Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe

Jump to Recipe

Homemade chocolate cream pie recipe is truly a chocolate lover’s dream come true.

During the holiday season, I have to make this at least once for all the chocolate lovers in my family.

Incidentally, that includes me, too, for I simply can’t resist the rich chocolate flavor in this classic pie.

The Perfect Dessert

A slice of chocolate cream pie on a white plate. The entire pie is sitting off to the side.

This is the perfect dessert, so don’t wait for holidays or even pie week. If you want to dazzle friends and family that drop in for dinner or just surprise your own little family, make this chocolate dessert tonight!

The creamy filling tucked into a graham cracker crust or flaky pastry crust is absolutely heavenly, making this one of the best chocolate cream pie recipes you’ll ever have.

Some people make theirs with instant chocolate pudding, and while that will work, it’s just as simple to make your chocolate pie filling from scratch.

Chocolate cream pie with whipped topping on top.

I would eagerly watch my grandma make chocolate cream pie as a child. I remember asking her constantly if it was ready.

Now that I have kids of my own, I realize I was probably nagging her, but she was good-natured about it and would laugh each time, telling me it needed to chill in the fridge for a lot longer.

Still, I’d persist and beg for a slice. Eventually, my grandpa would take me outside to play, and I’d forget all about my favorite pie for a short while at least.

Then grandma would serve dinner, and I’d eat with proper southern table manners to ensure I’d get the best slice for dessert. 

A large slice of chocolate cream pie on a white plate.

Ingredients For Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie

To make this chocolate cream pie, you only need a few simple ingredients to get that decadent chocolate taste.

You can use a regular crust or make an Oreo cookie crust for this chocolate pudding pie. For this recipe, I bought a ready-made crust. If you want to save time, you can get one from the store.

  • Premade pie crust, baked
  • White sugar
  • Egg yolks, beaten
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Cornstarch
  • Salt
  • Milk
  • Butter
  • Vanilla extract
  • Whipped topping

Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Homemade chocolate cream pie with a slice cut out of it.

How To Make Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie

  1. Bake a premade or homemade pie crust per the directions.
  2. Start by adding the egg yolks to a large bowl and beating them.
  3. Next, add to the sugar and beat until combined.
  4. Add the unsweetened cocoa, cornstarch, and salt, and mix well.
  5. Pour the milk into the bowl and mix well.
  6. Add the butter to a medium saucepan on medium heat.
  7. Pour the chocolate pudding filling into the saucepan and cook on medium heat until it boils, stirring often with a whisk. It should start to thicken before it boils.
  8. Once it boils and it is thick, remove it from the heat and add the vanilla extract and mix. Let the pie cool for a few minutes. It will continue to thicken a little bit as it cools.
  9. Pour the chocolate pie mixture into the baked pie shell.
  10. Allow the pie to cool in the refrigerator and top with whipped topping AFTER it cools.
Chocolate pudding pie on a plate. There is one slice on a plate and the rest of the pie is sitting behind it.

Step-By-Step Instructions

White granulated sugar in a clear glass mixing bowl. The bowl is sitting next to a light blue and white striped towel.

Add the sugar to a large bowl.

Egg yolks and white sugar in a large clear mixing bowl.

Add the beaten egg yolks to the sugar and mix the two ingredients together.

Eggs, sugar, and unsweetened cocoa in a large clear glass mixing bowl.

Add the unsweetened cocoa.

Ingredients for chocolate cream pie in a clear glass mixing bowl. There is a set of beaters in the bowl.

Next, add the cornstarch and salt to the bowl.

The cornstarch is going to help thicken the chocolate while cooking.

Adding milk to a bowl with chocolate cream pie ingredients. The bowl is clear glass and there is a red hand mixer resting on the bowl.

Pour the milk into the bowl and mix well.

This is an important step because if you don’t mix it well, you will have lumps from the cocoa and cornstarch. I used an electric mixer to get all the lumps out.

Butter melting in a black saucepan.

Add your butter to a medium saucepan and melt it on medium heat.

Cooking chocolate cream pie in a medium black saucepan.

Add the ingredients to the saucepan and cook on medium until the mixture starts to boil. Stir often because once it starts to thicken, it thickens fast.

If you have lumps; that’s ok, you can mix it again with a hand mixer when it’s done cooking.

Thick chocolate cream pie in a black saucepan.

Once the pie filling is thick, add the vanilla extract and mix well. Let the pie filling cool a little before adding it to the crust.

Chocolate cream pie on the counter.

Pour the pie filling into the crust and place it in the refrigerator to cool.

Chocolate cream pie with whipped topping. There is a spatula, forks, and plates next to the pie.

