This chocolate cream pie is rich and decadent and silky smooth. It is a chocolate lovers favorite when we need a good chocolate fix. The filling is made from scratch with both bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate. Layered over a thick Oreo cookie crust and topped with fresh whipped cream, you’re going to love this indulgent chocolate cream pie recipe!
Everyone loves a classic chocolate cream pie, but you can also make this delicious dessert in party-size portions for the perfect special occasion – find the instructions for making mini chocolate cream pie here. If you’re looking for a no bake chocolate pie, try our Hershey pie with both a chocolate layer and a marshmallow creme layer. Or pair the love for chocolate and brownies in this Brownie Pie recipe!
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🍫 Ingredients:
- Oreo cookies – to make the cookie crumb crust
- butter – binds the crust together whether you bake it or chill it, we also add a little bit of butter to the chocolate custard filling for creaminess and richness.
- granulated sugar – our main sweetener for the chocolate custard filling. We will use a combination of chocolates, but need the additional sugar for the correct balance.
- cornstarch – this thickens our custard filling
- salt – balances the sweetness
- egg yolks – adds richness and helps to thicken and stabilize the custard filling
- whole milk – you can use a lower fat milk, but the pie will not be as rich
- semi-sweet chocolate chips and Baker’s unsweetened chocolate squares – we use a combination of chocolates that are on the bitter and bittersweet spectrum for a rich, deep chocolate flavor
- vanilla extract
- heavy whipping cream – primarily for the topping, but if you’d like to add a couple splashes to the custard filling, no one will complain.
- powdered sugar – to sweeten the whipped cream
- chocolate sprinkles or chocolate curls (optional)
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable full recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
Oreo cookies, chocolate cookie crumbs, chocolate sprinkles, or chocolate curls (milk chocolate or dark chocolate) can all be used to garnish the chocolate pie.
Substitutions and Variations
- Variation 1 – This would also be great with a homemade graham cracker crust instead of an oreo crust or you can save time and purchase a store-bought crust
- Variation 2 – Use an oil pie crust or a butter pie crust. Traditional pie crust will need to be pre-baked. Follow the instructions in the relevant recipe for baking a pie shell.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 1: Place Oreo cookies into a food processor and pulse until ground.
Step 2: Add the melted butter to the Oreo crumbs and pulse several more times to combine. The cookie crumbles should be clumping together.
Pro Tip
Baking the crust helps firm it up – the butter and sugar from the cookies melt together and crystallize into a crust that stays intact. The toasty butter and cookies also take on a delicious flavor. BUT, you don’t HAVE to bake the crust. Mix the crust ingredients together as instructed. After pressing it into the pie pan, pop it in the freezer to chill while preparing the chocolate pie filling. It might break apart a little more easily when serving the pie, but I don’t think anyone will complain.
Step 3: Press the Oreo crumbs evenly into a 9-inch pie plate.
Step 4: Bake crust for 10-15 minutes until slightly bubbly and beginning to crisp (right about when you can smell it cooking).
Step 5: While the crust is baking, begin mixing up the pie filling. The filling for this pie is made much like a chocolate custard. In a medium or large saucepan, whisk together the sugar, salt, and cornstarch.
Step 6: In a medium bowl, mix egg yolks and milk
Step 7: Pour milk and egg mixture into sugar mixture, whisking until smooth. Heat over medium on the stovetop until mixture comes to a boil. You will want to whisk constantly to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the mixture boils, turn the heat down to a simmer and continue stirring until the mixture thickens. This usually takes another 2-3 minutes.
Step 8: Remove the thickened filling mixture from the heat. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir.
Step 9: Stir until the chocolate melts fully and the pie filling is smooth and consistent. Yum!
Step 10: Now it’s time to pour that delicious chocolate filling into your baked cookie crust. Pour it in, and smooth it evenly into the pie crust. MMMMM. Go ahead and lick the spoon.
Step 11: Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing it down over the surface of the filling to prevent a film from forming on the top of the pie filling. Place in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours.
Step 12: Just before serving, you can prepare the homemade whipped cream topping. Whisk two cups of heavy whipping cream until it starts to form soft to stiff peaks. Add in ¼ cup of powdered sugar and whisk a bit more. Using the whisk attachment on an electric mixer is the easiest way to whip up your whipped cream, but you can do it by hand and burn off a couple extra calories before you dig into this pie!
Step 13: Mound the whipped cream on top of the pie and spread lightly out to the sides.
Step 14: Use a peeler to create chocolate shavings for the top of the whipped cream. Chocolate sprinkles or crushed Oreos would be perfect decorative toppings as well.
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: Dig in! This chocolate cream pie will not disappoint. It is so rich and delicious, the perfect combination of cookie crust, silky chocolate filling, and light creamy whipped topping.
