4.93 from 112 votes

Chocolate Pie Recipe

Name: Chocolate Pie Recipe (Blue Ribbon Winner!)
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 390 min
Ingredients: 1 prepared (baked) 9" pie crust (click the link for my homemade recipe, see note 1); 1 ½ cups granulated sugar; 5 Tablespoons cornstarch; ¼ teaspoon salt; 5 large egg yolks² ((see note 2 for recipes that you can make with your leftover egg whites)); 2 cups whole milk; 1 cup heavy cream; 6 oz dark chocolate bar³ (finely chopped ); 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter ( cut into pieces); 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 batch homemade whipped cream (for topping. Optional but recommended. click the link for my recipe)

By Sam MerrittUpdated Nov 11, 2025

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330 Comments

Servings: 10 slices

6 hrs 30 mins

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If you’re looking for a homemade chocolate pie recipe that’s rich, silky, and made completely from scratch, well this one’s for you. No box-mixes or shortcuts, I’ll show you how to make a smooth, homemade chocolate pudding topped with a cloud of fresh whipped cream. It’s also a great make-ahead option that’s even better the next day. Recipe includes a how-to video!

slice of chocolate pie topped with whipped cream on white plate with fork

Classic Chocolate Pie (From Scratch, No Box Mix!)

A true classic, I feel a good chocolate pie recipe is often overshadowed by holiday heavy-hitters like my pumpkin pie and my pecan pie recipe. But one bite, and you’ll wonder how anyone could overlook this masterpiece. It’s everything a great pie should be: rich, silky, decadent with a sliceable texture somewhere between a custard and a pudding.

Why This Chocolate Pie Recipe WORKS

No box mixes or shortcuts. I’m sharing all my tips and tricks to make a real, indulgent and homemade chocolate pudding filling from scratch, and also link to my (favorite) flaky, buttery and homemade pie crust. When it’s done chilling, I suggest you take it a step further and serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream!
Sets perfectly so it’s sliceable (not scoopable!). The secret’s in just the right ratio of cream to milk, cooking low and slow until the filling til perfectly thickened, and chilling the pie for several hours to overnight.
Real chocolate, not just cocoa. Melted chocolate adds body, stability, depth, and silky, melt-in-your-mouth finish that you just can’t get from cocoa powder.
Perfect for making in advance. The pie will need to chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving, making this an ideal dessert to prep a day ahead of time (I love doing this for Thanksgiving!).

Ingredients

Chocolate. Opt for dark chocolate (my favorite, I love the slightly more bitter notes of a 60% or even 72% bar) or semisweet (for a sweeter pie). While chocolate chips will work in a pinch, for best flavor and texture I recommend using a quality chopped chocolate bar.
Granulated sugar. This not only serves as a sweetener, but it also melts as the pudding filling cooks, ultimately thickening the pie and contributing to its silky smooth and sliceable texture.
Cornstarch. While many chocolate pie recipes use flour as a thickener, cornstarch thickens without the pasty heaviness you can sometimes get from flour.
Eggs. You’ll need five egg yolks for this recipe. Save the whites to make meringues, Oreo cake, a few batches of candied pecans, or put them towards an angel food cake!
Milk & heavy cream. A blend of whole milk and richer, thicker cream is another contributor to a silky smooth, yet sturdy pie. Stick with whole milk and heavy cream, double cream, or heavy whipping cream for this recipe.
Butter. I use unsalted butter and add salt separately. We’ll add this along with the chocolate after cooking; it adds the final finishing touch and contributes to a glossy consistency and smooth texture.

This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full chocolate pie recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

How to Make Chocolate Pie

I recommend prepping all of your ingredients before you move over to the stovetop–things move pretty quickly after cooking! Chop your chocolate and butter, measure your vanilla, and place your strainer in your heatproof bowl before you even turn on the stove.

Spoon dipped into a custard showing perfect consistency.

Step 1: Cook the filling. Add the dry ingredients to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and whisk until combined. Whisk together the egg yolks, milk, and cream in a separate liquid measuring cup, then slowly pour into your cornstarch mixture. Whisk again until you have a smooth, lump-free consistency. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until thickened.

Chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla added to a custard before whisking in.

Step 2: Add the butter, chocolate, and vanilla. Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate, butter, and vanilla until you have a smooth, glossy chocolate mixture.

Pouring chocolate pie filling into a prepared crust.

Step 3: Pour into the (cooled) crust. Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl. This will catch any lumps or any tiny bits of egg, ensuring your chocolate pie is smooth! After straining, pour the filling into your prepared crust.

Spoon smoothing a chocolate custard filling into a pie crust.

Step 4: Cover and chill. Smooth the top of your pie with the back of a spoon or spatula, then press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface (this prevents a skin from forming). Place in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours before topping with whipped cream and serving.

side view of silky smooth chocolate pie topped with whipped cream sitting on white plate

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my chocolate pie runny?

This can happen for several reasons: if the cooking process was rushed, if the filling wasn’t carefully watched and stirred frequently, the filling was overcooked, the stovetop heat was too high, or if the pie isn’t given enough time to chill. Any ingredient substitutions could also result in a runny chocolate pie.

To prevent this, make sure you go slow, stir often, keep a watchful eye, and always chill for at least six hours before serving.

What’s the difference between chocolate pie and French silk pie?

While both are incredibly rich and chocolatey (and even use similar ingredients), they’re actually quite different desserts. Traditional chocolate pie is thickened on the stovetop with egg yolks and cornstarch (or, sometimes, flour) and the resulting custard has a dense but creamy pudding-like texture. Alternatively, French silk pie has a lighter, silkier texture thanks to the fact it’s made with heavy cream that’s been whipped to stiff peaks. French silk pie is also often made with raw eggs, but in my French silk pie recipe I cook them so you can enjoy without worry.

Can I freeze this chocolate pie recipe?

Unfortunately I don’t recommend it. The chocolate pudding filling doesn’t always thaw nicely and can end up watery or grainy. I recommend keeping the pie refrigerated and enjoying within 3 days of preparing.

Slice of homemade chocolate pie and fork with bite sitting on white plate

Tips & Troubleshooting

Don’t rush it. Cooking the filling takes time. Do not crank up your heat to speed up the cooking process! The sugar needs to melt slowly so that the pie sets properly, and cooking it too fast will end up cooking your eggs (similar to what can happen to pastry cream or banana pudding). Have patience!
Do use a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Or at least don’t use a thin, flimsy one. The thicker bottom helps keep the filling from over-heating and allows you to gently cook the eggs for a perfectly thick, silky, chocolate pie filling. I linked to one of the pans I often use in the recipe card, or an enameled cast iron saucepan is another good choice.
Mise en place. Prepare/measure all of your ingredients before you begin. Have your heatproof bowl and fine mesh strainer ready to go. Once the chocolate pie filling thickens, you need to move quickly so the filling doesn’t overcook, so be ready!
If your filling is too runny. It just needs more time to cook! Keep whisking until the mixture is thickened and starts to bubble. Exactly how long this takes will vary from kitchen to kitchen, but if it’s been over 15 minutes and nothing is happening, it’s OK and even advisable to turn up your heat a little bit!
If your filling turned grainy or is too thick. Unfortunately the filling was likely cooked too much or on a heat that was too high, causing the eggs to cook. Next time keep the heat lower and stir frequently to keep the chocolate pie filling from getting too hot.
Crust options. I love my classic pie crust, but you can swap this for a sourdough pie crust or make things easier with a graham cracker crust or an Oreo crust. Note that if you are using a store-bought crust, the filling may not all fit in and you may have some filling left over. Just enjoy it with a spoon!