After the pie cools, you’ll need to top it with whipped cream.

I make mine homemade, which you can see in my pineapple pie recipe.

Alternatively, you can also use Cool Whip. Feel free to add chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, or chocolate curls on top too. 

TIP: Whatever you do, do not put the whipped topping on top of the pie unless it’s cool. I have added it to warm pie, and I ended up with runny whipped topping all over creation.

A slice of chocolate cream pie with whipped topping.

For the crust, I like to use refrigerated rolled pie crusts. They make a delicious flaky pie crust, and you can crimp the ends.

More Delicious Desserts

A slice of chocolate cream pie next to the full pie. The slice is on a white plate.

Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie

The perfect dessert doesn’t get much better than this homemade chocolate cream pie recipe. It’s creamy, dreamy and full of luscious chocolate flavors.

Good luck occupying yourself while this incredible recipe cools in the fridge. You’re going to be swooning over it and drooling until it’s finally time to serve!

A slice of chocolate cream pie with whipped topping.

Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie

4.44 from 16 votes
Julie Pollitt
Easy chocolate cream pie recipe is for chocolate lovers. It is perfect for the holiday season or any time in between. The chocolate pie filling is rich and decadent and might become your favorite dessert.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 2 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • Premade pie crust baked
  • 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 3 egg yolks beaten
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Whipped topping such as Cool Whip

Instructions
 

  • Bake a premade pie crust according to the directions.
  • Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl.
  • Add the sugar to a large mixing bowl.
  • Next, add the egg yolks to the sugar and mix.
  • Add the unsweetened cocoa, cornstarch, and salt and mix well.
  • Pour the milk into the bowl and mix until the lumps are gone.
  • Add the butter to a medium saucepan on medium heat.
  • Next, pour the chocolate filling into the saucepan and cook until thick and boiling, stirring often with a whisk.
  • Add the vanilla extract and mix.
  • Remove from heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
  • Pour the filling into the pie crust and refrigerate until cool.
  • Top with whipped topping.

Video

Notes

You can use a premade pie crust, homemade pie crust, graham cracker pie crust, or an Oreo crust for the recipe.
Be sure the pie is cool before adding the whipped topping or you will end up with a runny mess.
You can use Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream you make at home to top the pie.
If your filling is still lumpy after cooking, you can pour it into a heat-safe bowl and beat it again. Then, pour it into the pie shell.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Similar Posts

4.44 from 16 votes (15 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





7 Comments

  1. Linda Burgess says:

    5 stars
    The printable recipe doesn’t say when to add the vanilla extract. I added it to the mixture after I took the saucepan off the stove and let the filling cool a bit. Also, beware of chocolate spatters when using mixer to combine ingredients! I had to clean the kitchen counter, wall and myself after making a mess! Good thing this is such a delicious pie filling so I will most likely make it again!

  2. Jacquette Tara says:

    Love this recipe! Have made it twice in one week.
    Only question if I’m missing when to add vanilla…? I just add to chocolate mixture while thickening.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Jacquette, so glad you love the recipe! Sorry about that.You do add it toward the end. When the pudding is thick and you’re done cooking, add the vanilla extract then and stir. I fixed it in the recipe card. Thank you!

  3. I sifted the cocoa powder to avoid lumps. The perfect chocolate pie! Delicuous!

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Always a great idea!

  4. Ashley D. says:

    I usually do not stop to leave reviews on a recipe- but I have to hear. I grew up in Texas, and my grandma made homemade chocolate pies for every holiday and they were my absolute favorite. I couldn’t wait for her to make those pies! As I got older, I asked her for the recipe, but she always told me she doesn’t use recipes- she just knows everything by heart, and measures it by sight so she wouldn’t know how much of each ingredient to write down for me. I moved out of state without ever nailing down that recipe, and now she has passed away. They just don’t sell these pies in stores- it’s always French silk and completely not the same.

    So, to get to the point here, tomorrow is thanksgiving and I am cooking for just myself, husband, and our daughter. I’m always nostalgic for pecan pie and this specific chocolate pie. I decided to try to find a recipe and give it a shot. This has to be the closest recipe to what my grandma made. Even the process of cooking it seemed familiar, I remember her always bringing the chocolate to a boil and saying something about the trick being not to leave it boiling for long. It smelled the same, licking the spoon tasted the same. I haven’t even eaten this pie yet but I know this is it!

    Thank you for this recipe. I have bookmarked it, and I better write it down too!

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      This honestly makes my heart so happy to hear this. I love that this brought back memories for you! Thank you so much for coming here and sharing!