Chocolate, pudding, and pie—the best of all possible worlds! This easy, make-ahead pudding pie sets up in a few hours in the fridge, just in time for dessert.
What is better than chocolate pudding? Chocolate pudding pie, of course!
Don’t get me wrong, I love cake, but at the end of the day, the pies have it. Give me some fruit in a crust and you will be my BFF. But sometimes you just need chocolate.
How to Make Chocolate Cream Pie
This chocolate cream pie comes together quickly. The filling for this chocolate cream pie is dead easy to make—it’s actually a modified version of our Microwave Chocolate Pudding! It is easy to make the whole pie in the one day without feeling stressed.
What Kind of Crust for Chocolate Cream Pie
Pick a crust—any crust!
You could make this perfect pie crust or this graham cracker crust. If you want a chocolate crust, simply substitute chocolate wafers for the graham crackers.
Or if you really need a pie in a hurry, here are a few store-bought crusts that Elise recommends.
Make the Filling in the Microwave
Once you have the crust, it’s onto the filling. Do you have 10 minutes? Because that’s all the time you will need to make it in the microwave.
The only caveat here is to be sure the filling bubbles in the center at the end of cooking to be certain that the cornstarch cooks. Now pour that chocolate goodness into the cooled crust of your choice and wait.
And wait.
It feels like forever, but you can get on with your day knowing that by dessert time, you will have a deep, dark chocolate pie in the fridge. No one can argue with that.
How to Store and Keep Chocolate Cream Pie
Chocolate cream pie will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, loosely covered. This pie will not freeze well, as the filling tends to weep or separate.
OTHER CREAMY PIES TO TRY!
Easy Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 8 minutes
- Chill time: 5 hours
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
A pie crust should be prepared and baked prior to making this recipe.
Ingredients
For the pie:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- 4 ounces (about 3/4 cup) 60 to 70% chocolate baking chips, wafers, or chopped chocolate
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (9-inch) pie crust, prepared and baked, such as Perfect Pie Crust
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chopped chocolate (for garnish)
Method
1 Make the pudding base: In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks. Gradually stir in the remaining milk.
2 Microwave the pudding: Partially cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a paper towel, or a plate set slightly askew (so steam can escape). Microwave for 3 minutes. Remove from the microwave, take off the plastic, and whisk the pudding to distribute the heat.
Partially cover again and microwave 2 more minutes. Remove and whisk again. The pudding have started thickening.
Continue to microwave in 45-second increments, stirring the pudding between each increment. The pudding is ready when you see the mixture bubbling around the edges and it has thickened enough for the whisk to leave a light trail, or ribbon, through the pudding (it’s ok if it seems a little loose at this point; the pudding will thicken further as it cools). Total cooking time will be 6 to 8 minutes.
3 Add the chocolate, butter and vanilla: Add the chocolate, butter and vanilla to the bowl and stir with a whisk until the chocolate and butter melt and the mixture is smooth.
4 Fill the pie: Pour the filling into the pie crust. Let cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or until set. When fully set, the pudding will no longer jiggle when you nudge the pie and a paring knife inserted into the pie should emerge with just a little chocolate on it (not totally gooey).
5 When ready to serve, make the whipped cream: In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir the cream, sugar, and vanilla together. Beat on medium-high speed until the cream forms soft peaks. Spread the cream over the pie and sprinkle the top with chopped chocolate.
6 Serve: This pie is best served on the same day that it’s made, or the crust has a tendency to become soggy.
