This classic Chocolate Cream Pie recipe features a sweet, smooth, decadent chocolatey pie filling topped with fluffy whipped cream. It only takes about 10 minutes to prep, so it’s perfect for busy holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Easy and impressive – the best of both worlds!
What’s in this Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe
This holiday must make dessert is whipped up with simple and inexpensive ingredients!
- Pie Crust: Use your favorite pre-made pie crust for this recipe, or make your own.
- White Granulated Sugar: This creates the best touch of sweetness for the chocolate pie filling.
- Cornstarch: The thick consistency of the pie filling is achieved with the use of cornstarch.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: You’ll need this AND the chopped chocolate to work together to create the very best rich flavor.
- Kosher Salt: Just a little bit is used to help enhance the other ingredients in the filling.
- Whole Milk: You can use half-and-half in place of part or all of the whole milk for a richer pie.
- Chocolate: Ghirardelli Bittersweet and Semisweet Chocolate Premium Baking Bars work well.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is used to help get the best smooth texture for the chocolate.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: You can use homemade (my personal preference for the best flavor) or store-bought.
- Heavy Cream: You’ll need this for the whipped topping. I don’t recommend using any other dairy product.
- Powdered Sugar: This creates the best sweetness for the whipped topping and can’t be substituted with any other sugar.
PRO TIP: Allow four hours for the pie to completely cool and chill before serving.
How do I garnish chocolate cream pie?
Chocolate shavings always look pretty when dusted on top of the whipped cream! However, you can also make it more holiday specific by adding crushed candy canes for Christmas or red and pink sprinkles for Valentine’s Day. Have fun with it!
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Yes! The pie can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time, so it’s perfect for easy entertaining. Add the whipped cream no more than 2 hours before serving though, so it doesn’t become flat.
Make sure to avoid a runny pie by measuring all of the ingredients carefully. If there is not enough cornstarch or too much milk, it won’t set right. Also, be sure to let the filling cook long enough to actually thicken.
Cornstarch is what thickens the chocolate cream pie filling to the very best consistency.
How to Store
In an airtight container in the fridge, chocolate cream pie will stay good for up to 3 days.
How to Freeze
I like to make a couple of pies and then freeze one for later. Let the pie cool to room temperature and cover it completely in either plastic wrap or an air tight freezer bag. Defrost the pie overnight in the refrigerator.
Serving Suggestions
We love to make this chocolate cream pie recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and even as a substitute birthday cake!
5-Star Review
“I’m not a huge fan of chocolate cream pie. It has to be a really excellent pie for me to enjoy it. However, my daughter is a big fan of chocolate cream pie. So, for the last 20-25 years, I’ve used a different recipe every year, trying to find one that I like. This year I tried yours & I’m done looking. Easy to make. Looks beautiful. Great taste. Great recipe. Thank you.” – Tess K.
More Easy Pie Recipes We Love
- Homemade Apple Pie
- Shoofly Pie
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Grasshopper Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Caramel Pie
- Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cheesecake
Made this last night. Perfectly thick! I’m going to go out on a limb and say people who had issues may have used expired corn starch?? Just a thought.
Thanks for sharing, Rebekah!
You are doing something wrong then. I made this today and I made one yesterday and they both came out amazing and set perfectly
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Katie!
For everyone saying theirs didn’t set, obviously you’re doing something wrong lol. I made this recipe once today and once yesterday and it came out amazing and set beautifully. Would definitely recommend and will be making this again!
Thank you!!
Worked perfectly for me also. I’ve made it several times and it’s the only chocolate pie i will make from now on. Followed directions exactly
I am sorry this didn’t work out for you, Alyssa!
Sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you!
I am sorry it didn’t work out for you Lindsay! I hope you give it another shot.
At what point do you take off the parchment on top of the pie?
Once the pie has set and is firm!
I think I had it on too long because the sprayed parchment stuck to the top part of the pie. So maybe I should take it off before it sits in the fridge? Besides that it was awesome!
Could I make this with heavy cream instead of half and half?
If you don’t have half and half, but heavy cream, you can make your own! Just do half heavy cream and half milk!
I used 2% milk and it was just fine.
I’m not sure what went wrong but the pie hasn’t set especially around the edges. Is there anything I can try to salvage the pie?
Did you try placing it in the fridge longer?
My pie did not set at all 🥺
I followed the instructions and had it chilling in the fridge for a good 6or 7 hours and it was still soupy. Not sure what went wrong but it did taste good. Disappointed though😒
I am sorry it didn’t work out for you Nathalie. I hope you give it another shot!
I would like to try again 😃
Nathalie, I had to do a double take at the 1/4 cups of cornstarch. My other recipe only uses 2 tablespoons of it. I hope you did the 1/4 cup. Said with kindness. But i also did mine in a microwave safe bowl. I first microwaved it for 2 minutes and then 1 minute at a time stirring each time. Still followed the steps for adding the final ingredients, just didn’t do it on the stove. It only took about 5 times in the microwave. Good luck next time, don’t give up. It’s worth it!!