Recipe Tips for Chocolate Cream Pie
If you do not have a food processor, the Oreos can be ground up in the blender, but you will have to work in smaller batches and stir frequently. You can also place the cookies in a large Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. This will take some extra work and may not result in the finest or most even crumb.
Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch first and then whisk well to combine them with the milk/eggs before you even turn the heat on. This will help the cornstarch dissolve evenly throughout the mixture so that it heats evenly and you minimize the chance of clumps forming in the custard filling.
A whisk is the easiest tool to move through the custard filling while heating, but it can be more difficult to keep the bottom of the saucepan scraped. You may want to use a rubber spatula every few minutes to be sure you’ve cleared the bottom of the saucepan and your milk is not scalding.
More Recipes for Chocolate Cravings
If you tried this Chocolate Cream Pie or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Chocolate Cream Pie
Ingredients
Oreo Cookie Crust
- 35-40 Oreo cookies about 2 sleeves or rows of cookies
- 6 T. butter melted
Filling
- ¾ C. granulated sugar
- ¼ C. cornstarch
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 cups whole milk
- 5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 oz. Baker's unsweetened chocolate squares
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbs. powdered sugar
- chocolate sprinkles or chocolate curls optional
Instructions
- This recipe yields one 9-inch pie. It can easily be doubled to make two pies.
- Place Oreo cookies into a food processor and pulse until ground.
- Add ½ C. melted butter and continue blending until butter is thoroughly mixed in.
- Press cookie crumbles into a 9-inch pie plate and spread evenly across the bottom and up the sides.
- Bake crust in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until slightly bubbly and beginning to crisp (right about when you can smell it cooking).
- For the filling:
- Stir together sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a medium size heavy pan.
- Whisk egg yolks into milk.
- Add milk mixture to sugar mixture and heat over medium – medium/high heat.
- Whisk CONSTANTLY until mixture cooks and comes to a low boil (about 10-12 minutes)
- Turn heat down and continue whisking and cooking until mixture thickens. (about 2 minutes more).
- Remove from heat.
- Add in butter, vanilla, chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate (chopped into pieces).
- Stir until melted and smooth.
- Transfer filling into the pie plate over the baked crust.
- Cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the filling.Cool in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours or until cool.
- Just before serving, whip heavy whipping cream (add powdered sugar during last 30 seconds of whipping).
- Transfer whipping cream into piping bag fitted with coupler and large decorating tip 1M.
- Top large pie with swirls or a border of whipped cream. You can also simple mound the whipped cream on top of the pie and spread over the top.
- Add chocolate sprinkles or use a peeler to make chocolate curls from a chocolate bar if desired and serve!
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Comments & Reviews
Debbie says
I haven’t made this yet. I have a question. Do I leave the cream filling in the Oreos or do I scrape it off? Thank you, Debbie.
Stefanie says
Hi Debbie, you leave the cream filling in the Oreos and just pulverize the whole cookies. Yum, Oreo cookie crust is my personal favorite!!
Jen says
Not only was this pie easy and delicious (we made it for Christmas), but the filling makes a fantastic pudding all by itself.
Emily says
I made this using half cream/half milk and the filling turned out extra decadent.
Susan says
I made this for a friends get together. Everyone raves about how good it was. So delicious!
Sue says
Has anyone made using milk chocolate chips instead of semi sweet?
Need a more milk chocolate pie
girlinspired says
Hi Sue! I haven’t tried it because I’m a dark chocolate girl through and through, BUT I absolutely think it would turn out delicious.
Jeanine Marcucci says
I love this recipe – it’s my go to chocolate cream pie and easy to prepare. To lighten up the topping a bit, I use Cool Whip low sugar container. And I put together in a square baking dish which is easier to serve even pieces. Excellent dessert!
Juliet Farmer says
This looks fabulous… and easily converted to gluten-free!
Does it keep well if I make it the day before serving???
girlinspired says
Yes! The only thing that doesn’t keep well is the whipped cream. You can make ahead and even freeze the pie. Top with the whipped cream just before serving.
Elisa says
Instant hit with the family and not difficult or time consuming at all to make.
Janice Hussey says
This was my third chocolate cream pie recipe in a row. We were taste testing! Hands down. The best. I did NOT need to know how easy it the cookie crust pie was to make, and how INCREDIBLE it smells!! Oh my. Great recipe!!
girlinspired says
Thank you SO much. I think it’s the best, but it’s always wonderful to have someone else think so, too. 😘😘😘
Serena says
Could you double it and make it in a 9×13 pan?
girlinspired says
Absolutely! You can double it and make two pies or spread it out into a casserole dish like you’re thinking. So easy!