolate Cream Pie 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe My take on Chocolate Cream Pie starts with a sweet Oreo cookie crust and is filled with a rich and creamy homemade chocolate pudding. Sweetened whipped cream and chocolate curls finish off the pie beautifully! Heads-up: This recipe requires a long chilling time. It's best made over two days! We like to prepare the crust and creamy pudding filling on day one and then chill the pie overnight. The next day the custard is set and the pie is ready to be finished. The custard/pudding filling needs a good 10+ hours to fully firm up and there really isn't any way to rush this. Course Dessert, treat, Vegetarian Cuisine American Keyword Chocolate Cream Pie, chocolate cream pie recipe Prep Time 40 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Chilling Time 10 hours Total Time 10 hours 50 minutes Servings 12 servings Calories 363kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $8.42 IngredientsOreo Crust▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted▢ 1-3/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs ~24 cookies (like Oreos)▢ Tiny pinch fine sea saltChocolate Filling▢ 3/4 cup white granulated sugar▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt▢ 1/4 cup cornstarch▢ 2 cups whole milk▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream▢ 4 large egg yolks▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter▢ 8 oz. (two 4 oz. packets) semi-sweet baking bars (Note 1)▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extractTopping▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream▢ 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract▢ Optional: 1 chocolate bar for toppingUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsOREO CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Melt 4 tbsp. butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, set aside to cool for 5 minutes. (Hot butter will cause a greasy crust.) Chop the whole cookies in a blender or food processor (without separating cookie from cream) until they are all fine crumbs, re-blending any large chunks). Measure to get a level 1 and 3/4 cups of crumbs and add to a large bowl. Add salt to the bowl. Use a spatula to scrape in every bit of butter and mix until well combined. FINISH CRUST: Empty the crumb mixture into the prepared pan. Using your fingers, press the crumbs up along all the sides and then into the bottom of the pan. Use the bottom of a flat 1-cup measuring cup to thoroughly compress the crumbs into a firm crust. Bake for 9 minutes; remove and set aside to fully cool.FILLING: Before starting the filling, chop the chocolate bars and set aside. In a medium-sized pot, off the heat, add sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Whisk to combine. Add all 4 egg yolks. While whisking constantly, add in whole milk and then heavy cream. Whisk until all ingredients are completely integrated. Now add the pot to the heat and turn to just below medium. Whisk occasionally as the mixture warms up and alternate between whisking and using a rubber spatula to scrape around the sides and bottom of the pot to ensure no pockets of cornstarch get stuck. It's important to heat this mixture gradually. FILLING, CONTINUED: Once you feel the mixture begin to thicken, start whisking constantly. Then, as soon as you see big bubbles in the center of the mixture, set your timer for 1 minute and whisk constantly (reduce heat slightly if it's bubbling up too intensely). Mixture should be thickened substantially into a thick pudding. After 1 minute, remove from the heat. After 1 minute, remove from the heat and whisk for another full minute off heat. Then add in the butter and whisk until the butter is completely melted. Once butter is melted, add in the chocolate. Whisk constantly until fully melted and smooth; add in the vanilla and whisk again. FINISH FILLING: Use a spatula to scrape everything from the pot into the cooled crust, smoothing the top with the spatula. Gently place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface, pressing along the top of the pie. (The plastic will prevent a skin from forming on the surface of the pudding.) Place in the fridge and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or until the filling is fully set. WHIPPED CREAM: Pour heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar (add to sweetness preference; start with 2 tablespoons and add an additional 2 if you like it sweeter), and vanilla into a bowl attached to a stand mixer. Whisk on low speed to combine. Gradually increase to high speed until medium-to-stiff peaks form, about 2-4 minute(s). Watch carefully to avoid over-beating. Smooth cream over the pie and if desired, add some chocolate shavings. To do so: unwrap a chocolate bar and peel with a vegetable peeler directly onto the pie. Serving: for clean slices, use a sharp knife. I like to run the knife under hot water, quickly dry it off, and then make a cut. Repeat for each cut. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Chocolate baking bars: Chocolate chips and baking morsels have stabilizers that keep them from melting completely smooth. (This is good when you want them to stay in a chip shape for cookies, but not so much when you want a smooth pudding.) We recommend good-quality baking bars made for melting like (such as Baker’s, Lindt, or Ghirardelli). Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.9g | Protein: 5.1g | Fat: 21.6g | Cholesterol: 100.4mg | Sodium: 193mg | Fiber: 1.8g | Sugar: 31.8g We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
I have better luck using a spring form pan. Is there any reason that wouldn’t work for this pie? Thanks…. Reply
